Spinach Quiche
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Made with heavy cream and Gruyère, this rich spinach quiche is classic French.
Of all the spinach quiches I’ve tried over the years, this classic French version is my favorite. The recipe comes from my childhood friend Trish, who is not only one of the funniest people I know, but also a stunning hostess. When Trish entertains, she goes all out – beautiful table settings, seasonal cocktails, fabulous food, and (best of all) hilarious party games. She once created an entire game of Jeopardy! for our old high school gang, complete with categories like Prom Dates, ’80s Pop Stars, and Senior Superlatives.
This spinach quiche is Trish’s “go-to” brunch dish. The combination of heavy cream and Gruyère makes it rich and flavorful. There’s also a good bit of spinach, which balances out all that richness and makes it just a little bit healthier. If you’d like to try another traditional French quiche, my quiche Lorraine made with smoky bacon, nutty Gruyère cheese, and shallots is one of the most satisfying dishes imaginable.
“This is the best spinach quiche I’ve had! It was a hit at our Easter brunch and I got several requests for the recipe. It came out perfect making ahead, freezing, and defrosting. This is a keeper!”
Ingredients For Spinach Quiche
To simplify things, I recommend using a store-bought crust. When buying frozen pie crust, be sure to check it carefully at the store for cracks. (If you unpack it and find that it’s cracked, no worries — there’s a fix below.) Also, make sure to buy a deep-dish crust; a regular pie shell is not deep enough to hold all the fillings.
Frozen chopped spinach also makes the recipe easy. It’s important to wring out all the moisture from the spinach before using. I usually gather it into a ball in my hands and squeeze it until dry. It takes a few minutes of squeezing to get all the water out. Be patient; you need the spinach completely dry, otherwise your quiche will be watery.
Gruyère is my first choice for this quiche – its nutty flavor works nicely in egg dishes, like strata, egg bites, omelettes, and more – but if you can’t find it, Cheddar may be substituted.
How To Make Spinach Quiche
Prick the bottom and sides of the crust all over with a fork. Bake on center rack until fully cooked and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. If your crust cracks in the oven (or if it was cracked when you opened the package), make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
Set the crust aside and turn the oven down to 325°F. Sauté the shallots in a bit of butter over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper.
Whisk to combine.
Place cooked pie shell on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of oven) and spread the shallots over the bottom of the cooked crust.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese over top.
Scatter spinach evenly over cheese (breaking up clumps as best you can).
Then pour the egg mixture carefully over top.
Bake at 325°F for 50 to 55 minutes until custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
How To Freeze Spinach Quiche
This spinach quiche freezes beautifully for up to three months. After cooling the quiche, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.
You May Also Like
- Quiche Lorraine
- Cheese Soufflé
- Spinach & Cheese Strata
- Spinach Frittata
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Spinach Egg Bites
Video Tutorial
Spinach Quiche
Made with heavy cream and Gruyère, this rich spinach quiche is classic French.
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch deep dish frozen pie crust
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots
- 4 large eggs
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup (4 oz) finely shredded Gruyère, packed
- 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung free of water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork (pricking about an inch apart). Bake until fully cooked and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it...if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate.) Don't worry if the crust cracks while baking; see my note below on how to fix it before proceeding. Set aside and turn oven down to 325°F.
- Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the shallots until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper.
- Place the cooked pie crust on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of oven). Spread the shallots over the bottom of the cooked crust, then sprinkle the shredded Gruyere over top. Scatter the spinach evenly over cheese, breaking up the clumps as best you can. Pour the egg and cream mixture over top.
- Bake at 325°F degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until the custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
- Note: I usually defrost the frozen spinach quickly by placing it in a fine mesh strainer and running hot water over it. I then gather the spinach into a ball and squeeze it dry. It takes a few minutes of squeezing and re-squeezing to get all the water out. Be patient...you need the spinach completely dry, otherwise your quiche will be watery.
- Note: Don't panic if your crust cracks—you can easily fix it. Make a smooth paste by mixing 1½ tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This quiche can be made up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 504
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Sodium: 472 mg
- Cholesterol: 218 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can I use your pastry crust recipe from your rustic apple tart to make the quiche crust?
Hi Karin, I’d actually recommend this recipe. Hope that helps!
Hi, Jenn! Thanks for the great recipe.
I just took it out of the oven and the inside is still uncooked–totally raw egg mixture. I’m unsure why! I followed the directions explicitly. Any idea? The spinach was dried when I put it in the quiche. Hmmm 🤔
That’s so strange, Allison – I’m sorry you had a problem with it! Happy to try to help troubleshoot: Did you use a 9-inch deep dish crust? Was your oven rack in the center position? Did you reduce the oven temperature to 325°F after baking the crust?
I cooked it for 30 min longer than recommended and it came out perfect.
Hi Jen! Love every recipe I have made! Do you think I could do this with Brie since that is what I have in the fridge?
Unfortunately, I don’t think brie will work here — sorry!
Hi Jenn
Loved this recipe! I’ve actually done it with brie as well; just freeze the wedge till firm enough to grate on the coarse side of a box cheese grater and sub the same amount as for the grocery
Love your recipes 🙂
This is a fantastic recipe. It was perfect to serve at a brunch with my two daughters who don’t really eat much meat. This was an easy recipe and very tasty. I am a fan of your recipes.
This recipe was so delicious, I was literally dancing after my first bite, and I made my on-looking husband give me a high five. Best quiche I’ve EVER tasted, thank you so much for sharing this gem!!
LOL — so glad you enjoyed it!
Great recipe! Even my finicky kid liked it. I did substitute oat milk for cream, and decreased it to 1 C. It still had to cook about 30 min longer to be solid enough. But WOW, so good!
I haven’t made it yet, but am wanting to try to make it tomorrow. I’m debating on adding tomato to it and also have a sensitivity to onions so I was going to try making it without the onions. Do you think this would work? Also was going to use shredded marbled cheddar as I don’t have Gruyere.
Hi Erica, The onion adds nice flavor, but it’s fine to leave it out and to use the Cheddar. The tomatoes will work as well. I’d roast them first in a 450-degree oven for about 20 minutes, until they are shriveled. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Thanks for the reply. I will let you know how it turns out. I am also going to be using fresh spinach that I will chop up, instead of frozen. Should I cook the spinach as well as the tomatoes?
Yes, I would steam or saute the spinach and squeeze out any excess liquid before incorporating into the recipe.
Thanks so much for the advice. It turned out great and the roasted tomatoes added a really nice flavor to it. This was my first time making quiche so I was pretty nervous about modifying the recipe. I’m so glad I tried it though, will definitely try again!
So glad it came out nicely — thanks for taking the time to follow up!
This was a hit at our Mother’s Day brunch, alongside your Potato Leek Soup and baby spinach with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. I always make two when I make this and freeze one for later. I do go the extra mile and make homemade crust for this…very time consuming but I enjoy the process. For me, it makes all the difference. This time I substituted chopped kale (lightly sautéed to wilt) for the spinach, as I needed my spinach for the salad and didn’t have enough. We all loved it! I recommend it as an alternative. When I have them, I also throw it sautéed portobello mushrooms along with the shallots. My favorite quiche recipe!
Hi Jenn, I just made one this morning using self-made flaky pie crust (followed Sally’s recipe). It turned out excellent even though it’s my first time making a quiche! I’ve made some modifications though (used cheddar cheese as I couldn’t find Gruyene, replaced heavy cream with whipping cream as it was not available, skipped the nutmeg, reduced the proportion by a third as my pie dish is a little shallow). It’s very delicious and my children love it.Thank you so much!
Wow, I wondered how so many people had reviewed this recipe and it still had a 5 star rating… now I know. I made it and it is incredible!!!!!!!!
Want to try your recipe but only have pre-shredded mozzarella or Monterey jack. Your thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Bonnie, either one of those should work here. Hope you enjoy!
All I can say is OMG thank you! I’ve made this recipe twice now and oh boy I’m in heaven! I’ve improvised with ingredients and it’s been awesome. I used fresh spinach and shrimp in the first quiche and did asparagus and shrimp in the second. I even added jalapeño and cilantro so not truly a French quiche but I LOVE the hints of nutmeg and cayenne in this dish. I think it needs more salt than what the recipe calls for so I added more salt to the onions.
Hi Jen, this may seem like a silly question but I’ve always been uncertain about measuring shredded cheese. Is the measurement for one cup an 8oz block of cheese, or is it a measured cup of shredded cheese?
Hi Jennifer, not a silly question — the cup refers to the volume of cheese (so a dry measuring cup) and the 4 ounces (in the case of this recipe) is what it would weigh. Hope that clarifies!
Absolutely amazing!
Another winner!!!!
I have made this at least 5 times, it’s so yummy! I swap some of the heavy cream for whole milk to save a little bit on calories and it is still super delicious.
Have made this dozens of times and it’s a big winner. Just made it without crust for the first time, and it’s just as terrific.
can I substitute broccoli and cheddar?
Sure — just make sure to defrost the broccoli and squeeze it dry. Hope you enjoy!
I’ve just made this Spinach quiche for the second time and appreciate your pointers as well as the method and the photo steps. Easy to follow. It’s Delicious!!
This quiche is absolute perfection. I will be making this often!
Just an FYI, I learned a while ago, from Rachel Ray, to use a ricer to squeeze the moisture out of spinach. Works like a charm. Frozen or fresh.
Another one of your recipes I did and we loved. As a vegetarian you give me plenty of good things to pick from. Thank you for all your hard work that makes me look fabulous in the kitchen.
💗
I have been making quiche for years (mostly because I love the crust). This is simply the best recipe I have ever used. I have Celiac disease, so can’t eat anything containing gluten. I buy a frozen gluten free crust at Whole Foods, and it works great. I follow this recipe for pre-baking the crust (not the package instructions). There is a bit too much filling for the size of the crust, but most of it fits. It is easy to prep earlier in the day, and put it together when ready to bake. My whole family loves it. Delicious!
Glad you like it Debbi!
I’ve made it without crust altogether and it’s just as delicious, and the entire filling fits in the pie pan. Also made it in square pan and muffin tins.
Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Yes, you’ll just need to cook it first and remove any excess liquid. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, recipe says “finely grated” Gruyere; should I use the zesting grater? Thanks so much! Ally in New Jersey
Hi Ally, it would work, but it doesn’t need to be that finely grated, so feel free to use a regular grater if you’d prefer. Hope you enjoy!
Okee-dokee, thanks Jenn!
This was the best quiche I ever ate! I used the spinach and added a tad of garlic and chopped broccolli and chopped spinach. We used Cheddar. It made more than one quiche though from the filling.
I made this several times and each time it was fantastic. Made it again last. I had a half a pound of Gulf Shrimp and two medium sized Lobster Tails that would not be enough to feed the family so I added them along with some Bay’s seasoning to this recipe. guess I would refer to it as Franken-quiche. It was delicious. I will continue to made the original recipe but it also is a very versatile recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
Timothy, I had just finished reading an article from The Nosher, about the Jewish roots of Old Bay Seasoning, and thought about, what if one puts in some of this seasoning into the quiche, w/o seafood. Then there is your comment about putting it in left over shell seafood.
So, when I make this, I am going to try it. 1/2 Tsp maybe?
Could you share the recipe for the pastry dough? I would like to make the pastry at home.
Thanks
Hi Farah, You can use this recipe. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
This is a delicious recipe. do you think I can make it with zucchini and prawn instead of spinach?
Please let me know.
J
Sure, I think that would work. 🙂
This quiche is SO GOOD. I make this anytime we have people over for brunch and it is always a huge hit.
I made this & my husband
& I really enjoyed it. Next time I am inclined to combine the shallots, cheese & spinach instead of layering them. Your thoughts please?
That should work, Rita. 🙂
❤️ this!
I made this for a friend and to say he loved it is an understatement. Thank you for a great recipe!
This quiche is absolutely delicious! I hadn’t made a quiche in several years and when the thought of a good one with spinach sounded tasty, I hit Google. Thank goodness I did! I ate some, froze some slices and am thrilled to have this tasty choice available now.
The shallots and gruyere literally make this! And I would never have thought of either!
Already shared with a few friends, who are also impressed. Many thanks for making this available!
This is my go to recipe when I’m trying to impress a lady.
This turned out perfectly, for me. I followed the recipe very closely. I could only find chopped frozen spinach in the store. Wringing out the frozen spinach was the way to handle it, but it feels weird.
If I were to make it again, I’d be tempted to buy fresh baby spinach, trim the stems, freeze it on a tray, so that the leaves are separate, then use the whole baby leaves as the spinach. However, I’m not an expert cook.
Gwen, I made this with fresh spinach. It turned out just fine.
Absolutely delicious and easy to make!
This is my go-to quiche recipe. I always make two at a time. Freezes beautifully. Nutmeg a must. Wringing out the spinach takes a bit of work, but it’s well worth the effort! Versatile recipe – great for brunch, lunch or a light supper, and works hot or cold.
To make this dish for my family, which requires a gluten free and dairy free meal, I swap the Gruyere cheese for Violife Feta cheese, heavy cream for Chobani Oat drink and a pie crust for a gluten free, dairy free crust. I otherwise follow the recipe as described and it is just delicious! It’s a great way to get my family to eat their spinach.
Great dish! Everyone enjoyed.
I’ve made this quiche several times and it’s one of the best I’ve ever had. And if you’re looking for a breakfast for dinner idea you can’t go wrong here.
This quiche is incredible and so easy. I used fresh spinach instead of frozen and it turned out great. I’ve made this 2-3 times now and it has been delicious every time. I’m a new fan of shallots now. Such a nice alternative to strong onion flavor. My husband really enjoyed this meal. And, good hot or cold!
Hi Peggy! Did you sauté your fresh spinach first or just chop and add?
Thanks!
My husband and I loved this quiche. I used grated Swiss cheese instead of Gruyere as that is what I had on hand. It was light in texture yet rich in taste and made for a delicious dinner with a side salad. I make a lot of quiches and this has moved to the top of my list.
This is my favorite recipe for sharing with my friends for a brunch or luncheon. I have used it several times with consistent success and rave reviews. The ingredients are all common ones that can be found in rural grocery stores, with the Gruyere cheese being the exception. When I cannot find it, I use Cheddar cheese with equally great taste. I appreciate the added bonus of preparing the quiche the day before or freezing it when time is of the essence. It’s definitely a repeat!
This was the first time I ever tried to make quiche and it was soooo delicious! I invited our son to brunch and he was so impressed and asked for the recipe so he could make it too! I did use fresh spinach that I wilted and added cooked chopped bacon, but it’s the original recipe with the gruyere and the heavy cream that makes it over the top. Thank you so much!
This spinach quiche was delicious! I didn’t have gruyere, so I substituted with a white sharp cheddar. The shallots were a great addition, and the spinach made it feel a little healthier. Very quick and easy to make, and it is now my go-to quiche recipe!
Gruyere is absolutely divine! This quiche is delectable because of it. I didn’t have shallots so used onions instead but it still turned out nicely. I also wanted individual muffin sized ones so baked this in my muffin tin, therefore crustless but still yummy. Thank you Jenn for your delicious recipes and hard work!
This quiche is outstanding. It is the first quiche I have ever made and it was a big hit with my bridge group. Everyone wanted the recipe! Thanks for making me look good.
This is an excellent Quiche recipe! The filling has such a wonderful texture. The Gruyere cheese is a must for the nutty flavor it provides. My husband loves to have the leftovers for breakfast. It is easy to put together and of course, your directions are the best!
This is a really delicious spinach quiche. Wonderful for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. I made it for dinner for a friend who needs a gluten free diet by substituting mashed potatoes for the pie crust. I made it in an iron skillet and the mashed potatoes crisped up nicely in the oven, a perfect compliment to the spinach quiche topping.
This has been my go-to quiche recipe for well over a year now. It is always well received. I’ve tried it with both fresh and frozen and it’s definitely better with frozen in my opinion. I also make my own pie crust instead of buying a premade one. I just made the quiche lorraine on this website for the first time recently which is also amazing.
This is by far the best spinach quiche I have ever made! (And I have made at least a dozen different recipes). The texture of the filling was so creamy & light. I think using gruyere cheese makes a big difference in taste, so make sure you get that! Jen’s recipes can be counted on to turn out excellently. I have shared this blog with many, especially newer chefs looking for reliable & wonderful tasting recipes every time.
Hi Jenn, I was looking for a Spinach Quiche with Feta. I know that isnt Classic French, but I have an abundance of Dodoni Feta from Costco and want to use it up. So instead of using Gruyere or Cheddar.
I searched your reviews here and couldn’t find this question asked before. So sorry to the purists, but can I just substitute Feta for either Cheddar or Gruyere? Any adjustment needed because of the water content in the Feta?
Hi Lawrence, Feta doesn’t melt nearly as well as Gruyere, so if you want something a little more evenly distributed through the quiche, I’d stick with something like Gruyere. You mentioned Cheddar; that will also work nicely.
Hi Jenn, I wanted to circle back and share the outcome. I made the Spinach version with Feta, which I was intent on making. Based on your comments in advance regarding the feta not distributing well, I grated the block of Feta on a very sharp grater. That resulted in a mix of shredded Feta and Crumbs, totaling 4 ounces. Atop of the shallots, I placed half of the feta, then layered in the spinach breaking up the clumps as suggested. Atop of the spinach, I placed the remaining Feta. The outcome…. OUTSTANDING AND WELL INTEGRATED…..one last change would be to cut back the salt by at least a half-teaspoon.
Whenever I make this recipe I always feel like I am eating at a restaurant!
Great with a salad and is enough for dinner! I did a few adjustments, made my own crust and used fresh spinach. Delicious!
This is my go to for quiche and have a frozen pie shell in our freezer staring at me right now ready to be filled. Easy to prepare and delicious!