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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Hey Jenn – I have a question- if I make your homemade pie crust for this quiche, would I blind bake it before adding the custard?
Yep!
This was the best quiche I’ve ever made! My friend who is French (we call her Frenchie) enjoyed this quiche with me and she loved it too.
This is a great recipe–perfect proportions, light, silky, and truly custardy rather than eggy. Last night i didn’t have heavy cream and made it with all 2% milk and it was *still* rich and delicious.
I only have regular crusts – not deep dish. How would you recommend I modify the recipe? the package came with two regular pie crusts – can i make two by slightly increasing each thing?
thank you!
Sure, Sybil, that should work. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I have half and half on hand. Can I substitute? I’ve made this numerous times before with heavy cream and it was delicious! I don’t want to ruin it if half and half won’t work.
Yes, you can get away with half and half (and glad you like it)!
So good! It came out perfect
Made this quiche last night for dinner using a homemade crust. It turned out excellent and got rave reviews. Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes.
This recipe is excellent, absolutely no less than five stars! My domestic partner loves it and will always remind me to make more quiche if there is none left in the freezer. Thank you so very much.
Can you use half & half instead of cream? Same amount?
Hi Rae, 1/2 & 1/2 will work here — you’ll need the same amount. Hope you enjoy!
Can I use half and half instead of cream? Same amount?
Yes, you can get away with half and half (and you’d need the same amount). Enjoy!
If you have a potato ricer, use it to squeeze the water out of spinach. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
I’ve made this recipe several times now and it’s great. I used fresh spinach instead of frozen. I just wilted it in a skillet with some olive oil. I just think fresh is better.
I’ve made this 4 times and all to rave reviews. I learned a two things along the way: I use the pie crust that comes in a roll. First, I make it slightly bigger and thinner with a rolling pin (not critical) and then after shaping it in the pan, I put it in the fridge for 15 min before blind baking with pie weights. I then removed the pie weights and bake for an additional 3 min. The one time I did not do that, one side slipped down a bit making me have to create a pie crust dam to keep the filling in. Also, I agree that mixing up the spinach onion and cheese a bit works best.
This was the best part of Easter brunch!
What a crowd pleaser on easter – followed the recipe to a T except used fresh duck eggs. Harder to find but made for an incredible texture.
First time making quiche and this was a huge success.
I thought a cup was 8oz, not 4!
Hi Kathy, I think you must be referring to the Gruyère? If so, 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!
I made this yesterday for a bridal shower. It was well received. However, it took 1 1/2 hours to bake. (Temperature in oven is right on) Anyone else have this problem?
Hi Carol Lee,
Yes mine took approximately 1 hour and 15 – 20 minutes. I used half n half, and thought that could be the difference (or that maybe I didn’t squeeze my spinach enough). Nevertheless, it was delicious!
Made 2 for Easter brunch and everyone was amazed by how delicious and flavorful they were! I had sautéed fresh spinach — want to try the frozen since that would be easier!
I have been making this dish for years, and it is by far the best quiche I have ever had! I’ve shared this recipe with my friends and family, who’ve been stunned by its deliciousness. Of course, I always add more veggies than it calls for, usually mushrooms, kale, and tomato. Although you must saute the water out when you add more veggies, it also gives you a chance to add a little spice to the veggies. On top of adding more veggies, I also had a different variety of cheese on top of the gruyere, typically cheddar. Last night, we sprinkled fresh thyme on top of the pies. I love the original recipe and also appreciate being able to improvise and tweak it here and there! Thank you!
Great recipe! Worked so well and tasted delicious. I made this for my friends for an Easter brunch and everyone loved it.
Love it.
Instead of heavy cream I added ricotta😋
How much ricotta did you use?
How do the proportions change if I only have traditional pie crusts? I don’t want to overdo the fillings and not have space for the custard!
Hi Erica, I’m not sure how much the proportions would need to change for a traditional pie crust. I’d just use the recipe; – you’ll likely have a bit of custard leftover; just fill the shell as high as possible. Hope you enjoy!
Stumbled onto this via Pinterest search for spinach quiche – I seriously think this is the best quiche I’ve ever had, let alone made. I think it’s the particular cheese and the heavy cream that make the difference, as I’ve made plenty of spinach quiches before. You’re spot on in calling it a ‘custard’ filling – so light and fluffy!! I did a test run last weekend and am looking forward to making another for Easter, thanks for sharing!
This is the most delicious quiche!! I copied the suggestion from the comments to add some chopped roasted peppers on top and it was sooo soooo delicious!
I always add fresh spinach, but otherwise follow exactly, and this is an absolutely delicious recipe! Have made this multiple times for different occasions, it always comes out the same, and everyone always wants the recipe. Thank you!!
So delicious. I ended up using the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust that you roll out because it is much bigger than the frozen deep dish crust. I added mushrooms and sautéed fresh spinach. So easy. Nothing left to freeze! I am excited to have found out about your recipes and plan on trying others. Thank you
I plan to make this for Easter brunch and will make it ahead and freeze it. Do I defrost it at room temperature or in the refrigerator 24 hours ahead of serving? Will the spinach get watery as it defrosts and create a soggy crust? Thank you!
Hi Jen, I’d defrost it in the fridge. And, no, thawing it shouldn’t make the crust soggy. Hope you enjoy!
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!
I made this recipe last night and it was fantastic. The only variation from your recipe was that I prepared a homemade crust. My parents, my husband, and I loved it. I do have a quick question, I would like to branch out and add different meats… Have you ever added chicken and pecans to this base? Most recipes I found online with chicken and pecans have sour cream and different sorts of ingredients that I would prefer not to add. I would like to add them to your base if possible? Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you! Lori Kfoury
Hi Lori, I haven’t but don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work; the recipe is very flexible. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Delicious spinach quiche!! I followed the recipe except I used pie weights instead of pricking with a fork. I find the pie weights works better. I also added 2oz of pancetta and only added 1/4 t of salt. It was rich and delightful! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Planning to make this tomorrow and am wondering why you prick the crust instead of using pie weight. Don’t the holes end up letting the the liquid seep through?
Hi Jackie, The pre-made frozen crusts don’t shrink the same way a homemade one does, so the pie weights aren’t necessary; it’s easier to just prick the crust. The holes mostly close up during the blind baking process, so you don’t have to worry about the filling seeping through. Hope that helps!
Loved it! Used half and half instead of cream. I think I’ll try it crustless next time. Thanks for a great recipe:) My picky 14 year-old gobbled it down so it’s a double win!
I volunteered to make spinach quiche for a church potluck. I had never made spinach quiche before, but I came across your recipe and decided to try it. I made 3 for the event and 1 for us since the pie crusts were 2 to a package. I used a mixture of gruyere and British white cheddar. My husband and I thought we’d better try it before serving it to others, so we had some for breakfast the day of the event. He is a picky eater and wrinkled his nose when I said we should have some. He said it was really good! I loved it!
This is soooo creamy and delicious! I made ahead and then reheated it. I’m wondering if I reheated using the microwave whether it saves time or does it ruin its creamy custard?
Glad you like it! I’d only use the microwave if you’re reheating individual pieces. If you are, it reheats it nicely.
I’ve made this recipe countless times and it’s always a hit. My niece was visiting this past weekend and she has celiac disease (allergy to gluten). I wanted to make this but didn’t want to just make it crustless, so I experimented with a crust made from frozen hash browns (about 4 cups). I thawed the hash browns, added 2 tablespoons of melted butter, some salt and pepper, pressed it into a pie plate and baked it at 400 for about 25 minutes until it started to crisp up. Then continued with your basic egg/gruyere/spinach recipe and baked it for another 40 minutes. It was a huge hit and it’s a great alternative for anyone watching their gluten intake. The best part was that I didn’t have to feel like I was missing a pie crust.
So easy to make and absolutely delicious. No more store bought quiche for me as I can throw this together in no time. It also reheats very well and tasted as good as the day it was made.
I have made this twice, both times for company at brunch. It is super simple and delicious. The second time, I substituted Jarlsberg Swiss cheese as it is not as costly as Gruyère. It was still excellent. The crust crack trick is genius. Definitely my go-to spinach quiche recipe!
This quiche is delicious and directions easy to follow. The only change I made is adding some chopped cooked bacon (3 slices). I baked the day before, refrigerated overnight and reheated in 325 oven for about 45 minutes the next morning. It was perfectly silky and received praise from our house guests.
This is delicious!
This quiche was so tasty! I took it to work and have been asked 3 more times to bring it again! I replace the cheese you suggested with fresh parmesan but otherwise I cooked it to your specifications and it was absolutely the best one I have ever made! Thanks for sharing your talent with us!
Best quiche recipe ever!! Thank you.
Can you use fresh spinach?
Sure – just make sure to cook and squeeze out any liquid before incorporating into the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
This quiche was fabulous! Tasting the layers of shallots, Gruyere then spinach was so yummy! I used Trader Joe’s frozen pie crust, shaped the edges in my pie plate and followed your directions to pre-bake and it came out beautiful and tasted outstanding! My kids love eating this for breakfast. I’ve made it many times and it always comes out perfect! Do you think half + half would work too? Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Half & half will work here – the quiche just won’t be quite as creamy.
I made the quiche last night with a homemade crust from your site (best crust I had ever made). The quiche tasted very good but in the future, I will premix half of the onions, cheese, and liquid mixture with the spinach in order to half a more homogenous taste, then add the remaining liquid on top. In certain spots, I was tasting just the spinach that’s the only downside. Otherwise fantastic receipe.
Brilliant brilliant brilliant 👍😊
Love it ! I cut it in wedges before freezing and then microwaved the slices when I wanted to eat it.I wanted a slice every day ! I added bacon bits that made it even better.
5 stars!! My husband doesn’t usually like quiche but loved this one. I’ve made it for two separate parties and received so many compliments on it. I followed the recipe exactly.
I would love to double it and freeze it…do you think it’ll turn out the same?
So glad it was a hit (especially with your husband)! Yes, it’s perfectly fine to freeze it. See the freezer-friendly instructions at the bottom of the recipe.
Delicious!!
I have made this many many times. It’s a great recipe. I have changed it a bit this time for broccoli and turkey bacon but same ratio of liquids. I do add a tiny bit of baking powder to my quiches, it gives them more lift! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Why do you ask us to pre cook the crust mine always shrinks? Other recipes don’t ask to pre cook crust.
Just curious
By the way it’s a great recipe
Hi Susan, pre-cooking/blind baking the crust is important because it ensures that the crust gets baked all the way through, and doesn’t come out soggy because of the wet ingredients you’re putting in it. If you haven’t used a store-bought crust for this, I recommend it as it’s a great shortcut. If you want to make your own crust, I have one here that you can check out.
Great recipe. Came out very creamy and delicious. I did use fresh spinach that I wilted with the onions. I usually do blind bake my quiche crusts to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom. Used my own homemade crust.
Instead of precooking the crust, I just bake with my quiche dish on top of a pizza stone, which prevents the crust from getting soggy.
Can you make this crustless?
Hi Meghan, You can definitely make this crustless. Alternatively, if you want to make it a bit thicker (since it won’t have the crust), you can use the cream/egg/cheese proportions of my crustless broccoli quiche. Hope that helps!
Very good. I used fresh spinach and baked it in my homemade flour and ground oatmeal crust. Thanks for the recipe.
Changed it up a little to use what I had at home and it turned out awesome
Hi Jenn
This looks amazing and I am looking for something to take on a trip for an easy breakfast the next morning, Could I add bacon inside as well as spinach or will that not work? Thank you so much.
Sure, Melissa, you can add bacon here. Enjoy!