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 wonderful 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
- Greek Spinach & Rice Pie
- Cheese Soufflé
- Spinach & Cheese Strata
- Spinach Frittata
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Spinach Egg Bites
Video Tutorial
Spinach Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 (9-in) deep dish frozen pie crust
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots, from 2 medium 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-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung free of water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) 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 (165°C).
- 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 (165°) for 50 to 55 minutes until the custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
- 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.
- 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.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The quiche can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
Nutrition Information
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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I made 2 of these for my mother’s 76th birthday and it was a HUGE hit with the crowd of 10. I did it crustless as I also served Jenn’s cinnamon swirl bread (from her awesome cookbook). I decreased the spinach slightly and added mushrooms which worked great. I cooked the mushrooms in a little butter and cooked them on low for about 15 minutes to make sure I got all the water out. This is a star of a recipe and will definitely be my go to for brunch.
This is hands down THE BEST QUICHE EVER!!! Followed the exact recipe and it is so delicious! Will make again and again!!
Delicious. Used fresh baby spinach.
Question: Would like to try a potato crust as the gluten-free option – would I blind bake it first. Do you think it would be too soggy? Thanks
Glad you liked it, Marilee! I’ve never tried a potato crust, but suspect it would work. Yes, I would blind bake it first for the best results. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Hi! I have made this recipe with a potato crust several times now and love it!! I thinly slice potatoes, toss with olive oil and a little salt, arrange in two layers on the bottom and one layer along the side of the pie plate, and bake for 18min at 400 degrees.
Hi Jenn – I love this recipe. I make it crustless and tastes delicous. I’m looking to make it for a group lunch and need it to serve 13 people. If I double the recipe and put it in a 13×9 pan do you think that will enough? I would cut it into squares. Also, what would the bake time be if I move it from a pie crust dish to the 13×9 pan?
Thanks!
Laura
Hi Laura, It depends what else you’re serving. If the menu is simple, I might triple it. And regarding the cook time, I think it’d be about the same, if not just a bit longer.
Made this quiche for a church group gathering today. I have made other quiches in the past. The group said this was by far their favorite that I have ever made. This will be my new “go to” quiche recipe.
Made this last night, paired with the Classic Tomato Soup, as suggested. Great combination.
Extremely irritating, though, was the fact that the frozen spinach only came in 8, 9, and 16 oz packages. Very likely a manufacturer’s plot.
Thanks for the recipe, Jenn.
Regards,
Joe
Needed to use up some fresh spinach so made this to freeze and enjoy on a busier day. Very rich. Very good. (I had to sample a small slice!). I would have made a second had I not run out of cream.
This quiche is so good that when I make one, I make another one to freeze. So simple to make and it tastes as if it was made by a French baker. Just incredible. It is my go to recipe for brunch or when the kids come home to visit. There are never any left overs. My daughter made the same recipe with fresh spinach and combined swiss with the gruyere and said it was delicious also. I would give it 6 stars!
Hello Jenn,
I made this for my daughter’s birthday brunch and for a mom’s brunch and it was a hit! Fantastic flavor and it was soooo easy. I use this as a base to get creative with other flavor combinations. I did bacon , cheddar and fresh chives and it was incredible! Love the cook book!!!!!
All the best,
Reem
can i use whole milk instead of cream?
Hi Newchef, If you’d prefer not to use cream, I’d recommend half and half. It won’t be quite as rich as with the cream, but still delicious. 🙂
I’ve made this with cream, half&half, and whole milk. My family has loved it every time! I always use fresh baby spinach and that may help with the texture, but it is crazy how versatile this recipe is!