Using my favorite quiche recipe as the starting point, this cheesy spinach quiche is a savory, creamy, and satisfying option for brunch, lunch, or dinner. As good as the savory egg-custard filling is, it somehow becomes even BETTER paired with my buttery flaky pie crust! This one is always a crowd pleaser.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and success tips.
As the totally underrated and unassuming cornerstone of any brunch spread, quiche is such a versatile dish. With a perfectly balanced base of milk (or milk and cream) and eggs, a good quiche recipe can be an endless drawing board for your favorite add-ins. I spent many, many hours in the kitchen fine-tuning my quiche recipe for you (and me!) to have fun adding different meats, seafood, cheeses, herbs, and vegetables to the mix.
Today’s recipe is one of my most beloved iterations. Cheesy and rich, yet light and delicate, each bite of this cheesy spinach quiche literally melts in your mouth. It’s no surprise this version has become a family favorite, always occupying a coveted space on the brunch table, next to a batch of cinnamon rolls!
One reader, Katie, commented: “This was amazing!!! I will definitely be making quiche more often, thanks to this recipe and your clear-cut directions. Thanks for making it so easy! ★★★★★”
Here’s Why You Will Love This Cheesy Spinach Quiche
- Rich, creamy, and savory custard-like filling is baked in a buttery, flaky pie crust.
- Flavored with garlicky peppered spinach and mushrooms.
- Extra cheesy thanks to plenty of cheddar and parmesan cheeses—or use your favorite type of cheese instead.
- The perfect way to start the day, but also enjoyable for lunch or dinner.
- Makes great leftovers!
- An obvious choice for your menu of Mother’s Day recipes and Easter brunch recipes.
- Sure to impress all who are lucky enough to try a slice (or two!).
Start With My Perfect Pie Crust
I always turn to my homemade pie crust when making quiche. (Or any pie, really!) The crust recipe uses a combination of butter and shortening and creates the most buttery, flaky pie crust. Of course, you can use my all-butter pie crust instead if you’d like.
Since the pie dough needs time to chill in the refrigerator, I always make it the day before. You also want to set aside some time to par-bake the pie crust before adding the filling and baking the entire quiche. This prevents a soggy crust—see “FAQ: How Do I Prevent a Soggy Crust?” below for more information.
The recipe yields two pie crusts, so you can freeze the other one to use at a later time. Browse my pie recipes to find a pie that uses only one pie crust, like pumpkin pie or blueberry crumble pie. Or if you’re hosting a crowd, use the second crust to make another quiche. I trust you won’t mind finding another way to use that second crust.
Store-bought crust also works in a pinch, but if you have the time, I encourage you to give homemade a try. It’s easier than you think and really takes the quiche to the next level.
Cheesy Spinach Quiche Ingredients
Like my classic quiche recipe, the base of today’s spinach version includes milk and eggs. You could, instead, use a combination of milk and cream for a richer texture. Here’s everything you need:
A few notes:
- Spinach: You can use fresh or frozen here. Frozen is convenient, but holds a lot of extra water. Be sure to blot out as much excess water as you can. If you use fresh spinach, use about 3 cups—either cooked down or simply add it fresh. See how I make cooked-down fresh spinach in this and this breakfast strata.
- Cheese: Use 1 cup total (grated) of your favorite cheeses. I typically reach for cheddar and mozzarella, plus an additional 1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Feta cheese, goat cheese, or Swiss cheese are also popular options.
- Mushrooms: As detailed in the recipe below, be sure to cook them down first to rid some moisture.
And if you love today’s flavors, try making this as mini quiche or even crustless vegetable quiche. You could also use these add-ins to make an easy frittata or breakfast egg muffins.
FAQ: How Do I Prevent a Soggy Crust?
Don’t let all your hard work go to waste by serving a soggy, under-baked pie crust. Take these two extra steps to help prevent this:
- Reduce the moisture in the vegetables: By sautéing the mushrooms, you’ll rid them of their extra moisture. Same with draining the frozen spinach (if using). Without doing so, the excess moisture would not only throw off the texture of the quiche filling, but also make it harder for the crust to bake properly.
- Par-bake the crust: Par-baking (aka blind baking) the crust gives it a head start before you add the filling. You’ll find these instructions in the recipe below, and I have a full post (including a helpful video tutorial) on how to par-bake pie crust if you want more information. You’ll need two packs of these pie weights for this part. (If you bake pies often, they’re a must-have for your pie baking tools.)
After the crust has par-baked, you’ll add the fillings and bake it.
FAQ: Can I Make This Cheesy Spinach Quiche Ahead of Time?
Mornings can be busy, especially if you’re hosting family and friends. There are several ways to start this spinach quiche ahead of time. Here is what I usually do:
- The night before, I prepare the pie crust and sauté the mushrooms. I also either thaw the frozen spinach or cook down the fresh spinach. The next morning, I simply need to par-bake my crust, mix together the filling, and bake. If you want to save even more time, par-bake your crust the night before, too.
- You can also prepare the entire spinach quiche ahead of time. See recipe Notes for more details and decide which method will work best for your schedule.
Here’s What to Serve With Cheesy Spinach Quiche:
Cheesy spinach quiche pairs well with basically any breakfast or brunch food. I have a complete section bursting with breakfast recipes on my site, but here are some favorites:
- Cinnamon rolls or no-yeast cinnamon rolls
- Banana bread or banana muffins
- Coffee cake
- Jumbo blueberry muffins
- Any flavor of scones
- Cream cheese French toast casserole or whole wheat pancakes
- A Dutch baby piled high with all your favorite sweet toppings
- Strawberry bacon salad makes a wonderful side for brunch or dinner, too.
Cheesy Spinach Quiche
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.9 from 17 reviews
- Author: Sally
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: one 9-inch quiche
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Description
This cheesy spinach quiche uses my favorite quiche recipe as the base. It’s savory, creamy, and baked in a deliciously flaky homemade pie crust. Impress all your guests with this brunch recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked flaky pie crust (what I use) or all-butter pie crust*
- 10 ounces (283g) frozen spinach*
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 8 ounces (227g) sliced mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk*
- 1/3 cup (25g) freshly grated or shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (4 ounces/90g) shredded cheddar cheese*
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare pie crust: I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin the quiche. Make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and par-baking.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (save the second pie crust for another recipe). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches (30cm) in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch (23cm) pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth. To make a lovely edge, I do not trim excess dough around the edges. Instead, fold the excess dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a rim around the pie. Crimp the pie crust edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. Chill the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap if chilling for longer than 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Par-bake: Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper. Fill with 2 packs of pie weights, or use dried beans. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Bake until the edges of the crust are starting to brown, about 15–16 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the weights) out of the pie. Prick holes all over the bottom crust with a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven. Bake until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 7–8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. (Crust can still be warm when you pour in the filling, or you can par-bake the crust up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover cooled par-baked crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill.)
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
- For the filling: If your frozen spinach is not already thawed, thaw it in the microwave per package directions. Drain the spinach in a colander while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to hot skillet (just a sprinkle of each, you’ll use 1/4 teaspoon each in the next step). Stir and sauté the mushrooms until they release all of their moisture and no more water remains on the bottom of the skillet, about 6–7 minutes.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, parmesan cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper together until combined.
- Blot and squeeze the rest of the water out of the thawed spinach. Spread spinach on par-baked pie crust. Add the cooked mushrooms and shredded cheese. Pour the egg mixture on top. If desired, sprinkle the top with a little more parmesan cheese.
- Bake the quicheuntil the center is just about set, about 50–60 minutes. Don’t over-bake. Use a pie crust shield to prevent the pie crust edges from over-browning. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Or you can cool the quiche completely before serving—it’s fantastic at room temperature, too.
- This quiche makes great leftovers! Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead&Freezing Instructions: The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can par-bake the crust ahead of time too. See end of step 4. To freeze the quiche, cool baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter, then bake uncovered at 350°F (177°C) for 20–25 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Pie Weights | Pie Crust Shield | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk
- Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make two crusts. You only need one crust for this pie, so freeze the second half for another use, or double the filling to make two quiches.
- Spinach: You can use fresh spinach instead, about 3 packed cups (about 120g). You can cook it down ahead of time, or just add it fresh/raw. I use cooked-down fresh spinach in this .
- Milk: Whole milk is best for the creamiest texture, but 1/2 cup (120ml) each heavy cream and whole milk is fantastic, too, for an even richer filling. You could also substitute 1 cup (240ml) half-and-half. See How to Bake the Perfect Quiche post.
- Cheese: I make this quiche with mostly cheddar cheese, and some parmesan cheese as well. Feel free to swap in your favorite cheeses, or use a blend. Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, and/or feta cheese are other great options.
