Spinach and Cheese Quiche

French Quiches are perfect to make do with what’s in season, and this Spinach and Cheese Quiche makes perfect use of big bunches of fresh, in-season spinach leaves.

This classic French savory custard-filled deep-dish French tart is made with a buttery crust, a silky filling of eggs and cream, a healthy amount of spinach and lots of melty Gruyère cheese. It’s an easy recipe that you can enjoy at brunch, lunch or dinner and it’s also perfect to make ahead. Extra points if you make the pie crust from scratch!

Cooking notes: 

• Although you can use a store-bought pie crust for convenience, I think making your pie crust from scratch will go a long way. This only requires about 15 minutes of extra time, and guarantees a crisp buttery crust. I also like to know all the ingredients that are in my pie crust (no additives, no insane amounts of salt, etc.). My pie crust recipe will make enough for a 9-inch pie crust, plus a little extra if you want to make an individual quiche on the side – or keep it in the freezer for another project (well-wrapped in plastic film).
• To make this quiche doable year-round, you can use frozen spinach (same quantity). Make sure the spinach is well thawed and drained. When cooking them in the pan, make sure most of the moisture evaporates.

• For the cheese, I strongly recommend you use Gruyère. This hard Swiss Cheese is a bit pricey but pairs perfectly with spinach. Gruyère Cheese will produce the best nutty taste and melty texture in this quiche. As a substitute, you can choose a hard mild-tasting cheese, such a Comté or a white aged Cheddar (more affordable option). Parmesan is too salty in taste for my liking in this recipe.
• For a lighter filling, you can substitute the heavy whipping cream (35% m.f.) with Half-and-Half (12% m.f.). Another option is to use 150 ml heavy whipping cream (35% m.f) and 150 ml milk (2% or whole milk).
• The amount of filling in this recipe is just right to fill a low-sided 9-inch tart pan. If you have one on-hand, I recommend you use a tart pan  with a removable bottom (like this one), which will support the crust when lifting your tart.

I hope you enjoy this Spinach and Cheese Quiche as much as I do!
Any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

You may also like:

• • The Quiche Lorraine 
  • Herby Spring Vegetable Jardiniere
  • Ham Cheese Olive Bread
  • Sweet Pea Hame Quiche

Spinach and Cheese Quiche

Print Recipe

Serves: 8-10 Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.0/5

( 24 voted )

Ingredients

Pie Crust:
2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup (150g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
5 tbsp (75ml) cold water
Filling:
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
350g fresh spinach leaves (or frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained)
1 garlic clove, peeled
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cup (300ml) heavy whipping cream (35%mf)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup (100g) grated Gruyère cheese

Instructions

Make sure your read the cooking notes before you start. 

To make the crust - Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough roughly comes together into a ball; do not over-mix. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly/dry. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Grease and flour a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan. Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface and roll it out to a 12-inch (31cm) circle. Transfer the crust to the pan. Cut any excess crust that hangs over the edge, and poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Chill until ready to assemble the quiche.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F (180C) with a rack in the middle. 

To make the filling – In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized. Set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the spinach leaves to the pan. Poke a fork into a whole garlic clove and use this to occasionally stir the spinach; cook until wilted. Set aside and let cool. Discard of the garlic. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze it between your hands to drain most of the moisture out over the sink.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne and grated cheese.

To assemble – Take the crust out of the fridge. Spread the cooked shallots evenly over the bottom. Spread the spinach evenly on top; try to break apart as many spinach clumps as possible with your fingers. Pour the filling on top; do not fill it to the rim: the filling will lightly puff up as it bakes.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is golden as well. Transfer onto a cooling rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appétit! 

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