Learn how to make quiche the easy way! This Spinach Quiche is packed with fresh spinach, goat cheese and nestled in a flaky puff pastry crust. With no par-bake, it is perfect for weeknight dinners, breakfast, or brunch.
What is quiche?
Quiche is a French savory tart consisting of a pastry crust filled with a custard mixture of eggs, cream, and various ingredients such as cheese, vegetables, or meat, typically baked until golden and firm. It is a versatile recipe that can accommodate a wide variety of cheeses and vegetables (think of broccoli quiche, mushrooms, or asparagus). Spinach quiche was a childhood staple of mine and has always shone through its simplicity and delicious taste.
Why you should try this recipe
- Authentic spinach taste – This recipe is FILLED with spinach (like, 21 ounces (600 g) of fresh spinach!). So often have I been disappointed with quiches so heavy on the crust and eggy filling that I could barely taste the flavoring ingredients. No more spinach quiche that barely contains spinach!
- Buttery and crispy quiche – my French grandmother always uses all-butter puff pastry to make quiche. For this reason, (and I am aware it might be a biased opinion), I find it much tastier and lighter than the traditional short-crust pastry. It is also way easier and quicker to make, perfect for brunch served with German Pancakes, French Toast, or Zucchini Fritters.
- No par-baking the crust – puff pastry is thinner and cooks faster than short-crust pastry. For this reason, there is no need to par-bake the crust! Easier and quicker.
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The ingredients you’ll need
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the end of the post.)
- Fresh spinach – This recipe is heavy on spinach! It might seem like a lot, but spinach shrinks a lot when cooking, and I like quiche to be generously filled.
- Fresh goat cheese – slightly tangy and creamy, I love pairing it with spinach.
- All-butter puff pastry – go for high-quality puff pastry made with butter. It makes such a huge difference in the final taste!
- Eggs – are used as a binder in the quiche filling.
- Heavy cream – add texture to the quiche filling. It can be replaced with soy cooking cream for a lighter, dairy-free version.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – to cook the spinach.
- Aromatics – garlic and dried dill elevate the quiche with their peppery and fennel-y fragrance.
- Sesame seeds – add a delicious nuttiness that complements spinach so well. Sprinkled on top, they also add an extra crunch to the quiche. I went with a mix of white and black sesame seeds but any sesame seed type will do.
- Salt and pepper – to season.
💚 Love spinach? Try making my Spinach Frittata With Feta And Cumin or Cheese Tortellini With Spinach And Creamy Wine Sauce!
How to Make Spinach Quiche?
(Note: please see the recipe card below for the complete written instructions and measurements.)
Start by making the custard filling.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F fan (200°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, heavy cream, dried dill salt, and pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- Crumble half the goat cheese into the mixture and stir until roughly combined.
Cook the spinach.
- In a large skillet or wok, add olive oil and grated garlic. Cook until translucent and fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute.
- Transfer half the spinach and cook until just wilted, stirring occasionally to help cook the leaves on top.
- Add the second half and repeat the process.
Note: Depending on the size of your pan, you might need to add the spinach in more than two batches. As soon as the previous batch is wilted, add the next one.
Meanwhile, line the quiche pan.
- If the puff pastry you use comes with a parchment sheet, use it. Otherwise, transfer the puff pastry onto a sheet of parchment paper, large enough to fit your tart dish.
- Line the tart dish with the puff pastry sheet, then cut the parchment paper overhangs using scissors.
Drain the spinach.
- Transfer the cooked spinach to a fine mesh strainer (or kitchen cloth) and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
- Transfer to the quiche filling and stir well until the spinach is spread evenly.
Assemble the quiche.
- Pour the filling mixture into the puff pastry, spreading it evenly.
- Crumble the remaining goat cheese on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up.
- Enjoy warm or cold, while sipping on a glass of Chardonnay.
Nim Keys – Useful Tips
- Choose high-quality all-butter puff pastry – i.e. made 100% with butter. The taste just won’t compare with low-quantity puff pastry made with shortening.
- Gradually add raw spinach to the pan – Most pans won’t fit all the raw spinach all at once. As raw spinach shrinks significantly during cooking, it is best to add it gradually, adding more as soon as the previous batch is wilted.
- Press the excess water out of the cooked spinach – this step is very important to ensure that the crust of the quiche gets crispy, as excess water in the quiche filling will make it soggy.
- Keep the puff pastry sheet cold – using fridge-cold puff pastry preserves the structural integrity of the pastry when filled with warm filling. If using a frozen puff pastry sheet, thaw it overnight in the fridge.
- Keep the puff pastry edges unfolded – I find that not folding the puff pastry edges over the filling creates an airier, flakier quiche crust as the layers of pastry open vertically instead of horizontally.
Wine Pairing🍷
CHARDONNAY
Pronounced “shar-doh-nay”
I recommend oaked Chardonnay to pair with this spinach quiche. With notes of vanilla, butter, and often a hint of nuttiness, it will complement the buttery puff pastry and richness of the custard filling, while its freshness will bring out the vegetal notes of spinach.
WINE APPELLATION SUGGESTIONS
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Fresh spinach will impart the freshest, most delicate taste but sometimes, we just need convenience! You can replace fresh spinach with 12 oz (350 g) frozen spinach.
This spinach quiche will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.
This quiche is tastiest just out of the oven. However, you can still make it ahead and reheat it before serving. To reheat, place in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Other Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
Spinach Quiche
PRINT SAVEINGREDIENTS
- 4 free-range eggs
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon dried dill (or 2 ½ tablespoons fresh, chopped dill)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 7 ounces (200 g) fresh goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic grated
- 21 ounces (600 g) fresh spinach thoroughly rinsed and spun
- 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by making the custard filling.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F fan (200°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, heavy cream, dried dill salt, and pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- Crumble half the goat cheese into the mixture and stir until roughly combined.
Cook the spinach.
- In a large skillet or wok, add olive oil and grated garlic. Cook over medium heat until translucent and fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute.
- Transfer half the spinach and cook until just wilted, stirring occasionally to help cook the leaves on top. Add the second half on top and keep cooking until all the spinach is wilted.
Meanwhile, line the tart dish.
- If the puff pastry you use comes with a parchment sheet, use it. Otherwise, transfer the puff pastry onto a sheet of parchment paper, large enough to fit your tart dish.
- Line the tart dish with the puff pastry sheet, then cut the parchment paper overhangs using scissors.
Assemble the quiche.
- Transfer the cooked spinach to a fine mesh strainer (or kitchen cloth) and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Add to the quiche filling mixture and stir well until the spinach is evenly distributed.
- Pour the filling mixture over the puff pastry, spreading it evenly. Crumble the remaining goat cheese on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up.
- Enjoy warm or cold, while sipping on a glass of Chardonnay.
NOTES
- Choose high-quality all-butter puff pastry – i.e. made 100% with butter. The taste just won’t compare with low-quantity puff pastry made with shortening.
- Gradually add raw spinach to the pan – Most pans won’t fit all the raw spinach all at once. As raw spinach shrinks significantly during cooking, it is best to add it gradually, adding more as soon as the previous batch is wilted.
- Press the excess water out of the cooked spinach – this step is very important to ensure that the crust of the quiche gets crispy, as excess water in the quiche filling will make it soggy.
- Keep the puff pastry sheet cold – using fridge-cold puff pastry preserves the structural integrity of the pastry when filled with warm filling. If using a frozen puff pastry sheet, thaw it overnight in the fridge.
- Keep the puff pastry edges unfolded – I find that not folding the puff pastry edges over the filling creates an airier, flakier quiche crust as the layers of pastry open vertically instead of horizontally.
An excellent seasonal recipe easy to cook ! And very good pairing with a chardonnay 🥂
I’m super happy the quiche was a hit!