This spinach Swiss quiche is a French-style savory tart with leafy spinach, nutty Swiss cheese, and a gently set egg custard in a crisp pastry shell. It works for brunch, lunch, or a light supper, and using thawed frozen spinach makes the filling easy to prepare without adding excess moisture.
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9-inch (23-cm) pie crust, about 8 oz (225 g), homemade or store-bought
- 10 oz (283 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry; this should yield about 1 cup (150 g) packed spinach
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (75 g) finely chopped yellow onion
- 1½ cups (150 g) shredded Swiss cheese, such as Emmental or domestic Swiss
- 4 large eggs, about 7 oz (200 g) without shells
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon (about 0.25 g) ground nutmeg, optional
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prepare the crust. Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 375°F (190°C). Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate, pressing it gently into the corners without stretching the dough. Trim or fold the overhang and crimp the edge. Prick the bottom several times with a fork, line the crust with parchment, and fill it with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 12 minutes. Carefully lift out the parchment and weights, then bake the crust for 3 minutes more. It should look dry and just beginning to color, not fully browned. Set the pie plate on a baking sheet; keeping it there makes the filled quiche easier to move.
- Cook the onion and spinach. While the crust bakes, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned. Add the squeezed spinach and cook for 2 minutes, breaking up any clumps and letting steam escape. Take the pan off the heat. If the spinach still looks wet, keep cooking briefly until the excess moisture has evaporated. A dry filling helps the custard set and keeps the bottom crust from turning soggy.
- Mix the custard. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until the yolks and whites are blended. Whisk in the cream, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Dijon, if using. Stop once the mixture is even; vigorous whisking can create extra foam that may leave bubbles on the quiche. Taste a small bit of the cooked spinach mixture if you want to check its seasoning, remembering that the cheese also contributes salt.
- Fill the crust. Scatter the Swiss cheese evenly over the warm, partially baked crust. Spoon the spinach and onion mixture over the cheese, spreading it out so each slice will have filling. Pour the egg mixture slowly into the crust. If the pie plate is filled close to the rim, leave a little custard in the bowl rather than risking a spill; the exact amount it holds varies slightly by crust and plate. Carefully slide the baking sheet onto the oven rack.
- Bake until set. Bake for about 40 minutes, checking near the end. The outer portion should look set, while the very center may still have a slight, gentle jiggle. For food safety, USDA FSIS guidance for egg dishes is a safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C); check the center with a food thermometer, avoiding contact with the pie plate. If it has not reached that temperature, continue baking in 3- to 5-minute intervals and check again. If the crust edge is browning too quickly, cover just the edge loosely with foil.
- Rest before slicing. Transfer the quiche, still on its baking sheet, to a cooling rack. Leave it undisturbed for 15 minutes so the custard can finish setting. Cut into six wedges with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts if you want neater slices. Serve warm or at room temperature; the filling will be softer when warm and firmer after it has cooled further.
Tips
- Squeeze the spinach thoroughly. Let thawed spinach cool enough to handle, then press it firmly in a clean kitchen towel or squeeze it by hand over the sink. Excess water is the most common cause of a watery quiche. If using fresh spinach instead, wilt about 10 oz (283 g) in the skillet, cool it briefly, and squeeze or drain off the liquid before adding it.
- Use room-temperature dairy if convenient. Cream and milk that are not very cold blend more evenly with the eggs, but there is no need to warm them. Avoid pouring hot vegetables directly into the eggs; the spinach and onion should be off the heat before assembly.
- Protect the crust from overbrowning. Pie plates and ovens vary, so start checking the crust color before the end of the bake. A foil ring or pie-crust shield can cover the rim while the center finishes cooking. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet before filling it to make handling safer and simpler.
- Season with the cheese in mind. Swiss cheeses vary in saltiness. The listed salt gives the custard a balanced starting point, but a particularly salty cheese may call for a small reduction. Shred cheese from a block when possible; it melts smoothly and avoids the starch coatings sometimes found on pre-shredded cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Serve a wedge with a crisp green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette, or pair it with sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and a few olives for an easy lunch. For brunch, add fresh fruit, roasted potatoes, or a bowl of berries. The quiche is rich enough to be the main dish, so simple sides with acidity or crunch balance the creamy custard especially well.
For a gathering, let the quiche rest for the full 15 minutes before cutting so the wedges hold their shape. It is also good at room temperature, which makes it useful on a brunch table where guests may serve themselves over time. Keep it out for no more than 2 hours, then refrigerate any remaining portions.
Variations
Try another cheese: Gruyère gives the filling a deeper, slightly sweet flavor, while sharp cheddar makes it more assertive. Use the same amount by weight, 150 g (about 1½ cups shredded). If using a strongly flavored cheese, taste the cooked vegetables before adding extra salt.
Make it with fresh spinach: Use about 10 oz (283 g) fresh spinach. Add it to the softened onion in batches and cook until wilted, then cool and drain it well. Fresh spinach shrinks dramatically, so the raw volume looks much larger than the amount that goes into the tart.
Add mushrooms: Cook 4 oz (115 g) sliced mushrooms in the skillet after the onion, until their released liquid has evaporated. Then add the spinach. Removing that moisture before assembly matters; uncooked or wet mushrooms can make the custard loose and the crust damp.
Use a different crust: A homemade all-butter pie dough works well in place of a prepared crust. A refrigerated pastry shell is also convenient, but check its package directions because shell sizes and blind-baking instructions differ. For a crustless version, grease a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate and bake the filling without pastry; begin checking for doneness a little earlier, since the baking time can vary.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate the quiche within 2 hours of baking. Once it has cooled enough to handle, cover the pie plate or transfer slices to an airtight container. Refrigerated quiche keeps for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap individual cooled slices tightly and freeze them for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat a slice in a 325°F (163°C) oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, covering the crust edge if needed, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). A microwave is faster: heat a slice on a microwave-safe plate in short intervals, checking that it is hot throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C). The microwave softens the crust, while the oven better restores its crispness. Avoid repeatedly warming and cooling the whole quiche; reheat only the portions you plan to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Yes. Wilt about 10 oz (283 g) fresh spinach in the skillet, then cool it and press out as much liquid as possible before mixing it into the filling. It will shrink to roughly the same amount as the squeezed frozen spinach. Do not add it raw in large leaves, since it can release water as the quiche bakes.
Do I need to blind-bake the crust?
Blind-baking is strongly recommended for a crisp base, especially with a moist spinach filling. The short bake firms the pastry before custard goes in. If you skip it, the bottom may remain pale or become soft, and the final baking time may change. Use parchment and pie weights or dry beans so the pastry keeps its shape.
How can I tell when the quiche is done?
The outside should be set, and the center should have only a slight wobble rather than look liquid. Confirm that the center reaches 160°F (71°C) with a food thermometer, the USDA FSIS safe minimum for egg dishes. The custard will continue to firm as it rests, so avoid baking it far beyond that temperature, which can make the texture tough or grainy.
Can I make spinach Swiss quiche ahead?
Yes. Bake it fully, cool it, and refrigerate it covered; reheat slices when you are ready to serve. You can also prepare the spinach and onion mixture a day ahead and keep it refrigerated, then assemble and bake the quiche the next day. For the best crust texture, avoid pouring the custard into the shell hours before baking.
Can I use half-and-half instead of cream and milk?
Yes. Replace the 1 cup (240 ml) cream and ½ cup (120 ml) milk with 1½ cups (360 ml) half-and-half. The result will be a little lighter and may set slightly less luxuriously, but the recipe still works. Keep the egg quantity the same and check the center temperature rather than relying only on the surface color.
Related
- Swiss Rösti Recipe: Make a Classic Crispy Potato Cake
- Swiss Eggs Recipe: Creamy Baked Eggs With Swiss Cheese
- Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue Recipe with Gruyère
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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