Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche Made with Fresh Spinach

Published: Mar 17, 2023 · Modified: Sep 9, 2023 by Ashley

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Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 4.9 from 9 reviews

Fresh spinach and cheddar cheese team up in this easy, fluffy baby spinach and cheddar quiche recipe using homemade or store-bought pie crust!

Close-up of slices of spinach and cheddar quiche on plates with forks.

I came up with this recipe many years ago when I was trying to figure out how to use up half a bag of baby spinach that was hanging out in my fridge.

This quiche was the result of that experiment, and it's one that has been on heavy rotation ever since. And it's been a big hit with Big Flavors readers, too!

I'll often serve this spinach and cheddar quiche with a quick salad that utilizes pantry staples to go alongside.

This cucumber & cannellini bean salad with dill, this quick chickpea salad with lemon-dill vinaigrette, or this creamy cucumber, avocado, chickpea, & sun-dried tomato salad are all great choices!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe
📝 Ingredients
🥧 Ingredient spotlight: store-bought pie crust
🥣 Substitutions
✅ How to make this recipe
📌 Tips
❓ Frequently asked questions
💡 What to serve with
🔪 Equipment
📖 Recipe

🧡 Why we love this recipe

Most spinach quiche recipes call for frozen spinach, but this one uses fresh.
This quiche is light and fluffy.
It can be made with a homemade pie crust or a store-bought. This homemade pie crust recipe is my favorite, but I often go with a store-bought one.
There's no need to pre-bake the pie crust! I usually pull one out of the freezer and let it thaw while I sauté the spinach filling.
Quiche freezes beautifully! You can freeze a full quiche or individual slices for later enjoyment.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this fresh spinach quiche (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Deep dish pie crust - I often buy these as a 2-pack from the freezer section of the grocery store
Olive oil
Garlic
Shallot
Baby spinach
Freshly grated nutmeg (or a pinch of ground nutmeg)
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Large eggs
Milk
Cheddar cheese - you can buy pre-shredded or shred your own

Eggs cracked into a bowl with milk alongside.

Whisking milk and eggs together in a bowl.

Pouring shredded cheddar into a bowl of eggs and milk for quiche.

🥧 Ingredient spotlight: store-bought pie crust

This recipe uses a pre-made pie crust. There are a few different options when buying these from the store.

Frozen, pre-made pie crusts can be found in the frozen food aisle. In the stores I've been to, they're usually near the frozen whipped topping, berries, and cans of frozen juice.

If your store has a section with frozen pies and puff pastry, the pie crusts may be there also.

You can usually find both standard and deep-dish frozen pie crusts, so be sure to get the right size for the recipe you're making.

A bonus about this type of pie crust is that a disposable baking dish is already included, so you don't even need to own a pie plate in order to bake with them.

Another benefit of these pre-formed pie crusts is that they're already rolled out and shaped into the pie pan. The edges of the crust are crimped beautifully for you, saving you from having to do it yourself.

I tend to keep frozen pie crusts on hand in my freezer so I always have one handy if I'm in the mood to bake a pie or quiche.

Apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a pie crust. — Dutch Apple Pie

Rhubarb custard filling being poured into a pie crust. — Rhubarb Custard Pie

You can also often find refrigerated pie dough at the grocery store. It's usually in the dairy/egg department near the cans of refrigerated biscuits, croissants, etc.

Refrigerated pie dough is usually sold in pre-rolled sheets, so you'll need to fit them into a pie plate at home.

The dough sheets are rolled up and sealed in a bag, then tucked into a box, which is nice because they don't take up too much room in your refrigerator.

Of course, if you have time and are so inclined, you can make your own pie crust. My go-to pie crust recipe is this standard pastry recipe. The buttery all-purpose crust in this pie recipe is also delicious, as is this whole wheat pie crust.

You can even make your own pie crusts in advance and freeze them for later use. There are some great tips for this in Teeny's Tour of Pie, a cookbook that I reviewed years ago with lots of great recipes.

Whatever route you take, pie crusts are a versatile item to use in the kitchen. They're used in many sweet and savory dishes.

Some of our favorite recipes that use a pie crust are:

Overhead view of a baby spinach and cheddar quiche with a slice taken out of it.

🥣 Substitutions

For this quiche recipe, feel free to get creative with what veggies and cheese you use. Asparagus, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and smoked gouda are all great options.

Feel free to add some meat into the mix! Ham, sausage, and bacon are all great additions. Just make sure you cook the meat first before adding it into the egg mixture.

If you're using bacon, you can use the drippings instead of the oil in the recipe. Cook the bacon in the pan first, then remove it and leave 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pan.

Use those drippings to cook any veggies you plan to add, then add the cooked bacon back in and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.

I've had readers tell me that they've had success with plant-based milk in this recipe also. I haven't personally tried it but am thrilled that it worked well for them!

Adding sautéed spinach to an uncooked pie crust. — Spread sautéed spinach in an even layer.

Pouring an egg mixture over sautéed spinach in a pie shell to make quiche. — Pour egg mixture over top.

Unbaked spinach and cheddar quiche on a baking sheet ready for the oven. — Use a baking sheet to catch any spills.

✅ How to make this recipe

Making this spinach and cheese quiche is super simple. A little upfront prep is required, and then it bakes in the oven while you carry on with your day.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place your prepared pie crust on a baking sheet and set aside.
Sauté garlic and shallot until soft.
Add spinach, season, and cook until it wilts down.
Beat eggs and milk together in a large bowl, then stir in your shredded cheese.
Spread cooked spinach in an even layer in the pie crust. Pour egg mixture over top and bake.
Let stand a few minutes before slicing and enjoy!

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Overhead view of a slice of spinach and cheddar quiche on a plate next to the pie plate.

📌 Tips

When baking pies I recommend placing a baking sheet underneath the pie plate.

This serves a few purposes - it adds stability when transferring the pie to and from the oven. It also catches any spills that may occur, preventing things from overflowing and burning onto the bottom of your oven.

Often the baking sheet is still completely clean when the pie is done baking, and you can just put it away after it cools off.

I use this same method when baking things in a muffin tin as well. I'd rather potentially dirty one more pan than have to scrub my oven.

For pies, a quarter sheet pan is usually large enough. If you're baking 2 at once, I recommend a half sheet pan.

Fork grabbing a piece of spinach and cheddar quiche.

❓ Frequently asked questions

How do you reheat quiche?

When reheating quiche, you can pop it in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave individual slices, or reheat them with an air fryer.

Can you freeze cooked quiche?

Absolutely! It freezes beautifully. You can freeze it whole or as individual slices. You'll likely need to add an additional 10-20 minutes to the baking time to get it warm all the way through.

Can I use frozen spinach in this quiche recipe?

Yes! You'll want to thaw your spinach and squeeze out any excess moisture before adding it to your pie shell. Since it won't have been seasoned when was cooked, I'd add some salt and pepper, nutmeg, and a little garlic powder to the spinach if you don't want to sauté it as instructed in the recipe.

I don't have whole nutmeg. Can I use ground?

Yes! Use a pinch, or about ⅛ teaspoon if using already ground nutmeg.

💡 What to serve with

Quiche can be a full meal in itself. If you're looking for some ideas on what to serve with your quiche, here are a few suggestions:

A simple green salad is always great with quiche, too. Or fresh fruit. Frozen hashbrowns, homefries, or tater tots are other easy options. It doesn't need to be fancy!

Overhead view of spinach and cheddar quiche with forks.

🔪 Equipment

Oven and stovetop
Baking sheet
Pie plate (if your pie crust didn't already come in one)
Large non-stick skillet
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Microplane or grater (if using whole nutmeg)
Measuring cups and spoons
Large bowl
Whisk

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📖 Recipe