Quiche Florentine (Spinach quiche)

Spinach goat cheese quiche in a baking dish.

It’s easy to make a simple quiche florentine using fresh spinach, two kinds of cheese, and a ready-made pie crust. This satisfying spinach quiche is perfect for a brunch buffet or a light vegetarian supper with a green salad. 

A homemade quiche is simple to make with just about anything you have on hand. I have 15 varieties (and counting) on this website, including Ham Mushroom and Leek Quiche, perfect for holiday mornings, fan-favorite Rustic Crab Quiche, and this Crustless Vegetable Quiche for a low-carb meal.

This classic quiche florentine is rich and savory with a plucky spice blend that really perks up the flavors of spinach and cheese.

I keep quiche recipes in my back pocket at all times because they’re perfect for weekend breakfast or brunch entertaining, are easy to make in advance and feed a crowd.

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Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • Quiche Florentine is an easy vegetarian meal suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner and great for holiday brunch.
  • The recipe can be made ahead and reheated.
  • A spinach quiche can feed 4-8 people (depending on what else you’re serving).
  • It’s portable, so you can take it to potlucks and family gatherings.
  • Can be enjoyed hot or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

  • 9″ Pie Pastry – you can use a store-bought crust or if you have time, try this Cream Cheese Pastry Dough (made in a food processor with flour, cream cheese, unsalted butter, and cold water).
  • Spice Blend – You can use your favorite Italian seasoning or a Mediterranean spice blend or make the one provided in the recipe card.
  • Olive Oil – just enough for sauteing the vegetables.
  • Shallots – these small purplish alliums taste like a cross between garlic and onion. If you don’t have them, you can substitute a small yellow onion.
  • Fresh Baby Spinach – more tender than mature spinach, and the smaller leaves swirl around in the egg custard, giving the quiche florentine a tempting appearance.
  • Kosher Salt – I use Diamond Crystal which has less salt by volume than Morton’s. If you have Morton’s, use about ⅓ less.
  • Black Pepper – freshly ground will give you the best flavor.
  • Eggs – You can use large or extra-large eggs.
  • Heavy Cream – for richness and to help the egg custard to set without curdling.
  • Milk – I use whole milk, but you can use low-fat.
  • Goat Cheese – a.k.a. chèvre, this soft crumbled cheese doesn’t melt, but adds bites of tangy richness to the quiche florentine.
  • Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella—With a low moisture content, this cheese melts without being watery. Avoid using fresh mozzarella, as it will add too much liquid.

Step-by-step directions:

Blind baking pastry.
  1. Roll out the crust and fit it into a pie plate or tart pan with a removable bottom; press firmly on the bottom and sides so the pastry adheres. Prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork. Line the pastry with parchment paper, add pie weights or dried beans, and bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes until the crust is set. Set aside to cool.
a spoonful of spices.

2. combine kosher salt, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to blend in a small bowl. Measure one teaspoon of the spice blend and store the remainder in an airtight container to season other things.

sweating shallots with spices.

3. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet and add the sliced shallots and one teaspoon of the spice blend. Sweat the shallots until they are tender and translucent, but not browned.

4. Add the baby spinach a handful at a time, stirring until it wits, then add another handful. Continue this way until the leaves are wilted but still bright green. Set aside.

5. Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, kosher salt and pepper to combine.

6. Stir in the cooled spinach and shallots.

7. Reserve a tablespoon or two of each cheese and set aside. Add the remaining cheese to the quiche custard and stir to combine.

8. Pour the quiche florentine filling into the par-baked pastry crust and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheeses. Bake the dish for 35 minutes or until the custard is set and the edges start to brown.

Pro-Tips:

  • If the crust starts to get too brown, rest a flat piece of aluminum foil over the top of the quiche (don’t wrap it around the edges). This will prevent it from getting too dark.
  • If you use frozen spinach, defrost it completely and squeeze out all of the excess liquid before adding it to the egg custard.
  • If using a tart pan with a removable bottom, be sure the crust is not torn or broken. Place the spinach Florentine quiche on a rimmed baking sheet to cook, catching any drips or leaks.
Serving a slice of quiche florentine with a side salad.

Variations:

  • Substitute goat cheese for feta or use other soft cheese like crumbled Boursin.
  • Gruyere cheese, Jarlsburg, or Swiss cheese can also be substituted for the mozzarella and goat cheese.
  • Add diced ham, crisped bacon or sausage crumbles to this quiche florentine recipe for a heartier dish.
  • For more fiber, add other vegetables, such as sauteed mushrooms, leeks, or sweet peppers, to the spinach quiche recipe.

Storage:

Storing leftovers: Keep leftovers covered with aluminum foil in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat before serving.

Make-ahead: If you’re serving the Florentine quiche later or the next day, cook the quiche as usual. When it’s ready, let it cool to room temperature, then cover it with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat. Reheat in the oven to serve warm.

To reheat: Remove the quiche florentine from the refrigerator abour 30-45 minutes before heating, to remove the chill. (the quiche will heat faster this way.) Warm in a 325° oven for 12-15 minutes or until hot.

Freezing: Spinach quiche will keep in the refrigerator well-wrapped in a combination of plastic wrap and freezer paper for 2-3 months—Defrost before reheating.

Spinach goat cheese quiche hot from the oven.

FAQs:

Can I make the quiche florentine recipe without a crust?

To make a crustless quiche, spray your dish liberally with vegetable spray and sprinkle with dried breadcrumbs or almond meal (for gluten-free). Shake and tilt the pie pan to coat the interior. Fill with the spinach and goat cheese quiche filling and bake as usual.

Is quiche French?

Quiche is considered a French dish, but similar recipes date back to the early 1300s from Italy and in German kuchen refers to a cake or tart.

What to serve with quiche:

More quiche recipes you’ll love:

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A slice of spinach goat cheese quiche with a side salad.
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4.16 from 20 votes

Quiche Florentine (spinach quiche)

Fresh spinach, goat cheese and grated mozzarella give this Florentine spinach quiche a rich flavor. Make it for weekend brunch or a light dinner with a salad. 
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword goat cheese, quiche, spinach
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 6

INGREDIENTS:

FOR SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

  • 1 9-inch pie crust I used Pillsbury
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 3 large shallots thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon spice blend (recipe given or use Italian seasoning or your favorite spice blend)
  • 6 ounces fresh spinach
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup milk
  • 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
  • ½ cup shredded part skim mozzarella

FOR HERB AND SPICE BLEND

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¾ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon dried garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE SPICE BLEND

  • Combine 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ¾ teaspoon dried marjoram, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon dried garlic, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl and toss to combine.

BLIND BAKE THE PIE CRUST

  • Preheat oven to 375°. Lay 1 9-inch pie crust into a pie pan, folding edges under at the rim to create a double thick edge. Press the bottom and sides of the crust against the pan firmly.
  • Using the tines of a fork, crimp around the edges of the crust. Prick the bottom of the pie crust several times with a fork. Cut a piece of parchment or aluminum foil large enough to cover the pastry and place it on top.
  • Fill the parchment or foil with about 1 cup of dried beans or pastry weights if you have them. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is slightly golden. Set aside. Remove the pie weights.

MAKE THE SPINACH GOAT CHEESE QUICHE FILLING

  • Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium low heat. (I have a gas stovetop which runs a little hot, so medium low works for me — you may have to adjust your temperature up or down depending on your stove.) Add 3 large shallots and 1 teaspoon spice blend and simmer the shallots until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Placing a lid on the pan for part of the cooking will help them soften.
  • When shallots are tender, add 6 ounces fresh spinach , one handful at a time. Use a pair of tongs to flip and turn the spinach until it starts to wilt (putting the lid on the pan will help it wilt a little faster). Add another handful of spinach and continue in this fashion until most of the spinach has just wilted. Remove from heat to cool.
  • In a small bowl stir together ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup milk, 4 eggs, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to combine.
  • Add the cooled spinach mixture to the eggs and toss with the tongs to evenly distribute the spinach and shallots in the custard.
  • Reserve a tablespoon or two of each of the cheeses and set aside.
  • Add the remainder of the goat cheese and mozzarella to the custard mixture and stir to combine.

BAKE THE QUICHE

  • Fill the pie shell with the quiche filling and spread it out evenly in the pie plate. Sprinkle with reserved cheeses and bake for 35 minutes or until the custard is set and the top of the quiche is starting to brown.
  • Let the quiche cool about 10 minutes before slicing.

NOTES:

Note: you can use your favorite spice blend for this recipe, but look for flavors that complement spinach and goat cheese. I like Mediterranean or herb blends.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 384.54kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.78g | Protein: 14.07g | Fat: 26.73g | Saturated Fat: 12.67g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.33g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.41g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 148.78mg | Sodium: 933.78mg | Potassium: 365.56mg | Fiber: 2.51g | Sugar: 3.17g | Vitamin A: 3440.81IU | Vitamin C: 9.12mg | Calcium: 208.41mg | Iron: 3.32mg

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13 Comments

  1. Tricia C. says:

    5 stars
    This is a terrific recipe full of flavor. I only make one change, I add mini tomatoes to the top for a burst of color and flavor. This became an instant family favorite.

  2. It says bake the pie crust at 375 but don’t mention what temp to bake the pie once it’s filled.
    Is it still baking it at 375?

  3. 4 stars
    I added chopped fried bacon to it. ‘Cuz who doesn’t love bacon. It was outstanding.

    Made this for Easter brunch

    1. 5 stars
      Im making two right now, I added mushrooms to mine!

  4. 5 stars
    You had me at goat cheese! This is so good and the tips for the crust are PERFECT!

  5. Andrea Metlika says:

    5 stars
    This crust looks so flaky and fabulous. The use of goat cheese with the spinach sounds marvelous.

  6. Jessica Formicola says:

    5 stars
    I love everything about this quiche! I am going to try it for our next brunch! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

  7. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness… How could you go wrong with that cheeeeese? So delicious!

  8. 5 stars
    This is definitely a piece of heaven. Sometimes, things turns out amazing when we least expect them.