A quick crustless quiche with spinach is the perfect easy breakfast, brunch, or lunch. It’s light, healthy, and full of satisfying flavor!
Table of Contents
This crustless quiche recipe tastes so decadent and “fancy,” yet it only requires about 10 minutes of prep! Loaded with spinach, ham (or bacon) and cheese, the healthy breakfast is filling, delicious and perfect with a crusty French baguette!
Why is it called a Crustless Quiche?
A traditional quiche is a French dish, but it has become popular in many other cultures as well. This savory open flan is made of a pastry crust filled with an egg custard. Examples include a Quiche Lorraine and this ham and broccoli quiche.
A “crustless quiche” doesn’t include the pastry crust that’s typical in a classic quiche. You get the egg custard filling on its own!
Is a Frittata the same as a Crustless Quiche?
Yes, these are basically the same. Frittata in Italian roughly translates to “fried,” and is often prepared in a skillet on the stovetop and then may be transferred to the oven to finish. By contrast, a crustless quiche is typically prepared in a pie plate or a quiche dish and only baked in the oven — not fried on the stovetop first (source).
How to make Crustless Quiche:
This is practically a dump-and-bake recipe, because there are just a few steps and the process only requires a few minutes of hands-on time.
Ingredients for Spinach Quiche:
- Eggs
- Milk or cream
- Salt, pepper and nutmeg
- Frozen chopped spinach
- Diced ham or chopped bacon
- Cheese
First, whisk together egg custard by combining eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl.
Next, prepare the spinach by squeezing it really dry! I like to make sure that I extract most of the liquid by wrapping the thawed spinach in a dish towel and then wringing it out.
Layer the spinach, ham and cheese in a pie plate or quiche dish.
Pour the egg custard over top.
Bake the quiche at 350 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes.
What to serve with Crustless Quiche with Spinach:
You can serve the quiche warm or at room temperature. Here are a few sides that go well with the egg dish:
- Fruit salad (such as Honey Lemon Fruit Salad or Cranberry Salad)
- A simple green salad dressed with Buttermilk Dressing or an easy 4-Ingredient Spinach Salad
- Southern Pea Salad
- Iced gingerbread loaf or baked apple cider donuts
- A crusty French baguette, toast, or Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- Country Ham Biscuits
- 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, Orange Cranberry Corn Muffins, or Zucchini Bread Muffins
- One Bowl Whole Wheat Banana Bread, Cranberry Bread, Blueberry Bread, or Easy Pumpkin Bread
- Amish Friendship Bread without Starter, Breakfast Cake, or a Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- I’ve used 2% milk in this recipe, but you can also make a crustless quiche with cream, with half-and-half, or with whole milk. Just make sure that you don’t use a non-fat milk or milk substitute, because you need the fat in the milk or cream to give the egg custard the best texture and to make the crustless quiche fluffy.
- This quiche includes diced ham, but you can substitute with about 3/4 cup of chopped, crumbled bacon. For a vegetarian option, omit the meat altogether.
- How to tell when the quiche is done: The quiche is done when the eggs are set. To test, insert a sharp knife into the center of the quiche. If it comes out clean, your quiche is finished.
- Is crustless quiche healthy? Yes! This dish is packed with protein and antioxidant-rich leafy greens. It’s also low calorie, with less than 250 calories in each very large slice!
- Is crustless quiche low-carb and Keto? Each slice of quiche has about 7 grams of carbohydrates and about 5 grams of sugar.
- How long does crustless quiche last? The leftover quiche will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Can I freeze crustless quiche? Yes! After baking, allow the quiche to cool completely. Then wrap tightly and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- How to reheat crustless quiche: To reheat a frozen baked quiche, do NOT thaw the quiche first. Simply unwrap the frozen quiche and bake it in a 350 degree F oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until warmed through. To reheat a refrigerated quiche, cover loosely with foil and bake in a 325 degree F oven for about 15 minutes.
- Why is my quiche watery? You probably need to continue baking it longer, or you need to squeeze more liquid from the spinach before adding it to the dish.
More easy quiche recipes that you might enjoy:
- Quiche Lorraine
- Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche
- Easy Frittata with Cheddar and Chives
- Basic Crustless Quiche Recipe with Ham and Cheese
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Crustless Spinach Quiche
Equipment
- 9 inch pie plate
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup 2% milk, whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
- 4 ounces diced ham (about ¾ cup) (or sub with ¾ cup cooked and crumbled bacon)
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (or crumbled feta cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Layer the spinach, ham, and cheese in the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the fillings.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the egg mixture is fully set. To check, insert a sharp knife in the center. It should come out clean.
- Let the quiche stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.
Notes
- Squeeze the spinach very dry. Wrap thawed frozen spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out firmly over the sink. Extra moisture in the spinach leads to a watery quiche.
- Dairy options. This recipe works with 2% milk, whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. Use full-fat dairy for the best custard texture. Non-fat milk and non-dairy substitutes won’t give you the same result.
- Cheese options. Sharp cheddar gives the quiche a classic, savory flavor. Crumbled feta is a great swap for a tangier, slightly Mediterranean version. Both work well.
- Protein options. Diced ham can be replaced with about 3/4 cup of cooked, crumbled bacon. For a vegetarian version, leave the meat out entirely.
- Adding vegetables. Tender vegetables like bell peppers, onion, or fresh spinach can go in raw (dice finely so they soften during baking). Denser vegetables like broccoli or mushrooms should be sautéed first to release their moisture.
- How to tell when it’s done. The quiche is set when a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If there’s any wet custard on the knife, give it 5 more minutes and check again.
- Storage. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing. Let the baked quiche cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheating from the refrigerator. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 325°F for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.
- Reheating from frozen. Do not thaw first. Unwrap and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until heated through.
Thus quiche is SO good. I love the ratio of eggs and milk to fillings. I ended up using broccoli and cheddar instead and it was delicious. Thanks for a great quiche base.
Thanks, Loretta! Your version sounds delicious, too!
Can I use 1/2 buttermilk and 1/2 almond milk?
Hi! I don’t know…the almond milk doesn’t really have enough fat to make an egg custard with a nice texture, and the buttermilk will change the flavor (which you might not mind, but it will definitely be different). I wouldn’t try this substitute myself, but you can certainly do so if you like. 🙂
Can you use fresh baby spinach for this recipe? Carmen
Hi, Carmen! Yes, you can absolutely use fresh baby spinach in this dish. You’ll need to adjust the amount to your liking, but otherwise it should work fine! Hope you enjoy. 🙂