Spinach & Bacon Quiche Recipe

Make dough

In a medium bowl combine flour and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Cut cold cubed butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

Sprinkle cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and gently mix until dough just comes together. Do not overwork. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).

Blind bake crust

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9-inch quiche or tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to a 12-inch circle and fit into pan, trimming excess and crimping edges. Line crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, and bake 8–10 more minutes until edges are lightly golden. Reduce oven to 350°F (175°C). Set crust aside to cool slightly.

Cook bacon

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan (or discard fat and use 1 tbsp butter if preferred).

Sauté spinach

Add 1 tbsp butter to the same skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the fresh spinach in batches, stirring until wilted (about 2–3 minutes total). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Cream the spinach

Transfer wilted spinach to a clean towel or sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as possible (important to avoid a watery quiche). Chop squeezed spinach roughly. In the skillet or a small bowl combine chopped spinach, softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg. Stir over low heat just until cream cheese melts and mixture is uniformly creamy. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked, drained bacon, reserving 1–2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top if desired.

Prepare egg custard

In a medium bowl whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 cup half-and-half, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper until well combined and slightly frothy.

Layer filling in crust

Evenly spread the creamed spinach and bacon mixture into the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle shredded cheddar and Swiss cheese evenly over the spinach mixture, reserving a small amount for the top if desired.

Add egg mixture and bake

Slowly pour the egg and cream mixture over the filling, gently tapping the pan to release any air bubbles and to help the custard settle. Sprinkle the reserved bacon and any remaining cheese on top. Place quiche on a baking sheet and bake in the 350°F (175°C) oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the center is just set and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean (a little jiggle is okay). If the crust edge browns too quickly, cover edges with foil.

Rest and serve

Remove quiche from oven and let rest on a wire rack for at least 10–15 minutes to finish setting. Garnish with chopped chives if using. Slice into 6 pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

Leftovers: refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 8–10 minutes or in a microwave until warmed through. To freeze: wrap cooled whole quiche tightly and freeze up to 1 month; thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.