Spinach, Mushroom & Cheddar Recipe

Make dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and 0.25 tsp salt. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

Add water and rest

Sprinkle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over flour mixture and gently mix until dough holds together when pressed (you may not need all the water). Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days).

Blind bake

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to a 12-inch circle and fit into a 9-inch (23 cm) tart or pie pan with 1-inch sides. Trim and crimp edges. Prick the base lightly with a fork. Line crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 5–8 minutes more until the crust is just set and lightly golden. Let cool slightly.

Sauté vegetables

While crust chills or bakes, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and 0.25 tsp salt; sauté until mushrooms release liquid and it evaporates, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped spinach in batches, stirring until wilted and most moisture has evaporated, about 3–4 minutes total. Taste and season with remaining 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool slightly. If mixture seems very wet, press briefly in a sieve or on paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Assemble vegetable layer

Evenly spread the cooled spinach-mushroom-onion mixture into the prepared prebaked crust. Sprinkle the grated cheddar and parmesan evenly over the vegetables, leaving a small border at the edge so the custard can contact the crust.

Make custard

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 0.5 cup heavy cream, 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg until smooth and slightly frothy.

Pour and bake

Pour the custard mixture slowly into the crust over the vegetable and cheese layer so it distributes evenly and comes nearly to the top of the crust. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake on the middle rack for 30–40 minutes until the center is set but still slightly wobbly — a knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean. If the crust edges brown too quickly, shield them with foil.

Rest

Remove quiche from oven and let rest on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes to finish setting. The quiche will slice more cleanly when slightly cooled.

Run a knife around the edge to loosen, transfer slices to plates, and garnish with optional chopped fresh chives. Serve warm or at room temperature.