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Smoky bacon and sharp cheddar fold into a silky custard in this Spinach Bacon Quiche that’s ready with just 20 minutes of active work.
A sad slice of Spinach Bacon Quiche from a nice restaurant got me to thinking about how to make it better. It looked good, but the bottom was soaked and the filling was leaking liquid across the plate. Quiche is a brunch staple, but too often it is either rubbery from overcooking or watery from raw vegetables. I came home determined to fix the mess.
I found that the secret is a simple balance of eggs and half and half combined with a little extra care for the greens. By wilting the spinach in the bacon fat, you cook off the water that usually ruins the bake. When you pair that with a par-baked crust, you get a quiche with a crisp base and a rich filling that slices cleanly every time.
Now, this is what I make when we have weekend guests because it pleases just about everyone. It’s also the one I make when I want something in the refrigerator that’s easy to grab for literally any meal. It is flexible, make-ahead friendly, and tastes just as good at room temperature as it does warm from the oven. If you’ve ever thought making quiche was too much of a pain, this one might change your mind.
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Skill level: Intermediate
Spinach Bacon Quiche Ingredients
- Unbaked Pie Crust: Use a deep dish plate. I love to use my Lard Pie Crust for this because it’s ideal for savory pies. But your favorite recipe or a high quality store bought version works well too.
- Bacon: Cut the strips crosswise before cooking (these are called lardons). This helps you get smoky saltiness in every bite.
- Baby Spinach: Buy pre-washed baby spinach in those little clam shells to save yourself the time of washing and drying it.
- Half And Half: I like to use half and half for a lighter, but still silky texture. You can use heavy cream if you want a richer quiche.
- Sharp Cheddar: Grate your own cheddar cheese from a block. Pre-shredded bags are coated in potato starch or cellulose powder that interferes with melting.
Why This Recipe Works
- Wilting the spinach: Wilting the spinach leaves let’s some of the moisture evaporate so the filling won’t get watery. It also prevents the leaves from floating to the top of the eggs.
- Par-baking the crust: Baking the pie crust with weights before adding the filling creates a base that won’t soak up the custard, so it stays crisp.
- Bacon fat sauté: Using a tablespoon of the rendered fat to soften the onions and spinach gives the quiche so much more flavor than butter alone.
How to Make Spinach Bacon Quiche
Prep and par bake the pie crust: Fit your pie dough into a deep dish plate and chill it for at least 30 minutes. Line the chilled crust with parchment and weights. Bake it briefly, then remove the weights and prick the bottom all over with a fork.
Cook the aromatics: Crisp the bacon in a skillet until it is lightly browned. Leave a little fat behind to soften the onions and wilt the spinach. Let this mixture cool slightly before adding it to the eggs.
Assemble the custard: Whisk the eggs and half and half until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the cheese and the cooled spinach mixture.
Bake and rest: Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the center has a slight jiggle but is no longer liquid. Let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
Pro Tips
- Do not overcook: You don’t want a watery middle, but a quiche that’s solid before you take it out of the oven is an overcooked quiche. Pull it when the center still has a slight wobble. The carryover heat will finish the cooking without making the eggs rubbery.
- Protect the crust edges: If the edges of your pie crust start to look dark well before the center is set, use a pie shield or a foil ring of foil to keep the edges from burning.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or wrapped in foil in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat refrigerated quiche: Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with foil and warm in a preheated 350˚F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I don’t recommend using the microwave, it can make the quiche rubbery and it won’t crisp the crust.
To reheat frozen quiche: Do not thaw. Cover with foil and warm in a preheated 350˚F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160-165˚F.
More Must-Try Quiche Recipes
Spinach Bacon Quiche
Ingredients
- 9 inch deep dish unbaked pie crust ideally my Lard Pie Crust
- 1/2 pound bacon cut crosswise into thin strips
- 6 green onions thinly sliced crosswise
- 3 ounces baby spinach ~3 cups
- 1 cup half and half
- 6 large eggs
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (recipe note #1)
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese or Monterey Jack
Instructions
- Transfer your unbaked pie crust to a deep dish pie plate, shaping and fluting the edges if you'd like a decorative rim. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days if making ahead).
- When ready to bake, heat your oven to 375 °F (191 °C). Place a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the chilled crust and fill with pie weights or dried beans to prevent bubbling. Bake for 12 minutes, then carefully remove the weights and parchment. Using a fork, pierce the bottom and sides of the crust all over (this prevents it from puffing up). Return to the oven and continue baking for 8 more minutes. Set the par-baked crust aside but keep the oven on for the filling.
- Meanwhile, cook and stir bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly crisp; pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add green onions; cook and stir until softened, about 1 minute. Add spinach a handful at a time; cook and stir until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together half and half, eggs, salt and pepper until smooth. Stir in cheese and the spinach-bacon mixture.
- Pour egg mixture into partially baked pie crust and bake 40 minutes, or until the center is barely set but no longer liquid. If you notice the crust edges browning too quickly, cover them with foil or a pie crust shield during the final 15-20 minutes of baking. Once baked, allow the quiche to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing – this helps it set completely for cleaner cuts. Serve either warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- When seasoning the raw egg mixture, use a light touch with the salt, remembering that both the bacon and cheese are salty.
- To reheat leftover quiche from the refrigerator; cover with foil and warm in a preheated 350˚F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. To reheat frozen quiche (do not thaw before reheating), follow the same directions, but increase the reheating time to 30 to 45 minutes or when the internal temperature reaches 160˚F to 165˚F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
