The kitchen smelled like Sunday mornings and slow coffee when I first learned to make a simple vegetarian quiche, a dish my neighbor used to bring over in a well worn ceramic pan, warm and forgiving, perfect for a quiet brunch or a weeknight when you want something gentle and nourishing.
Why You’ll Love It
This vegetarian quiche is the kind of recipe that fits into real life easily, it bakes into a golden, sliceable meal that travels well to potlucks and feeds a small family without fuss, and the filling is flexible so picky eaters and veggie lovers both find something to enjoy after a busy morning of errands or a lazy afternoon in the kitchen.
Serves 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes |
Cook Time: 40 minutes |
Total Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch refrigerated pie crust
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 5 oz fresh spinach roughly chopped (about 5 cups loosely packed)
- 6 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and place a rack in the middle position.
- Roll the pie crust into a 9 inch tart pan pressing evenly and trim excess, prick the bottom lightly with a fork.
- Blind bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes to set it, remove any pie weights and bake for another 2 minutes until just starting to color, set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the diced onion and red pepper and cook until softened about 5 minutes, add mushrooms and cook until their moisture evaporates about 4 minutes, add spinach and cook until wilted, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and drain any excess liquid.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, remaining salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Scatter the sautéed vegetables evenly in the pre baked crust, sprinkle the crumbled feta over the top, then pour the egg custard carefully into the crust.
- Bake the quiche at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are set and the center is just slightly wobbly, rotate the pan once midway for even browning.
- Let the quiche cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing to help the custard finish setting.
Recipe Variations
- Mushroom and Gruyere Swap the feta for 1 cup grated Gruyere and omit the bell pepper for a nuttier, more savory quiche.
- Mediterranean Add sun dried tomatoes and replace spinach with 4 oz chopped baby arugula and use goat cheese instead of feta for a tangy finish.
- Broccoli Cheddar Use 1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli florets and 1 cup sharp cheddar for a classic family favorite.
- Vegan Style Replace eggs and dairy with a chickpea flour batter and vegan cheese, and sauté vegetables in olive oil for a plant based alternative.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the crust and sautéed vegetables up to 24 to 48 hours ahead and store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator, assemble and pour the custard just before baking, a fully baked quiche can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months wrapped tightly and reheated gently in a 325 F oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this quiche without dairy
You can replace the heavy cream and milk with full fat coconut milk or a plant based creamer and use a vegan cheese to make a dairy free version though texture will be slightly different.
Will this quiche reheat well
Yes reheat slices in a 325 F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through to keep the crust crisp, microwaving is faster but may soften the crust.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh
Yes thaw and squeeze out all excess water from frozen spinach before using to avoid a watery filling.
How do I know when the quiche is fully baked
The edges should be set and lightly browned while the center will still have a slight wobble it will continue to set as it cools.
Vegetarian Quiche
This vegetarian quiche is the kind of recipe that fits into real life easily, it bakes into a golden, sliceable meal that travels well to potlucks and feeds a small family without fuss, and the filling is flexible so picky eaters and veggie lovers both find something to enjoy after a busy morning of errands or a lazy afternoon in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch refrigerated pie crust
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 5 oz fresh spinach roughly chopped (about 5 cups loosely packed)
- 6 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and place a rack in the middle position.
- Roll the pie crust into a 9 inch tart pan pressing evenly and trim excess, prick the bottom lightly with a fork.
- Blind bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes to set it, remove any pie weights and bake for another 2 minutes until just starting to color, set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the diced onion and red pepper and cook until softened about 5 minutes, add mushrooms and cook until their moisture evaporates about 4 minutes, add spinach and cook until wilted, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and drain any excess liquid.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, remaining salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Scatter the sautéed vegetables evenly in the pre baked crust, sprinkle the crumbled feta over the top, then pour the egg custard carefully into the crust.
- Bake the quiche at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are set and the center is just slightly wobbly, rotate the pan once midway for even browning.
- Let the quiche cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing to help the custard finish setting.
Conclusion
This vegetarian quiche is a small, steady comfort you can rely on when mornings are busy or when you want to bring something warm to share, it forgives small mistakes, stores well, and welcomes substitutions so you can make it your own, bake it with a calm heart and a warm pan and enjoy the gentle pleasure of a simple homemade meal.
