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Brunch emergency? Call in this Easy Quiche Recipe!

the best simple quiche

The Best Simple Quiche Recipe

A shortcut in every way except for how wonderful it tastes, this ham and cheese quiche recipe is what my mom lovingly refers to as a “none o’ yo’ business” recipe.

As in, none of your business that I didn’t have time to:

BUT don’t think it’s all breezy.

a bite taken out of a ham and spinach quiche

You see, one of the house rules of a none o’ yo’ business recipe is that it can’t actually taste like you took a shortcut.

Thus, a quiche recipe without crust like Crustless Quiche is out (though I adore it and find it perfectly delicious, but the omission is quite obvious); however, if you want an easy quiche recipe with crust, this is the recipe for you.

Instead, I went the route of ultimate ease and used store bought pie crust.

^^Don’t judge. We all have our days, and a brunch emergency is a brunch emergency!

Combine the crust work-around with a ham, cheese, and spinach filling that doesn’t require any pre-cooking on the stovetop, and you have a true time-saver.

I’m smitten with this Goat Cheese Quiche, for example, but preparing caramelized onions takes time, and sometimes a lady just doesn’t have it.

quiche in an easy pastry crust

5 Star Review

“I made this quiche last night, and it was a hit! My fiancé asked for seconds and even had some leftovers for breakfast this morning. I love that Greek yogurt is used instead of cream, and the Greek yogurt and mustard add a nice tang.”

— Carli —

How to Make the Best Easy Quiche Recipe

The key to making a fabulous easy quiche that doesn’t taste, well, easy is a few simple tricks to doctor up the filling, plus my new favorite way to prepare cheese before adding it to quiche.

Quiche is an anytime kind of meal. You can serve this recipe as an easy breakfast quiche, or enjoy it for a light lunch or dinner.


The Ingredients

  • Refrigerated or Frozen Pie Crust. I won’t tell if you won’t. You can use either unbaked pie crust that comes already lining a disposable pie dish (the one you see in the photos here is from the frozen section of Whole Foods) or frozen pie crust sheets, such as Pillsbury. I’ve included recipe notes for both types.

Tip!

While I’ve cut out as many steps as possible, you MUST prebake crust for quiche. This prevents the bottom crust from becoming soggy once the filling is added.

  • Frozen Chopped Spinach. I always have a pack of this in my freezer. As I share in my cookbook, it’s an instant way to up the nutritional value of a recipe (spinach is a total super food—potassium, magnesium, vitamins galore, plus folic acid and more!)

Ingredient Note

Since frozen spinach comes already steamed, you can simply squeeze it out, then add it right to the quiche crust.

  • Cheese. The best cheese for quiche is something fully flavored and melty. Gruyere is traditional in quiche Lorraine; I also love this easy quiche recipe with sharp white cheddar.

A Different Way to Prepare Cheese

What makes this quiche unique (and even easier!) is that instead of shredding the cheese, I cut it into small cubes, a tip I picked up from The New York Times. This leads to pockets of melty cheese throughout the quiche. Picking the right cheese (a melty one) and cubing it is the secret to a good quiche.

  • Ham. Another time saver! You can purchase already diced ham from the deli department or use leftover diced ham from another recipe.
  • Eggs. 5 large eggs to 3/4 cup liquid is my ideal ratio for quiche. It leads to a savory egg custard with nice consistency that can hold up to a heap of tasty fillings. Hello, protein!
  • Milk. Whatever kind is in your refrigerator should do nicely. I use 1%.

Substitution Tip!

While it is not as traditional for quiches such as quiche Lorraine, you can use milk instead of heavy cream for quiche. While the results are not *as* rich as if heavy cream is used, I find that by the time you factor in the cheese and eggs, the quiche is not at all lacking in indulgence.

  • Nutmeg. Don’t underestimate the power of this ingredient—it’s classic in quiche Lorraine for good reason. A pinch gives the quiche filling surprising dimension of flavor.
  • Hot Sauce. Another somethin’ somethin’ that makes the quiche filling taste far more complex than it is (your secret is safe with me).
  • Green Onion. A final pop of color and hit of freshness that’s the finishing touch.

More Quiche Fillings Ideas to Try

Use this easy quiche recipe as a guide for any of your favorite fillings. A few ideas:

  • Bacon Quiche. Use cooked, crumbled bacon (Air Fryer Bacon is a quick way to prep it) instead of ham (or try a combo!) with cheddar cheese.
  • Easy Quiche Lorraine. Omit the spinach (or keep it for a less traditional, but yummy and more nutritious spin); use Gruyere for the cheese and bacon in place of ham.
  • Vegetarian Easy Quiche. For a vegetable quiche recipe, omit the ham or swap it for a different sautéed, grilled, or roasted vegetable (as this Sweet Potato Quiche can attest, Roasted Sweet Potatoes are especially tasty in quiche). Top with Parmesan cheese. Or try this delicious Broccoli Quiche.
  • Ham Broccoli Quiche. Swap the spinach for chopped Roasted Broccoli.
  • Mushroom Quiche. Replace the ham or the spinach with sautéed mushrooms or diced Grilled Portobello Mushrooms.
  • Feta + Anything. Take it from this Spinach Feta Quiche: feta in quiche is delicious and can pair with just about any other filling ingredient.

The Directions

  1. Preheat the oven. Thaw and drain the spinach.
whisking up eggs to make a quiche recipe
  1. Make your crust, then mix together the egg filling.
cheese, vegetables, and ham in a crust for quiche
  1. Sprinkle the spinach, ham, cheese, and onion over the crust.
pouring the egg and milk custard into easy quiche
  1. Pour the egg filling over the top.
  2. Bake the easy quiche at 375 degrees F for 40-50 minutes, until a knife comes out clean. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then ENJOY!
a slice of easy quiche with cheese

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Refrigerate quiche in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
  • To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a pie dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or gently in the microwave.
  • To Freeze. You can freeze a quiche. Wrap the quiche tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Meal Prep Tip

Prebake the crust up to 1 day in advance. Squeeze out the spinach, dice the ham and cheese, and stir together the eggs, milk, and seasonings. Store each separately in the refrigerator. Assemble just before baking.

a delicious and simple quiche recipe cut into slices

What to Serve with Quiche

quiche in an easy crust sliced and ready to be served
  • Pie Crust Shield. Made with silicone to keep pie edges from burning. Fits any 8- to 10-inch pies.
  • Baking Sheet. Made with pure aluminum for rust prevention and great heat conductivity.
  • Small Whisk. Perfect to use in smaller bowls or measuring cups.

I hope this easy spinach quiche recipe makes your next brunch (or brinner!) a breeze.

And if anyone asks your secrets… tell them their only business is the second helpings business!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is My Quiche Watery?

If your quiche is watery, it’s likely because of the spinach. Be sure to squeeze out as much excess liquid from the spinach as possible to prevent the spinach quiche recipes from becoming soggy. If you play around with other filling ingredients instead of spinach, make sure to cook the liquid out of them first; especially more watery veggies such as zucchini or tomatoes.

Can I Use Fresh Spinach Instead of Frozen?

Yes, you can use fresh spinach instead of frozen. Since spinach has a high water content, I recommend sauteeing it first so that your quiche doesn’t become soggy.

What Is the Difference Between a Quiche and a Frittata?

A quiche is baked in the oven, and a frittata is cooked on the stovetop to start and then transferred to the oven to finish (some recipes may finish it on the stovetop instead). Also, quiche recipes use a crust, but frittatas do not.

Looking for a frittata recipe instead? Check out my Potato Frittata and Egg White Frittata.

Easy Quiche Recipe

4.78 From 169 reviews . Help us out! Review HERE.Help out & review HERE

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Servings: 6 people
The best easy quiche recipe packed with spinach, ham, and cheese, or any other fillings you prefer! Great for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed
  • 1 refrigerated pie crust (to make your own, use Whole Wheat Pie Crust or Oil Pie Crust)
  • 5 large eggs
  • ¾ cup milk (I used 1%; or use whole milk or a combo of milk and cream for more richness)
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco (optional)
  • 1 cup diced cooked ham
  • ¾ cup 1/4-inch-diced melty cheese such as Gruyere or white cheddar* (about 3 ounces)
  • 2 green onions finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. If your frozen spinach is not already thawed, thaw it in the microwave per the directions. Place the spinach in a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
  • Blind Bake the Crust (If your crust comes pre-formed in a disposable pan). Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes. Remove it from the oven, prick it all over with the tines of a fork, then return to the oven and bake until light golden, about 10 minutes more. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. See notes if you use a pie dough sheet or make your own dough.**
  • Prepare the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Tabasco.
  • Squeeze and blot more water out of the spinach (you want it as dry as possible), then scatter it evenly over the bottom of the blind-baked crust. Sprinkle the ham, cheese, and onion over the top of the spinach.
  • Carefully pour the egg mixture over the top.
  • Bake the Quiche: Bake the quiche on the baking sheet, until a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge of the crust comes out clean and the center is set, about 40 to 50 minutes. If at any point the crust begins to brown more than you would like, protect it with foil or a pie crust shield. Let the baked quiche rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Video

Notes

  • *For a quiche Lorraine inspired easy quiche, use Gruyere or Swiss, swap the ham for cooked bacon, and omit the spinach; I also love this with sharp white cheddar.
  • **If you are using pie dough (homemade or frozen/refrigerated) that doesn’t come pre-shaped in a pan: Grab a deep 9-inch pie dish (this quiche has a lot of filling; I used this dish). Roll your pie dough into a 11-inch circle, then transfer it to the dish. Build up and flute the top edges to create a nice rim for holding the filling. Line it with aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dry beans, then place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven, lift out the beans and foil, then return the crust to the oven and bake until light golden, about 3 minutes more. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. (At this point, either discard the beans or save them for future pie baking.)
  • TO STORE: Let the baked quiche cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate (if you pop it into the refrigerator while it is still warm, the crust can become soggy).
  • TO REHEAT: Tent the quiche with foil and warm in a 325 degree F oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.
  • TO FREEZE: Let quiche cool completely. Wrap tightly with foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 6Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 16gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 151mgPotassium: 308mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 5866IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 186mgIron: 3mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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  1. Should eggs be room temperature? Thank you! If using frozen deep dish, should I increase eggs and milk? Does cooked frozen pie crust need to cool? Thanks

    1. Hi Karen, this recipe is actually for a deep dish pan so no need to increase the eggs or milk. The pie crust will not be completey cooled when adding the ingredients in. Your eggs do not have to be at room temperature. Enjoy!

  2. Made this with your cubed cheddar, Colby, portobello mushrooms, scallions and arugula. Fantastic. Loving it as left over! Thank you!4 stars

    1
  3. This was absolutely fantastic, I made two! I used cooked mushrooms, onions, spinach and gruyere for one of them, broccoli and cheddar for the other. I can’t decide which was better. Thank you for the recipe and extra tips as well!5 stars

    1
  4. My question is this – I have a whole box of arugula that I would love to use. Do I cook/saute the arugula first, and then put it in the shell, or just drop it straight from the box without cooking? I’ve never had to cook arugula before. Thanks so much

    1. Hi Carol, I haven’t tested it with arugula. Other readers have with success. I would probably sauté it first to soften it a bit before adding it to the mixture. Enjoy!

  5. this is so good! I’m a 11 year old girl and I love trying new recipes. my whole family loved this so much too.
    thanks for the recipe.❤️😊5 stars

    2
  6. I usually have made quiche with heavy cream, never milk so I am curious to try it with just the regular milk. Seeing that the price of cream is quite high it will be great to know that In can get away with using milk or maybe combination of half and half and milk.I have been wanting quiche for a while now so now I have more reason to make!

  7. I’ve never made a quiche before so I didn’t realize I needed a deep dish crust until it was too late and I had begun filling the pan with ingredients. I bought a regular frozen crust because I didn’t see any mention of a deep dish until later when I read the comments.

    1. Hi Linda, in this notes we mentioned that if you were not using a pre-made crust than to use a deep 9-inch pie dish. Hope this helps and hope you enjoy your quiche!

  8. Not a good recipe, because you do not include how much of each ingredient to use. Therefore, this recipe is useless.

    1. I’m so confused, because I see it on my end, Lucy! The recipe is in the recipe card, right above the area where you commented. You can also click the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the screen to help get you there faster. Could you please check again?

  9. I think it would be helpful to emphasize deep dish pie shell in the list of ingredients. I often skip notes – yes, my fault – but I like to read straight-forward recipes. That’s an important enough note to have in the “recipe card”. Thank you!

    1. Hi Mary, it is actually listed in the recipe card, under the Notes section. This area helps when deviating from the original recipe. Hope this helps!

  10. Very enjoyable, easy to make. Used 8 Oz of pork sausage w sage and broccoli in stead of spinach. A definite keeper. Bob in Kansas City5 stars

  11. Well I did not have any milk, so I used Ice Cream ( Blue Bell). I also used Chicken Fajitas, and Ham. Basically getting rid stuff, was AWSOME…..!!
    Tom from Texas5 stars

  12. I followed the very well written directions and my husband and I loved the results. I was concerned about that tiny bit of tobacco sauce. I couldnt tell it was in there. It turned out great.5 stars

    1
  13. It was good and easy to make, I used a gluten free pre-made pie crust but I would not poke holes in the bottom of the crust, too much of the egg mixture comes through making it difficult to come out of the pan.4 stars

  14. This is an easy treat when you have an unexpected morning visitor. My 84 year old dad will drop by and if I know he is on his way, will pull out a premade shell and drop what ever I have in with 5 beaten eggs. Takes about an hour to cook, but he loves coming and will find sometimes it is ham, sometimes it is arugula, spinach or broccoli or it could be left over chicken or bacon. It doesn’t matter, it makes a great morning snack with coffee to eat while catching up. These are the times we will remember. He likes the protein much better than a donut or something sweet. Can take home leftovers and will he will eat the next day!5 stars

  15. This quiche was a HIT. I’ll always make this for guests. I do have a question- the review you have as a visual on this recipe (it’s in a teal box in-between directions/blog) says they liked the mustard and Greek yogurt. I don’t see that in the recipe at all. Is this a substitution or addition?5 stars

    1. So glad to hear you enjoyed the quiche, Lindsey! That review was from before we updated the recipe. Sorry for any confusion!

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  1. this is so good! I’m a 11 year old girl and I love trying new recipes. my whole family loved this so much too.
    thanks for the recipe.❤️😊5 stars

    2
  2. I followed the very well written directions and my husband and I loved the results. I was concerned about that tiny bit of tobacco sauce. I couldnt tell it was in there. It turned out great.5 stars

    1
  3. This was absolutely fantastic, I made two! I used cooked mushrooms, onions, spinach and gruyere for one of them, broccoli and cheddar for the other. I can’t decide which was better. Thank you for the recipe and extra tips as well!5 stars

    1
  4. Made this with your cubed cheddar, Colby, portobello mushrooms, scallions and arugula. Fantastic. Loving it as left over! Thank you!4 stars

    1