• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Bakes by Brown Sugar logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Meet Cheryl
  • Collaborate
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Meet Cheryl
    • Collaborate
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Savory » Spinach and Leek Quiche

    Published: Nov 11, 2019 · Modified: Jun 5, 2020 by Cheryl Norris · This post may contain affiliate links

    Spinach and Leek Quiche

    Pin195
    Tweet
    Share
    195 Shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This Spinach and Leek Quiche is the first savory post for my food blog and I am excited to share the recipe with you. It's a delicious cheesy vegetable quiche full of spinach, leeks with a hint of lemon zest and nutmeg all poured into a flaky buttery pie crust. Perfect for a quick dinner or a light late-night meal. Read on for how to make this yummy creamy quiche.

    Spinach and Leek Quiche with Arugula Salad
    Spinach and Leek Quiche

    What is Quiche?

    From Wikipedia, a quiche is a savory dish consisting of a pastry crust filled with eggs, milk or cream, and cheese, meat, seafood or vegetables. Quiche can be served hot or cold. It is French in origin (ooh la la) but is adaptable for any cuisine.

    The basic part of the quiche is the pastry crust, the eggs and milk (or cream). All the other components including the cheese are add-ins. The suggestion for a quiche came from one of my email subscribers and I've had fun developing this recipe.

    Spinach and Leek Quiche with Lemon Zest
    Spinach and Leek Quiche

    How to Make the Pie Crust

    The quiche starts with the pastry crust also known as the pie crust. The recipe I included makes enough dough for two crusts. I make enough for two crusts because pie dough freezes really well and it is really convenient to have ready to go pie dough in the freezer. If you're short on ingredients, this recipe can easily be cut in half to make enough for one pie crust.

    The most important tip for making pie dough is to have cold ingredients. That includes butter straight from the refrigerator and ice-cold water. Mix the dry ingredients together first and then pull the other items from the refrigerator as you get ready to use them. I keep a jar of ice water in the refrigerator to ensure that I always have ice water on hand.

    Sliced Spinach and Leek Quiche
    Spinach and Leek Quiche

    Once the dough is finished there should be visible pieces of butter the size of small peas or pebbles in order to achieve flaky results. The butter is trapped between the structure and when it melts from the heat in the oven, steam is created. The process creates the flakiness of a good pie crust.

    Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes allows the dough to relax and the butter to chill. The chilled, rested dough will also be easier to roll out and the crust will be flakier.

    Spinach and Leek Quiche with extra spinach
    Spinach and Leek Quiche.

    How to Prebake the Crust

    Prebaking the crust is necessary to have a good crust. The quiche filling is only in the oven 30-35 minutes and that combined with the wet ingredients is not long enough to produce a flaky browned crust.

    To prebake the pie crust line the pie pan rolled out pie dough. Use a fork to dock the surface of the dough. Docking the dough will help prevent the dough from rising up. Lay a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the pie dough. It should be large enough to completely cover the dough including the sides. I prefer using aluminum foil because it is easier to fit it against the dough. Fill the pan with enough dried beans or pie weights to completely cover the sides. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake it for 35 minutes.

    Spinach and Leek Quiche with Gruyere Cheese
    Spinach and Leek Quiche

    Remove the crust from the oven and remove the weights by lifting the aluminum foil or the parchment out the crust. I usually have a large bowl or a small heatproof tray nearby and place the weights and foil on that. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the bottom of the crust is lightly browned.

    The crust can be prebaked one day in advance. Wrap the cooled shell in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

    Preparing the Quiche Filling

    Like the pie crust, the main ingredients for the filling can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to bake the quiche.

    The spinach and leeks cook very quickly, 5-7 minutes each. The spinach is seasoned with nutmeg and the leeks are seasoned with garlic and lemon zest. The recipe calls for cream and milk because that is what I had on hand when I prepared the recipe, but you can also use half-and-half. The recipe is very versatile. Try different cheeses or different fillings like onions, asparagus, ham, gouda cheese. The options are endless.

    A Slice of Spinach and Leek Quiche
    Spinach and Leek Quiche

    Once all the ingredients are cooked spread them across the baked pie crust, sprinkle with the cheese and pour the cream-egg mixture over the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve the quiche warm or at room temperature. This quiche is creamy, cheesy and with a lemony garlic flavor.

    Happy Eating!


    Spinach and Leek Quiche with extra spinach

    Spinach and Leek Quiche

    A delicious cheesy vegetable quiche full of spinach, leeks with a hint of lemon zest and nutmeg.
    4.90 from 28 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
    Yield: 8
    Author: Cheryl Norris

    Ingredients

    Pie Dough

    • 2 1/2 cups (380 grams) all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 20 tablespoons (284 grams) cold unsalted butter cubed
    • 1/2 cup ice-cold water or more if required.
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

    Quiche Filling

    • 5 ounces (142 grams) baby spinach washed and partially dried
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 cups (180 grams) sliced leeks
    • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • Lemon zest from one lemon
    • 1/2 cup (50 grams) shredded gruyere
    • 1/2 cup (50 grams) shredded parmesan
    • 3 (150 grams) large eggs
    • 1/2 cup whole milk
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream

    Instructions

    Pie Dough

    • Put the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Place the flour mixture into a food processor.
    • Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Pulse the dough until it is coarse and crumbly, and the butter is about the size of peas.
    • Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of ice water and use a rubber spatula to toss together. Add the remaining water and mix into the dough until it starts to come together. It will still be slightly crumbly or shaggy but will hold together when squeezed into a ball. If more water is needed add a tablespoon at a time.
    • Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press the dough together, folding it over on itself until it starts to hold together. Try not to work the dough too much or it may become overdeveloped and tough.
    • Divide the dough into 2 equal parts (about 360 grams each) and shape each piece into disk 1-inch thick. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes. I use one disk for this recipe and freeze the other for another recipe.

    Blind Baking the Pie Dough

    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to a 13-inch circle. Fold the dough into quarters and place it in a 8-inch or 9-inch pie plate. Unfold the dough, so the dough is overhanging the edges. Trim the edges with a sharp knife or kitchen shears so even out the dough. Fold the dough under so that the edge is even with the edges of the pie plate.
    • Prick the bottom of the pie dough with a fork. This step will help prevent the dough from puffing up during baking. Press a large piece of foil onto the pie dough so the bottom and edges are covered. Fill the pie plate with pie weights or dried beans so the sides of the dough are completely covered.
    • Place it in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove it from the oven remove the pie weights and the foil. Return it to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes until the bottle is slightly browned. Remove it from the oven and prepare the quiche filling.

    Quiche Filling

    • Wash and partially dry the baby spinach. A salad spinner works well for rinsing the spinach. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a non-stick pan and heat on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add all the spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Continuously stir the spinach and cook on medium high heat until it is completely cooked, and the liquid is evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat, and the ground nutmeg and stir it into the spinach. Scrape the spinach onto a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any remaining moisture.
    • Add the butter to the same pan and heat on medium heat until it is melted and starts to bubble. Add the leeks and reduce the heat to medium low. Add the salt and the chopped garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the leeks are tender and just a few pieces have started to brown. Remove the pan from the heat and grate the lemon zest onto the leeks and stir it in. Season with fresh ground pepper.
    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
    • In a medium bowl whisk the three eggs. Add the whole milk and heavy cream and whisk to combine.
    • Chopped the cooked spinach and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pre-baked pie crust. Spread the cooked leeks on top of the spinach. Sprinkle the gruyere and parmesan cheeses over the spinach and leeks. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the cheese and vegetables. Cover the edges of the pie crust with a strip of foil to prevent excessive browning while the quiche bakes.
    • Bake the quiche for 30-35 minutes until it is puffed and slightly browned on top. Remove it from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.

    Notes

    This recipe can be made with a store bought pie crust.  Follow the package directions for prebaking the crust.
     
     
    PIN IT FOR LATER!If you like this recipe Pin it for later and make it at home. Post a picture and mention @bakesbybrownsugar or tag #bakesbybrownsugar!
    Pin195
    Tweet
    Share
    195 Shares

    More Savory

    • Avocado Toast with Tomato
    • A close up image of ricotta toast on a small plate. The ricotta toast is made with toasted bread topped with ricotta, prosciutto, prunes, chopped pistachios, fresh herbs, and a honey balsamic glaze.
      Ricotta Toast with Prunes and Prosciutto
    • Roasted cherry tomatoes in a 1-pint jar with a piece of fresh basil on top. A dark red hand towel in the background
      Cherry Tomato Confit
    • mushroom galette on a wooden serving board with a cutting knife, bowl of parmesan cheese and some fresh thyme
      Mushroom Galette

    About Cheryl Norris

    Reader Interactions

    Thanks for visiting my blog. Let me know what you think. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Reader's Favorites

    • A stack of 5 lemon shortbread cookies surrounded by cookies and fresh lemon
      Lemon Shortbread Cookies
    • Huckleberry Crumb Bars on a dark background
      Huckleberry Crumb Bars
    • Peach Crumble Pie
    • lime simple syrup in an 8 ounce bottle surrounded by fresh limes
      Lime Simple Syrup
    • Lime Curd
    • shortbread cookies in a single layer on a white surface
      Shortbread Cookies

    Welcome to Bakes by Brown Sugar!

    I'm Cheryl, an engineer by day, and a baker by night. My goal is to be your go-to resource for creating the best versions of your favorite desserts. As a baking science geek, I am passionate about understanding what makes a recipe work and sharing that info with you. I love finding new recipes to share, and I hope you join me on this journey of deliciousness. Read more!

    SIGNUP FOR THE BAKING NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A RECIPE!

    FALL BAKING RECIPES

    Apple Spice Streusel Muffins

    Apple Streusel Muffins

    Double Apple Hand Pies

    Apple Hand Pies

    Cranberry Orange Mini Bundt Cakes whipped creme fraiche

    Cranberry Orange Mini Bundt Cakes

    Sweet Potato Muffin on a board next to other sweet potato muffins

    Sweet Potato Muffins

    Roasted cherry tomatoes in a 1-pint jar with a piece of fresh basil on top. A dark red hand towel in the background

    Cherry Tomato Confit

    Pumpkin muffin on a wire rack next to cinnamon sticks and nutmeg. More muffins in the background to the left

    Pumpkin Muffins

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Resources

    • Recipe Index
    • Web Stories
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for the newsletter
    • Follow me on Instagram
    • Follow me on Pinterest

    Contact

    • Contact Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Bakes by Brown Sugar