Spinach Quiche with Cornmeal Crust

Spinach quiche on a pie server, held above the rest of the quiche.

4.42 from 12 votes

Spinach Quiche with Cornmeal Crust

An easy-to-make cornmeal crust really elevates this simple spinach quiche. You may never go back to a regular pie crust.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Cooling Time10

Total Time1 5

Course: Breakfast and Brunch

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

For the Crust

½ cup cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons cold water

For the Filling

10 ounces baby spinach leaves (see note)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup milk (2% or whole milk)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ground nutmeg)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Combine cornmeal, ¾ cup flour, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium sized bowl. Cut in cold butter, using a fork or pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water in while tossing the mixture with a fork, and continue to stir lightly until dough can be shaped into a ball.
½ cup cornmeal, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces, 3 tablespoons cold water
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Fit loosely into a 9-inch pie pan (see note), fluting edges. Don’t worry if the crust falls apart a bit. Just patch up any holes with extra dough. Put the pie pan in the freezer while you prep the spinach and grate the cheese.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat a tablespoon of water and sauté spinach until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain spinach well, pressing out excess liquid. Cool slightly before spreading it evenly over the bottom of the crust.
10 ounces baby spinach leaves
In the same bowl you used for the pie dough, toss cheese with 2 tablespoons flour. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the spinach.
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
In the same bowl, lightly whisk eggs until blended. Add milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; whisk to combine. Pour egg mixture into crust.
4 large eggs, 1 cup milk, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350°F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and set in the middle. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Quiche can be served warm, room temperature or cold.
Let the quiche cool for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Quiche can be served warm, room temperature or cold.

Video

Notes

Pie pan: For best results, use a clear glass pie dish or metal pie pan rather than a ceramic pie dish. We tested all three types and found that the crust turned out best when we didn't use a ceramic dish.
Using frozen spinach: A 10 oz. package of frozen spinach can be substituted for the fresh spinach. Thaw completely. Press out excess liquid before adding to crust.
Recipe variations: If desired, substitute a different vegetable for the spinach, or add ham, bacon, or crumbled sausage.

Nutrition

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