This Crustless Spinach Quiche with Ham and Cheese is a simple, low-carb dish that's tastier and healthier than your standard quiche. It's an ideal choice for breakfast, lunch, or brunch.
I adore crustless quiche as a morning staple. Since cereal isn't my go-to breakfast, eggs serve as an excellent source of energy and protein, keeping us fuller for longer.
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💝 Why You Will Love This Easy Crustless Quiche
Crustless Spinach Quiche with Ham and Cheese is more than just food; it is an easy meal, perfect for anyone watching their carbs. It is super easy and quick to make, taking about 40 minutes from start to finish. This quiche is a great choice for a perfect breakfast, brunch, or lunch.
No crust means less carbs, so it is a smart choice if you're trying to eat healthier. I often love to take a slice to work with a salad on the side for a satisfying meal anytime.
You'll always find frozen spinach in my freezer and essentials like eggs, ham, a good sharp cheese, and heavy cream. These ingredients are the heroes of this dish, bringing in loads of flavor.
Quiches, in general, are pretty flexible and forgiving. You can mix and match whatever you've got in the fridge to create something delicious. This recipe proves you can make a fancy, filling meal with just a few basic ingredients. Perfect as a brunch recipe!
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📝 Ingredients needed
For this recipe you need only these simple ingredients (check the recipe card for full instructions and quantities):
- Smoked Ham or Cooked Bacon: Rich in protein, adds a smoky flavor. Substitute with turkey ham for a lighter option. Leftover ham works well.
- Frozen Spinach: Packed with nutrients, spinach adds a fresh, earthy taste. Fresh spinach can also be used. I used frozen spinach because it is convenient.
- Onions: Use the onions you have available. I sometimes use regular onion, but I also used green or red onions in the past.
- Large Eggs: The binding agent that holds everything together.
- Shredded Cheese: Adds a creamy, rich texture. Feel free to use Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss, Gruyere cheese or a mixture of them.
- Heavy Cream: For creaminess.
- Salt and Black Pepper: For seasoning. Adjust according to taste.
- Vegetable Oil: For cooking. Olive oil or butter can be used as alternatives.
Note: My secret ingredient for the best crustless quiche is heavy cream. Instead of using whole milk or half-and-half, commonly found in many American quiches, I opt for mixing eggs with heavy cream.
👩🍳 How to Make This Recipe
Step 1. Prep Work: Preheat your oven. If using ham, slice and dice it. For bacon, ensure it's cooked and crumbled. Chop the green onions.
Step 2. Cook the Ham And Onions: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sauté the ham and green onions in the skillet. If using bacon, sauté just the onions at this stage.
Step 3. Cook the Spinach. Add the frozen spinach and cook until the excess liquid has evaporated, ensuring the mixture is not overly wet. If using bacon, incorporate it into the mix now.
Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. Season with salt and pepper to taste, but remember, the ham/bacon and cheese already contain salt.
Step 4. Prepare the Quiche Base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add the shredded cheese and heavy cream to the eggs, mixing thoroughly.
Step 5. Assemble the Quiche: As soon as the spinach mixture cooled down, mix it gently with the quiche base and pour it into a 9-inch baking dish.
Step 6. Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the quiche is lightly browned on top and set in the middle. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the quiche; it should come out clean.
Step 7. Serve: Allow the quiche to cool slightly before serving.
💡 Helpful Tips
- Ensure the spinach is well-drained to avoid a soggy quiche.
- For a fluffier texture, beat the eggs thoroughly before adding them to the mixture.
- Letting the quiche rest for a few minutes after baking helps it set properly.
- For a crustless vegetable quiche, skip the ham/bacon.
❄️ How To Store
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap the quiche well and place it in a freezer bag. You can even freeze it in individual slices for easy grab. Freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
🍽️ How To Serve This Crustless Spinach Quiche
Enjoy this quiche warm or at room temperature. This is a great recipe that pairs beautifully with a simple green salad for lunch or a fruit platter for breakfast.
🙋♀️ Recipe Faqs
To check if your quiche is perfectly cooked, use an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165°F (74°C). Alternatively, insert a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean.
The quiche should also look set and slightly browned on top, with the center just firm to the touch and the edges pulling away from the dish. Remember, it will continue to set as it cools.
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📖 Recipe
Crustless Spinach Quiche with Ham and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces smoked ham or cooked bacon
- 10 ounces frozen spinach or fresh
- 1 medium onions diced (green onion works well too)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded cheese Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss, Gruyere cheese or a mixture of them.
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
Prepare the Quiche Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice and dice the ham or crumble the cooked bacon. Chop the onions.
- Set the stove on medium heat and use a skillet to sauté the ham and the onions together with some oil. If you use bacon, just saute the onions at this point.
- Add the spinach and cook everything together until the liquid from the spinach evaporates. Your mixture should not be very wet. (This is the time to add the cooked crumbled bacon to the mixture in case you used bacon)
- Allow the mixture to cool down before assembling the quiche.
- Taste for salt and pepper, but go easy on the salt as the ham/bacon and cheese are also salty.
Prepare the Quiche Base:
- Whisk the eggs together.
- Add the heavy cream and shredded cheese to the eggs and mix well.
Assemble The Dish And Bake:
- Gently add the cooled spinach mixture to the egg mixture and mix well.
- Butter a 9-inch baking pie dish and the mixture to it. Bake the quiche for about 30 mins at 350F, until it’s lightly brown outside and cooked inside.
- Insert a toothpick in the middle and check if it is done. The toothpick should come out clean.
- Serve warm or cold for breakfast or with a salad for lunch.
Notes
- Versatile Meal: Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, and great for meal prep.
- Customizable: Feel free to swap out spinach for other greens or use different cheeses for variety.
- Serving Suggestion: Delicious on its own, or pair with a salad for a complete meal.
- Storage: Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Reheating: Warm in the oven or microwave until heated through.
Shenice Mize says
Can you use Greek yogurt as a substitute for the sour cream?
The Bossy Kitchen says
No, but you can use milk, or heavy cream or half and half if you are in US. For 5 eggs I would use 1 cup of liquid. The texture will be different, but this is what happens when you replace ingredients.
Gigi says
The flavor is really good! I am new to making quiches so it would have been helpful for the author to tell what size baking dish to use. I bought a quiche pan and the eggs boiled over the pan and all over my oven! I even put it on a baking sheet. It was not a great start to Easter morning with my in laws! The house was filled with smoke!
The quiche ended up being very flat but tasty!