Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Quiche

When I think of brunch, this is where my mind goes. Creamy, cheesy custard filled with veggies and nestled in a flaky crust. There are hundreds of different fillings that can be used in a quiche, like my Green Chili and Corn Quiche, but this one is way up at the top of the list for me. It’s so savory and satisfying and cheesy! And it’s not just perfect for brunch! Quiche can be enjoyed at any time of day. Serve it with a simple green salad and you have a perfect meal that is great for lunch or dinner!

First: I will not be mad if you use a store-bought pie crust. I too struggle to find joy in making my own pie crusts and have often opted to go with the less frustrating route of just picking one up at the friggin grocery store! But for this post, I am making it myself. Wish me luck.

This recipe makes only one crust and it is made to fit a really big 10.5 inch pie pan. That doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy a new one if yours is 9 inches. You will just have some scraps leftover. You could us them to make 1 or 2 mini quiches in a muffin pan if you want. Just a thought!

Here’s what you need for the homemade crust:

Make sure those fats are really cold before making the crust. That is what is going to get you those flaky layers in the pastry. I always dice those up first and stick them in the freezer for a few minutes.

You could make the pastry by hand or with a pastry cutter if you want, but my hands are wrecked these days so I just prefer whipping it in the food processor.

Start by pulsing the flour and salt a few times.

Add the frozen butter and pulse pulse pulse a few times, then add the frozen shortening and pulse pulse pulse a few more times. The dough should look mealy at this point.

Finally slowly add the ice cold water while pulsing until it just begins to come together. The downfall of making the dough in the food processor is that it can become easily overworked, which will result in a too-tough crust. Don’t let it go until it forms into a ball. Right when it looks like it’s beginning to clump together, stop!

Dump out the dough and use your hands to work the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, then pop it into the fridge for 2 hours to rest.

When it’s ready to roll, remove the dough disc from the fridge and let it warm up on the counter for just a few minutes. Roll it out to a circle that measures 14 inches in diameter. Even if your pan is smaller than mine, still roll it out this far so the thickness of the crust will be right. You can cut off any excess once you get it into the pan.

Roll the dough around the rolling pin. You’re most likely going to need a bench scraper to coax the dough off of the surface without tearing it. Unroll the dough over the pie pan and carefully work it down into the corners of the pan and up the sides, creating a smooth and even surface.

Cut off any excess, but leave enough to make a decorative edge. I start by rolling the edges of the dough into a sort of smooth log. If some areas are way too short or thin, you can take some of that excess dough you cut off and sort of smoosh it in to fill that space. But be mindful still of not overworking the dough.

To create the fluted edge, place your index and middle finger on one side of the dough and use the index finger of your other hand to push the dough in between those two fingers from the other side.

Prick the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork to allow steam to escape while it’s baking. Then place the crust into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes. Again keeping the fats in the dough really cold is going to make the best and flakiest crust.

We’re going to start by blind baking this crust. You do this to keep the bottom of the crust from becoming soggy when being baked with the very wet custard filling. Place a crumpled sheet of parchment inside the raw crust and fill it with dried beans. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

While the crust is in the oven for the first part of the bake, get your egg wash together. Whisk together one egg and a tablespoon of cream.

When the first 15 minutes is up, remove the crust from the oven and take out the parchment with the dried beans. Lightly brush the egg wash all over the edges of the crust. This will make it golden brown and crisp. Put the crust back into the oven and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the heat down to 350.

While your crust is blind baking, you can get going on the filling. This is the easy part! It’s mostly just stirring everything together.

Before adding the spinach to the filling, it needs to be drained of all liquid. The best way to do this is just to place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, then use your hands to squeeze and squeeze until no water remains, which is also a great way to de-stress!

Whisk the eggs very well until no whites are visible.

Add the milk, cream and salt.

Stir in the drained spinach, diced artichoke hearts and cheeses.

Carefully pour the filling into the blind baked crust. To keep the filling from spilling all over the place, I start by ladling it in first then pouring in the last bit.

Bake the quiche for 45 minutes then allow it to cool for about 15 before slicing. This quiche can made a day ahead and kept refrigerated. Just warm it up in the oven for a few minutes and serve! You could also freeze this quiche. Allow it to cool completely after baking, then wrap tightly with plastic. Before serving, allow it to fully thaw, then place it in the oven to warm up.

If you love this recipe, I have a feeling you will also love my Croque Monsier Brunch Rolls, my Fancy, Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms or Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Bacon Crumble!