Spinach feta quiche is a savory egg pie baked in a flaky crust, filled with wilted fresh spinach, melted mozzarella and salty crumbles of feta. The custard sets soft and golden, and each slice holds its shape on the plate. It is a brunch dish for Easter, Mother’s Day or a weekend breakfast, and it works just as well for a light dinner with a salad.
How to make spinach feta quiche: Heat the oven to 425°F and cover the edges of a frozen 9-inch pie crust with foil. Wilt chopped fresh spinach in olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes, then squeeze it dry. Layer mozzarella, spinach and feta in the crust and pour in eggs whisked with milk, salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, lower the oven to 350°F and bake 25 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love It
- A frozen crust. No dough to roll, and it goes into the oven still frozen.
- Two cheeses. Mozzarella melts into the base and feta gives salty bites through the top.
- No watery filling. The spinach is wilted and squeezed before it goes in.
- Very little hands-on work. About 5 minutes, then the oven takes over.
- Eight slices. Enough for a brunch table, with good leftovers.
Ingredient Notes
Pie crust. One frozen 9-inch crust, used straight from the freezer.
Fresh spinach. Two cups, chopped. It shrinks to a small handful once wilted.
Olive oil. Two teaspoons, to wilt the spinach.
Mozzarella cheese. Two ounces, shredded. It goes on the bottom of the crust.
Feta cheese. Two ounces, crumbled. Feta softens in the oven but does not fully melt, so you get distinct pieces.
Eggs. Four large eggs make the custard.
Skim milk. Three-quarters of a cup, whisked with the eggs.
Salt and black pepper. Half a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Feta is salty, so there is no need for more.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen 9-inch pie crust
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup skim milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Spinach Feta Quiche
1. Heat the oven and protect the crust. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a heavy baking sheet with aluminum foil, set the frozen pie crust on it and loosely cover the exposed crust edges with strips of foil.
2. Wilt and drain the spinach. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted. Remove from the heat. When it is cool enough to touch, squeeze out the excess liquid.
3. Add the filling. Scatter the mozzarella across the bottom of the crust. Add the spinach, then sprinkle the feta over it. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and pour over the filling.
4. Bake at two temperatures. Bake on the baking sheet for 15 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven to 350°F, remove the foil strips from the crust edges and bake for another 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Check the center with a food thermometer for 165°F.
5. Cool and slice. Let the quiche cool for a few minutes, then cut it into 8 slices.
Does Spinach Need to Be Cooked Before It Goes Into Quiche?
Yes, briefly. Fresh spinach is mostly water. If it goes into the crust raw, that water comes out in the oven and ends up in the custard, which is the usual reason for a watery quiche and a soft crust.
The fix takes a couple of minutes: wilt it, cool it and squeeze it.
| Step | What to do | What it prevents |
|---|---|---|
| Wilt | Sauté the spinach in olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes | Water being released into the eggs as it bakes |
| Cool | Take the skillet off the heat until the spinach can be handled | Burned fingers |
| Squeeze | Press out the excess liquid | A watery filling and a soggy bottom |
| Layer | Mozzarella first, then spinach, then feta | Wet spinach sitting right on the crust |
Squeeze over the sink with clean hands, or press the spinach in a fine sieve with the back of a spoon. A clean kitchen towel works too. You want it damp, not dripping.
Tips for Success
Why cover the crust edges with foil?
The first 15 minutes are at 425°F, and thin crust edges brown faster than the filling sets. The foil shields them. It comes off when the oven goes down to 350°F.
Why bake at two temperatures?
The hot start sets the crust. The lower finish cooks the egg custard gently so it stays tender.
How do I know the quiche is done?
A toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and a food thermometer in the center reads 165°F.
Why bake it on a baking sheet?
A foil-lined heavy baking sheet makes the filled crust easy to move in and out of the oven and catches any drips.
Should I thaw the pie crust first?
No. Set it on the baking sheet frozen and fill it.
How Long Does It Take?
About 45 minutes: 5 minutes of prep and 40 minutes in the oven, split into 15 minutes at 425°F and 25 minutes at 350°F. Give it a few minutes to cool before you cut it so the slices come out clean.
Does Feta Work in Quiche?
Yes. Feta holds its shape in the oven, so it stays in soft, salty crumbles through the custard and does not disappear. Paired with mozzarella, you get both a melted layer and those sharper bites.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftover quiche within 2 hours, in a shallow covered container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. USDA FSIS lists 3 to 4 months for frozen leftovers. Thaw frozen slices in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Reheat until the center reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
For a brunch spread, add a homestyle bacon and cheese quiche for the meat eaters, plus spinach puffs with cream cheese, cheese puff squares or cheesy sausage squares. For a lighter plate, serve a slice with spinach salad with warm bacon dressing or roasted balsamic Brussels sprouts with feta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does spinach need to be cooked before putting it in quiche?
Yes. Wilt fresh spinach for 1 to 2 minutes and squeeze out the liquid, so it does not water down the filling.
What ingredients go into spinach and feta quiche?
A pie crust, fresh spinach, olive oil, mozzarella, feta, eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
What quiche mistakes should I avoid?
Adding wet spinach, leaving the crust edges uncovered during the hot first stage, and cutting it the moment it leaves the oven.
Can I cut it into squares?
This quiche is baked in a round pie crust and cut into 8 wedges. For party bites, cut each wedge into smaller pieces.
Final Notes
I squeeze the spinach twice, because the second squeeze always gives up a little more water. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Spinach Feta Quiche
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Ingredients
- 1 pie crust 9-inch, frozen
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cups fresh spinach chopped
- 2 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 4 eggs large
- 3/4 cup skim milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a heavy baking sheet with aluminum foil, set the frozen pie crust on it and loosely cover the exposed crust edges with strips of foil.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted. Remove from the heat. When it is cool enough to touch, squeeze out the excess liquid.
- Scatter the mozzarella across the bottom of the crust. Add the spinach, then sprinkle the feta over it. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and pour over the filling.
- Bake on the baking sheet for 15 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven to 350°F, remove the foil strips from the crust edges and bake for another 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Check the center with a food thermometer for 165°F.
- Let the quiche cool for a few minutes, then cut it into 8 slices.
