Make-ahead cheesy Spinach and Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes is quick, easy to make, and sure to impress! With fresh spinach, smoky bacon, gruyere cheese, and sliced cherry tomatoes, this savory quiche, also known as Quiche Florentine, is a true expression of homemade goodness.
Add a silky custard filling of eggs and heavy cream, and wrap it up in a flakey, purchased pie crust, and this flavorful spinach and bacon quiche makes a hearty and supremely satisfying meal.
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Why you will love this recipe:
- It’s versatile; you can add just about any veggie, meat, or cheese you like or have on hand. Examples include my recipes for Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche, Canadian Bacon and Brie Crustless Quiche, and Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Quiche.
- Quiche is delicious whether served warm or cold; it’s relatively healthy, full of protein, and can be low in calories, especially if you make it without the crust.
- It can be a meal all by itself because, in most cases, it contains all of the major food groups. It’s also the perfect choice to serve at breakfast, lunch, or dinner and would be a lovely addition to a Mother’s Day brunch or luncheon.
Quiche is a home run in my book, and, in case you are wondering, yes, “real men do eat quiche”!
Ingredient notes and substitutions:
- Spinach – I used fresh baby spinach in this quiche recipe because I wanted to ramp up the nutritional value. It also makes it colorful. The saying that “we eat with our eyes” couldn’t be more accurate.
- Bacon – crisp, smoky bacon is my meat of choice for this recipe. It is called Spinach and Bacon Quiche for a reason! Feel free to substitute ham, Canadian bacon, or sausage.
- Cherry tomatoes – adding red tomatoes and green spinach makes each slice of this quiche a kaleidoscope of color and very appealing. Of course, you can easily substitute broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, caramelized onions, etc.
- Cheese – I used gruyere in this recipe because I love its rich nutty flavor. However, you could easily use swiss, manchego, gouda, cheddar, or fontina. Use what cheese or combination of cheeses you have on hand or what you like.
- Heavy Cream – makes a rich, velvety custard filling. If you want to save calories, you can also use half-and-half or whole milk. The quiche will still be delicious, but the texture of the filling will be a little looser.
- Eggs – are mixed with heavy cream to make the filling or custard. They bind everything together and add a rich base.
- Pie Crust – I have made plenty of pie crusts in my day, but now I almost always take the shortcut of purchasing frozen pie crusts. However, if you are a baker, feel free to make your own. You do you!
- Ground nutmeg – just a pinch adds a warm sweet and nutty flavor to the custard filling.
- Kosher salt – enhances all the other flavors and combines them into one cohesive dish.
(A complete list of all ingredients and measurements is listed in the recipe below.)
How to make Spinach Bacon Quiche:
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Use a fork and prick the pie crust over the bottom and sides. Place the empty crust on a baking sheet with sides and par-bake it for ten minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 °F. Leave the crust on the baking sheet and set it aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Combine the eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk well. Set aside.
- Sprinkle one-fourth cup of the shredded cheese evenly over the pie crust. Then, add the chopped spinach and the rest of the shredded cheese. Spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle the sliced tomatoes over the top.
- Carefully pour the egg mixture over the spinach, cheese, and tomatoes. Depending on the size of your pie crust and how deep it is, you may have a small amount leftover. Top with the crumbled bacon.
- Leave the quiche on the baking sheet and bake it for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is puffed and set.
- When it’s done, remove it from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool briefly. Quiche is best served warm or at room temperature.
Top tips:
- The secret to making a good quiche starts with its foundation, the crust. Yes, I take a shortcut and use purchased frozen pie crusts, but in most cases, they make an excellent substitute.
- Be sure to par-bake your crust and sprinkle a portion of your shredded cheese over it before adding the filling to keep it from getting soggy.
- Don’t overcook your quiche. The custard should be set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
What is a quiche:
The name ‘quiche’ is from the German origin word ‘Kuchen’, which means cake. It is a savory tart or pie consisting of a pastry crust filled with custard, cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables that may be served hot, warm, or cold.
It is also a versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or brunch. Plus it’s a great way to use up leftover ingredients.
Recipe variations:
This recipe is versatile; feel free to use what your family likes. For example, although I use bacon, you can also use ham, sausage, Canadian bacon, or other cooked meats. Cooked shrimp can also be substituted.
I like spinach and tomatoes in this recipe, but you could substitute mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, artichoke hearts, asparagus, broccoli, black olives, caramelized onions, squash, sun-dried tomatoes, or other sautéed or roasted vegetables.
What kind of cheese is best:
If you have followed my blog for any time, you know I love cheese. In fact, “the cheesier, the better” is my motto. I usually use gruyere in this recipe, but most cheeses, including feta, ricotta, and goat cheese, will work, and I frequently use whatever I have in my cheese drawer.
You can also combine different kinds of cheese and use shredded cheese blends such as Mexican or Italian blends.
What to serve with this recipe:
Most quiches, including this Quiche Florentine, are full of protein and vegetables and make a complete meal. However, if you are serving guests or prefer to add some sides, here are some ideas:
- My Cheese Grits Casserole or Sweet Potato Hash makes excellent sides for breakfast or brunch.
- A nice salad such as my Brussels Sprout Salad, Broccoli Salad, or my Wild Rice Chicken Salad are all good choices for a light lunch or dinner and complement the quiche’s rich and savory flavors.
- A Fruit Salad or a dish of Ambrosia can balance out the heaviness of quiche with some sweetness and acidity.
- Sausage Bread or Apple Bread would also be a great addition to the meal.
- A Relish Tray can add variety.
Recipe FAQs:
I don’t recommend using either and prefer to use fresh uncooked spinach.
Cooking your spinach first can add too much liquid into the filling and make it watery. I also do not like using frozen spinach in this recipe for this reason. It’s tough to get the extra liquid out.
A quiche without a crust is called a crustless quiche. My Canadian Bacon and Brie Crustless Quiche and Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche are good examples.
Most quiche recipes, including this one, can easily be made without a crust. To ensure it doesn’t stick, make sure to grease the pie pan thoroughly before adding the other ingredients.
Although the ingredients are similar, frittatas do not have a crust and are first cooked on the stove in a skillet. Then, they are moved to the oven to finish baking. Quiches, on the other hand, are always baked in the oven.
Par-baking means partially cooking an empty pastry crust that will be baked again when the filling is added such as this quiche.
Blind baking refers to baking an empty pie crust before a filling is added. Blind baking is for pie crusts with fillings that do not need to be baked such as ice cream pies or cream pies.
Both methods help to firm up the pie crust, which keeps the filling from seeping into it and making it soggy
Yes, you can use milk instead of heavy cream, but the texture and flavor of the quiche may be different. This is because heavy cream has a higher fat content than milk, which gives the quiche a richer, creamier texture and flavor.
Sharon’s tips:
- If your cherry tomatoes are large, sprinkle a little salt on them once they are sliced, then place them on a paper towel to drain off any excess liquid before adding them to the quiche.
- Check your quiche at about 20 minutes to ensure the crust isn’t getting too brown. Cover the edges loosely with a small piece of foil if it is.
- To make this recipe ahead, make and bake the quiche as directed, cool it, cover it, and refrigerate. When reheating, loosely cover with foil and heat in a 325 °F degree oven for about 20 minutes.
- You can also freeze this dish after it is baked. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and freeze for up to two months. Then, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat.
- For the best results, before prebaking or blind baking the pie crust, generously prick the bottom and sides of the dough to keep it from puffing up as it bakes.
- Always place your pie crust on a baking sheet to par-bake it, then leave it on the baking sheet to bake it with the filling. The aluminum pans frozen pie crusts come in are flimsy and will bend when you are placing them in the oven or trying to take them out.
More egg recipes:
If you like recipes such as this one, that features eggs, I think you might also like these other popular choices on my blog:
If you need more ideas, here is a link to all of my breakfast recipes.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
📋 Recipe:
Spinach and Bacon Quiche Recipe with Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 purchased frozen pie crust, deep dish (9-inch)
- 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, stems removed and chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 4 large or extra large eggs
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Pie Crust Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Use a fork and prick the pie crust over the bottom and sides. Place the crust on a baking sheet with sides and par-bake it for ten minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 °F. Leave the crust on the baking sheet and set it aside to cool for a few minutes.
Quiche Filling Directions
- Combine the eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Sprinkle one-fourth cup of the shredded cheese evenly over the pie crust. Then, add the chopped spinach and the rest of the shredded cheese. Spread out evenly. Sprinkle the sliced tomatoes over the top.
- Carefully pour the egg mixture over the spinach, cheese, and tomatoes. Depending on the size of your pie crust and how deep it is, you may have a small amount leftover. Top with the crumbled bacon.
- Leave the quiche on the baking sheet and bake it for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is puffed and set.
- When it's done, remove it from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Quiche is best served warm or at room temperature.
Where has this recipe been all my life! This is the perfect quiche recipe! I’ve now made it several times and it always comes out great. The hint of nutmeg enchanted the flavor so don’t leave it out. I do need to bake it about 5 minutes longer but that’s probably my oven. I usually cover the edges with foil to start then remove half way through so not to have the edges brown too much. Also don’t forget to prick the pie crust as directed. Thanks Sharon!
Hi Michelle, I am so glad you like it. It’s one of my favorites too!
Sharon
This is the first quiche I’ve made. It was absolutely delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Victoria, I am so glad you liked it. I see more quiches in your future!
All the best,
Sharon
It was delicious!!!!! I have a quiche that I have used for years, both of us said we liked that one and the change ups but this one was somewhat different and we like it just as much. Plus it felt healthier with the spinach and tomatoes. Great recipe and your most recent post sounds really good too.
Carolyn
This will be our dinner tonight, it sounds delicious. WEH even saved your column for me on my island. He didn’t want me to forget. I think it sounded good to him too.
Carolyn