Spinach Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust
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If you’re craving something savory, satisfying, and secretly nutritious for breakfast, brunch, or light dinner, this Spinach Feta Quiche with a Quinoa Crust might become your new favorite. Protein-packed quinoa creates a golden, crispy gluten-free crust that adds a nutty flavor and extra nutrients. The spinach, tangy feta, and rich custard filling feel indulgent without weighing you down.
“The quinoa crust is very tasty and acts just like regular crust. … Everyone loved it! Will absolutely make this again.”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
In this Greek-inspired Spinach Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust, earthy spinach pairs perfectly with the tangy, salty feta and creamy egg custard, giving every bite bright, savory pops of flavor.
The cheesy quinoa crust, which is a protein-rich whole-grain alternative to flour crusts, is delightfully chewy and crispy. The filling stays silky and custardy, with no soggy-bottom issues common in traditional quiches.
This elegant quiche is:
- Visually stunning! The vibrant green spinach against white feta crumbles and the golden quinoa crust make it look gourmet and inviting straight out of the oven.
- A meal prep hero! It slices cleanly and reheats well, so it’s great for weekly meal prep.
- Versatile and forgiving! Easy to change out the spinach with baby kale, a milder kale such as Lacinato, or Swiss chard, and it works for vegetarian, gluten-free, or high-protein diets.
This Spinach Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust delivers all the cozy, cheesy quiche satisfaction while being more wholesome!
How to Make Spinach Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Spinach Feta Quiche recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Parmesan Cheese: You’ll need some for the crust and for the quiche. To keep the quiche vegetarian, use animal rennet-free Parmesan cheese. You can also use Romano or Asiago cheese.
- Scallions: Scallions add a mild, oniony flavor that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. Other options are shallots or leeks. If using shallots or leeks, cook and soften them before adding and wilting the spinach.
- Half-and-Half: I prefer using half-and-half in all my quiche and tart recipes that require a custard. Heavy or whipping (light) cream can also be used, as can whole or 2% milk.
- Feta Cheese: Pre-crumbled feta cheese is fine to use.
- Ricotta Cheese: Always use the best ricotta cheese you can find.
- Cooked Quinoa: See my tips for cooking quinoa in the Chef Tips and Tricks section below. This recipe is a great way to use up leftover quinoa. Cooked quinoa is also available in the freezer section of many supermarkets. Another alternative is to use brown rice, as in my Zucchini Quiche.
- Baby Spinach: This quiche recipe can also be made with baby kale, a mild kale such as Lacinato, or Swiss chard.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a 10-inch tart or quiche pan with cooking spray.
- Combine crust ingredients in a bowl …
- … and mix well.
- Press the quinoa and egg mixture into the tart/quiche pan and up the sides.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add garlic and scallions, stir, and set aside to cool. (The residual heat will cook the garlic and scallions perfectly. Season the spinach mixture with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Gently press moisture from the spinach mixture with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the quinoa crust with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Combine the spinach mixture with feta cheese. Evenly distribute over the Parmesan cheese.
- Whisk together ricotta cheese, half-and-half, and eggs. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Carefully pour over the spinach-feta mixture.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cooked through, and the top is beginning to lightly brown. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Although I cooked quinoa frequently for clients, it’s not the easiest thing in the world to cook. The common method is….cook it like rice. I also cook a lot of rice for clients, so I’m not easily fooled. The method I’ve found that works better for beautiful, fluffy quinoa is:
- Rinse the quinoa in a sieve to remove the bitter outer coating called saponin.
- Start with the 2:1 ratio just like rice (two parts water to one part quinoa).
- Bring to a boil, but then leave the cover off while it’s simmering.
- Watch it carefully so the water does not boil out. Add small amounts of water as necessary, just to keep the water somewhat covering the surface of the quinoa.
- After about 15 to 17 minutes, the “germ” (the little curly thing) begins to appear. I then cover and let it stand off the heat for approximately 15 minutes.
- Almost anything can go into a quiche. Just remember a simple formula: one egg per half-cup of liquid. Preferably, it should be something on the rich side, such as half-and-half or cream; however, whole milk or 2% milk can also work.
- Slow and steady wins the race when baking a quiche; you don’t want to end up with a soufflé. Baking at 350 degrees will keep it from rising too fast and possibly drying out.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, definitely! Use a regular shallow 9-inch pie pan, not “deep dish.”
Quiches often end up watery due to too much dairy relative to eggs, or because the vegetables weren’t pre-cooked to release their moisture. A standard guideline is 1/2 cup of dairy per egg. For this spinach feta quiche recipe, be sure to drain off any excess liquid after sautéing the spinach.
Yes! For an event, I recommend baking the crust, letting it cool completely, then refrigerating it, covered, until you’re ready to fill and bake.
The best way to do that is to reheat each wedge individually. Reheat it in a 350-degree oven or toaster oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.
Yes! You can freeze it whole, halved, or in individual pieces. Let it cool completely, then wrap securely. Thaw in the refrigerator. If frozen whole, cut it into pieces, then reheat in a 350-degree oven or toaster oven until heated through.
Serve with:
More quiche and tart recipes:
- Butternut Squash, Leek, and Gruyere Tart
- Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart with Thyme
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Tart with Herbed Ricotta
- Tomato Tart with Ricotta and Pesto
- Provencal Vegetable and Goat Cheese Tart
- Zucchini Quiche
Get all my quiche and tart recipes at Quiche and Tart Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Spinach Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust
Ingredients
Crust
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bag (10-ounce) baby spinach
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch scallions, white and light green part only, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 10-inch tart or quiche pan with cooking spray.
- Combine crust ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Press the quinoa and egg mixture into the tart/quiche pan and up the sides.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Filling
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add garlic and scallions, stir, and set aside to cool. (The residual heat will cook the garlic and scallions perfectly. Season the spinach mixture with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Gently press moisture from the spinach mixture with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the quinoa crust with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Combine the spinach mixture with feta cheese. Evenly distribute over the Parmesan cheese.
- Whisk together ricotta cheese, half-and-half, and eggs. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Carefully pour over the spinach-feta mixture.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cooked through, and the top is beginning to lightly brown. Cut into wedges and serve.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
Notes
- Brown rice can be substituted for the quinoa.
- Use kale or other greens instead of spinach.
- Cut into wedges as desired. Heat in a 350-degree oven or toaster oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated.
- Freeze whole, halved, or individual pieces.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350-degree oven or toaster oven until heated.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Hi! Can I assume I can make the whole thing a day in advance and pop it in the oven in the AM?
Hi, Caroline, Thanks so much for your question. So that the crust doesn’t get soggy, I would get the crust baked, the spinach cooked and combined with the feta and the custard combined. Wrap the crust thoroughly and store the spinach/feta mixture and custard mixture in separate containers. Then, all you have to do is assemble and bake. Your other option is to bake, cool and reheat. If you do that, you’ll want to cut it into pieces and heat the pieces rather than reheat the whole quiche again. Hope this helps and hope you enjoy!
Do you think I could substitute leeks for scallions since that’s what I have on hand?
Hi, Andrea, Thanks so much for your question and sure! I would cook the leeks (1 large or 2 smaller) to where they’re pretty soft first, then add the spinach and garlic. Thanks again so much and hope you enjoy!
The quinoa crust is very tasty and acts just like regular crust. I used kale and a shallot which is what I had at home and everyone loved it! Will absolutely make this again.
Hi, Becki, Thanks so very and glad you enjoyed! I’m a huge fan of this crust, also. Thanks again!
Can you bake the crust ahead of time? If so, would you leave it in the fridge?
Hi, Jill, Thanks so much for your question. Yes, you absolutely can bake the crust ahead of time then refrigerate. I would wrap it up well so it doesn’t dry out. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
I wish this recipe had been split into sections i.e “Crust ingredients” “Quiche ingredients” because the directions give me absolutely no idea how to make the quiche crust! I’m assuming that the quinoa and eggs go together but I’ve also seen another recipe which has cheese in the crust. I have NO idea whether the parmesan should be in the quinoa crust or in the egg mixture.
Thanks, Anne! The recipe has been updated for clarity.
This looks delicious. Can you recommend a substitute for the half and half? Thank you!
Hi, Georgia, Thanks so much for your question. You could probably do some soy milk or almond milk although I have not tested it with non-dairy milk. Thanks again and let me know how it works!