Description
Ina Garten’s spinach quiche combines creamy eggs, tender spinach, and flaky pastry in a classic French-inspired dish. Cheese and herbs elevate this elegant brunch favorite for chefs seeking a sophisticated meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 refrigerated pie crust (from a 14-oz/397 g box)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 10-oz (280 g) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 ¼ cups half-and-half
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1 ½ tsps salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Heat oven to 375°F (190°C), positioning a baking sheet on the center rack. Gently ease pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate, crimping edges artfully. Refrigerate crust while preparing remaining components.
- Vegetable Sauté: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and red bell peppers until tender and fragrant, approximately 10-12 minutes. Add minced garlic, cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Custard Creation: Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, sour cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Incorporate fresh spinach leaves, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, and the sautéed vegetable mixture, blending thoroughly to marry flavors.
- Baking Process: Pour the lustrous filling into the chilled pie crust, ensuring even distribution. Transfer quiche to the preheated baking sheet in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, tracking until the center stabilizes and the crust achieves a rich golden-brown hue.
- Finishing Touch: Remove quiche from the oven and allow it to rest on a wire rack, enabling it to cool and set. Serve warm or at room temperature, savoring the harmonious blend of textures and flavors.
Notes
- Chill Crust Properly: Refrigerating the pie crust before filling helps prevent soggy bottoms and maintains a crisp, flaky texture during baking.
- Sauté Vegetables Thoroughly: Cooking onions and peppers slowly allows natural sugars to caramelize, developing deeper, richer flavor profiles in the quiche.
- Balance Egg Mixture Carefully: Whisking eggs with half-and-half and sour cream creates a silky, creamy custard that ensures a luxurious, smooth texture throughout.
- Monitor Baking Time Precisely: Watch the quiche closely during the final 10 minutes of baking to prevent overcooking, ensuring a perfectly set center and golden-brown crust.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 356
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 690 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg