Flaky crust meets savory custard filling in the ultimate gluten-free quiche recipe that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. With dairy-free and grain-free options. Thanks to Emmi for sponsoring this post!
I've shared many gluten-free quiche, tart, galette, savory pie, and hand pie recipes on TBG over the years. Sometimes I use an easy polenta crust, and other times I go traditional with a flaky, buttery gluten-free pie crust (or paleo pie crust).
Gluten-Free Spinach Quiche with Leeks & Gruyère
Today I'm sharing a gluten-free quiche recipe that you can dress up any way you like. Here, I've used a classic trio of leeks, spinach, and gruyère cheese, with plenty of substitution suggestions.
Tender sauteed leeks add savory notes, while delicate spinach leaves meld together with the custard. Gooey melted cheese adds umami, and the whole thing is encased in a buttery, flaky, gluten-free quiche crust.
My Best Gluten-Free Quiche Recipe
Here's why I love this recipe:
- golden, flaky, gluten-free quiche crust that tastes and feels close to a wheat flour crust
- creamy custard with a classic milk-to-egg ratio (coconut milk works seamlessly if you want to cut back on the dairy)
- a little flour helps the filling bake up thick and creamy, absorbing excess liquid from the vegetables
- while many gf quiche recipes turn out pasty, soggy crusts, my gluten-free quiche crust stays ultra-crisp thanks to a few techniques (more on this below)
Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions
- The key to a great gluten-free quiche recipe is a flaky gluten-free quiche crust. Here I've used my grain-free paleo pie crust, but my gluten-free pie crust also works beautifully. You could also try this polenta crust. If gluten isn't an issue for you, use my flaky all-butter pie crust made with wheat or spelt flour. Or try a sourdough pie crust.
- Emmi Gruyère cheese adds loads of flavor (more on this delicious cheese below). You can use any mild melting cheese you like here.
- Leeks, sauteed until tender, add savory flavor. Feel free to swap diced onion or shallot.
- Wilted fresh spinach adds nourishing goodness. Use another green if you like, such as chard, kale, arugula, or radish or turnip greens. You could also use broccoli florets.
- Eggs set the custard.
- Milk and cream (or crème fraiche) make a creamy filling. You can swap both for 1 can of full-fat coconut milk.
- A little flour in the filling helps the custard set and absorbs excess moisture. I used cassava flour here, but sweet rice or any GF all-purpose blend will work.
- Salt and pepper add flavor.
How to make Gluten-Free Quiche: step-by-step images and instructions
Step 6: Layer the fillings into the parbaked crust: half of the cheese, leeks, spinach, and remaining cheese.
What cheeses can be used in quiche?
Gruyère is the classic cheese to use in quiche, especially quiche lorraine. (Here's a quiche lorraine recipe that I styled for the New York Times.) Other common cheeses to use in quiche are cheddar, fresh goat cheese, and swiss cheese.
For this spinach and cheese quiche I've used Emmi Gruyère, which blends beautifully with leeks, greens, savory custard, and buttery crust. Crafted in Switzerland from a 900-year-old recipe, Emmi Gruyère starts with fresh, Swiss milk from local cows. Large wheels of Emmi Gruyère hang out in cave-like cellars for at least 10 months. As it ages, each cheese wheel is delicately turned, lightly brined and brushed. Baking brings out its luscious texture and buttery taste.
Though well-aged, this washed-rind cheese has a fresh, delicate flavor profile that pairs well with all sorts of sweet and savory flavors. It is truly the ideal addition to elevate this spinach and leek quiche recipe.
Find Emmi Gruyère at a shop near you using Emmi's store locator.
Grain-Free or Gluten-Free Quiche Crust
I've made many a gluten-free quiche, savory pie, and galette with my flaky gluten-free pie crust. A blend of flours (sweet rice, oat, and millet) plus some starches and ground chia seed give it a creepily wheat-like texture.
This time I used my paleo pie crust. Here, cassava and almond flours combine to form a remarkably smooth, workable crust with a wheat-like flake.
If gluten isn't an issue, try my ultra-flaky wheat pie crust, which uses a bit of whole wheat or spelt flour. Or make my sourdough pie crust, which is insanely flaky and made with discard starter.
How to prevent soggy quiche crust / do you bake quiche crust first?
- Yes, always parbake the crust thoroughly before adding the filling.
- Brush the cooled parbaked crust with a thin layer of beaten egg white, then bake for 3-5 minutes until set. This creates a barrier between crust and custard. You can use this trick with any custard pie such as pumpkin pie or buttermilk pie!
- Bake the quiche on the bottom rack of the oven; this helps the bottom brown and prevent the fluted crust from overcooking.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Quiche
No dairy? No problem. Use vegan butter in the crust, full-fat coconut milk in the filling, and omit the cheese.
Crustless Quiche
Pressed for time or trying to save on calories? Try this recipe for crustless quiche. Not just a frittata, this recipe includes dairy and flour for a thick, quiche-like substance that really satisfies.
FAQ about quiche:
Can you freeze quiche?
This GF quiche is best within a few hours of being baked, but leftover slices can be frozen. To freeze quiche, place cooled slices in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, place slices in a 350º oven or toaster oven until heated through, 15-20 minutes or as needed.
How to reheat quiche
To reheat chilled quiche, place slices in a 350º oven or toaster oven until heated through, 10-15 minutes or as needed.
What to serve with quiche
Any type of delicious salad is my pick. Go with caprese salad in the summer, chicory salad in cooler months, or a simple green salad with shallot vinaigrette any time.
Other nice accompaniments are sauces such as romesco or pesto, Roasted vegetables such as roasted potatoes and parsnips or roasted turnips.
Soups such as roasted tomato soup, veggie minestrone, zucchini basil soup, lentil spinach soup, lentil chestnut soup, tomato bean soup, or asparagus soup.
How long does quiche last?
Quiche keeps at room temperature for up to a few hours, refrigerated for up to 5 days, and frozen for up to several months.
What's the difference between quiche and frittata?
Frittata consists of beaten eggs with vegetables or other flavorings, cooked on the stovetop or baked. Quiche has a pie-like crust and the filling contains some amount of dairy along with eggs and other flavorings. Frittata is Italian while quiche is French.
Fresh Spinach Quiche for Everyone
The other day, Jay and I heated up slices of this wheatless quiche, packed them in a metal container, drove up to Marin, and parked ourselves on the top of a hill. We ate warm quiche slices with hot Teecino in thermoses while overlooking Bon Tempe lake. We munched crunchy crust, cheesy custard, and tender veggies while the wind whipped through our hair and sun shone on our faces. Life felt truly perfect in that moment.
Whether you're gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, or vegetarian, dining in your home or out in the middle of nowhere, I hope you love this gf quiche recipe as much as we do.
Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free quiche recipe, I’d love to know, Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.
More savory pie and quiche recipes:
- Gluten-Free Asparagus Mushroom Quiche
- Bacon, Leek, and Fennel Quiche
- Crustless Quiche
- Roasted Eggplant Tomato Tart
- Zucchini Tart
- Tomato Pie
Gluten-Free Quiche with Spinach, Leeks, and Cheese
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 9-inch parbaked gluten-free or grain-free pie crust
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 3 cups (300 g) diced leek (white and light green parts from 2-3 medium leeks, washed and drained) or 2 cups diced onion or shallot
- fine sea salt
- 8 ounces baby spinach, large stems removed (about 10 cups lightly packed)
- 2 tablespoons (17 g) flour (sweet rice, AP, or cassava)
- fine sea salt
- a few turns freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup whole milk (or full-fat coconut milk)
- ¾ cup heavy cream or crème fraiche (or full-fat coconut milk)
- 1 6-ounce package Emmi Gruyère, shredded (2 cups lightly packed)
Instructions
- Prepare and parbake the crust as directed. Separate one of the eggs, beat the white well, and brush the parbaked crust with a thin layer of egg white. Return the crust to the oven for 3-5 minutes to set the white. This will create a barrier between crust and custard and keep the crust crisp. Reserve the remaining egg white and yolk to use in the custard.
- To prepare the vegetables, place a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the oil, leeks, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until very tender but not brown, 10-15 minutes, reducing the heat as needed. Remove the leeks to a bowl.
- Add the spinach to the hot skillet in batches, stirring frequently, until all of the spinach is softly wilted and dark green, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a strainer and press it with the back of a silicone spatula or large spoon to remove as much of the liquid as you can. You should have about 1 cup of cooked spinach.
- To make the custard, place the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add one of the eggs, whisking well to incorporate the flour, then whisk in the remaining eggs (including what’s left of the egg used for brushing the crust) one at a time. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Whisk gently so as to not incorporate too much air.
- Turn your oven to 350ºF and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Have the parbaked crust on a baking sheet. Spread half of the cheese in the bottom of the crust, then all of the leeks, all of the spinach, and the remaining cheese. Give the custard another stir to make sure the flour is incorporated, then pour it into the crust; it will be quite full. (If you have a lot of custard left over, remove some of the filling ingredients and bake the extra custard and filling in greased muffin cups for a little treat.)
- Carefully transfer the quiche to the oven and bake until the top is golden and puffed, and a knife inserted near the center reveals no liquid, 45-60 minutes. Rotate the quiche once or twice for even baking. Take care not to overbake or the custard will turn grainy.
- Let the quiche cool to warm or room temperature to make it easier to slice, at least 20 minutes and up to several hours. Use a sharp knife to cut the quiche into wedges. I found a small serrated knife to work especially well. Or for cleaner cuts, chill the quiche first, then reheat individual slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- The baked quiche will keep at cool room temperature for up to 3 hours. Extra quiche can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a 350º oven or toaster oven until heated through, 10-15 minutes.
- To freeze quiche, place cooled slices in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, place slices in a 350º oven or toaster oven until heated through, 15-20 minutes or as needed.
Notes
Many components can be made ahead to ease day-of prep.
- The gluten-free quiche crust dough can be made up to several days ahead and refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Unbaked quiche crust can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Parbaked quiche crust can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day, refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- The leeks can be cooked and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- The custard can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Be sure to whisk it very well before baking to re-incorporate the flour into the custard.
- The cheese can be shredded and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- The quiche is best the day that it’s baked when the crust is crisp. But baked quiche can be made 1 day ahead, covered, and refrigerated until ready to serve. Slice up the cold quiche and reheat slices in a 350º oven until warm, 10-15 minutes.
- To freeze quiche, place cooled slices in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, place slices in a 350º oven or toaster oven until heated through, 15-20 minutes or as needed.
- Grain-Free Quiche: use the paleo pie crust recipe, shown here.
- Dariy-Free Quiche: omit the cheese and use 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk in place of the milk and cream. Use vegan butter in the crust.
- Mushroom Quiche: Omit the spinach. Chop or slice 12 ounces of mushrooms and add them to the leeks when the leeks are about halfway cooked.
- Spinach Bacon Quiche: Cook 4-6 ounces of bacon until crispy, then crumble coarsely. Use some of the bacon fat to cook the leeks if you like. Add the bacon along with the leeks when building the quiche.
- Broccoli Quiche: Omit the spinach and use 2 cups lightly steamed broccoli florets.
Nutrition
This looks absolutely amazing! Also, I really love gruyère cheese and would like more of it in my life. Thanks for the reminder!
Awwww thank you friend! Yes I'd forgotten how perfectly delicious gruyere is. The perfect cheese! Flavorful but neutral enough to use anywhere. I've been making Jay gruyere scrambled eggs for breakfast almost every day. So simple and so good!
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