Crustless Spinach Quiche Twist
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Eggs whisked with cream and milk, seasoned simply. Cherry tomatoes oven-roasted till skin puckers, cool off. Onion soft and translucent in olive oil, mingled with just-wilted spinach. All layered under cheese, topped with roasted tomatoes in a greased pan. Baked till center just sets, no jiggle. Hands-on cues over clock reliance. Spinach substituted with kale for earthiness. Feta swapped for goat cheese, tangy and crumbly. Time tweaks throughout, smelling caramelized onions and faintly charred tomatoes. A humble, flexible no-crust quiche variation with straightforward method and practical tips.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
65 min
Servings:
8 servings
#quiche
#no crust
#kale
#goat cheese
#roasted tomatoes
#American cuisine
Roasting tomatoes first? Yep, the trick to get bright flavor without soggy quiche. I learned that burning them or skipping roasting leaves this flat. Onion softening slow pays off too—no raw bite. I often swap spinach with kale because it adds bite and works better for holding moisture. No crust means focus shifts to texture and flavors inside; overcooked makes it rubbery, under cooked is gross liquidy. Learned the eye-test early; it jiggles till it doesn’t. The cheese is next important layer; goat cheese’s creaminess trumps feta’s sharpness for me, but swap as mood strikes. Start high temp for tomatoes then lower oven for custard baking. Timing adjusted by cues, not clock. And yes, rest it—patience here is investment in texture.
Ingredients
- 7 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 5 cups packed fresh kale (washed and chopped)
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese (soft, tangy)
- Light butter or oil for greasing quiche plate
About the ingredients
Egg substitution: use medium eggs to keep custard balance consistent. Heavy cream can be half-and-half if lighter preferred; whole milk necessary for body. Tomato: grape tomatoes also fine if cherry unavailable—size only difference. Onion: yellow for mild sweetness; red onion risks raw sharpness. Kale must be fresh and clean—washed thoroughly to avoid grit. Goat cheese lends tang; feta or ricotta pressed dry works if crumbly cheese unavailable. Olive oil should be good quality for sauté; otherwise avocado oil burns less easily. Greasing plate well is key—skip this and cleaning is nightmare plus stuck edges form. Versatile veggies? Swap kale with chard or even frozen spinach squeezed dry, adjusting water content accordingly.
Method
- Preheat oven to 410 degrees F. Spread cherry tomatoes evenly on rimmed baking sheet. Roast 12-18 minutes until skins blister and tomato aroma intensifies. Cool on wire rack. Skin puckers ready; juices thicken in pan. If tomatoes burst early, it’s fine but no blackening.
- In large bowl, whisk eggs vigorously with heavy cream and whole milk. Salt and pepper fold in last so seasoning is distributed, not clumping. Set aside, no chilling needed. If mixture looks too thick, add an extra splash of milk; too thin needs more eggs.
- Heat large skillet on medium flame. Pour in olive oil, swirl to coat bottom. Add diced onion. Cook undisturbed 4 minutes till edges soften, then stir gently. Onions turn translucent with faint golden edges—not brown or mushy. Smell sweet but not burnt.
- Add kale handful by handful, stirring to wilt evenly. Leaves shrivel but stay vibrant green, no sliminess. Cook just 3-4 minutes. Transfer kale and onions into bowl, cool slightly. Squeeze excess moisture with clean kitchen towel or paper towels; sogginess kills quiche texture.
- Reduce oven temperature to 345 degrees F. Lightly butter or oil a 9-inch deep-dish pie or quiche plate. The greasing prevents sticking; no foil or parchment—grease suffices for this crustless dish.
- Dump kale-onion mixture evenly into quiche plate. Scatter crumbled goat cheese over top. Pour egg mixture over slowly, allowing liquid to seep between greens and cheese. Don’t shake pan to settle; bubbles are normal but minimal. Lay roasted cherry tomatoes on top in single layer. They lend striking color and pop of flavor.
- Bake on middle rack for 30-40 minutes. Check at 30. Don’t rely solely on timer. The center should be firm to gentle poke and not wobble at all. Edges pull slightly from pan, golden but not dry. Under-done means raw eggs; over done gets rubbery texture. Smell rich, tangy goat cheese and roasted veggies invite.
- Cool quiche 10-15 minutes on wire rack before slicing. This resting step finishes setting the custard and avoids collapse. Slices should hold shape cleanly, with slight jiggle gone.
- If kale tough or bitter, blanch 1 minute in boiling water before sautéing. Using goat cheese over feta softens tang, but feta can be swapped for similarly strong crumbly cheese. Olive oil may swap with avocado oil for smoke point benefit.
Cooking tips
Roast tomatoes first at higher heat to trigger skin blistering and concentrate sugars. Watch closely; they pop and release aroma—that’s your cue. While roasting, whisk eggs and dairy briskly so mixture is slightly frothy, no lumps. Slow saute onions—translucency and softness hints at sugars developing, skip browning to avoid bitterness. Wilt kale in batches to prevent water pooling; squeezing moisture avoids watery bake. Grease pan light but thoroughly to prevent sticking along bottom and sides. Layer ingredients carefully; pouring egg mixture slowly reduces large bubbles that cause craters. Baking time fluctuates depending on pan depth and oven accuracy; peek after 30 minutes and gently nudge center to assess set. Quiche pulls away from sides and smells fragrant when done. Rest minimum 10 minutes to let custard firm up. Cut with serrated knife to avoid dragging custard.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Roast tomatoes high heat first. Listen for skin pop, smell sugar caramelizing. Don’t wait for browning black spots. Cool well before layering—moisture control key; soggy crushes texture.
- 💡 Whisk eggs heavy cream milk fast. No lumps, slight froth is fine. Add salt last to avoid clump spots. Thickness varies; thin with splash milk if sluggish. Too runny? More eggs steady custard hold.
- 💡 Onions sweat low medium heat four minutes without stirring first. Edges soften gold but no brown allowed or bitter taste pops. Smell sweet mellow smell is your best gauge here.
- 💡 Wilt kale handfuls slow; stir gently. Green stays vibrant—no mush or slimy. Squeeze excess liquid tight in towel or paper before adding. Water ruins bake. Spinach swap needs same squeeze but less cooking time.
- 💡 Use quality olive oil or avocado swap. Butter layer for grease, foil/parchment unnecessary here. Skipping grease? Bonding nightmare. Pan edges pull and crust sticks. Grease edge to edge lightly but thoroughly.
Common questions
Can I use spinach instead of kale?
Yes but blanch quick then squeeze dry well. Spinach carries more water. Adjust baking time shorter due to delicate leaves. Texture softer with spinach. Cheese pairing and flavor also shifts but goat cheese stays stable.
What if quiche jiggles after 40 minutes?
Not set. Bake more but watch edges and smell. Overdone rubbery means too long. Check edge pull and gentle poke center—firm means done. Oven temps vary, hand test beats clock every time.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap tight, fridge up to 3 days. Reheat gentle oven or microwave. Avoid fridge moisture buildup—paper towel on top keeps crustless surface dry. Freeze if needed but texture shifts; defrost slowly to re-tighten custard.
Can feta replace goat cheese?
Works but feta sharper, saltier. Crumble needs draining or pressing dry to mimic tangy creamy texture. Goat cheese runs creamier; feta more crumbly. Ricotta dry pressed also option but subtle flavor shift appears.
