Ham and Cheese Quiche Recipe with Spinach

This moist fluffy Ham and Cheese Quiche Recipe is the perfect dish to serve at any brunch you're hosting this Spring and Summer. Made from scratch, it is truly one of the easiest and best recipes to make. Chunky cubes of ham, the salty addition of parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach make this creamy egg custard a scrumptious delight to serve your guests. 

This yummy quiche is one you will return to over and over again because it is crazy easy and absolutely delectable. For such a simple recipe, the results are rich and oh so tasty. Other than the pie crust (which can be either made ahead or store-bought), you can literally throw this together in less than 10 minutes. Prep is incredibly quick.

If you love this quiche idea, you must also try my Asparagus Quiche with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta. 

How to Make a Ham and Cheese Quiche with Spinach

Main Ingredients Needed 

• 9-inch Pie Crust 
• Large Eggs
• Heavy Cream - you can use half and half if you want to cut down on the fat and calories
• Whole Milk
• Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese - don't buy pre-packaged grated parmesan. Grate it right before using it. 
• Fresh Baby Spinach
• Cubed Ham Steak - you can always use leftover ham from Easter or any holiday meal.
   

Tips for Making Homemade Pie Crusts

There's no hard and fast rule that says you must make your crust from scratch in order for a pie or quiche to be the best. If time does not allow or if you feel intimidated by the thought of rolling out a pie crust, there's no shame in grabbing a pre-made one from the grocery store. But here are a few tips to help if you choose to make your own. 

Chill the dough - Once you've made the pie crust dough, flatten it slightly into a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 

Use pie weights, dry beans, or dry rice to hold the dough in place while it pre-bakes. After rolling out your dough and placing it in your pie plate, take a piece of parchment paper and gently lay it on top of the dough. Pour either the weights, dry beans or rice on top of the parchment paper and spread them around to cover the bottom. These pie weights are what I use. Two packages are what you will need to fill the bottom of the pan. 

The pie crust once again goes into the refrigerator to chill for another 30 minutes or so. This will also help prevent the crust from shrinking in the pie pan. 

Par-bake (blind bake) your pie crust - preheat the oven to 400°F and baked the shaped pie crust with the pie weights for 15 minutes or until the crimped edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and take hold of each corner of the parchment paper and carefully remove the pie weights. 

Gently Poke holes with a fork in the bottom and sides of the crust - this allows steam to escape while baking. Otherwise, it will puff up and form bubbles and pockets that create uneven surfaces for the filling. Then back into the oven for eight to ten minutes to crisp it up further. 

Preparing the Egg Custard Filling

This is where all the ingredients come together and the recipe itself is especially quick and easy. 

Whisk the Eggs, Whole Cream, and Milk - this recipe calls for four large eggs. My pie plate is a deep dish so I add two extra eggs along with 1 ½ times all the other ingredients. This is how I measured for my deep dish quiche:

• 6 eggs
• ¾ cup each of heavy cream and whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt & 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ cups grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cups fresh spinach (some recipes call for slightly sautéing the spinach but I didn't and it turned out great)
• 1 ½ cups cubed ham steak 

Throw in and combine the cheese, spinach, ham, and a little bit of salt and pepper- it's literally that simple. Pour the egg mixture into the par-baked pie crust and arrange all the ingredients throughout so that you get plenty of ham in every bite. 

Baking the Ham and Cheese Quiche

The whole quiche goes back into the 400°F oven for its final baking adventure. 

Bake the quiche on the bottom rack of your oven. This ensures the entire crust, sides and bottom, will brown and crisp up. If the edges begin to brown too quickly, take thin strips of foil and cover the edges, this will save them from burning. 

How long do you bake a quiche and how to tell if it is done. Depending on how deep your pie dish is and how hot your oven bakes, it will take anywhere from 40-50 minutes (for a 9-inch pie pan), and 50-60 minutes (for a deep dish.) If the edges are set but the middle jiggles slightly you know you have achieved the perfect creamy, silky quiche. Be careful not to overbake. 

The Knife Test. Insert a thin-bladed knife about one inch from the center. If the knife is clean when it is pulled out, the quiche is done. If some of the egg fillings cling to the knife, continue to cook for a couple of minutes and test again. 

Let the quiche rest for about 15-20 minutes. This gives time for the filling to firm up giving a clean warm slice to serve. 

• Quiche can be eaten any time of the day, warm, room temperature or cold. That is the beauty of this dish. You can keep the quiche at room temperature for up to two hours, after that you should refrigerate it.

Can Quiche be made ahead of time?

Absolutely. You can mix up the filling the night before, cover it and refrigerate overnight. You can also par-bake the crust at the same time. In the morning, pour the filling into the pie crust and bake as directed. 

Also, you can bake the entire quiche up to three days ahead of time. Which makes it so convenient for holiday mornings when everything is bustling. BTW, leftovers are fabulous because all the flavors have had time to meld together. 

Can you Freeze Quiche?

Definitely YES! They freeze beautifully which makes for the most convenient weeknight meal at a later date. First of all, place the uncovered baked quiche in the freezer for at least one hour or until frozen solid. Place it in a large freezer bag and seal. Baked quiche can be frozen for up to three months. When ready to serve, pull it out of the freezer, do not thaw, and place it in a preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes or until warmed through. 

Variations that work with quiche

There are probably hundreds of variations for quiche and here are a few ideas.

• Pretty much any type of cheese you love can be grated and included. 
• Any kind of veggie that suits your fancy and any leftovers in the refrigerator are a perfect fit. Most should be cooked, drained, and blotted to remove excess moisture before adding them to the filling though.
• All kinds of meats can be added, they just need to be cooked through and drained of any fat. 
• The ratio is one cup each of the above to 4 eggs and ½ cup each of heavy cream and whole milk. 

Mini quiches are a great variation and the perfect appetizer. Use a biscuit cutter and cut circles and press the crust into mini muffin tins. I would layer the ham, cheese, and chopped spinach into the tins before pouring in the egg mixture separately. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set. 

Another variation is a crustless quiche. Everything remains the same with the filling, but you will want to grease the heck out of the pie pan before adding it. Baking time will be approximately the same. 

Is Ham and Cheese Quiche Healthy

Wellllllll ... If you are wanting to lose weight, quiche is probably not the best choice because of the calories and fat found in heavy cream and its pastry crust. But depending on the veggies and your choice of meat, the filling can pack a good amount of protein and nutrients that can go a long way. The eggs contain vitamin B-12 along with the yolks that provide your body with iron, zinc, and calcium. Everything, in my opinion, has to do with moderation in what and how we eat. 

What to Serve with Ham and Cheese Quiche

• Fresh Fruit is always a winner
• Old Fashioned Banana Bread
• Your favorite salad - mine is Watermelon Arugula Salad with Feta
• Your favorite potatoes - mine are Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Hasselback Potato Ring
• Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Other Really Good Brunch Ideas:

Spanish Baked Eggs

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

Old Fashioned Banana Bread

Spinach Puff Pastry Appetizers

Puff Pastry Apple Galette

Chicken and Waffles with Peppadew Sauce

Almond Cherry Muffins with Streusel Topping

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