It’s the perfect brunch dish. Each bite is so savory, filling, and satisfying. But quiche is typically loaded with dairy. Many recipes and brands use butter in the crust and milk, cream, and cheese in the filling. But this eggy brunch dish doesn’t need dairy to shine. In fact, this dairy-free spinach quiche recipe has the perfect texture and is positively brimming with flavor.
Dairy-Free Spinach Quiche with a Press-In Pie Crust
This dairy-free spinach quiche recipe was an entry in our Spring Fling Dairy-Free Recipe Contest. It was created and submitted by Emily Vallozzi. After testing, we did modify Emily’s recipe slightly, reducing the salt in the pie crust. But otherwise found the flavor and rich texture to be spot on. I’ve recently added a few notes to the recipe and some options in the FAQs below.
But Aren’t Eggs Dairy?
You’re in luck, eggs are in fact dairy-free! It’s a common misconception that eggs belong in the dairy family, but they are from chickens and chicken farms, not cows and dairy farms. For more information, see this post: Are Eggs Dairy?
Can I Make this Dairy-Free Quiche Ahead?
Quiche is the perfect make-ahead brunch recipe. You can make it the day ahead, or even a couple days ahead without too much compromise in flavor. It can be frozen if you are doing make-ahead meal prep.
How should I Reheat Dairy-Free Quiche?
If you’ve refrigerated it, you can serve it cold. Some people prefer it this way. If you want to warm it, remove it from the refrigerator or freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then tent the crust edge with foil, and bake the quiche for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350ºF oven.
Can I Make this as a Gluten-Free Quiche?
Yes, it’s a pretty easy swap. You can use an unbaked gluten-free 9-inch pie crust instead of the press in crust. For the filling, substitute your favorite gluten-free flour blend. If using a single gluten-free flour, you might need to increase the quantity slightly. Do not substitute coconut flour, as it will absorb too much liquid. You can use almond flour, but might need to increase the amount.
What Type of Milk Alternative Should I Use in the Crust?
It really doesn’t matter. Your favorite type should work just fine. I typically use water in press in pie crust, not milk alternative.
What’s a Dairy-Free Half & Half Alternative?
In terms of homemade, I typically use lite canned coconut milk or thinned cashew cream (1/2 cup cashew cream + 1/2 cup water). But there are actually dairy-free half and half alternatives at the store. Look for Silk, Nutpods, or Ripple.
Do You Have a Vegetarian Suggestion for the Bacon or Ham?
There are several vegan bacon alternatives sold at natural food stores. But you can forgo the meat altogether, and add some flavorful vegetables. We like chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sliced mushrooms in dairy-free spinach quiche.
Can I Use Fresh Spinach instead of Frozen?
Definitely! Chop fresh baby spinach or regular spinach leaves and add them in place of the frozen spinach. You don’t need to measure out 10 ounces. Just add as much as you like. But keep in mind that the fresh leaves will shrink quite a bit as they cook.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Spinach Quiche
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, nut-free, peanut-free, and soy-free. Just be sure to choose the oil, creamer option, and milk alternative that suit your dietary needs.
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oil (see Oil Note below)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened dairy-free milk alternative
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free creamer (see Creamer Options below)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon or chopped ham
- 5 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts)
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- For the pie crust, place the whole wheat flour and ½ teaspoon salt in an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Mix with a fork. Add the oil and milk alternative, and mix again until all ingredients are combined.
- Evenly press dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan.
- For the filling, whisk together the eggs, creamer, mayo, all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk in the spinach, ham or bacon, and green onions.
- Pour the egg mixture into your prepared pie crust.
- Bake the quiche for about 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top is golden brown.
- Let the quiche cool for 15 minutes or to room temperature before serving.
- Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Creamer Options: Emily used a coconut milk creamer, but you can use your favorite type. Just make sure it isn't sweetened. Or you can use light canned coconut milk, ½ cup regular canned coconut milk + ½ cup water, or a dairy-free half and half alternative.
2 Comments
I made this and it is yummy! Although, I do think the amount of salt could be reduced, perhaps by half – the bacon and mustard provide a lot of flavor so I don’t think a full teaspoon of salt is needed. That’s the only tweek I would make. This recipe is on my “repeat list”. Thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your suggestion Laura!