Salmon Quiche

My Salmon Quiche is made with tender salmon, fresh spinach, and a creamy egg custard, all baked in a buttery homemade crust. It works just as well for a lazy weekend brunch as it does for a light dinner, and you can serve it warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge.

Jump to:

• Difference Between Quiche and Frittata
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Salmon Quiche
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• What to Serve with Salmon Spinach Quiche?
• Storage and Reheating
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Salmon and Spinach Quiche

It's genuinely handy for picnics and make-ahead lunches too. Oh, and you're getting a good hit of omega-3s from the salmon while you're at it. The name quiche actually comes from Kuchen, the German word for cake, picked up from the Lorraine region hundreds of years ago.

It also looks properly impressive on the table for how little effort it actually takes, so it's a good one to make when you've got people over.

Difference Between Quiche and Frittata

Quiche is a French tart made with a homemade quiche crust filled with savory egg custard and pieces of cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables. You can use a store-bought crust, or you can make your own. It can be served hot, warm, or cold.

 A frittata is like a crustless quiche or an unfolded omelet enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, or/and vegetables. It is much quicker than making quiche, as it doesn't require any time to make a crust.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Just like my Pasta Alfredo with Salmon, this quiche recipe is made with healthy fresh salmon and superfood spinach.

• The leftovers would keep refrigerated for up to three days in an airtight container. They are great for lunch boxes or picnics.

• You can prepare this scrumptious salmon spinach quiche a few days ahead and reheat it when you are ready to serve.

• This is a well-balanced meal in one slice, with protein from the salmon and eggs and a good serving of greens from the spinach.

• Salmon has a relatively high-fat content so you don’t need to worry about overcooking it. 

• If you are short on time, you can use a store-bought crust to make Salmon and Spinach Quiche. Just make sure to buy a deep-dish crust as a regular pie shell is not deep enough to hold all the fillings.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Salmon - I prefer using fresh salmon but you can use frozen if that's what you have, or canned salmon in a pinch. If using frozen salmon, make sure to thaw it before using it. Also, don't freeze the leftovers if using frozen salmon, and consume the leftovers in 24 hours.

• Spinach - I use fresh baby spinach leaves as they are sweeter in taste. You can also use chopped spinach leaves instead, or swap in kale or arugula if that's what you have. Wash the leaves thoroughly and dry them before cooking.

• Double cream - It is very similar to heavy cream. You can substitute it with the same amount of full-fat milk and add an extra egg to the mixture.

• Egg - Use a large free-range egg. If using milk instead of cream, add an extra egg to the egg mixture.

• Cheese - I use Gruyère or/and cheddar cheese but you can use any of your favorite cheeses such as parmesan cheese, feta, Emmental, Comte, or any Swiss cheese.

• Unsalted butter - Unsalted butter has a fresher, purer flavor and easier to control the amount of salt going into the pastry. Make sure the butter is very cold and cut it into small cubes.

• All-purpose or plain flour - Plain flour has less protein which is perfect for making a crumbly shortcrust pastry.

• Water - The amount of water you need depends on the humidity of the room so add it carefully, just enough to get the right consistency. You might not need all the water given in the recipe.

• Spices - Nutmeg, paprika, and freshly ground pepper are all you need but you can add other spices you like using with fish, and also adjust the amount to your taste.

How to Make Salmon Quiche

Prepare the Shortcrust Pastry

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt and diced butter. 

Rub the butter in flour with your fingertips until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. 

Add the water gradually just enough to make a firm dough. Knead the dough briefly on a floured surface and turn it into a ball. Wrap it in a cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour before rolling it out.

Prepare the Filling

While the pastry is cooling down, start preparing your quiche filling. Cut the salmon fillet into chunky dice the size of 1" (3 cm), and set them aside.

Place a wok or a large pan on medium heat and add olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the onions and sauté for a few minutes, until soft and translucent.

Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds before adding the spinach leaves. Cook until the spinach has wilted.

Then transfer it to a sieve to remove excess liquid. Add the fresh dill, and proceed to blind bake the pastry.

Bake the Crust

Take the pastry out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling it out. To make the egg filling, whisk the egg in a large mixing bowl and then add the cream (or whole milk), salt, pepper, nutmeg, and grated cheese. Mix well and keep it aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry with a rolling pin until it's slightly larger than the pie dish, ensuring it's large enough to cover both the bottom and sides of the tin.

Carefully place the dough into an 8" (20 cm) fluted tart pan. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth.

Prick the dough all over with a fork, cover and place it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes (or in the fridge for 30 minutes). This helps to reduce pastry shrinkage when cooking.

Preheat the oven to 360 °F (180 °C). Line the tart tin with parchment paper or tin foil, covering the edges to prevent them from burning. 

When the oven is hot, fill the pastry with dried chickpeas or pie weights to prevent the dough from rising and bake for about 15 minutes.

Remove the chickpeas or pie weights and cook for another 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool down for 10 minutes before filling it up with spinach and salmon. You can do this stage up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover the cooled crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Build the Quiche and Bake

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 °F (175 °C). Spread the salmon pieces on the bottom of your pie crust and sprinkle some seasoning. Add the cooked spinach and spread it evenly.

Pour in the egg custard filling carefully over the top, place the quiche tin on a foil-lined baking sheet, and transfer it to the oven.

Bake it for 30 minutes or until just set in the center. The quiche will begin to puff up while cooking but it will slightly deflate once it is out of the oven.

Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• If using frozen spinach, make sure to thaw and drain it thoroughly to remove excess moisture. Squeeze out any remaining water to prevent a soggy quiche.

• To prevent a soggy bottom crust, consider blind baking (pre-baking) it for a few minutes before adding the filling.

• You can customize this quiche with different fillings, or whatever you have in the fridge. Why not try this quiche with some cooked/leftover chicken pieces and sautéed mushrooms or asparagus?

• Allow the quiche to rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps it set and makes it easier to slice neatly.

• Want to switch things up? Try this as a smoked salmon quiche instead of fresh salmon, it goes straight into the filling with no cooking needed first.

• For a firmer, more sliceable quiche, add one extra egg to the filling. For a softer, more custardy texture, stick with the amount in the recipe.

What to Serve with Salmon Spinach Quiche?

A crisp, leafy salad is my usual go-to alongside a slice of quiche, it cuts through the richness of the filling nicely. Try it with Arugula Spinach Salad, Lebanese Fattoush Salad, or Greek Cucumber Salad.

Soup makes a genuinely good pairing too, especially for a light lunch. A bowl of Wild Garlic Soup, Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, or Vegan Pumpkin Soup alongside a slice keeps things filling without being heavy.

If you're setting this out for a brunch spread, a loaf of Greek Bread - Horiatiko Psomi is great for mopping up any extra filling, and it holds up well next to something rich like this quiche.

Storage and Reheating

Storage

The leftovers would keep for up to three days when refrigerated in an airtight container. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months if you use fresh salmon for the filling.

Don't freeze the leftover salmon quiche if you use frozen salmon or frozen spinach!

Reheating

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If your quiche is whole, slice it into individual portions. This helps heat it more evenly.

Place the quiche slices on a baking sheet or oven-safe dish. Line the sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Lightly cover the quiche slices with aluminium foil and place them in the preheated oven. Reheat for about 15-20 minutes or until the quiche reaches 165 °F (74°C).

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious salmon recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this scrumptious Salmon Quiche as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂