Mini Spinach Quiche: A Little Retro Brunch Favorite

There is something about a tray of little quiches that feels like it belongs on a proper brunch table.

They’re the sort of thing I remember seeing at showers, holiday gatherings, and afternoon luncheons—small enough to pick up from a platter, but just substantial enough to feel a little special. Add a pot of coffee, a fruit salad, and something sweet from the kitchen, and you have the makings of an old-fashioned buffet.

These mini spinach quiches are made in a muffin tin with flaky pastry and a simple egg custard filled with spinach, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and Kalamata olives. The recipe makes 12, making them especially nice when you want something that can be set out on a platter and served without much fuss.

A Little Quiche for the Brunch Table

Quiche has always struck me as one of those wonderfully practical recipes that can look much fancier than the work involved.

A full-size quiche makes a lovely lunch, but the miniature version has its own charm. Everyone gets an individual pastry crust filled with creamy egg custard, and there is no slicing or serving required.

These are especially nice for a Sunday brunch, a small gathering, or one of those occasions when you want to put several little dishes on the table and let everyone help themselves.

And if you’re only cooking for yourself, don’t overlook them. The extras freeze beautifully, so you can tuck a few away for another morning.

What Goes Into These Mini Quiches

• Spinach: Fresh spinach is quickly sautéed before going into the filling. Cooking it first removes excess moisture and keeps the finished quiche from becoming watery.
• Feta cheese: Feta gives the filling a slightly salty, tangy flavor that works especially well with spinach. Swiss or Gruyère can be substituted for a milder quiche.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: A small amount adds both color and a concentrated tomato flavor.
• Kalamata olives: The olives add another savory note. If olives aren’t your thing, they can easily be left out.
• Eggs and milk: These make the simple custard that holds everything together. Whole milk gives the quiche a creamy texture without making it overly rich.
• Pastry crust: Homemade pastry is lovely here, but refrigerated pie crust is perfectly acceptable when you’d rather keep things simple.

A Few Tips Before You Begin

Of course, don’t forget to grab one of your vintage aprons when preparing these delightful little quiches.

The most important thing is to keep excess moisture out of the filling. Fresh spinach should be sautéed until wilted. If you use frozen spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze it very well before adding it to the recipe.

Give the pastry shells a short blind bake before filling them. Those few extra minutes help keep the bottoms crisp after the custard is added.

When mixing the eggs and milk, whisk only until combined. There is no need to beat a lot of air into the mixture.

And don’t fill the pastry shells quite to the rim. The custard will puff a bit as it bakes.

How to Make Mini Spinach Quiche

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛-inch thick. Cut rounds approximately 3 to 4 inches across and gently press them into the cups of a standard muffin tin. Prick the bottoms with a fork.

Bake the empty pastry shells for about 8 minutes, then remove them from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and feta, then remove the skillet from the heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.

Divide the spinach mixture among the pastry shells, then pour the egg mixture over the filling. Fill each one nearly to the top without letting it overflow.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the centers are set with just a slight softness and the tops are lightly golden.

Let the quiches rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully lifting them out.

Serving Them the Old-Fashioned Way

I like these best arranged on a simple platter rather than served straight from the muffin tin.

For brunch, add fresh fruit, coffee or tea, and something sweet such as coffee cake or a plate of cookies. For lunch, a simple green salad is really all they need.

They are good warm, but one of the advantages of little quiches is that they are also quite nice after they have cooled a bit, which makes them particularly handy for a buffet table.

Variations

This is the sort of recipe that invites using what you have.

Swap the feta for Swiss, Gruyère, or goat cheese. Add a little cooked bacon, ham, or sausage. Replace the sun-dried tomatoes with sautéed mushrooms, roasted red pepper, or caramelized onion.

You can also make four larger individual quiches in small tart pans instead of 12 muffin-size quiches.

Storing and Freezing

Store cooled quiches in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

To freeze, arrange the cooled quiches on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer container or freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to three months.

Reheat refrigerated quiches in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Frozen quiches can go directly into a 350°F oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Mini Spinach and Feta Quiche

Makes: 12 mini quiches
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Oven: 375°F

Ingredients

• 1 prepared pie crust
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Roll the chilled pastry on a floured surface to about ⅛-inch thick.
3. Cut 3- to 4-inch circles and press them gently into the cups of a standard muffin tin. Prick the bottoms with a fork.
4. Blind bake the crusts for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted.
6. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and feta, then remove from the heat.
7. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper just until combined.
8. Divide the spinach mixture evenly among the pastry shells.
9. Pour the egg mixture over the filling, stopping just short of the top of each crust.
10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is set and the tops are lightly golden.
11. Cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before carefully removing the quiches.

Recipe Notes

If using frozen spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before adding it to the filling.

Refrigerated pie pastry works perfectly well if you don’t want to make crust from scratch.

Swiss or Gruyère can be substituted for the feta for a milder flavor.