Name: Caramelized Onion and Spinach Quiche
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Homemade Pie Crust OR 1 Storebought/Premade Pie Crust; 1 Yellow Onion; 1 1/2 Tablespoon Butter - divided; 3-5 Ounces Spinach; 8 Eggs; 1/2 Cup Milk; 1/2 Teaspoon Salt; 1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes; 1/8 Teaspoon White Pepper; 1 Cup Swiss Cheese - grated

Jump to Recipe

Caramelized onion and spinach quiche is a Southern breakfast classic that everyone will love! Packed with sweet onions, Swiss cheese, and simple spices, all nestled in a flaky homemade pie crust, this oven-baked quiche comes together beautifully in just 45 minutes at 350°F. Perfect for brunch or a make-ahead meal, it’s sure to be a new favorite in your rotation! Serves 8.

caramelized Onion and Spinach Quiche on top of a green napkin with plates next to it.

Y'all. I love any and all quiche recipes ... it is one of my favorite breakfast dishes! As a true Southern cook, these are a staple at any bridal shower or weekend brunch. Shoot - my husband honestly prefers a slice cold out of the fridge the next day! Bacon-Egg-Cheddar Quiche Recipe or Crispy Bacon Onion Gruyere Breakfast Quiche are some of his favorites!

Caramelized onion quiche is a delicious breakfast option filled with veggies, cheese, and all the breakfast goodness you can want! You can enjoy it warm right out of the oven, room temp while prepped a couple hours before for a baby shower, or cold out of the fridge for an easy breakfast on the go like my husbands likes. Quiche is a versatile recipe and one of our favorites for good reason! Let me show you how I like to make them!

The First Step in Making a Quiche

Personally, I believe all quiches should be served in a homemade pie crust.

Now, if that isn't your thing or you don't have time, no worries, you can use a store-bought one. BBBUUUUTTTTTT I think the homemade version tastes 10x better and is worth the extra effort.

⭐️ All of these step-by-step instructions and scenarios are outlined in my Southern homemade pie crust recipe.

unbaked pie crust with baking beans inside it

pie crust over the top of a pie plate on the counter.

Now, since quiche has a liquid filling, you will need to blind bake your pie crust before you fill it with the egg filling. This will help the bottom of the crust actually cook and become flaky. Trust me, I have lazily and on accident not done this step before, and the result is a raw and unbaked bottom of the crust, which is really unfortunate and unappetizing.

Note - I have not made this with a storebought premade pie crust shell, but according to one reader review, she just dethawed her crust and did not blind bake. I cannot attest to the results myself, but the recipe worked for her.

Reader Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"makes a lovely quiche! I don’t blind bake the frozen pie shell from
My grocery store but it does dethaw. The onions are wonderful in it!"

- Jennifer

Second Prep Step

While your pie crust is baking (or you can even start this first), we need to start caramelizing the onions. There is one major key to this.

Low and slow.

You cannot rush this process. It takes time but it is oh so worth it.

Slicing onions on a cutting board. — Slice one whole onion very thinly. Use a sharp knife or a mandolin for this step.

salting onions in a pan on the stove. — Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a large skillet on medium-low. Add in the onions and begin to cook. Stirring often. This will take about 30-45 minutes - the color of the onions will start to turn a caramel brown, and they will become soft and very fragrant.

Third Prep Step

While the pie crust and onions are cooking, go ahead and prep your egg base for the quiche.

Eggs, milk, and spices in a bowl. — Beat your eggs with milk and spices.

Shredding cheese with a grater on the counter. — Shred your Swiss cheese.

Whisking together an egg mixture. — Add the cheese to the egg mixture.

spinach and caramelized onions in a skillet — Once your onions are almost finished (with 5-10 minutes remaining) add in 3 big handfuls of spinach to the skillet. It doesn't take long to wilt down. Remove from the heat once finished to cool slightly.

onion and spinach quiche before going into the oven. — Whisk the onions and spinach together with the egg mixture well and pour into the pre-baked pie crust. Place back into the oven at 350 for 45 minutes.

You will know when the quiche is finished when the top is slightly golden brown and the middle is set. At 45 minutes, take an oven mitt and gently shake the quiche. If the middle still "jiggles" a little, bake for 5-10 more minutes until the middle is totally set.

a slice of caramelized Onion and Spinach Quiche on a white plate with the pie plate behind it. — Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-20 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Prep Ahead Tips

Spinach and onion quiche is a great dish to make ahead of time for any special occasion you may need it for - the holidays, a brunch, bridal or wedding shower, or to have on hand for breakfast during the week!

To Make 24 Hours in Advance: Prep and bake according to directions. Cool and place covered in the fridge for 24 hours. When ready to serve, remove it from the fridge. This can be served cold, at room temp, or if you would like it warm - place it in a 200-degree oven for about 10-20 minutes until gently warmed back up!

a slice of caramelized Onion and Spinach Quiche with the pie plate behind it.

Recipe

Caramelized Onion and Spinach Quiche

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

Author: Heather Bilyeu
Total Time: 95 minutes
Yield: 8 pieces

Print Recipe

Save Recipe

Description

Ingredients

Scale

For The Pie Crust

1 Homemade Pie Crust OR 1 Storebought/Premade Pie Crust

For The Caramelized Onions

1 Yellow Onion
1 ½ Tablespoon Butter - divided
3-5 Ounces Spinach

For The Egg Mixture

8 Eggs
½ Cup Milk
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
⅛ Teaspoon White Pepper
1 Cup Swiss Cheese - grated

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Pie Crust

Follow the directions for homemade pie crust if using.
BLIND BAKE: For both store-bought and homemade, once your pie crust is on the pie plate, place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper over the top, larger than the actual pie plate. Place pie weights or dried beans over the top of the paper and spread evenly over the bottom of the shell, making sure to get all the way to the edges, corners, and sides. Place in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-16 minutes. Once finished, remove, and let cool until the quiche mixture is ready. Remove the pie weights once cooled down a bit. Proceed with the recipe.

Caramelized Onions

In a large skillet, add in 1 tablespoon of butter and the onion, thinly sliced.
Turn on medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring often. Over the next 30 minutes, the onions will turn a caramel color. Make sure to keep an eye on them, and do not turn the heat up. This can be done while the crust is blind baking.
With about 5 minutes left, add in the spinach and another ½ tablespoon of butter. Cook until the spinach has wilted, then remove from heat.

Egg Mixture

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, add 8 eggs and beat with a fork until the yolks are broken.
Add in the milk, salt, red pepper flakes, white pepper, and shredded Swiss cheese. Mix well.
Add in the caramelized onions and spinach. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Pour carefully into the blind-baked pie crust and place into the oven to bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the middle is set and doesn't jiggle anymore.

Notes

Leftovers can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 316
Sugar: 1.9 g
Sodium: 134.5 mg
Fat: 22.1 g
Carbohydrates: 15.3 g
Fiber: 0.8 g
Protein: 13.6 g
Cholesterol: 234.4 mg

Recipe Card powered by