Dairy-Free Spinach Quiche
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Published Mar 13, 2020, Updated Mar 27, 2024
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This delicious dairy-free spinach quiche is flavorful and creamy without any cheese, milk or meat. The best part? It can be served for breakfast, brunch or dinner.
Our family and friends were so gracious to set up a meal train for us when Olivia arrived. One of my favorite meals that we received was a spinach quiche and it quickly made me realize that quiche is the ultimate food to bring to new parents for a variety of reasons.
- You can eat it with one hand.
- It works for breakfast, lunch or dinner
- It can be eaten cold, straight from the fridge or reheated!
Trust me, when you’re sleep deprived, hungry and holding a screaming baby all of these things are helpful.
I already have a crustless quiche recipe, but decided to make this spinach quiche with a crust to keep it traditional. The crust also helps to make the quiche a bit more filling.
Most quiches are loaded with dairy to add additional flavor and creaminess, but you don’t need it! This quiche is packed with flavor and doesn’t have cheese OR milk. Many new mamas have to go dairy-free if their baby has a milk protein intolerance or allergy so I wanted to create a quiche that would work for these moms! Instead of cow’s milk, we’re using oat milk to make this quiche creamy without the dairy.
Let’s jump into the recipe!
Here’s What You Need:
- pie crust – you can make your own, but there’s no need. I used one from Wholesome Organic and it was delicious
- onion, garlic, bell pepper
- spinach – you can use frozen or fresh
- eggs and egg whites
- oat milk
- seasonings and spices – dried Italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper
- nutritional yeast – adds extra nutrients and a “cheesy” flavor without the cheese
Tips for Draining Frozen Spinach
We’re using frozen spinach for this quiche recipe and there are a couple extra steps to prepare the spinach. If you remember to take it out the night before, place the frozen chopped spinach in the refrigerator to thaw. If you forget, don’t stress! Place the frozen spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until the spinach is thawed.
After your spinach is thawed, you want to get the spinach as dry as possible. Wrap the spinach in paper towels or clean kitchen towels and squeeze out all of the excess moisture. I like letting the spinach sit wrapped in paper towels while I prep the rest of the ingredients to make sure every last drop is absorbed by the paper towels.
Storing and Reheating Quiche
If you want to use this as a meal prep recipe or a meal train recipe, fully cook the quiche and then let it cool completely in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator when kept in an airtight container. Like I said earlier, you can eat it cold, right out of the fridge or reheat it. My personal preference is to reheat it in the toaster oven.
More Dairy-Free Dishes You Might Like
- 3 Ingredient Icebox Cake
- Dairy-Free Cashew Sour Cream
- Slow Cooker Dairy-Free Butter Chicken
- Mattar Tofu
- Dairy-Free Taco Zucchini Boats
More Quiche and Egg Recipes
- Kale and Feta Crustless Quiche
- Sausage Egg Casserole with Veggies
- Baked Avocado Eggs
- Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Frittata
- Caramelized Onion & Red Bell Pepper Frittata
Dairy-Free Spinach Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 frozen 9-inch pie crust (gluten-free, if needed)
- 1 teaspoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped red, yellow or orange bell pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 8-10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained*
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup egg whites, or 3 additional eggs
- ⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- fresh chopped thyme, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- All oil to a medium skillet over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and cook until onion is translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper on veggies while they cook. Set aside to cool.
- While the veggies cook, make sure thawed spinach is as dry as possible by squeezing out all of the water. I like wrapping the spinach in a couple paper towels while squeezing to help absorb some of the liquid.
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, Italian seasoning and nutritional yeast. Scatter veggie mixture and chopped spinach on the bottom of prepared crust.
- Pour egg mixture over top and push under any ingredients not covered by the egg mixture to prevent burning. Bake uncovered until set and golden brown around edges, about 45 minutes. Let quiche rest at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cut into slices, top with fresh thyme and serve.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven.
Notes
- If you don’t have frozen spinach on hand, you can use fresh spinach. I recommend using 3 big handfuls (about 3 ounces) out of a 5 ounce bag of pre-washed, fresh spinach, roughly chopped. You’ll wan to cook the chopped spinach with the onions and bell pepper, just add it into the skillet when you have about 1 minute left of cook time. Saute until spinach has wilted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I see there are 11 grams of fat, how many grams of saturated fat? Is most of the fat from the crust?
Could almond milk be used in this recipe?
Yes, definitely!! You could use any type of milk for this recipe.
Made this recipe yesterday and it was awesome! I used a deep dish pie crust so I increased the eggs, egg whites, and oat milk a bit – my boyfriend just about ate the whole thing in one sitting! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Ahh yay! I’m so glad this quiche was a hit! Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
Loved this recipe, Brittany! I made this for my two daughters and my husband and they absolutely loved it! (Even our pups snuck a bite 😉
I’m so glad this quiche was a hit, Heidi!! Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
Do you think it would be possible to freeze this recipe? Looks delicious!
Yes, this quiche should freeze just fine! 🙂
Hey! When you say prepared crust do you mean it should be baked ahead of time?
No! I just mean a crust that’s ready to go! I used a Wholly Wholesome pie crust from the store. 🙂
delicious! we used unsweetened almond milk and added some mushrooms and chopped ham. no cheese – just the nutritional yeast. definitely a keeper recipe. also, super easy.
Thanks it was good!
Unfortunately I ended up with almost a half cup more custard than would fit in my crust, even though I omitted the bell pepper! My onion was on the small side, I used 5 large eggs, and I think I squeezed the water out of my 10 oz of spinach really well. I used a pre-made frozen pie crust and i think that was on the shallow side
Oh no!! Sounds like your crust was smaller than the one I used.
Such a wonderful dish. Really easy to make and full of flavor. I think I’ll even use this concept and try out some other veggies next time.
So glad you loved this recipe, Roz! That’s the great thing about quiches is you can switch up the veggies. 🙂
What oven temperature would you suggest for re-heating the quiche, I want to make a day ahead. Thank you! 🙂
Hey Barbara – I would say 350 F should be good. 🙂
This was so delicious! Thank you, Brittany. My whole family loved it and will definitely be putting this on the weekly menu. I don’t usually love the quiches served at parties and gatherings but this was amazing and everything was just perfect, from the flavor to the texture.
We subbed out the bell peppers for mushrooms because my little brother is very picky but that worked out amazing. Thank you again! This was DELICIOUS.
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m pumped to hear this recipe was a hit with your family. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was absolutely delicious!
Yay!! So glad you loved it, Jen. Thanks for the review. 🙂
I’ve made this quiche on repeat once a week for the last 6 weeks. I LOVE this recipe. It tastes incredible and bakes perfect every time. The leftovers make a quick breakfast or lunch. It’s a great start to the day when I can get veggies in my breakfast.
Woo! That makes me so happy to hear, Courtney! So glad you’ve been loving this quiche! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it.
its really special recipe
really really really thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Mike! Thanks for the review 🙂
Hello,
Can I take out the egg yolk?
Hey Kenya – You can use all egg whites instead of the egg yolk if you prefer.
Do you have to use a crust or can it be crustless? It’s a bit difficult to find a crust that fits all of our dietary restrictions.
You could skip the crust! Cook time might vary though. I also have this crustless quiche you could try. 🙂
I learned that brushing the botton and sides of the crust before adding ingredients prevented a soggy crust.
Good tip, Johanna!
Brush it with what?
What can I use in place of the oatmilk? Almondmilk unsweetened, no flavor?
Hey Cassie- Either will work fine!
This was so good! Thanks for sharing.
So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Rachel!!
As an FYI many Italian seasonings contain casein and wouldn’t be good for a mama who is dairy free for baby.
I want to try this recipe but if I use fresh spinach, do I need to dry out the spinach in a paper towel?
Hi Diana. I recommend using pre-washed spinach. If you’re rinsing yourself, definitely make sure they are as dry as possible! Let me know how it turns out!
Yummy! Made for my daughter-in-law, she avoids dairy. I added mushrooms and ham – very impressed with the taste and texture.
In this quiche recipe it calls for three handfuls of fresh spinach. How much is that?
One handful is about an ounce so 3 handfuls is about 3 ounces! Hope this helps!
Would this work well if I swapped out the spinach for broccoli? 🙂
Hi, Ariella! I haven’t tried it but I’m sure it would be delicious! Just be sure to chop it into small pieces.
This is the only quick recipe you will ever need! I made it religiously throughout my theirs trimester to get enough nutrition and keep me full. I’m breastfeeding now and make it for breakfast. If you put it in a pie crust you will have 5 we’ll sized slices for breakfast during the week! It’s a hit whenever I bring it places and you can easily make changes with veggies and dairy types without affecting the consistency and bake!
Hi Hannah – I’m so glad you love it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review and rating. I appreciate it!
I have made this recipe time and time again because it is so delicious! My husband and I love having a quiche ready for a busy week ahead! Thank you for this great recipe! We add sausage or bacon sometimes too which is always yummy!
Hi Taylor, glad to hear this is a hit with you and your husband! Thank you for leaving a review and rating, it means so much to me!
This recipe is fantastic!!! I’ve already made it twice in 4 days. This will be included in my weekly meal prep from now on. So yummy.
Hi Hayli – so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment and review as well.
I’m reading this recipe because I’m a new mom with a cow’s milk protein intolerant baby! Thank you for thinking of us.
Hi Katie – I am so glad this this recipe will be helpful for you. I completely understand, and have lots of resources on my site for you. Enjoy!
Do you defrost the pie crust first or should it still be frozen when you put in oven with filling?
Hi Kelly – I would follow the instructions on your pie crust. Some will have you pre-bake for a bit before filling and others won’t, it just depends on the brand of crust. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Dumb question- I assume nutritional yeast is different from regular yeast readily available at the store that I use for bread and pizza dough? Is it absolutely necessary in this recipe, or could it be omitted? Thanks!
Hi Susan – Not a dumb question. Actually nutritional yeast is more of a cheese replacement, so not like the regular yeast. I typically find it in the organic condiments section of my grocery store, but you can also purchase it on Amazon. I would not recommend omitting this, because it adds the cheesy flavor that you want included in a quiche. Let me know how you like this recipe if you give it a try. Enjoy!
Looking forward to making this, but wondering why the photo looks like it has yummy cheddar cheese on it? Is that from the eggs? Or does nutritional yeast give it that effect?
Hi Partice – There are some orange bell peppers in the photos, along with the color of the eggs. The nutritional yeast only adds the flavor. There is no cheese. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Hi – Do you need to bake the pie crust a bit first?
HI Alexandra – Nope, you just need a pie crust that’s ready to go! I used a Wholly Wholesome pie crust from the store. 🙂
I’m a new mom with dairy restrictions and this is exactly what I was looking for! And I feel great making it knowing you had other mamas in mind! Thanks for sharing.
Aw this is the best, Alyssa. I am SO glad you are loving this recipe. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
I made this twice, the first time I screwed it up so bad and it still came out AMAZING. The 2nd time I did a better job following the recipe and it is phenomenal!
Yay! So glad you loved this quiche, Jenna. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it.
Can I skip the yeast?
Hi Susan – Sure, just so you know, it will alter the flavor of the quiche a bit. The nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor. Let me know how this turns out for you.
Just made this for my boyfriend’s sister and her husband after they had their first born and they LOVED it! Added some turkey sausage in one half for the meat eater and they both devoured it! They said it was so easy to grab to eat while juggling the newborn schedule and mama’s recovery. And, it was so easy to make! Thank you for this, definitely going to make it again!
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad they loved this quiche. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! Even though I don’t need to avoid dairy, the recipe looked like it would be tasty, so I tried it. There was just enough moisture in the filling, and I like a crust on my quiches. Great recipe, Brittany!
Amazing! I am happy to hear. you found this recipe and it turned out great for you, Lynn! Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me.
The ads kept overpowering the recipe and I was never able to get to it. Pity.
Oh I am so sorry to hear that, Suzanne. What device are you looking at the recipe on?
Is it possible to make this without the crust? I have every ingredient but that one.
Totally, you can make a crustless quiche. Just be sure to spray your baking dish with non-stick spray.
This was amazing! I just made one for my sick new momma friend and one for my family, and it turned out lovely. Would recommend!
YUM! This is so kind of you, glad you are loving this quiche and it turned out great for you, Sara. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!
This recipe helps with the non-dairy restriction but my husband also can’t tolerate onions and peppers. Do you think sauted mushrooms and zucchini would work in their place?
Absolutley! Hope you enjoy this recipe. 🙂
Can it be kept in the freezer?
Yes, this quiche should freeze just fine. Enjoy!
Can I use asparagus instead of spinach?
Not sure I would use it in place of the spinach, but you could add it in with the other veggies. Enjoy!