This leek and water spinach quiche is a savory, creamy dish that’s perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner. The mild sweetness of leeks pairs beautifully with the tender water spinach and the nutty, rich flavors of fontina and Parmesan cheese. With a golden top and a luscious, custardy filling, this quiche is both hearty and sophisticated.
I like to serve this as a crustless quiche, though of course you can blind bake your favorite store-bought or homemade pastry dough, then add the quiche filling. Easy, delicious, and a great way to sneak in more veggies. I can confirm that even my 10 year old loves this one!
For more easy breakfast recipes, try my crispy potato galette, mini baked salmon quiche, or this herby spinach frittata next.
What You’ll Need
- Unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil
- Water spinach: This has longer, thinner leaves and a slightly more earthy flavor compared to regular spinach. If you can’t find water spinach, regular spinach or Swiss chard can be used as substitutes.
- Leeks
- Shallot
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heavy cream
- Large eggs
- Fontina and Parmesan cheese: You can use Gruyère, cheddar, or even goat cheese for a different taste profile. Feta is a great option too!
- Fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage
If you’re not familiar with water spinach, also known as Ipomoea aquatica or “kangkung,” it’s a leafy green vegetable commonly used in Asian cuisine. It has long, tender stems and narrow leaves, offering a mild, slightly earthy flavor and a crisp texture when cooked. The best part? It can be used in any recipe that calls for baby spinach or Swiss chard.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Leeks: If you don’t have leeks, green onions or sweet onions can be used.
- Water Spinach: Regular spinach, Swiss chard, or even kale can be used in place of water spinach.
- Cheese: Replace fontina with Gruyère, cheddar, or even feta for a different flavor.
- Herbs: If thyme isn’t available, rosemary, parsley, or even dill would work.
- Crust: This quiche is crustless, making it gluten-free and easier to prepare. If you prefer a traditional crust, you can blind-bake it before adding the filling.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare the water spinach by removing the leaves and roughly chopping them. Cut the stems into small pieces.
- Cook the vegetables: Heat a little butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the water spinach stems, sliced leeks, and shallot. Season with kosher salt, then cook until the vegetables soften. Add the water spinach leaves and cook until they wilt.
- Make the quiche batter: In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, eggs, grated fontina, Parmesan, kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme.
- Combine the ingredients: Stir the sautéed veggies into the egg mixture.
- Prepare the baking dish: Spray a 10-inch quiche pan with cooking spray. Pour the quiche batter into the dish, then sprinkle with an additional 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan.
- Bake the quiche: Bake the quiche on a parchment lined baking sheet for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is light golden brown. The center should slightly jiggle in the center — it will firm as it cools.
- Cool and serve: Cool slightly before slicing, then enjoy warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Drain excess moisture: If your leeks and water spinach release too much liquid while sautéing, drain them before adding them to the egg mixture to avoid a soggy quiche.
- Grate your own cheese: Freshly grated fontina and Parmesan will melt better and create a creamier filling compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Let it rest: Allow the quiche to cool slightly before slicing so it firms up and is easier to cut cleanly.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: You can prepare the quiche filling a day in advance and store it in the fridge. When ready to bake, just pour it into the quiche dish and bake as instructed.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover quiche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s delicious cold or reheated.
- To reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or place the quiche in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
- To freeze: Yes, you can freeze quiche! Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
This quiche pairs wonderfully with a light side salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette or a simple arugula salad. For a heartier meal, serve it alongside roasted potatoes or a grain salad. You can also top slices of quiche with a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkling of fresh herbs like parsley or basil.
With its fresh flavors and creamy, cheesy filling, this quiche is sure to become a favorite at your table!
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Water Spinach & Leek Quiche with Fontina
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups water spinach, ends trimmed
- 2 medium leeks, ends trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced
- 1 medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup fontina, shredded or thinly sliced
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 Tbsp fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the water spinach. Preheat an oven to 375F. Remove the leaves, then roughly chop and set aside. Cut the stems into small ½-inch long pieces.
- Sauté veggies. Heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter and 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add water spinach stems, 2 thinly sliced leeks, and 1 thinly sliced shallot. Season with ½ tsp kosher salt, then cook for about 5 minutes, then add the water spinach leaves. Stir occasionally and cook until wilted, another 2-3 minutes.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups heavy cream, 4 large eggs, 1 cup grated fontina, ½ cup grated Parmesan, remaining 1 tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper and 2 Tbsp chopped thyme leaves. To this, stir in the sautéed veggies and uncooked water spinach leaves.
- Prepare the quiche. Spray a pie dish or 10-inch quiche pan with nonstick cooking spray, then pour the quiche batter on top. Top with an additional 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan.
- Bake the quiche. Place the quiche on a parchment or aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown and the center of the quiche is mostly firm. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Can be enjoyed warm, room temperature, or cold.
Notes
- To make-ahead: You can prepare the quiche filling a day in advance and store it in the fridge. When ready to bake, just pour it into the quiche dish and bake as instructed.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover quiche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s delicious cold or reheated.
- To reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or place the quiche in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
- To freeze: Yes, you can freeze quiche! Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
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