Spinach, Feta & Sun-Dried Tomato Crustless Quiche
serves: 6–8
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 45–55 minutes
Total: about 1 hour 15 minutes
Pan: 9-inch / 23-cm deep pie dish or springform pan
The combination of spinach, feta and sun-dried tomatoes is well established in quiche recipes; versions commonly use eggs with milk or cream and recommend squeezing excess moisture from the spinach to prevent a watery filling.
Ingredients
Main mixture
8 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes, preferably oil-packed, drained and chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp red-pepper flakes, optional
For the top
¼ cup additional feta
¼ cup additional sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
Important preparation
Drain the sun-dried tomatoes well. If they’re packed in oil, let the excess oil drip off before chopping.
Remove as much water as possible from the spinach. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze it very dry. Excess spinach moisture is one of the main things that can make a quiche loose or watery.
Method
1. Prepare the pan
Heat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Grease a deep 9-inch baking dish generously with olive oil or butter.
For especially easy removal, line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Cook the vegetables
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.
Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until wilted.
Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Make the custard
In a large bowl, whisk together:
8 eggs
heavy cream
whole milk
Parmesan
oregano
thyme
black pepper
salt
red-pepper flakes, if using
Whisk until smooth, but don’t incorporate excessive air.
4. Add the fillings
Stir the cooled spinach mixture into the egg mixture.
Add:
1 cup feta
¾ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Fold everything together gently.
5. Fill the dish
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Gently tap the pan against the counter a couple of times to remove large air pockets.
Scatter the additional feta and sun-dried tomatoes over the surface.
Finish with Parmesan and fresh thyme.
Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
6. Bake
Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 20 minutes.
Then reduce the temperature to 350°F / 175°C and continue baking for another 25–35 minutes.
The quiche is ready when:
the edges are golden,
the top is browned,
the center has only a very slight jiggle,
and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
For a very thick version like the photograph, it can take closer to 55 minutes total.
Don’t overbake it—the eggs continue cooking from residual heat.
7. Rest before cutting
Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 15–20 minutes.
This is important. Cutting immediately can make the center appear wet and cause the wedge to collapse.
For the cleanest slices, allow it to cool for about 25–30 minutes.
To Make It Look Like the Photo
For the closest presentation:
Use a deep, narrow 9-inch dish rather than a large shallow tart pan.
Use plenty of spinach but squeeze it very dry.
Arrange several strips of sun-dried tomato across the top.
Add chunks of feta rather than only fine crumbles.
Sprinkle fresh thyme over the finished quiche.
Brush the top lightly with olive oil before baking.
Let it rest before cutting.
Serve with a small drizzle of good olive oil or a little sun-dried-tomato oil around the plate.
The photo also appears to have a little oil pooling around the slice, which gives it that glossy restaurant-style finish.
Optional Crust Version
If you want an actual quiche crust rather than the crustless version, use a 9-inch pre-baked pastry shell.
Blind-baking the shell first helps prevent a soggy bottom; recipes for spinach/feta quiche commonly partially or fully bake the pastry before adding the custard.
For the crust version:
Bake empty crust: 400°F / 200°C for about 15–20 minutes with baking weights, then another 5–10 minutes uncovered.
Reduce oven to 350°F / 175°C, add the filling and bake approximately 35–45 minutes.
Variations
Creamier
Replace the ½ cup milk with another ½ cup heavy cream.
More Mediterranean
Add:
¼ cup Kalamata olives
½ tsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Olives, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and feta are also used together in Mediterranean-style quiches.
More cheesy
Add ½ cup shredded mozzarella or Gruyère.
Lower-carb
Use the crustless recipe exactly as written.
Dairy-free
Use plant milk, dairy-free cream and a dairy-free feta alternative. There are published dairy-free versions using eggs, non-dairy milk, spinach, vegan feta and sun-dried tomatoes.
With mushrooms
Sauté 1 cup sliced mushrooms with the onion. Cook until all visible moisture has evaporated before adding them.
Nut & Allergen Information
Contains:
Eggs
Milk/dairy — cream, milk, feta and Parmesan
Naturally nut-free:
The recipe itself contains no peanuts or tree nuts.
However, if this is being prepared for someone with a serious allergy, check the labels on:
feta
Parmesan
heavy cream
sun-dried tomatoes
packaged spices
prepared pastry, if using
dairy-free cheese alternatives
Cross-contact can occur during manufacturing.
Gluten:
The crustless recipe is naturally gluten-free, provided all packaged ingredients are certified/labelled appropriately. A traditional pastry crust contains wheat/gluten.
Vegetarian: Yes.
Vegan: No — it contains eggs and dairy. A vegan adaptation requires replacing both.
Approximate Nutrition
For the crustless recipe, assuming 8 servings:
Nutrient Approx. per serving
Calories 330–370 kcal
Protein 18–21 g
Fat 25–29 g
Saturated fat 12–15 g
Carbohydrates 8–11 g
Fiber 2–3 g
Sugars 4–6 g
Sodium 500–700 mg
These are estimates and can vary substantially depending on the feta, Parmesan, cream and especially the salt content of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Q&A
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes. Thaw it completely and squeeze it very dry. Frozen spinach is actually convenient for quiche because you can remove a lot of its water before adding it.
Why is my quiche watery?
Usually one of three things:
Spinach wasn’t squeezed dry.
Sun-dried tomatoes contained too much oil/moisture.
The quiche was undercooked.
Cook spinach until excess moisture is gone and drain the tomatoes well.
Why did my quiche crack?
Usually it was baked too hot or too long. A slight jiggle in the center when it comes out is desirable.
Can I make it the day before?
Yes. Cool completely, cover and refrigerate. It’s excellent cold, at room temperature, or gently reheated.
How long does it keep?
Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for approximately 3–4 days.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool completely, wrap individual slices well and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently. Published spinach/feta/sun-dried-tomato quiche guidance similarly recommends refrigeration for several days and freezing for longer storage.
How do I reheat it without drying it out?
Place a slice in a 325°F / 165°C oven for about 10–15 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if the top is already well browned.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of sun-dried tomatoes?
You can, but they’re much wetter. Remove seeds and excess juice and sauté them first. Sun-dried tomatoes give the concentrated sweet-tart flavor and chewy texture seen in the photograph.
Can I use goat cheese instead of feta?
Absolutely. Goat cheese makes it creamier and slightly tangier.
Can I make it without cream?
Yes. Use 1½ cups whole milk instead of the cream + milk combination. The result will be lighter and somewhat less rich.
Why does my slice fall apart?
Let it rest. A large, thick quiche needs time for the egg proteins to finish setting. Cutting while it’s piping hot makes it much more difficult to get a clean wedge.
Can I make mini versions?
Yes. Divide the filling among greased muffin tins or small tart dishes and reduce the baking time substantially. Mini quiches generally cook much faster than a deep whole quiche.
Best Formula for the Photograph
If your goal is specifically to reproduce that tall, rich-looking slice, I’d use:
8 eggs + 1 cup cream + ½ cup milk + 2 cups spinach + 1 cup feta + ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes + ½ cup Parmesan, in a deep 9-inch pan, followed by a 15–20 minute rest.
