This Spinach & Bacon Buttermilk Quiche is Easy to Make Ahead for a Special Occasion

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This family favorite spinach & bacon buttermilk quiche is easy to make ahead for a special occasion and serve with sweet rolls, fruit, and coffee.

spinach bacon gruyere quiche

 

This spinach bacon & buttermilk quiche is our Christmas morning tradition.

This spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche has become our traditional Christmas morning breakfast. I always make it ahead so that on Christmas morning, all I have to do is pop it into the oven while the coffee brews. My friend Mary Katherine always brings us fabulous cinnamon rolls on Christmas Eve, so I bake them to go with the quiche. I’ll put out some fresh fruit, and we are good for the rest of the day.

Quiche makes a great special occasion dish.

I love to make quiche for Mother’s Day, as it is a perfect dish for brunch or lunch. All that is needed to make a meal with quiche is a great salad. When serving this for Mother’s Day or a Spring luncheon, I like to do a salad with berries and a sweet vinaigrette. This mixed greens salad with strawberries is always a hit!!!

What is quiche?

Of French origin, Quiche is a savory custard tart or pie consisting of an egg custard filled with assorted cheeses, meats, and vegetables. The most well-known is quiche Lorraine. Quiche can be served hot or cold. It is popular worldwide and is usually served for breakfast. brunch or lunch. 

What dishes are similar to quiche?

A frittata is a cross between a quiche and an omelet and is usually made using eggs, cream, various meats, vegetables, and cheeses. A frittata is typically cooked in a skillet and does not have a crust. A breakfast casserole is common in the South and is somewhat similar to quiche in that it typically contains eggs, cheese, and meats. A breakfast casserole is baked in a casserole dish and does not have a crust.

What is the difference between quiche and quiche Lorraine?

Most traditional Quiche lorraine recipes use heavy cream, bacon, and swiss or gruyere cheese, which are classic French ingredients. Other quiche recipes vary widely. Some use heavy cream; others use half and half and/or buttermilk. Some include meat; some are vegetarian. You’ll also find many types of cheeses used in quiche recipes throughout the world.

What does quiche taste like?

A great quiche will be fluffy yet firm (not runny) and have a flaky (not soggy) crust. Quiches can taste like eggs, but some taste more cheesy and meaty than “eggy.”  I am not one who likes a pronounced egg flavor, so I opt for quiche that has strong cheeses and meats.  This spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche is rich, smoky, and cheesy, and not at all overtly “eggy.” 

What do you serve with quiche?

Quiche is often served with fresh fruit or salad. We eat this spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche every year for Christmas breakfast. I serve it with cinnamon or orange rolls, fresh fruit, and coffee. I’ve also served it with my Strawberry Nut Bread, another family favorite, and it is a fabulous combination as well. 

Can you use buttermilk in quiche instead of heavy whipping cream?

Most quiche recipes call for heavy whipping cream. In this recipe, you use equal parts half and half and buttermilk. The buttermilk adds richness and “tang” and far less fat~even when combined with half and half. I prefer whole buttermilk first and reduced-fat buttermilk second. I do not like using fat-free buttermilk in this recipe, as I don’t think it turns out as rich.

christmas quiche

Tips for making this spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche.

  • Squeeze the thawed spinach VERY WELL until ALL liquid is removed; otherwise, the water will make the quiche soggy.
  • Cook the bacon ahead of time so that your kitchen won’t smell like bacon on Christmas morning! Cook, crumble and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
  • Use the “jiggle test” to test doneness.  After about 30 minutes of baking or when the top looks golden, I start testing it by jiggling the pie dish. The perfect quiche should barely jiggle in the middle when shaken. 
  • I allow at least 30 minutes to an hour to let the quiche “set.” This allows the custard to firm up and settle and all flavors to meld.

How to make quiche ahead of time.

Since this recipe makes 2 quiches, I usually make one for now (fridge) and one for later (freezer).  My tips for making ahead are below.

  • Quiche made to the point of baking quiche can be stored covered up to a day ahead and baked the next morning.
  • Quiche can be baked until just set~not overcooked~ and frozen for up to two months.
  • Let frozen quiche thaw in the fridge a day or two ahead. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 350 degrees until heated through.
  • Baked quiche will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
  • Baked and unbaked quiche can be frozen for up to 2 months.
  • Let cooked quiche cool completely before wrapping and freezing.
  • The quiche filling may be frozen separately from the crust and thawed/ assembled before baking.
  • Quiches made with buttermilk and half and half freeze better than those made with heavy cream (which can separate).

In the video below, I share how easy it is to assemble this quiche for Christmas morning.

How to customize spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche.

  • Substitute smoked sausage for the bacon.   I have made this quiche with slices of Conecuh Hickory smoked sausage, and it was fabulous. I simply cut the sausage into small coin shapes and sautéed them in a skillet until brown before using them in the quiche. 
  • Substitute or combine cheeses: Try this quiche with mozzarella and fontina cheese in place of Gruyere. Feta cheese would also be wonderful.

If you make this quiche!!, please let me hear from you in the comments. As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Wishing you a joyful, blessed, and savvy day

spinach bacon buttermilk quiche

Spinach & Bacon Buttermilk Quiche

Yield: 2 quiches
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

This easy make-ahead spinach, bacon & buttermilk quiche is perfect for Christmas morning!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk (not fat-free)
  • 1 cup half & half
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 box frozen spinach, thawed & water squeezed out
  • 10-12 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 2 refrigerated pie crusts

Instructions

Prepare Crusts

  1. Unroll pie crusts, placing each one into a pie plate..
  2. Prick bottom of crusts with a fork.
  3. Bake crusts at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven; set aside to cool.

Prepare Quiche:

  1. Melt butter in skillet; saute diced shallot until soft.
  2. Put eggs in medium bowl; mix lightly with a fork.
  3. Add buttermilk, half & half, cheeses, spinach, bacon, and spices.
  4. Mix with a whisk until well incorporated.
  5. Pour half of the mixture into each crust.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until quiche barely jiggles when shaken.
  7. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield 16 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 258Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 121mgSodium 538mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 12g

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2 Comments

  1. Hi Corrie! Thank you so much for letting me know you loved this! It always comes out beautifully for me too; it is such an easy and yummy quiche. Blessings to you!!! Xo

  2. Oh, my gosh! This came out perfectly! I used less cheese (shredded Mexican cheese and a bit of parmesan) and just a few bacon bits. We will be making this again and again! Thanks for sharing.

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