Spinach, feta and caramelised onion quiche
A flaky shortcrust case filled with caramelised onion, wilted spinach, mushrooms and tangy feta — perfect for brunch or supper.
This is the kind of quiche that makes vegetarians smug and guests pleased. A crisp shortcrust case filled with sweet caramelised onion, earthy mushrooms, wilted spinach and tangy feta — brilliant warm for supper or cold in a picnic.
It’s worth making the pastry from scratch here; the buttery case and the custard that slips into every crumb are what make this shine. The method includes blind-baking and a short rest so the filling sets perfectly.
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 125 g unsalted butter — cold, diced
- 5 ml salt — for pastry; extra salt used in filling — see method
- 60 ml ice water
- 1 brown onion — medium, sliced
- 15 ml olive oil
- 200 g spinach — fresh
- 2 garlic cloves — crushed
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms — sliced
- 3 eggs — large
- 200 ml double cream
- 100 ml milk — semi-skimmed or whole
- 0 ml nutmeg — freshly grated if possible
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 150 g vegetarian feta — crumbled
- 50 g vegetarian mature cheddar — finely grated
Equipment
- 23cm loose-bottom tart tin
- rolling pin
- baking beans
- baking paper
Instructions
Make the pastry: tip the plain flour and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the unsalted butter with your fingertips until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the ice water a little at a time and bring together quickly to form a smooth dough; handle as little as possible. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge.
Chill the pastry in the fridge until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness and use it to line a 23cm loose-bottom tart tin, trimming the edges. Prick the base lightly with a fork, line with baking paper and baking beans and blind-bake for 15 minutes; remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base looks dry and pale-golden. Reduce the oven to 170°C fan/190°C conventional for the final bake later.
Meanwhile, make the filling: heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced brown onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until deeply softened and beginning to caramelise. Add the sliced chestnut mushrooms and cook for another 6–8 minutes until golden. Stir through the crushed garlic and then add the spinach in batches, cooking for 1–2 minutes until just wilted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Whisk the eggs with the double cream, milk, nutmeg, black pepper and a pinch of salt until smooth. Fold in the crumbled vegetarian feta and grated vegetarian mature cheddar, then stir in the cooled onion, mushroom and spinach mixture.
Pour the filling into the blind-baked case and level the top. Bake at 170°C fan/190°C conventional for 30 minutes until the edges are set and the centre still has a slight wobble.
Remove the quiche from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then release from the tin and rest a little longer before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Keep ingredients cold when making pastry and rest the dough well — that makes the crust flaky and stops shrinking.
- Caramelise the onion slowly for up to 10 minutes; rushed onions won’t develop the sweet, deep flavour you want.
- If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out all excess moisture before adding to the filling to avoid a soggy quiche.
- The quiche is best eaten within 48 hours; reheat slices in a moderate oven (160°C fan/180°C conventional) for 10–12 minutes to revive the pastry.
- Make ahead: blind-bake the case and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then add filling and bake when needed.
Substitutions
plain flour → ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (use two-thirds of a 375g pack for a 23cm tin)
Stays closevegetarian feta → goat's cheese, 120 g, crumbled
Noticeably differentdouble cream → single cream, 250 ml (slightly looser custard)
Noticeably differentchestnut mushrooms → 500 g mixed mushrooms, sliced (gives more umami)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 636
- Calories
- 16 g
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 400 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes — thaw it completely and squeeze out as much liquid as possible in kitchen paper before adding, otherwise the quiche will be watery.
How do I know when the quiche is cooked?
The edges should be set and lightly golden; the centre should still wobble slightly. It will continue to set as it cools.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. Blind-bake the case ahead and keep it in the fridge up to 24 hours. Once filled and baked, the quiche keeps 48 hours in the fridge.
How do I prevent a soggy base?
Blind-bake the case until the base looks dry and pale-golden, and make sure cooked spinach is well drained before folding into the custard.
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