Spinach, Leek, and Asparagus Crustless Quiche

I remember when my mom made quiche for me for the first time, I thought of the dish as a weird egg pie. Being a very picky eater, I liked my eggs “normal”—softly scrambled with a few flecks of pepper, fried with a slightly runny middle and crispy edges, or an omelette filled with Tillamook cheddar cheese (never American cheese). This circular plate of eggs was not “normal.” It had cheese in it, which was obviously fine, but of all things, also spinach and ham? And did it have an actual flaky pie crust on the outside? What was this?

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Being a picky eater, the mildly tolerant pushes that came from my mom persuading me to just try it were commonplace with every new dish that was served to me. However, this egg pie didn’t seem too scary, so I ended up taking the tiniest of bites. That’s when I discovered that quiche isn’t a weird egg pie—it’s a delicious egg pie! It has a creamy saltiness that I crave for every meal and can be filled with any ingredient my heart desires.

Years later now, I have to have my self-pity sigh whenever I go out to eat breakfast or brunch and there’s quiche on the menu. I can no longer savor that buttery crust that fits with the perfectly seasoned milky eggs. I can’t even get excited when a trendy restaurant has a crustless quiche with a GF symbol next to it—it almost always has cheese in the title and is guaranteed to be made with half and half. I don’t blame them!

But this is why I’m here! I have put together a heavenly quiche recipe that will make your friends question that you can, in fact, eat it too. The leeks provide a sweet, mild oniony flavor and soften perfectly to provide texture, the DF cream cheese delivers little pockets of richness, the asparagus adds an earthy essence in the shape of a pretty design, and the spinach is merely a vessel for all of the flavors! Make this recipe ahead of time for a delightfully easy breakfast on a weekday morning or to share for Sunday brunch with your crispy breakfast potatoes.

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Additionally, this recipe includes an easy base for all of your quiche-making desires. I simply use five eggs, some salt and pepper, and an unsweetened coconut creamer by So Delicious in lieu of half and half. The creamer has a very mild flavor that does not come out in the final product and has the fat content needed for this satisfying quiche. Starting with this base, bake your quiche with spinach, leek, and asparagus, or add in your own ingredients. Need something meatier? Add ham, bacon, and turkey. Need more DF cheesiness? Add an extra 1/4 cup of DF cream cheese or your favorite cheesy shreds. Asparagus not in season? Use broccoli instead! There are endless possibilities for the theme of your quiche, and I encourage you to experiment with the base and find what makes your best delicious egg pie.

Spinach, Leek, and Asparagus Crustless Quiche

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Servings: 4
Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 Leek (be sure to wash in between layers)
5 Eggs (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Creamer
1 cup Spinach
1/4 cup DF Cream Cheese
6 Asparagus Spears (with ends trimmed)

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1. Begin preheating your oven at 350°. Grease a 9 x 1.5 inch pie pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle the bottom of the dish with nutritional yeast (doing this will brown the bottom a little and add a cheesy flavor).
2. Cut your leek into narrow slices up until the stalk becomes tougher and dark (near the top). In a medium-sized frying pan on medium heat, drop in the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil and your sliced leek.
3. Sauté the leek for one minute or until it has softened and become fragrant. Remove from heat.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until frothy. Add in the salt, pepper, and coconut creamer to the egg mixture and blend.
5. Roughly chop your spinach and slide the pieces into the egg mixture along with your warmed leeks. Use the whisk to stir slowly and allow all of the veggies to mingle together. Slowly pour the creamy egg mixture into your pie pan.
6. Now it’s time to add in our DF cream cheese surprises! Spoon in dollops of cream cheese 1 teaspoon at a time, distributed throughout the mixture in pie pan.
7. Last, use your asparagus spears to create a pretty arrangement on the top of the mixture.
8. Place your soon-to-be quiche into the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
9. When the quiche comes out of the oven, use a fork to lightly poke the middle to ensure everything is cooked and firm. If the middle is a little runny, pop back into the oven in two minute increments until firm. If everything looks great, let your quiche cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

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