Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche

Looking for a delicious way to celebrate fall? This Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche is so easy (with a store-bought crust and no parbaking) and is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

There is an old saying; "Real men don't eat quiche.". Honestly, I've found that a good quiche is pretty much universally loved. And the fact that it makes a great option for breakfast, brunch, lunch OR dinner definitely adds to its appeal. I received a lot of emails and comments about how much many of  you enjoyed our Easy Zucchini Summer Quiche so I decided to create a new fall-inspired rendition. I'm pleased to introduce you to this Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche.

Like our summer quiche, this Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche relies on a store-bought, refrigerated crust to make it super easy to put together. One of my favorite pie-tart-quiche tricks is also utilized in this recipe to create a crisp, golden bottom crust without having to par-bake. If you've tried our recent French Apple Tart (if you haven't, put it on your must-make list asap!) you're familiar with this easy technique that simply involves preheating a sheet pan on the lowest rack of the oven, then baking the tart right on that hot sheet pan.

You might think that a purchased pie crust is convenient, but not that great. Think again! With all the other delicious flavors going on in this quiche and the fact that the crust gets crisp and golden, you won't miss the extra time and effort it takes to make a crust from scratch.

Don't get me wrong, if you happen to be one of those cooks who loves making homemade pie crust and has lots of time to spare, bravo to you! By all means, make your own crust, then follow the rest of the easy directions for this Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche. Either way it will be wonderful!

A delicious cast of characters

What else makes this Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche so delicious? Well, the name gives several things away; crisp, smoky bacon, fresh spinach and butternut squash that's quickly sauteed until golden and caramelized. The simple list of ingredients also includes eggs, half and half and creamy, mellow Gouda cheese.

This quiche is perfect any time of day. It's great for a unique breakfast, brunch or lunch entree and a lovely option for a casual dinner party seved with a simple green salad and some warm dinner rolls (Ridiculously Easy Warm Dinner Rolls). It can be made ahead and reheats nicely, even in the microwave, making it perfect for weekday work lunches and quick meals on the run.

So if you're ready for a fabulous fall treat, put this Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche on your "What to make?" list this week! I think even the "real men" at your table will be happy!

Café Tips for making this Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche

• This recipe calls for a purchased pie crust, not the kind you find in the freezer section of the grocery store, but the type you’ll find in the dairy area. I really like the Pillsbury pie crusts, although there may be generic brands that are equally delicious.
• The cheese in this recipe is variable. I love to use Gouda. Gouda is a mild, mellow tasting Dutch cheese, named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands.
• Fontina is also delicious for this quiche. Fontina is an Italian cheese that’s super creamy, buttery and has a low melting point. Boars Head makes a wonderful Fontina that’s readily available in grocery stores that feature Boars Head in their deli section.
• Other cheese options would be provolone, monterey jack and mild white cheddar.
• This tart can be made ahead and warmed before serving OR all of the components can be prepped ahead and stored individually in the refrigerator. This makes it super simple to put everything together quickly for an easy freshly baked quiche.
• I use a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom for this quiche. You could use an 11-inch pan, but you will need to roll the pie crust a little larger. You can also use a traditional pie pan.
• I like to use good, smoky bacon for this recipe. Thick-cut, applewood smoked bacon is perfect. Most larger grocery stores carry applewood-smoked bacon. We really enjoy the brands that Sam’s Club, Costco and Trader Joes carry.
• It's not necessary, but for a pretty presentation, I like to reserve a little of the spinach and squash and sprinkle them on the quiche right before bakign.

Thought for the day:

I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,
coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power;
all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away,
and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Daniel 7:13&14

What we're listening to for inspiration:

There is a King

If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations.

5 from 3 votes

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Spinach Butternut Bacon Quiche

Looking for a delicious way to celebrate fall? This Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche is so easy (with a store-bought crust and no parbaking) and is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: French-American

Keyword: Butternut Bacon Spinach Quiche, Spinach Quiche

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Servings: 8

Calories: 311 kcal

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 refrigerated pie crust I use Pillsbury there are usually 2 crusts in a box. You just need one.

For the filling:

• 4 slices thick-cut smoky bacon cut in ½-inch slices
• 1½  cups diced butternut squash
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
• 5 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped if the leaves are really big
• 4 large eggs
• ¾ cup half and half
• 1 cup Gouda cheese see post for other options
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place a sheet pan on the lowest rack of the oven. Place several thicknesses of paper toweling on a work surface near the stove.

For the crust:

1. Unroll the dough and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (or a pie pan), trimming off or crimping any extra dough around the perimeter. Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you prep the remaining ingredients.

For the filling:

1. Slice the bacon into ½-inch pieces and cook in a medium-size pot over medium-low heat, until crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on the prepared paper towels. Remove the bacon grease from the pan except for 1 tablespoon. Reserve the remaining grease.
2. Add the diced butternut squash and ½ teaspoon salt to the pan with the 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Cook over medium heat for 7-9 minutes stirring occasionally, until squash is tender. Remove the squash from the pot to a medium-size bowl.

3. Add 1 teaspoon of the bacon fat to the pot then add the spinach leaves and sauté until wilted. Transfer the spinach to the bowl with butternut squash.

4. Remove the tart or pie pan from the refrigerator and transfer the squash, spinach and ½ of the bacon into the pie shell.

5. Combine the eggs, half and half, cheeses remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper in the bowl that you used for the squash/spinach. Whisk together until well combined. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the filling working your way around the pan. Sprinkle the remaining bacon pieces over the top.

6. Bake the quiche on the preheated pan (on the lower rack) for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and the filling is set. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the tart pan and serve. This quiche can be made a day ahead, cooled and refrigerated. Before serving, rewarm in a 325˚F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Recipe Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.

It's not necessary, but for a pretty presentation, I like to reserve a little of the spinach and squash and sprinkle them on the quiche right before baking.

Calories 311kcal

Fat 21g

Saturated fat 11g

Cholesterol 130mg

Sodium 773mg

Potassium 321mg

Carbohydrates 16g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 1g

Protein 15g

Vitamin A 4968%

Vitamin C 11%

Calcium 348%

Iron 2%