Easy Salmon Spinach Quiche Recipe
This salmon spinach quiche is my Baltic-inspired version of a French classic, and one of the most-requested recipes I make. No cheese, no leeks, no heavy flavors. Just fresh, canned or smoked salmon, spinach, and a silky French cream custard with Baltic herbs. Simple, fresh, and ready in under an hour.
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I lived in France for many years, and my French mother-in-law often made us all a quiche au saumon in her kitchen in Le Havre. It was simple and delicate, nothing like the heavy cheese-filled versions I had eaten before. Over the years, I have adapted it and given it a Baltic touch. My parents and grandmother are from Latvia, where they love fresh and dried dill, as well as chives and spring onions, so I have added these herbs to this quiche. The result is a quiche that is creamy but not heavy, fresh but not bland, with the salmon and herbs coming through in every bite rather than being lost under a blanket of cheese.
Table of contents
Salmon Spinach Quiche Recipe Overview
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Bake time: 30 to 35 minutes
- Serves: 6
- Cuisine: French technique with Baltic herbs
- Difficulty: Easy
- Best for: Savory breakfast/brunch, Lunch, light dinner, entertaining, meal prep
- Pan size: 9 to 10 inch standard tart pan or pie dish, not deep dish
- Equipment: Large mixing bowl or jug, baking sheet, wire rack
- Tested: Multiple times in my home kitchen and served to my family
What Makes This Salmon and Spinach Quiche Recipe Special
- No cheese, no leeks, no garlic. Most salmon quiche recipes use cheese, leek, or both. This one does not. You can see the pieces of salmon and spinach in every slice, and you can actually taste them too.
- A proper French custard. The filling is made with cream or crème fraîche, not just eggs. This gives it that silky, set texture so different from quiches that taste like a baked omelette. That is what makes it a proper French quiche rather than just an egg pie. In France, this is also sometimes called a “tarte au saumon et épinards” (salmon and spinach tart).
- Fresh, canned or smoked salmon all work well. Salmon is milder than other fish and easy to overpower. My mother-in-law once swapped in a can of tuna when she ran short, and the salmon flavor disappeared entirely. Everything in this recipe is here to support the salmon and spinach, which are the stars of the show.
- Baltic herbs throughout. Fresh dill, chives, and spring onion are stirred into the custard to season every bite. The same herbs scattered on top just before serving add brightness and colour. I do both every time, and the difference is noticeable.
The clean flavors and light custard also make it a natural fit for a savoury breakfast or brunch. If you enjoy savory breakfasts, you may also love my cottage cheese and avocado toasts, or my salmon and cream cheese toasts, or chicken liver pate on toast.
Equipment
- 9 to 10 inch tart pan or pie dish (not deep dish)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pie weights or dried beans
- Large mixing bowl or jug
- Whisk
- Wire rack to cool the quiche
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8 people.
- 1 shortcrust pastry or puff shell or pate brisee, blind-baked. I made my own homemade crust for this recipe, and if you can, it is worth it for the flavor. You can find my pie crust made without a food processor here. A good premade pie crust works well too. Puff pastry is a great option if you want something flakier. Filo dough also works for a lighter, crispier result, though it needs a little more butter and care when lining the tin.
- Eggs. To make the quiche custard.
- Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (or crème fraîche). There is more cream than egg. That is what gives this custard its silky, set texture rather than anything eggy or heavy. Heavy cream gives a more neutral custard; crème fraîche gives a richer, slightly tangier result and is the more traditional French choice. Either is delicious.
- Fresh or dried herbs. Dill, chives, and/or green onions. You don’t need all three. Dill is my first choice because it pairs so naturally with salmon, but chives, spring onion, or parsley all work. If using dried dill, use about one-third of the fresh amount.
- Nutmeg. Gives the quiche that nice warmth. You can leave it out if you don’t have any.
- Salt. Use the full amount for plain fresh or canned salmon. If using smoked salmon or well-seasoned leftover salmon, use half. It is already salty.
- Black pepper
- Salmon, flaked (leftover, freshly baked, or canned). If using smoked salmon, use a bit less and tear it into pieces rather than flaking, and reduce the salt in your custard by half. Canned salmon works well, just drain it really well first. Red canned salmon has a slightly more delicate flavor than pink, but both are fine.
- Spinach. Fresh or frozen, thawed completely with all the water squeezed out before using. I prefer using fresh baby spinach.
The Cream Topping and Garnish (optional)
Not necessary, but very nice.
- 4 to 6 dollops of crème fraîche, sour cream, or full-fat Greek yogurt
- Fresh dill and/or chives or spring onions, to scatter on top
How to Make the Quiche, Step by Step
Full ingredients and steps are found in the recipe card below.
1. Prepare and rest your pastry shell. Line your tart pan with pastry and rest it in the freezer for 30 minutes. A cold shell going into a hot oven holds its shape better and shrinks less.
2. Blind bake the pie crust. Line the shell with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and blind bake at 180 °C (350F) until lightly golden brown. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Place an empty baking sheet on a lower oven shelf to preheat while you prepare the filling.
3. Prepare the salmon. Bake a fresh salmon fillet at 180 °C for 12 to 15 minutes until just cooked through, then cool and flake. Or use leftover cooked salmon, canned salmon drained and flaked, or smoked salmon torn into pieces.
4. Prepare the spinach: If using fresh spinach, then wilt the fresh spinach in a dry pan over medium heat for one to two minutes, using only the water left on the leaves from washing. Do not add extra liquid and do not overcook. You want it just wilted. If using frozen spinach, then thaw it completely.
5. Rinse the spinach. Immediately rinse under cold running water. This stops the cooking and keeps the colour a bright, vivid green.
6. Squeeze the water out of the spinach. Really squeeze, with your hands. Think of the spinach like a wet sponge and wring it out until it is almost completely dry. This is the most important step in the entire recipe. Any water left in the spinach will seep into your custard and prevent it from setting.
Spread the spinach on a plate and allow it to cool completely before using.
7. Make the custard. Whisk the eggs and cream together until smooth. Add your herbs, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper and whisk briefly to combine. Pour into a jug if you have one. It makes it much easier to pour evenly into the shell without disturbing the filling.
8. Assemble the salmon spinach quiche. Pour a thin layer of custard into the base of the blind-baked shell. Scatter the cooled spinach evenly on top. Keeping it at the bottom means it stays tucked under the custard and salmon during baking and does not rise or dry out. Arrange the flaked salmon over the spinach.
9. Pour the remaining custard slowly over everything and let it settle on its own.
10. Bake the quiche. Place the quiche on the preheated baking sheet at 180 °C (160 °C fan / 350F) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should be set and the centre should still have a gentle wobble, like a just-set creme brulee. It will finish setting as it cools. If the centre is completely firm, it has overcooked.
11. Make the cream topping/garnish
To make the topping, all you do is chop up the fresh or dried herbs and mix with the crème fraîche, Greek yogurt or sour cream and a bit of salt and pepper.
Then add a dollop to the top of your slice of salmon and spinach quiche right before serving. It’s not just for looks. It adds a cool, creamy contrast with each bite.
Or you can choose to just sprinkle the quiche with some extra fresh herbs, like dill, chives or parsley right before serving.
Tips for the Best Result
- Rest before slicing. At least 15 minutes. This lets the custard firm up so the salmon spinach quiche slices hold their shape cleanly.
- Do not garnish while the quiche is still warm. Fresh herbs wilt almost immediately and lose their colour. Add the creme fraiche dollops and fresh herbs only when you bring it to the table. The same applies if reheating the next day. Garnish last, always.
- Squeeze the spinach completely dry. Wring it out harder than you think you need to. Don’t be shy, treat it like a sponge. Any water left behind goes straight into the custard.
- Do not overbake. The centre should still wobble gently when you take it out. It finishes setting on the wire rack.
- Bake on a preheated sheet. A hot baking sheet under the quiche cooks the bottom crust evenly and prevents a soggy base.
Variations to Try
Smoked salmon spinach quiche. Use smoked salmon torn into pieces instead of fresh, and reduce the custard salt by half. The flavor is deeper and a little more intense, and just as good.
Salmon and dill quiche. Increase the dill and skip the other herbs for a stronger, more focused flavor.
Crustless version. Pour the filling into a well-buttered pie dish without a pastry crust. Lighter, naturally gluten-free, and just as good.
What to Serve Alongside the Salmon Spinach Quiche
For a Baltic-style lunch
In Latvia, a meal like this would come with simple crudité-style salads (raw veggie style salads) in small bowls that everyone helps themselves to. A few that work particularly well here:
- Latvian red radish salad with dill
- French Cucumber Salad
- French Carrot Salad
- Carrot and Cucumber Salad
- Red Cabbage Salad
For a French-style meal
This quiche works beautifully as the main course after a light starter and before a green salad and a little cheese. Because it can be made ahead and served warm or at room temperature, the cook gets to sit down and enjoy the meal too.
- Starter: French Carrot Salad or Cauliflower, Potato and Leek Soup
- Main: This quiche
- Salad: Simple greens with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette
- Dessert: Blueberry Strawberry Pie
I have written more about how the French organise these courses in my Guide to the French Table.
Storage and Make Ahead
- Refrigerator: Store the cooled quiche in an airtight container for up to three days. It often tastes even better the next day.
- Reheating: Reheat slices in a 180 °C oven for about 15 minutes. This keeps the crust crisp and the custard silky.
- Freezing: Cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to two months. Individual slices freeze well too. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat at 180 °C for about 15 minutes.
- Add the creme fraiche and fresh herbs only just before serving, never before reheating
Salmon and Spinach Quiche FAQ
Yes. Pour the filling into a well-buttered pie dish and bake as usual. It is lighter, naturally gluten-free, and the baking time stays the same.
No. More cream than egg means it sets silky and smooth, much closer to a baked custard than a baked omelette.
Almost always the spinach. If you don’t squeeze it out thoroughly after wilting, that water goes straight into the custard and stops it setting. The second culprit is too much liquid in the custard. For a 9 to 10 inch pan, stick to 4 eggs and 200ml cream.
Yes. It keeps for up to three days in the fridge and often improves overnight. You can also blind bake the crust a day or two ahead and fill and bake on the day.
Yes. Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze for up to two months. Individual slices freeze well too.
Yes, and this is one of the best uses for it. Baked, poached, pan-fried, or from the barbecue. If the salmon was well seasoned, go easy on the salt in the custard.
Yes. In France, quiche is very often served at room temperature. If it has been in the fridge, take it out 30 minutes before serving. The flavor opens up considerably.
Chives, the green part of spring onions, or flat-leaf parsley all work well. Dried dill holds its flavor exceptionally well. Use about one third of the fresh quantity.
Not much, in practice. A quiche always has a custard filling made with eggs and cream. A tart is a broader term for anything baked in a pastry shell. In France this recipe would often simply be called a salmon and spinach tart, but the method is the same. Also, in France, most quiches are not deep dish quiches.
This quiche is where two of my favorite food cultures meet, French technique and Baltic soul. Once it is in the oven, there is nothing left to do, and it is just as good the next day. If you want to know more about my French and Latvian cooking background, you can read more about me here.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear how it turned out ❤️
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Salmon Spinach Quiche
Equipment
- 1 9 to 10 inch tart pan or pie dish (not deep dish)
- 1 Parchment paper to blind bake the pie crust
- 1 Pie weights or dried beans
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk or fork to mix the egg custard mixture
Ingredients
The Quiche
- 1 Pie crust, Shortcrust or puff pastry or French pate brisee
- 9 oz Salmon, cooked 250 grams, flaked (leftover, freshly baked, or canned). If using smoked salmon, use 200g, tear into pieces rather than flaking, and reduce the salt in your custard by half.
- 3 1/2 cups Spinach 100 grams fresh, or frozen, thawed completely with all the water squeezed out before using
- 4 Large eggs
- 3/4 cups Heavy cream or crème fraîche (200 ml)
- 3 tbsp Fresh dill chives, and/or green onions
- 1/8 tsp A small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Salt or more to taste
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper
The Garnish
- 4 to 6 Tbsp Crème fraîche sour cream, or full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp Fresh dill and/or chives or green onions or 1 tsp dried, to scatter on top
Instructions
To make the quiche:
- Prepare and rest your pastry shell. Line your tart pan with pastry and rest it in the freezer for 30 minutes. A cold shell going into a hot oven holds its shape better and shrinks less.
- Blind bake the pie crust. Line the shell with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and blind bake at 350F (180 °C) until lightly golden brown. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Place an empty baking sheet on a lower oven shelf to preheat while you prepare the filling.
- Prepare the salmon. Bake a fresh salmon fillet at 350F (180 °C) for 12 to 15 minutes until just cooked through, then cool and flake. Or use leftover cooked salmon, canned salmon drained and flaked, or smoked salmon torn into pieces.
- Prepare the spinach: If using fresh, then wilt the fresh spinach in a dry pan over medium heat for one to two minutes, using only the water left on the leaves from washing. Do not add extra liquid and do not overcook. You want it just wilted. If using frozen spinach, then thaw it completely.
- Rinse the spinach. Immediately rinse under cold running water. This stops the cooking and keeps the color a bright, vivid green.
- Squeeze the water out of the spinach. Really squeeze, with your hands. Think of the spinach like a wet sponge and wring it out until it is almost completely dry. This is the most important step in the entire recipe. Any water left in the spinach will seep into your custard and prevent it from setting.
- Make the custard. Whisk the eggs and crème fraîche or cream together until smooth. Add your herbs, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper and whisk briefly to combine. Pour into a jug if you have one. It makes it much easier to pour evenly into the shell without disturbing the filling.
- Assemble the salmon spinach quiche. Pour a thin layer of custard into the base of the blind-baked shell. Scatter the cooled spinach evenly on top. Keeping it at the bottom means it stays tucked under the custard and salmon during baking and does not rise or dry out. Arrange the flaked salmon over the spinach.
- Pour the remaining custard slowly over everything and let it settle on its own.
- Bake the quiche. Place the quiche on the preheated baking sheet at 180C (160C fan / 350F) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should be set and the centre should still have a gentle wobble, like a just-set creme brulee. It will finish setting as it cools. If the centre is completely firm, it has overcooked.
To make the topping/garnish:
- Finely chop the herbs and mix with the creme fraiche, sour cream or yogurt.
Notes
- Squeeze the spinach completely dry. Wring it out harder than you think you need to. Any water left behind goes straight into the custard.
- Bake on a preheated sheet. A hot baking sheet under the quiche cooks the bottom crust evenly and prevents a soggy base.
- Do not over bake. The centre should still wobble gently when you take it out. It finishes setting on the wire rack.
- Rest before slicing. At least 15 minutes. This lets the custard firm up so the salmon spinach quiche slices hold their shape cleanly.
- Do not garnish while the quiche is still warm. Fresh herbs wilt almost immediately and lose their color. Add the crème fraîche dollops and fresh herbs only when you bring it to the table. The same applies if reheating the next day. Garnish last, always.
Nutrition
More Recipes You Might Like
More quiche recipes:
- Authentic French Quiche Lorraine: the classic with crispy bacon and a pure cream custard
- Bacon and Mushroom Quiche: hearty and deeply savoury
- Asparagus and Ricotta Quiche with Phyllo Dough: a lighter variation with a flaky phyllo crust
To serve alongside:
To make your own crust:
Looks and sounds delicious, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Sheenia! It’s a nice quick and easy recipe to have on hand.