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Baked salmon spinach quiche on linen potholder placed on a linen tablecloth.

Salmon Spinach Quiche

Marissa
A Baltic-inspired French classic. Fresh or smoked salmon, spinach, and a silky cream custard with dill or chives. No cheese, no leeks. Ready in under an hour.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Brunch, dinner, lunch
Cuisine Baltic, French
Servings 6 people
Calories 337 kcal

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

Calories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 15gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 440mgPotassium: 404mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2269IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Quiche, Salmon, Salmon spinach quiche, Smoked salmon quiche
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