Crustless Spinach Quiche with Ham
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Need something for the holiday breakfast crowd, or for brunch? I’ve got you covered there. A healthy alternate to a traditional quiche that has a buttery, flakey crust, this Crustless Spinach Quiche with Ham is packed with lots of spinach, cheeses and tender, smoky ham for that lighter breakfast touch.
This one doesn’t have you in the kitchen making a pastry crust, it uses cheese as the base and it works beautifully. Delicious on it’s own without the ham, too, this quiche is perfect for breakfast or brunch.
This crustless quiche is not only filling but beyond tasty. Frozen chopped spinach gets thawed and added to a sauté pan of shallots and green onions. Diced onions can easily be substituted for the shallots if none are on hand, but I highly recommend them. I also use red pepper flakes for a little kick, but white pepper works well, too.
I usually add smokey chopped ham to round it all out, but that’s optional. All of this tops cheddar cheese that acts like a crust base, and a cottage cheese and egg white mixture gets poured over all. In the oven it goes and it bakes to a golden brown.
Puffy, golden and delicious this crustless spinach quiche is chock full of healthy and scrumptious ingredients. I’ve been experimenting with adding cottage cheese to baked dishes lately for not only the heft it gives, but the added calcium. Like in my Three Cheese Potato Chicken Bake, when baked, it mixes well with other cheeses and in this one it’s no exception.
This really is amazing in texture and taste. We went back for seconds and it refrigerates well covered and isa great the next day, too. That is if there are any slices leftover.
For other ham or breakfast ideas, try my Slow Cooker Ham Bone Bean Soup, Chipotle Orange Baked Ham Glaze or this crowd pleaser Italian Sausage, Gouda and Spinach Strata. Enjoy!
Crustless Spinach Quiche with Ham
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 large shallot diced (See Note 1)
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups Sharp Light Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 6 large egg whites
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup fat free cottage cheese
- 1/8 tsp salt
- pinch of red pepper flakes See Note 2
- 8 oz cooked ham
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- Dice ham into 1/2 inch chunks and set aside.
- Place thawed spinach in a sieve to drain and squeeze excess water out. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat add oil. Sauté shallots for 2 minutes. Add green onion and garlic powder and stir. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes or until translucent.
- Add spinach and stir until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese on bottom of pie dish and top with spinach mixture and ham.
- In a bowl whisk together the egg whites, egg, cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over spinach and ham.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serve.
Notes
2. 1/8th teaspoon of ground white pepper may be substituted for the red pepper flakes if you like.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This would have me bounding out of bed in the morning!!
Leave a hint note for Keith… 🙂
I love digging into quiches but never tried one with ham. Looks so delicious and quite easy to make 🙂 You’re the chef!
Thanks so much Agness! Let me know how yours turns out. 🙂
I’ve got to say, one of my favourite parts to a quiche is the pastry, although I’d never say no to one without. This one looks so light and fluffy!
Thanks John, just a little switch up with all the heavier fare being eaten this holiday!
That looks really wonderful. You’re making me crave a hot breakfast!
Thanks Jeff, lunch works, too! 😉
My mom used to call crustless quiche “savory clafoutis” but she liked to Frenchify everything. But wait isn’t quiche French enough? GREG
I’m liking your mom’s thinking… and taste. Thanks Greg!
Hey Kevin! I agree with Dawn, I would eat this any time of the day or night! The cheese crust is so much easier and , in my opinion, tastier! I’m making bacon cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, but I will be making this soon! Happy Holidays to you and Dave!
Hi Dorothy! This is easy peasy and it has such a great crust, like that grilled cheese edge from a sandwich good. 🙂
Shut the front door with that bacon cinnamon roll! WOW! I would die for that.
Thanks for being here Dorothy and Happy Holidays to you and Gary! xoxo
Cheese as the base? You’re kinda brilliant there, my friend! Who needs crust when you have that?! I would love this for breakfast, but this this is definitely the kind of recipe hubby and I would have for lunch or dinner with a salad. Cottage cheese in there is really good too! Plus, another element of cheese 😉 And you know I love the chili flakes in there. Happy Tibb’s Eve (it’s what we call the eve before Christmas eve here in Newfoundland and it’s a local thing where it’s kinda the kick off to the season and we have a drink (or two 😉 ). All the best, my friend!
It works and is so good! We actually have had this for lunch, too, and we split a grilled cheese sandwich.
Tibb’s Eve, I like the name, what it stand for actually? I still trip a little you’re in Newfoundland. That’s WAY up there! All the best to you, too Dawn. 🙂
That sounds like the perfect combo!! Tibb’s eve is an old term and is basically associated with loose morals. The day can also be called Tipsy Eve when you get a little tipsy after having a few drinks, lol :D. I know, I’m pretty far away!! Furthest in North America, actually! All the best to you too, Kevin 🙂 !!
I like Tipsy Eve better!