This crustless spinach and mushroom quiche is a simple yet elegant dish perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. It is easy to make and you can tailor it to your liking. Use any type of mushrooms you like or even add in some ham or bacon.

This quiche is lower in fat and calories than our mushroom and goat cheese quiche or our smoked salmon quiche. We used cottage cheese to give it a rich, cheesy texture while lightening up the calories.

If you are looking for more quiche recipes, our salmon quiche with potato crust is also lighter in calories and gluten-free. Or try our classic quiche Florentine.

Here is Why This Recipe Works

Cottage cheese replaces some of the Gruyere cheese to reduce fat and increase protein.
We replaced one egg with two egg whites to lighten the calorie profile.
Eliminating the crust reduces the calories and makes the quiche faster to prepare and gluten-free.

The Ingredients for Quiche with Cottage Cheese

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this crustless quiche recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Onion
Mushrooms
Frozen spinach
Cream cheese
Whole eggs and egg whites
Cottage cheese
Whole milk
Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper
Ground nutmeg
Crushed red pepper to taste
Zest of one lemon
Parmesan cheese

A slice of crustless quiche and a salad in the background.

How to Make Crustless Quiche

Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with this spinach and mushroom quiche recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Saute the onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Set aside
Make the egg custard filling, then fold in the mushroom and spinach mixture.
Pour into a pie plate and bake partially.
Top with parmesan cheese and finish baking.

This crustless spinach mushroom quiche is vegetarian and gluten-free. However, you can add ham, bacon, or sausage if desired. Just stir cooked meat into the egg mixture.

Tips for Success

Squeeze the moisture out of the spinach before adding it to the mushrooms.
If you want to use fresh spinach, saute it until most of the moisture evaporates.
You can use low-fat cream cheese and cottage cheese if desired.
For a tender, silky texture, do not overcook the quiche.
An instant-read thermometer is helpful but NOT necessary. I like to use it to get a perfectly tender quiche and prevent overcooking the eggs.
The optimal doneness for a quiche is when the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
If you want to bake this quiche in an all-butter crust, partially bake the crust first. Or keep it gluten-free with our gluten free pie crust.

? More Breakfast Recipes

We have gathered a variety of breakfast recipes to make your mornings more memorable. From savory eggs benedict with truffle sauce to sweet French toast bake, you’ll find something here that’s just right for you.

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A closeup of a quiche with spinach and mushrooms.

Crustless Spinach-Mushroom Quiche

This crustless spinach and mushroom quiche is a simple, yet elegant dish that is perfect for brunch or dinner. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your liking. You can use any type of mushrooms you like, or even add in some ham or bacon.

To boost the protein and reduce the fat, some of the Gruyere cheese gets replaced with cottage cheese and we replaced an egg with two egg whites.

5 from 14 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 229kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup diced onion
6 ounces sliced mushrooms any variety
1 8-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 ounces cream cheese softened
4 large eggs
2 egg whites
½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup whole milk
½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
sprinkle of crushed red pepper to taste
zest of one lemon
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-1/2-inch pie plate with non-stick spray and set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onions and mushrooms and saute until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms slightly browned. Remove from heat, add the spinach tossing together with a fork, and set the mixture aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and mix in the eggs and the egg whites. Beat the mixture until the cream cheese is well incorporated into the eggs. Stir in the cottage cheese, milk, Gruyere cheese, salt, nutmeg, pepper, red pepper, and lemon zest. Fold in the reserved spinach and mushroom mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate, transfer the dish to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes then sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
Continue baking for 5 to 10 more minutes until the center is firm and a toothpick comes out clean when tested. If you have an instant read thermometer, the internal temperature will be 160°F when the quiche is done.

Notes

We used a standard 9-1/2-inch glass pie dish. If you have a shallow pie dish, you will have some leftover quiche mixture. Extra quiche custard can be baked in muffin tins for 15 minutes.
You can use low-fat cream cheese and cottage cheese if desired.
If you want to use fresh spinach, saute 8 ounces of fresh spinach in the skillet until it is wilted and most of the moisture evaporates.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g

This recipe was originally published on January 13, 2014. We updated the photos and added some helpful tips for making a crustless quiche with cottage cheese.