Spring has arrived — the flowers are blooming, the days are longer, and bright, fresh flavors are back on our tables. It’s also prime brunch season, and a memorable brunch deserves something bubbly and a savory quiche. This Goat Cheese, Spinach, Basil, and Prosciutto Quiche paired with a Prosecco Rosé makes for an elegant Easter or springtime brunch.
Looking for a spring brunch idea for Easter weekend or any sunny morning? This combination of tangy goat cheese, tender spinach, bright basil, and salty prosciutto inside a flaky crust pairs beautifully with a sparkling rosé. The recipe yields two 6-inch quiches and can be made ahead so you can enjoy a relaxed morning with family or friends.
Let’s Talk About Quiche
Quiche is a brunch classic for a reason: it’s savory, visually appealing, and versatile. A well-made quiche has a crisp, flaky crust and a smooth, silky custard filling. It presents beautifully on a brunch table and is easy to slice for sharing. Best of all, it reheats well, so you can prepare it a day or two early without sacrificing texture.
How to Make a Great Quiche
There are three essential elements to a restaurant-quality quiche: a flaky crust, a silky custard, and balanced filling flavors. Follow the steps below for consistent results.
The Ultimate Flaky Crust
The dough is the foundation. Use very cold butter to create distinct, flaky layers in the crust. Not rock-hard frozen, but chilled from the freezer for about 10–20 minutes before you cut it into pieces. While the butter chills, measure the flour, salt, an egg yolk, and water.
Using a food processor to pulse flour, salt, and butter makes the process quicker and more consistent; finish by mixing in the egg yolk and water by hand. The dough should come together without becoming sticky — add a touch more flour or water only if needed. Chill the formed dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before rolling.
Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick for a balanced crust-to-filling ratio. If you have 6 × 2 inch round pastry molds, they produce free‑standing quiches that are easy to slice and serve. If you use a pie dish or tart pan instead, line it with parchment for easier removal.
Blind-bake the crust to prevent a soggy bottom. Dock the dough, line it with parchment, add pie weights or dried beans, and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove the weights, then bake again until the pastry is lightly golden. Finish with a short additional bake after sealing to ensure the bottom is crisp.
How to Achieve a Smooth and Silky Custard
The custard defines the quiche’s texture. Use the right ratio of milk, cream, egg yolks, and whole eggs to achieve a delicate, creamy set. Whisk all custard ingredients together until smooth and season lightly with salt and pepper — remember that salty additions like prosciutto or aged cheeses will affect how much extra salt you need.
What to Put in the Quiche
Choose fillings you enjoy, but avoid overloading the quiche. This version features soft goat cheese, sautéed and drained spinach, chopped basil, thinly sliced prosciutto, and a bit of finely diced shallot. Layer fillings and custard in several stages — a little cheese, a few garnishes, and a ladle of custard, repeat — so the additions stay suspended and don’t sink to the bottom.
Baking the Quiche
Bake the assembled quiche slowly at a low temperature — around 250–275°F — to allow the custard to set without curdling. Depending on how full the shell is, bake 30–50 minutes. Use the “jiggle test”: the center should barely wobble when shaken gently; it should not be liquid, but it should retain a slight movement so the custard remains tender.
Make the Quiche in Advance
Quiche is an ideal make-ahead dish. Bake it a day or two before your event and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, preheat the oven to 300°F, place the whole quiche on a parchment-lined baking tray, and warm for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Quiche is best within 2–3 days but will keep up to 5 days refrigerated.
Speaking of Bubbly
Pairing quiche with a sparkling rosé or Prosecco Rosé is a natural match. The acidity and bubbles refresh the palate and complement the richness of the custard and goat cheese, while the wine’s fruit character pairs nicely with fresh basil and salty prosciutto.
Enjoy
We hope this goat cheese, spinach, basil, and prosciutto quiche becomes a springtime favorite for your brunch gatherings. Make it ahead, pop a bottle of sparkling rosé, slice, serve, and savor the season.
If you enjoy recipes like this, try other savory dishes and seasonal desserts to round out a brunch menu. Prepare components in advance, keep flavors balanced, and let the sparkling wine bring everything together.
📖 Recipe
Goat Cheese, Spinach, Basil and Prosciutto Quiche
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 225 g all-purpose flour (about 1¾ cups)
- 113 g unsalted cold butter (1 stick)
- 5 g kosher salt (about 1 tsp)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 50 g water (¼ cup)
For the Custard
- 300 g milk (1 ¼ cups)
- 300 g heavy cream (1 ¼ cups)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 4 whole large eggs
Additions
- 100 g soft goat cheese (about 4 oz)
- 2 cups spinach
- 8 large basil leaves
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 1 shallot, finely diced
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Chill a stick of butter in the freezer for 10–20 minutes, then cut into small tablespoon-size pieces.
- Pulse flour, salt, and the cold butter in a food processor until butter pieces resemble rice. Transfer to a work surface.
- Make a well, add the egg yolk and water, then mix and knead until the dough comes together. Form into two discs, wrap, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough to about 1/8 inch, line 6-inch pastry molds, trim edges, and shape the crust.
- Dock the crust, line with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and blind bake 25 minutes. Remove weights and bake another 15–25 minutes until lightly golden.
Make the Custard
- Whisk milk, cream, egg yolks, and whole eggs together until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Brush a thin layer of custard onto the baked crust to seal any holes, return to the oven for 3 minutes, then remove and cool. Chill the custard while preparing additions.
Prepare the Additions
- Sauté spinach in a teaspoon or two of oil just until wilted. Drain and chop finely.
- Briefly sear prosciutto in the same pan for a few seconds to change the fat texture, then thinly slice.
- Chop basil and shallot and crumble the goat cheese.
Assemble and Bake
- Lower oven to 275°F. Layer a ladle of custard, a portion of the additions, and some cheese into each shell, repeating gently until filled.
- Bake at 275°F for about 40 minutes, checking after 30–40 minutes. The quiche is done when the center barely jiggles.
- Cool, slice, and serve, or refrigerate and reheat at 300°F for about 20 minutes when ready to serve.