Salmon Quiche with Spinach — or Savory pie with salmon and spinach — is a fresh and delicious twist on a classic quiche. Made with flaky homemade crust, tender salmon, and vibrant spinach, it’s the perfect dish for brunch, a light dinner, or even meal prep. This easy salmon quiche recipe combines the comfort of Italian flavors with the versatility of a French-style quiche.
If you enjoyed this Salmon Quiche, you’ll love my Pasqualina Cake (Spinach and Ricotta Easter Pie) and my easy baked salmon — both perfect for brunch or entertaining!
Bonus: You can even make this a crustless salmon quiche for a lighter, gluten-free option!
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Originally published April 15, 2016 and updated May 2025
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Sometimes you have to make something easy, like a salmon and spinach tart (savory pie con salmone e spinaci). Believe me when I tell you, this has to become a part of your life today!
Why You’ll Love This Salmon Quiche
- Simple, wholesome ingredients for a homemade salmon quiche that’s bursting with flavor.
- Versatile: Perfect for brunch, lunch, or a casual dinner.
- Flexible: Swap in smoked salmon or make it a salmon quiche without crust.
- Italian touch: Inspired by traditional savory pie — the Italian answer to the savory tart
Hi friends! I first created this salmon quiche out of necessity — a few leftovers from a family barbecue, a bag of spinach that needed love, and a craving for something comforting but easy. With fresh salmon, roasted potatoes, and some herbs from my patio garden, this quiche came together — and it’s been a family favorite ever since.
It reminds me of summers in Italy at my mother-in-law’s home, where lunchtime is sacred. Right before we sat down to eat (always around 1:30 PM), she would insist on closing all the curtains to block the midday sun — no breeze allowed! A small but charming glimpse into those long, leisurely Italian mealsalways enjoyed with good food like this salmon quiche.
Ingredients for the Best Salmon Quiche
For the crust:
- 2 teaspoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon cold apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 oz (1 stick) cold unsalted buttercut into small pieces
- 4 oz cold cream cheesecut into small pieces
Short on time? Use a store-bought crust to make this a simple salmon quiche recipe with minimal effort.
For the filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup cooked salmon, flaked (fresh is best, but smoked salmon works for a rich smoked salmon quiche)
- 1 cup cooked potatoes, diced
- 2 cups spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon (or dill)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Substitutions for Salmon Quiche
This salmon quiche recipe is flexible and easy to adapt based on what you have on hand. Here are some ideas:
- Salmon: If you don’t have fresh salmon, you can substitute with canned salmon (just drain it well) or try a smoked salmon quiche variation for a more luxurious flavor.
- Spinach: Swap fresh spinach with frozen spinach — just make sure it’s thawed and squeezed dry to prevent a watery filling. You could also use other leafy greens like kale or Swiss chard.
- Potatoes: Feel free to skip the potatoes or replace them with zucchini, broccolior even asparagus for a lighter quiche.
- Tarragon: If you don’t have tarragon, use fresh dill or chives for a different herbaceous note.
- Cream: Substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk for a slightly lighter custard.
- Crust: Use a store-bought pie crust for convenience, or make it a crustless salmon quiche by skipping the crust altogether.
Tip: Making small changes won’t affect the texture too much — just be sure to keep the egg and cream ratio for that perfect creamy quiche filling.
How to Make This Salmon Quiche (Step-by-Step)
- Prepare the crust:
In a small bowl, combine water and vinegar. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Cut butter and cream cheese into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the water mixture until a dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour. - Prepare the filling:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in the diced potatoes, tarragon, and season with salt and pepper. Add the flaked salmon and spinach, cooking for a few more minutes to combine. - Assemble the quiche:
Roll out the dough and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan, pressing the dough up the sides. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and milk. Fold in the cooled salmon mixture. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. - Bake the quiche:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Set the quiche on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden. If the crust browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Allow the quiche to cool slightly before slicing.
Can you make this savory tart with canned tuna?
Yes! You could sub the cooked salmon for canned tuna or even canned salmon. Here is the fantastic tuna and spinach tart you could also try out.
This is a tart made with ingredients I had on hand and in my garden. It’s a super simple torta salata (savory tart) that I made with leftovers on hand. It was a day after our son’s birthday party and we had (typical)made a little too much food. I found myself with some fantastic cooked salmon and roasted potatoes. I had a ton of fresh tarragon growing in my herb garden and a bag of fresh spinach.
Tips for the Best Salmon Quiche
Want your salmon quiche to come out perfect every time? Here are my top tips:
- Drain Your Spinach Well: Whether using fresh or frozen spinach, squeeze out as much liquid as possible to avoid a soggy quiche.
- Pre-Bake the Crust: For an extra-crispy base, blind bake the crust for 8–10 minutes before adding the filling.
- Use Fresh Salmon: Fresh cooked salmon gives the best texture and flavor, but canned or smoked salmon also work beautifully for this quiche.
- Don’t Overbake: Bake just until the quiche is set and slightly wobbly in the center — it will continue to cook as it cools.
- Let It Cool Slightly Before Slicing: Resting for 10–15 minutes after baking helps the quiche set up and slice cleanly.
- Customize Your Add-Ins: Feel free to toss in extra herbs, cheese (like goat cheese or Gruyère), or even veggies like asparagus or mushrooms.
Storage Tips for Salmon Quiche
Freezer: Wrap slices of salmon quiche tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Fridge: Store any leftover quiche tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
FAQs
Yes! Just be sure to drain it well. However, fresh cooked salmon gives the best texture and flavor for this salmon quiche recipe.
Absolutely. Bake the quiche, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. It reheats beautifully.
Not as written, but you can skip the crust or use a gluten-free pie crust.
Simply grease your tart pan and bake the filling without the crust for an easy crustless salmon quiche!
What to pair with this spinach and salmon tart?
This savory tart goes so nicely with so many different salads. Here are some of my favorite side dishes to go with it.
Easy Spinach Quiche with Salmon – Classic Italian Torta Salata
A savory and delicious tart that’s made with tender salmon and healthy spinach. Just wonderful for a Sunday brunch or an easy weeknight dinner.
Servings: 1 9-inch tart
Calories: 1749kcal
Ingredients
crust
- 2 teaspoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon cold cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 4 ounces cold cream cheese cut into small pieces
filling
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 cup salmon cooked and broken into small pieces
- 1 cup of potatoes cooked and cut into small pieces
- 2 cups spinach cooked and cut into pieces (make sure all excess water has been squeezed from the spinach)
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in another bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
-
Add water mixture to dough in a slow, steady stream, stirring, until mixture just begins to hold together. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.) Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Press dough into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
-
Filling Directions: Add olive oil to frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly colored (about 7 minutes). Be sure to stir the onions occasionally. Add the potatoes, and taragon(or thyme) salt, and some crushed pepper. Towards end of the cooking, add in the cooked salmon and spinach. Cook for about another 2 minutes.
-
While this cooks, in a medium sized bowl whisk eggs with cream and milk. Stir in the cooled salmon mixture.
-
Roll dough to fit your chosen tart pan, then drape dough in pan. Neatly press dough up the sides of the pan and shape it. Set it on a sheet pan. Pour in the egg mixture. Place the tart pan over a foil lined cookie sheet.
-
Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the tart is golden brown and the filling is set. Check tart at about 30 minutes. If the tart shell is browning too much, cover the tart with foil paper for the rest of the baking time. Let tart cool before removing from tart pan or slice directly in the tart pan when warm.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
Tips for the Best Salmon Quiche
Want your salmon quiche to come out perfect every time? Here are my top tips:
- Drain Your Spinach Well: Whether using fresh or frozen spinach, squeeze out as much liquid as possible to avoid a soggy quiche.
- Pre-Bake the Crust: For an extra-crispy base, blind bake the crust for 8–10 minutes before adding the filling.
- Use Fresh Salmon: Fresh cooked salmon gives the best texture and flavor, but canned or smoked salmon also work beautifully for this quiche.
- Don’t Overbake: Bake just until the quiche is set and slightly wobbly in the center — it will continue to cook as it cools.
- Let It Cool Slightly Before Slicing: Resting for 10–15 minutes after baking helps the quiche set up and slice cleanly.
- Customize Your Add-Ins: Feel free to toss in extra herbs, cheese (like goat cheese or Gruyère), or even veggies like asparagus or mushrooms.
Nutrition
Calories: 1749kcal | Carbohydrates: 157g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 88g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 879mg | Sodium: 1604mg | Potassium: 1802mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 8662IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 455mg | Iron: 15mg