Last year, Zach and I changed our morning habits to be able to have breakfast every day. I cannot tell you how much it has positively impacted our work days.
We get up only fifteen minutes earlier than we had previously, and every morning before we get ready to head out the door, we put on last night’s episode of the Daily Show and eat our breakfast while watching it.
Not only do we get to start our days with healthy food (sometimes it’s things like this quiche, but usually it’s something lighter like a yogurt parfait, oatmeal, or cereal), but we also get a good laugh in (because, Jon Stewart!), enjoy each other’s company, and don’t feel rushed or frantic at all.
Sometimes we’ll skip the TV and sit outside on our porch and get some fresh air.
Sometimes we’ll just sit at our kitchen table and chat.
It sets the tone for the entire day for being healthy, happy, and calm.
This quiche tastes so so so good- it has that creamy consistency of quiche that isn’t too dry. It’s salty from the cheese and is packed with good-for-you spinach.
And if you’re feeling really crazy like I was, you can even add a slice of cooked, chopped bacon to the mix (WHICH, by the way, you can ALSO cook in the microwave!).
With or without bacon, this quiche is an excellent way to get a high protein breakfast with some veggies to get you going for the day.
If only I had known about this in COLLEGE! If you know someone who is living in a dorm right now or has no kitchen, do them a favor and send them this recipe. No more easy mac and ramen for them!
You can use frozen or fresh spinach for this. The key here is to get as much liquid as possible out of the spinach before microwaving the quiche. Otherwise, the quiche will be a little bit watery on the bottom.
Don’t fret if this happens to you- it will still be delicious! But, here are some tricks to avoiding a watery quiche.
If you are using frozen spinach: Place the frozen spinach in a mesh sieve
and run warm water over it until it wilts down a bit and thaws. Using a wooden spoon, press as much liquid as possible out of the spinach through the sieve.
If you are using fresh spinach: Fill your mug with fresh baby spinach leaves and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover with a paper towel and microwave for one minute, until leaves steam/wilt down. Drain the liquid from the mug and press the spinach with a spoon to ensure as much liquid is removed as possible.
Once you have your spinach prepped, just add it to a mug with an egg, shredded cheddar, milk, and salt and pepper (and bacon, if you are being bold). Beat thoroughly with a fork to mix well, cover with a paper towel, and microwave on high for 3 minutes (or until quiche is fully cooked).
That’s it! You now have a “fancy,” made-from-scratch, warm breakfast to kickstart your day.
If you get up early like me and Zach (we have to be at work at 7:25am), you may simply not be that hungry for breakfast. If this sounds like you, I recommend mixing up this quiche in a glass tupperware with a cover (like these 1-cup Pyrex containers
– I have them and use them for everything! Baking, storing food, mixing, etc.).
Then, you can take it with you to work and cook it up in the microwave there. Your coworkers will be mighty jealous of your awesome breakfast, that’s for sure!
Recipe below. And please, don’t feel that this meal is limited to breakfast. In my book, quiche is good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Especially when it’s as delicious and easy as this recipe!
Did you know you can also bake eggs in a muffin pan for bulk breakfast sandwiches?
Other quick and easy egg recipes
- Olive Oil Scrambled Eggs with Feta and Tomatoes
- Soy Sauce and Green Onion Scrambled Eggs
- Tortilla Egg Wraps with Mushrooms and Olives
- Summer Vegetable Frittata
- Greek Yogurt Egg Salad with Dill and Lemon
Spinach and Cheddar Microwave Quiche in a Mug
This quiche takes only five minutes to make, and is a high protein, veggie-packed breakfast to kickstart your day! No more excuses for not eating breakfast.
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Servings: 1 quiche
Calories: 259kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach thawed and drained (or 1/2 cup packed fresh spinach)
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 slice cooked bacon chopped (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- If using fresh spinach, place it in mug with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for one minute. Remove from microwave and drain the water and liquid from spinach thoroughly.
- If using frozen spinach, make sure it is completely thawed and drained and add it to the mug. (If there is too much liquid, the quiche will be runny. I like to put the thawed spinach in a mesh sieve and press firmly with a wooden spoon to do remove as much liquid as possible.)
- Crack the egg into the mug with the spinach and add the milk, cheese, bacon (if using), and salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 3 minutes (see note on timing below), or until fully cooked.
Notes
- If you have a powerful microwave, you may need less time. If you are unsure, check it at 2 minutes, then again at 2 1/2 minutes. If the eggs seem watery, they need more time. But if they are solid, then you're good to go!
- Sometimes, even a paper towel isn't enough to prevent a microwave mess. If you find that your eggs have a tendency to pop and make a mess, you can dampen the paper towel to weigh it down a bit or even cover it with a small plate.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Serving: 1quiche | Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.4g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18.6g | Saturated Fat: 10.3g | Cholesterol: 210mg | Sodium: 346mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4.3g
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
My Fitness Pal Recipe Nutrition Calculator
Tried this recipe?Mention @BowlofDelicious or tag #BowlofDelicious!
Blaire Slone
Too easy and so tasty! Cleanup was a breeze!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Kate
I cannot try it – my MW is 750 but if I don’t know what your rating is I cannot convert the time to MW this.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Just checked and it looks like my microwave is 1000W. Hope that helps!
Raymon
I don’t know whether it’s just me or if everyone else encountering problems with your website.
It appears as if some of the written text within your posts are running off the screen. Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them as well?
This could be a issue with my internet browser because I’ve had this happen before.
Kudos
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hm, I haven’t seen this myself or heard of this from other readers, but I’ll keep an eye out for more feedback like this!
Duane
Fabuloso. Easy and very good. I add bacon and sour cream. With a little garlic and onion salt instead of regular salt. Wow it was great. Thanks for your work and sharing with us. I look forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you liked this! Love the idea of adding sour cream.
Becky G
I HATE eggs, but somehow I fell in love with this dish! So easy and FUN! Looks like you’ve converted me back to eggs! It’s egg-cellent…teehee! So enjoyable, even made it for my dog as a little snack! Baxter loves it too!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! I go through phases with eggs too but this is always a favorite :)
Sharon
I made this without spinach, and had about a tablespoon of water in the bottom after cooking it (although the egg seemed to be done.) Would cooking it a little longer get rid of the extra water? It was still very yummy!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hm, I’m not sure what would cause water to be at the bottom if you left the spinach out – that’s the only ingredient with water. My guess is it was a bit undercooked. I think you’re right – just give it a little more time next time. So glad you liked it!
Sam
Wow, this looks delicious. The only reason I hesitate to make it, is I don’t want to mess up the timing. How many watts is your microwave?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hm I’m not sure how many watts it is! I’ll see if I can find out but in the meantime, I wouldn’t stress too much about it. I would do as the recipe notes indicate: if you’re worried about it, check on it at 2 minutes. You’ll be easily able to tell if there is any raw, watery looking egg. You can kind of tilt the mug to the side to see if anything comes out the bottom. If it’s not cooked, give it another 30 seconds and check again. Keep in mind- if you don’t cook the spinach or sufficiently thaw and drain frozen, it might add too much liquid to the quiche and be a little more confusing about whether the eggs are cooked. Hope that helps!
Kasie
I was super excited to try this, and, for the most part, it tirned out great! For some reason I had a lot of excess liquid on the bottom, but everything else had cooked through. (Also, I reccomend using a little salsa with it once its cooked!)
Elizabeth Lindemann
Salsa with this is a great idea! Could be your spinach wasn’t cooked thoroughly- if it’s not cooked, the liquid will seep out and collect at the bottom. Make sure you sauté, steam, or thaw frozen, and thoroughly squeeze water out (I like to do this with a wooden spoon in a colander over the sink), and it should be better next time!
Jessica
Delicious and easy to make cow dairy free. Thank you very much 😍
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked it!
Jenirainbow
I forwarded this to all my children living in apartments with microwaves and mini fridges. ❤️
Elizabeth Lindemann
Aw, this recipe is perfect for them! Thanks and glad you like it1
Jeremy Fischer
Can I store extra ones I made into containers for a later day? If so, how long can they last before they spoil?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Definitely! I would just run a knife along the edge and pop it out- should work great. I’d say they are safe for about 3 days… that said, if it were me, I’d just give them the “smell test” after that if I was unsure. Hope that helps!
Sarah
Tried this but ran out of shredded cheddar so I used grated Parmesan and it worked great!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yum! Sounds delicious with parmesan. Glad you liked it!
Laura
great recipe ! Yum!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked it! :-)
Anon
I tried this recipe, but all it did was explode and ruin the inside of my microwave. I followed the directions to a tee, but the contents were still pure liquid after 3 minutes. I even tried it 3 more. Six minutes total and it was still just a watery cup of egg. Bad recipe. Will not try again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh no! Sorry you had a frustrating experience. I’m happy to help troubleshoot this problem, in case you want to give it another go (or to help other readers who are making this recipe). Eggs definitely have a tendency to pop and make a mess in the microwave. Sometimes even the suggested paper towel covering can’t prevent it- you can dampen the paper towel to weigh it down a bit, or use a small plate to cover the mug instead. With regard to the liquid- if the quiche truly was “pure liquid” after 6 minutes, then I’m afraid something may be wrong with your microwave! But if the egg mixture seemed partially cooked but there was a lot of liquid left in the mug, it’s likely due to the spinach not being drained enough. I’ve added a more detailed explanation in the recipe card instructions for how to get the most liquid out of thawed frozen spinach- I like to put it in a mesh sieve and press firmly with a wooden spoon until it’s a dry as possible. Hope that helps, and if you try it again I hope you have better luck!
Tina Thompkins
This dish was awesome
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Joy B.L.
Excellent! I did use switch chard from my garden instead of spinish. Its easer to grow and last longer in the garden. One just cuts off the outside leaves and stem. I bring it in the house and have it all winter!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Love the idea of using Swiss Chard! I grow it in my garden too (it’s so easy!) so I’ll have to try that next time. So glad you liked the recipe!
Melissa
I just tried this for the 1st time and loved it! I didnt have bacon but I tossed in some chopped red bell pepper and it turned out great. Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Love the idea of adding bell pepper.
Carla
I LOVE YOU!!!!! I quit eating eggs years ago.. too much trouble. I eat my little quiche regularly now. I adore them. Nutritious and delicious. Who has a meal done in less than 5 minutes and it’s not processed yuck! I tend to add a bit more milk for a creamier, softer texture. This recipe comes in handy when traveling. I love hotels with refrigerators and microwaves…makes for a MUCH better breakfast than the freebies hotels offer. Just stop by Aldi’s or whatever market is in town and voila! You have changed my life. Thank you.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh YAY! Comments like this make me so happy! I’m so happy you’ve had such success with this recipe :-)
Shireen
This turned out really great. Since I am a widow and live alone, this was a perfect one person breakfast. I did check it at 2 1/2 minutes instead of waiting the full 3 minutes as I have learned my microwave is very powerful. And you don’t want overcooked rubbery eggs. And it was absolutely done for me in my microwave at 2 1/2 minutes. That might be an extra thought to add to your recipe because I am sure a smaller less powerful microwave would take the full 3 minutes. As I was eating this microwave quiche the thought occurred to me of a variation with a few fresh basil leaves added with the spinach and then using freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano along with the bacon of course. May try this variation next time I fix it.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it, and thanks for the timing suggestions! I’m going to add a note to the recipe card to keep an eye on timing depending on how powerful your microwave is. Now that I think about it, when I wrote this recipe it was with an old microwave, and now that I have a new microwave I only need 2 or 2 1/2 minutes! Love the idea of adding basil and Parmesan. Yum!!
Shireen
Wanted to check back in with you and let you know the results of the many different variations I’ve used in this recipe. I stuck with the one egg, 1/3 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of cheese and then went from there. I did try adding fresh basil and Parmesan and that was absolutely delicious. The third time I made it I was out of fresh spinach and had some frozen spinach, so I decided to try it. I thawed out a half a cup of the spinach and pressed it into a fine mesh strainer until their was no more juice left. But what happened with the frozen was I ended up with more spinach than when I used the fresh. Half a cup of packed fresh spinach which is then cooked in the microwave for a few seconds is a lot less spinach then half a cup of drained frozen spinach. Plus the consistency of the quiche was so much better with the fresh. And even though I pressed and squeezed the frozen until there was no more juice I still ended up with more liquid in the bottom of my mug. Now I have also added half of a deli thin sliced piece of ham instead of the bacon, that worked great. I have added a tablespoon of chopped green onion or a tablespoon of chopped green or red pepper and that was delicious. Any kind of cheese is great. And adding any fresh herb that you would like to it such as fresh parsley, tarragon, thyme, etc. is perfect. I want to thank you again for posting this recipe as it has really become my go to in the morning as long as I have some fresh spinach, milk, egg and cheese, I can vary it anyway I want. Love it!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh wow! LOVE all these suggestions!! The deli ham is a great idea as an easier way to add some meat without having to precook the bacon. So glad you like this recipe and that it’s become a staple in the mornings for you :-)
JOSEFINE
It’s incredible how you can cook a lot of yummy food, using only a mug and a microwave. Thanks for this recipe. Will certainly try it, :)
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hope you like it!
Tricia Nelson
Has anyone tried this with cubed ham instead of bacon?? I’m not much of a bacon fan!
Elizabeth
It would be super yummy with ham! Just throw a little in there instead of the bacon and you shouldn’t need to adjust anything else :-)
Sahil Gandhi
How would the recipe change if I wanted 2-3 eggs? How long would I have to microwave it for? Thanks for the recipe!
Elizabeth
I’d probably still microwave for three minutes and if it doesn’t cook it all the way, just add a little more time! You may also want to consider using something wider than a mug, such as a bowl or glass container.
jenna
is there any nutrition information available? this looks so good but i have to keep track of my calories and macros
Elizabeth
Thanks for asking a great question! I’m in the process of updating my old recipes to have nutrition information. I went ahead and updated this post with my best estimate for nutrition information (not including the bacon, since it’s optional). Here it is: Calories: 259 Sugar: 4.3 g Sodium: 346 mg Fat: 18.6 g Saturated Fat: 10.3 g Carbohydrates: 5.4 g Fiber: 0.3 g Protein: 18 g Cholesterol: 210 mg. Hope that helps!
Anonymous
I would like to point out that this is not a quiche, but a frittata. Still lovely, just a misleading title.
Elizabeth
Thanks for pointing this out! It would definitely be hard to do a traditional quiche with a crust in the microwave. I’ve always thought of a quiche as having milk and cheese, and a frittata as not having milk, but looks like I’m mistaken! Crustless quiche, frittata… whatever you call it, it’s delicious :-)