Spaghetti Squash Quiche with Kale and Mushrooms
Kale and Mushroom Spaghetti Squash Quiche Recipe is a healthy and gluten-free quiche with a spaghetti squash crust. No flour is needed, and this quiche holds together well.
Kale and Mushroom Spaghetti Squash Quiche Recipe is a healthy and gluten-free quiche with a spaghetti squash crust. No flour is needed, and this quiche holds together well.
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- cooking spray (i use misto)
- 1 cup egg whites
- 1/2 tsp salt divided
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1 medium spaghetti squash about 2.5 lbs
- 1/2 tsp onion or garlic powder
- 3 cups mushrooms sliced
- 5 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 cups kale, chopped & packed (i used 1 bunch of lacinato kale)
- 1 cup (4 oz) any cheese shredded (i used 3 cheese blend)
- 2 tsp onion or garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme divided
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper divided
- Carbohydrate 3.0919639375 g
- Cholesterol 108.575 mg
- Fat 3.3375059375 g
- Fiber 0.373280623218417 g
- Protein 10.75488875 g
- Saturated Fat 1.0675498375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (112g)
- Sodium 180.39445625 mg
- Sugar 2.71868331428158 g
- Trans Fat 0.785041975 g
- Calories 84 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut squash in half and place face side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside to cool until safe to handle.
- In the meanwhile, preheat large skillet on high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a medium bowl. Return skillet to medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add kale, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and saute until kale is wilted. Transfer to a bowl with mushrooms and set aside.
- To make the crust, seed spaghetti squash and separate flesh into strands using a fork. Add to a medium bowl along with thyme, onion/garlic powder and salt, and mix to combine. Transfer to a deep pie dish and press evenly on the bottom and sides using your hands. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs with egg whites and whisk for 30 seconds. Add cheese, cottage cheese, previously cooked mushrooms and kale, 2 tsp onion/garlic powder, 1 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper and mix to combine. Pour into prepared crust and flatten with spatula to make sure all vegetables are dunk in the liquid. Bake in 400 degrees F oven for 50 mins or until the knife inserted comes out clean. Let quiche cool down for at least 30 minutes. Cut into 8 slices and serve hot or cold.
Using spaghetti squash as a structural crust requires managing excess moisture to prevent a soggy bottom. Roasting the squash halves face-down at 400 degrees Fahrenheit concentrates the flesh while allowing steam to escape efficiently. Scraping the interior with a fork yields distinct strands that hold their shape when pressed firmly into a pie dish. Allowing the cooked squash to cool until safe to handle ensures the added seasonings distribute evenly without cooking the starches prematurely.
Parallel processing streamlines the workflow while the squash bakes in the oven. High heat applied to the skillet creates a deep golden-brown sear on the sliced mushrooms without steaming them. Adding the greens only after the onions and garlic soften prevents bitterness and ensures uniform wilting. Seasoning the vegetables at each incremental stage builds baseline flavor before the custard binds the components together.
Combining whole eggs with egg whites and cottage cheese creates a high-protein matrix that stabilizes the dense vegetable filling. Whisking the dairy and eggs thoroughly incorporates air, which helps the quiche set firmly during the fifty minutes of baking. Distributing the mushrooms and kale evenly through the liquid prevents heavy pockets from sinking into the squash base.
Scaling this dish requires caution regarding moisture management, as doubling the squash can introduce excess water into the crust. Letting the finished pie rest for at least thirty minutes allows the internal proteins to set completely for clean slicing. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to four days and reheat successfully without losing structural integrity.
