Quiche Lorraine

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Classic quiche Lorraine is a smooth egg custard filled with pieces of salty bacon. It’s easy to make but always elegant and impressive for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

If you’re looking for a breakfast dish that is suitable for serving to guests or simply ensuring you have breakfast ready every morning, quiche has got to be one of your go-tos.

Quiche Lorraine is a great dish because aside from being totally delicious, it is so easy to make.

All you need is a few ingredients and some time in the oven, and you’ll transform the standard bacon and eggs into an elegant entree.

If you’re in a breakfast slump and are tired of the same bowl of cereal or coffee shop muffin, you’ve got to give homemade quiche Lorraine a try.

Serve it up with quick Hawaiian cinnamon rolls and you’ve got both sweet and savory tastes covered!

What is Quiche Lorraine?

Quiche Lorraine is an egg-based custard baked into a pie shell or tart dough, featuring cooked crisp bacon pieces throughout. It originates from the Lorraine region of France while it was under German rule, hence the name.

Since its invention in the 1500s, chefs have tweaked the recipe, with many of them adding cheese to the bacon. Swiss or gruyere is the most classic, while some use other cheeses.

I prefer it without cheese, as it was originally done.

This version is very lightly adapted from Julia Child.

Ingredients for Quiche Lorraine

You’ll need:

Pie crust – You can make your own pie crust or pastry shell, or use a premade crust. If you are making your own, make sure it is a savory dough, not sweet.

If using premade crust, follow the package instructions for parbaking.

Bacon – I recommend using thick-cut bacon to ensure you get lots of flavor in each bite.

Cook your bacon ahead of time either on the stove or by using my method on how to bake bacon. The bacon does not need to be warm when adding it to the quiche, so you can cook it a day or two in advance and store it in the refrigerator.

Eggs – You’ll need 3 standard large eggs.

Heavy cream – Also labeled as whipping cream or heavy whipping cream, this makes the quiche custard smooth and luscious. 

If you want it less rich, swap in regular milk. I do not recommend nondairy milks in quiche.

Salt and pepper – Just a touch. Remember that the bacon will add salt as well.

Nutmeg – A little bit of nutmeg adds unique flavor to the quiche without evoking the fall flavors it is usually associated with.

Powdered Mustard – I love to add a little mustard to quiche for tang. Powdered mustard is the same as dry mustard.

Butter – To add even more richness, bits of butter are added on top of the quiche custard before baking. You can omit it, if you prefer.

How to make this recipe

First, parbake your pie crust. 

Preheat the oven to 400°F and fit your pie crust to the pan, crimping the edges as desired. Prick the bottom with a fork to allow steam to escape.

Chill the crust in the freezer while the oven comes to temperature.

Once the oven is ready, remove the crust from the freezer and line it with foil or parchment paper. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans, then place it in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven and gently lift out the foil and beans/weights. Return the crust to the oven for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.

If your cooked bacon is not chopped, do so now, cutting it into thin strips or smaller pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, nutmeg, mustard, and black pepper. Add the bacon and stir to combine.

Place the parbaked crust on a rimmed baking sheet. This will make it easier to transfer to the oven and catch any spills.

Pour in the quiche filling, arranging the bacon evenly with a spoon.

Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter it on top of the custard. It’s OK if it sinks into the custard.

Place the quiche into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and browned.

Let cool 15 minutes before serving. The quiche will sink slightly as it cools.

Storage and reheating

Wrap your quiche tightly in plastic or store in an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Quiche can be eaten cold, warm, or at room temperature.

To reheat, microwave individual slices for about 30 seconds.

To warm an entire quiche, heat oven to 350°F. Cover with foil to prevent overbrowning, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until warmed through.

More quiche recipes

Ready to expand your quiche repertoire? Try these recipes:

• Cheese Quiche
• Bacon Spinach Quiche
• Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
• Asparagus Quiche
• Spinach Quiche
• Instant Pot Quiche