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Quiche Lorraine
With smoky bacon, nutty Gruyère, and shallots, this classic quiche Lorraine is ideal for brunch, dinner, or anytime in between.
Isn’t it amazing how, just like an old song, a taste can instantly bring you back to a special time and place? When I was 20 years old, I studied abroad in Tours, France, a university town in the Loire Valley. Every day for lunch, I walked to the bakery near my university and treated myself to a warm individual quiche. With my quiche in hand, I’d stroll back to class through the maze of cobbled streets and sidewalk cafes, relishing every bite while soaking up the atmosphere. I don’t recall a single course I took at that school, but the simple pleasure of eating that quiche is seared into my memory.
The classic quiche Lorraine with smoky bacon, Gruyère and shallots has always been one of my favorites. You can serve it for brunch, dinner, or anytime in between — and it’s especially good paired with a green salad and crisp white wine.
What You’ll Need To Make Quiche Lorraine
Before we get to the instructions, a few tips on making a good quiche: First, for the richest, silkiest custard, use heavy cream instead of milk or half & half — and always bake your quiche at 325°F, as higher temperatures can cause the eggs to scramble. Second, never feel guilty using a store-bought crust. Making a homemade crust is time-consuming and, with a good-quality frozen crust, you can whip up a quiche with almost no effort at all.
Finally, be sure to use an authentic Swiss-made Gruyère that bears the AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) seal, which shows that the cheese is made according to strict government-mandated rules and quality standards. It’s pricey but you only need three ounces (and any that you have leftover makes amazing grilled cheese).
How To Make Quiche Lorraine
To begin, remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw for about 10 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork.
Bake on until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it; if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate.) Don’t panic if your crust cracks in the oven. You can easily fix it by making a smooth paste from 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of water. Using your fingers, patch up and fill any cracks with the paste, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
While the crust cooks, dice the bacon. To make it easier to work with, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so beforehand.
Place the diced bacon in a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan and add the shallots.
Cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs.
Add the heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.
Whisk until evenly combined.
Spread the shallots evenly over the bottom of the cooked crust.
Top with half of the bacon.
Then all of the Gruyère.
Then the remaining bacon.
Pour the egg/cream mixture over top.
Slide the quiche (still on the baking sheet) into the oven and bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set and lightly golden. Serve the quiche hot or at room temperature.
How To Freeze Quiche Lorraine
This quiche freezes beautifully for up to three months. After baking and cooling the quiche, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.
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Quiche Lorraine
With smoky bacon, nutty Gruyère, and shallots, this classic quiche Lorraine is ideal for brunch, dinner, or anytime in between.
Ingredients
- One 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie crust
- 8 oz thick-cut bacon (about 6 slices), diced
- 1/2 cup chopped shallots, from 1 large shallot
- 4 large eggs
- 1-1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 3 oz Gruyère, finely shredded (about 1-1/4 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. (If there are any cracks in the crust, see note below on how to patch them up.) Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork. Place the crust on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of the oven). Bake on until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it; if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate. Set aside and turn the oven down to 325°F.
- In a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg; whisk until evenly combined.
- Spread the shallots evenly over the bottom of the cooked crust. Top with half of the bacon, all of the Gruyère, and then the remaining bacon. Pour the egg/cream mixture over top.
- Slide the quiche (still on the baking sheet) into the oven and bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set and lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
- Note: Don't panic if your crust has cracks -- you can easily fix it. Make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then proceed with the recipe. If the crust cracks while baking, patch it afterwards and place it back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This quiche can be fully prepared up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 616
- Fat: 51 g
- Saturated fat: 24 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Sodium: 575 mg
- Cholesterol: 232 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Delicious! Made this for Easter and it was a hit. I used half and half instead, since I did not have heavy cream. I also used a gluten free crust. Next time I will go lighter on the cayenne, since I found it was a little overpowering.
What would you pair with your Quiche Lorraine for a nice lady lunch crafting day? I was thinking of your spinach berry salad? Is there something that would taste better?? Thanks for all of your great recipes. I love learning how to cook the “Jen” way. Everything turns out as long as I follow the directions. 😉
Hi Laurie, I think this would pair beautifully with that salad — hope everyone enjoys!
I’m not sure you’ll get this in time but I’m making this as well as your spinach quiche… can I cook them simultaneously – will I have to increase the time? I see this cooks a little faster than the spinach one so just want to get the timing right!
I’m also making the boozy french toast (preparing all three tonight for Easter tomorrow!), I have two ovens so it should be relatively easy but can I reheat the quiches together at 300 – for how long (one said 35-45, the other I think was 45-50)? Thank you! (By the way, you are my go to chef, especially during the holidays!)
Hi Jamie, Sorry I’m weighing too late to be helpful! How did everything come out?
This is my go to recipe for quiche. I always make 2 at a time since the pie crusts come two to a pack. The tip for freezing works so well. My family and friends always give me rave reviews when I make this recipe. Every recipe from Once Upon a Chef is a winner.
I make this about once a month, following every tip and the precise recipe. It is a fabulous meal!
Best quiche Lorraine I have ever made. Excellent recipe. Thanks for the step by step photos.
I loved this quiche, came out the best quiche I have ever made. Not that I have made a lot. But I will just make this recipe every time. I had a little extra liquid that didn’t fit. My 12 yr old daughter who does not like eggs, and cheese and sometimes not even bacon ate two servings.
I made this recipe a few weeks ago, it was absolutely delicious, picture perfect and the leftovers were excellent the next day. Thanks again for a fabulous recipe.
This quiche is exquisite. Everything a quiche should be! I used a frozen crust that—while delicious—had way too many cracks to repair (which resulted in a unpleasant crunch in the crust, no fault of this recipe, probably the fault the of the person who bagged my groceries). Next time I will make the quiche with a homemade crust. Thank you for the step-by-step instructions, it was simple & not at all intimidating. Can’t wait to make it again!
Oops, just realized I replied to your comment (thinking I was jut leaving a review in general). 🙂
To make the recipe gluten free and dairy free, I swap the Gruyere cheese for Violife Feta Cheese, heavy cream for Chobani Oat Drink and the pie crust for a dairy free, gluten free pie crust. I bake the bacon in the oven for a few minutes as opposed to cooking it in the pan and let it drain before adding to the pie crust. I also add more than a pinch of nutmeg. I often make this recipe for Sunday brunch. It is moist and just perfect!
I have made many different quiche Lorraines and have enjoyed many of them. This, by far, the most delicious. I think using a good French Gruyere and thick bacon makes a big difference. My search is over.
This is the first quiche I ever made and it was outstanding. I think I was intimidated by quiche recipes that all called for homemade crusts, but Jenn’s suggestion of using store-bought pie crusts gave me the incentive to try making this dish. It was so good that I’m going to try making Jenn’s other recipes for quiche as well.