The mother of all quiches…. A homemade Quiche Lorraine is one of those things reserved for special occasions that puts store bought to shame. Surprise yourself with how easy it is to make a homemade quiche crust – or make life easy using frozen pastry or a pre prepared pie crust.
Quiche Lorraine
I can’t remember when I made my first quiche, but I can tell you for sure that it was a Quiche Lorraine. Because just as Pork Carnitas are the King of Taco Carts, Quiche Lorraine is surely the Queen of all savoury tarts.
Bacon. Surely it’s the bacon. I mean, how could a Zucchini Quiche possibly ever compete? 😉
Did you know…
This is not a REAL Quiche Lorraine. This is Quiche Lorraine as it is known outside of France. 🙂
As with many traditional dishes, once it leaves the country of origin, it tends to evolve. The filling for traditional Quiche Lorraine, very strictly speaking, is made only with bacon, eggs and cream/creme fraiche. If you add anything else to it, the French say it ain’t a Quiche Lorraine anymore! 😂
So basically, I break the rules and the French may be cursing me. But this is the Quiche Lorraine flavour that will be familiar to those who live outside of France, that I have always known and loved.
The onion adds more savoury flavour. I can’t help adding garlic to that – because when I sauté onion in butter, I add garlic like I’m on auto pilot.
As for adding cheese… I truly cannot image quiche without cheese. I have never had quiche without cheese!
Quiche crust
The pastry for quiche is a simple shortcrust pastry that is buttery and crumbly, crispy yet soft enough to cut your fork through without the needing to jack hammer it.
If you are lacking in time, use a pre-prepared pie crust or frozen shortcrust pastry.
But if you do have the time, it is truly worth making the effort to make your own pastry. Homemade quiche pastry is buttery and flaky in a way that store bought never will be.
And the thing is – it’s so darn easy using a food processor. The dough comes together in mere minutes – flour, butter, salt, water, blitz = ball of soft dough ready for baking.
Get the recipe for a easy homemade Quiche Crust.
It’s really hard to capture how buttery and flaky the homemade shortcrust pastry is in a photo, but here’s my attempt. 🙂 The pastry is crispy yet soft enough for the fork to cut through with barely any effort. Just as shortcrust pastry should be!
So here is my Quiche Lorraine recipe. There have been minor improvements since I first published it, streamlining the steps and explaining them more clearly. Most notably, the addition of a recipe video which I hope shows how simply the homemade quiche crust is to make, and how beautifully custardy the filling is!
Happy weekend everyone! A great one for a brunch? With……QUICHE?? 😉 Oh…and I believe Mother’s Day is around the corner… 🤔 – Nagi x
MORE GREAT BRUNCH RECIPES
Spanish Tortilla (egg and potato omelette)
CRUSTLESS Quiche – custardy, golden and fabulous (plus super speedy & low carb)
TRY THESE ON THE SIDE
Kale and Quinoa Salad – pictured below, keeps well for days and days!
Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Cranberries – make this when you’re wanting to impress
Any fresh garden salad or steamed vegetables with French Vinaigrette, Italian or Balsamic Dressing
The Quiche Extended Family
Quiche Lorraine – the French mother, with the buttery flaky crust
Salmon Quiche – the elegant aunt. Made with smoked salmon, save this one for special occasions
Italian Sausage Quiche – the cheeky Italian uncle
Hash Brown Crust Quiche Lorraine – the flashy cousin with a hash brown crust
Frittata with Bacon – the father, made the traditional way (stove then oven)
Baked Vegetable Frittata – the uncle,made the easy way (pour and bake!)
Frittata Egg Muffins – the healthy sister
Spanish Tortilla (Omelette) – the Spanish potato-loving aunt
Watch how to make it
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Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
Quiche Crust – choose one:
- 1 homemade quiche crust (shortcrust pastry)
- 2 sheets shortcrust , thawed
- 1 prepared pie shell , fridge or frozen
Bacon Filling:
- 1 tbsp / 15g butter
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped (~1/2 cup)
- 200 g / 6.5 oz bacon, cut into small strips (1.5 x 0.5cm / 2/3″ x 1/5″)
Egg Mixture
- 4 eggs (~55- 65g / 2 oz each)
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream (thickened cream) (Note 1)
- Pinch of salt & pepper
Cheese:
- 1 1/4 cups (125g) grated gruyere cheese (or tasty, cheddar, monterey jack)
Garnish (optional):
- 50g / 2 oz bacon, chopped and cooked until golden
Instructions
Quiche Crust:
- Frozen shortcrust pastry or homemade quiche crust – prepare and bake the crust per Quiche Crust recipe (23cm / 9″ quiche tin).
- Prepared pie shell – bake per packet directions.
Bacon Filling:
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan / convection).
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and bacon. Cook until bacon is light golden.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined bowl and leave to cool.
Egg Mixture:
- Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Assembling and Baking:
- Place quiche tin with cooked quiche crust on tray. Scatter cooled Bacon Filling evenly across base of cooked quiche crust.
- Scatter cheese evenly across top.
- Carefully pour Egg mixture over the top. Push some of the cheese/bacon below the surface.
- Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the top is golden. The centre should still jiggly.
- Garnish with Extra Bacon, if using. Rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cut and serve.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2016, updated with new photos, slightly better filling and most importantly, a recipe video!
Life of Dozer
Giving me those “pity” eyes….no Quiche for Dozer!
Yay!!! It worked! 🙂
I have always wanted to try quiche lorraine, but there seemed to be so much potential for disaster. Your step-by-step instructions convinced my to have a go – and I’m glad I did. 🙂
I only had wholemeal plain flour, but this didn’t seem to affect the end result. I am flushed with success and can’t wait to experiement with different fillings.
Thanks again Nagi!
WOO HOO! I know how you feel Emma!! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, thank you SO MUCH for coming back to let me know! N x
Thank you for this recipe, Nagi! I have tried quite a few recipes for Quiche Lorraine but the filling always seems to turn out grainy and dry. I want smooth and creamy like your recipe promises so I will definitely be giving it a go! I am trying to simplify my recipe file so that it only contains recipes that actually work for me. My aim is to have one “go to”, fail proof recipe for everything I like to cook – would make life easier that’s for sure! 🙂
I know EXACTLY what you mean 🙂 And that’s what I’m aiming to have here on my site – it’s my own personal cookbook for my fail-proof recipes for EVERYTHING I like to cook!! N x
Hahaha, child me would totally have agreed with you about bacon quiche kicking zucchini quiche, but these days, I tend to go the other way. Weird how the tastebuds change. I made a tart quiche thing for the first time a few weeks back, it was really wonderful, definitely one of those dishes that is always relevant.
I always make my own pie crust, it tastes nothing like the store bought! I love you clicks and thanks for reminding me to make some, it’s been a real long time since I made one 😀
Dear Nagi,
Wow! So happy to see this recipe! I’m in France right now for our family vacation and we are enjoying quiche recipes almost every day: -)
Thank you of explaining this step by step the dough process; I’ve never trusted myself to make it on my own and so far my quiche experience is always with the store dough. I will make it once I’m back; here, the quiche offerings are overwhelming, too many and too delicious, and you can guess: -) we want to try everything from the local bakeries. Therefore no time to cook myself: -) except salads and some local cheese-based meals (all on the quick end).
I’m reading your book and I’m making pictures by using your light test: -)
(PS. Yes, if one has to change an ingredient, then the French say the resulting tart is no longer the quiche in question: -)
Therefore no time to cook myself: -) except salads and some local cheese-based meals (all on the quick end).
I’m reading your book and I’m making pictures by using your light test: -)
I wish you a great summer time!!
All the best!
WOW I haven’t had quiche since I was a kid! This reminds me how much I love it, and that I need to make one ASAP!!
A generous slice of Quiche Lorraine and simple green salad is about a perfect meal in my book. I enjoyed reading your step by step on this, it truly sounds like you’ve perfected it. So, of course, it’s a must try.
p.s. Saying no to those pity eyes of Dozer’s. You are a stronger woman than I. ?
Never made a quiche before at home though we love to eat it. You have done such an awesome job at detailing out everything; definitely motivated to make it myself now.
I NEED to make this one day soon. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making a Quiche Lorraine from scratch. You have inspired me to make this. It will have to be a weekend thing these days – my part time hours have turned full time+, and while it’s great for my career progression, it’s not so great for my cooking adventures. Thank goodness for your blog and your amazing recipes – the last 80 or so weeks of my cooking adventures have amassed a lot of your easy-to-cook and super tasty recipes which I’m now using more and more.
Wish I was able to get to the Good Food and Wine Show this weekend. I’ll just have to settle for reading your delicious recipes in my Super Food Ideas magazine (for which I now have a subscription)!
Hi, I was wondering whether heavy cream is pouring cream or thickened cream??
Many thanks
Julie
Hi, I would have loved to go to your show but I’m in Montreal Quebec Canada ,yes Dozer looks disappointed by good smell and no tasting ,sigh ,Lily Gar
As fantastic as that classic quiche looks, I’m afraid Dozer steals the show! What a beauty!
This has my stomach rumbling right now. I always struggle with the whole savory or sweet brunch dilemma but this recipe just won that argument.
Hi Nagi! I haven’t made a quiche in years. Why I don’t know, I guess because scrambled or fried eggs are easier. This looks delicious, as do all your recipes! Sunday is about the only day I make brunch (again, why I don’t know). I’ll have to find my tart (quiche) pan and have a go at it! Trust you are having a grand time at the food fest!!