Quiche Lorraine
This quiche Lorraine recipe is perfect for a spring brunch! Bakes up silky-smooth and creamy, with a flaky crust and plenty of smoky bacon, onion, & cheese.
I think I can officially say that spring has arrived. We’ve had lots of warm sunny days, the trees are budding, and our daffodils are up and looking so cheery!
I’m so happy for the gorgeous weather, and excited because I know it’s just going to keep getting better and better.
This time of year is so inspiring when it comes to baking! I love all the pretty pastel treats (like these pale pink meringue cookies), the coconut desserts (like this glazed coconut bread), and the yummy pineapple goodies (like this pineapple stuffing).
But today I’m going to share a savory dish that’s perfect for Easter: quiche!
Quiche is perfect for Easter because of the symbolism of eggs at this time of year. They signify rebirth, and plus they’re rich, creamy, and so delish.
You can make it with all sorts of different add-ins, but for the quiche you see here, I kept it traditional with scallions, smoky bacon, and nutty Gruyere cheese. This is a classic recipe known as “quiche Lorraine.”
WHAT IS QUICHE?
Quiche is a savory dish that consists of a creamy, flan-like custard baked in a pie crust. It’s great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or as a light dinner.
WHAT TO PUT IN QUICHE
This recipe is made with a combination of smoky bacon, scallions, and cheese, but you can put all sorts of yummy things into your quiche. Here are a few ideas:
- Cheese (such as crumbled goat cheese, cheddar, or Swiss)
- Meat (breakfast meats like crispy bacon, smoked ham, or crumbled sausage are great)
- Vegetables (I love mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, onion, and spinach, just to name a few)
Make sure your veggies and meat are fully cooked before the quiche goes into the oven, and drain off any excess liquid. Otherwise you could end up with a watery mess (don’t ask me how I know this).
HOW TO MAKE QUICHE
To make this traditional quiche Lorraine, start with the pastry. I like to use this homemade pie crust recipe, because it’s buttery and so incredibly flaky. But if you’re short on time, store bought makes for an easy shortcut.
The crust will need to partially bake (this is to prevent it from getting soggy), so line it with parchment and place ceramic pie weights in the center, to help it keep its shape. (If you don’t have pie weights you can use dry beans or rice.)
Once that’s partially baked, allow it to cool down a little while you get going on the filling.
Quiche Lorraine is typically made with bacon, onions, and cheese. Since they’re so seasonal, colorful, and mild-tasting, I’m using scallions in place of the onion. The bacon should be chopped, cooked, and drained, and the cheese should be grated.
Scatter these ingredients in the bottom of your par-baked pie shell.
Then combine the eggs, milk, cream, and seasonings.
Pour the custard over and all around. It will fill in any empty spaces and disperse itself evenly throughout.
The quiche will bake for about 35 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when it’s set around the edges but still just a little wobbly towards the center.
For the prettiest presentation, allow the quiche to cool completely before you slice in.
IS QUICHE HEALTHY?
At just a little over 200 calories a slice, I think this quiche could definitely be characterized as a healthy meal.
There’s lots of protein in the eggs, milk, and cheese, and veggie add-ins will provide lots of nutrients and a decent amount of fiber.
WHAT TYPE OF PASTRY SHOULD BE USED FOR QUICHE?
The best kind of pastry to bake quiche in would definitely be pie crust. You can use pre-made, store-bought pie pastry, or you can make it yourself.
For the most tender, buttery, flaky pie crust ever, you’ve got to try this recipe: Perfect Homemade Pie Crust. It’s the perfect compliment to the silky, creamy quiche filling.
HOW TO SERVE QUICHE
Quiche can be served warm, cold, or anywhere in between. Personally, I like it at room temperature. It’s pretty much a complete meal in one dish, because of the protein in the eggs plus all the add-ins. But it’s nice to serve it alongside a lightly dressed green salad or a little fresh fruit.
CAN QUICHE BE MADE AHEAD?
Quiche is a great make-ahead dish. It will keep at room temperature for several hours, or in the fridge for a few days. And it can be frozen too!
Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer. It will keep for up to two months. Thaw it at room temperature and reheat it gently in the microwave or in a warm oven (170 degrees F).
You could even make several at a time and keep a stash in your freezer! Try baking it in foil pie pans so you don’t have your nice pie dish tied up in the freezer for months at a time.
If you’re planning a brunch any time soon, I hope you’ll give this quiche Lorraine recipe a try! The flavors go so nicely together, and the silky custard is just sublime with the flaky, buttery crust.
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Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
- 1/2 batch (0.5 batch) Simply Perfect Homemade Pie Crust , (store-bought may be substituted)
- 8 slices (176 g) thick-cut bacon, (about 9.5 ounces)
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) Gruyere cheese, , shredded
- 2 (0.5 bunch) scallions,, sliced thinly
- 4 eggs, , large
- 1 1/2 cups (295.74 ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (118.29 ml) heavy cream
- 3/4 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) garlic powder
- freshly ground black pepper, , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough out to about 2 inches larger than your pie dish.
- Transfer the dough to the pie dish, then trim, roll, and crimp the edge.
- Line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dry beans, then bake for 30 minutes.
- Chop the bacon roughly and cook in a small skillet over medium heat, until crisp.
- Drain the bacon on paper towels; set aside.
- Place the eggs, milk, cream, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a large bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Place the cooled bacon, grated cheese, and scallions in the partially baked crust, then pour the egg mixture over and all around.
- Bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until set around the edges but still just a little bit wobbly toward the center.
- Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Delish! Â I made a low carb crust and your filling. So, SO yummy! Â I cooked mine at 350 for 48 min and it turned out super creamy. Â Not eggy or overcooked at all. Â Thanks for the great recipe!
I attempted this recipe and the egg batter completely ran out of the quiche pan. I don’t think it’s right to pre-bake the crust because that results in it pulling away from the pan.
Ok, so this could be because your pie pan had a smaller capacity. It is frustrating that pie pans aren’t more consistent in their sizing. If you are adding in your egg mixture and it seems like there is too much, don’t use it all. Just fill it most of the way. The filling will puff slightly as it bakes, but not a whole lot. Some pans are deeper than others. I would not recommend skipping the par-baking step because if you do, your crust will be very soggy. If your crust shrinks it might be because the dough was overworked or had too much water in it. Try using ceramic pie weights to keep it in place. I hope this helps!
Hi Allie!
I experienced the same. I par-baked the crust at 375F/30 min per the recipe and the filling completely ran out of my pan. I made sure I had a right-size pan and did not filled it to the top.
Is it right the amount of time to par-bake the crust at this temperate?
The par-bake time listed is what I do when I make it- I’m not sure how or why that would cause the filling to run out. ?? I’m sorry that happened to you. Maybe next time just use a little less filling?
Quiche looks good & love the dishes. ??