A classic French dish, Quiche Lorraine features a rich and flavorful savory custard filled with cheese and bacon in a crisp and buttery pastry. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner; this meal will have everyone coming back for more, no matter the time of day.
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Classic Quiche Lorraine Recipe
Quiche Lorraine is probably the first dish that comes to mind when most people think of quiche. This classic French dish (or is it German? or a little of both?) has remained popular in the US since it was introduced to American cuisine around the 1950s.
If you haven't tried it, you're missing out. It's a classic for a reason: the rich custard base is spiked with bacon (traditionally pork lardons, but we're going with bacon here for simplicity's sake) and cheese, held together by a crisp and buttery pastry that provides the perfect textural contrast. All of the flavors come together to create something truly greater than the sum of its parts. It's perfect to serve for a low-key Sunday brunch, yet also fancy enough to serve at a party.
Quiche recipes range from ultra-rich (like this Pepperoni Pizza Quiche) to delightfully light (like this Ham and Cheese Quiche). A Quiche Lorraine is aligned with the ultra-rich category. Between the cream-spiked custard, the cheese, and the bacon, it's a decadent dish. It's perfect to serve with a light, bright, vinegary salad (this Cucumber and Avocado salad on my other website would be perfect to pair with it).
So, let's get to making it, shall we? The article below details all the information you need to know to make this successfully, concluding with the recipe at the end. You can jump around using the menu below or skip to the end of the article for the full recipe.
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Ingredients Needed
One of the great things about making a Quiche Lorraine is that it does not require a long or fussy list of ingredients. Aside from the butter, flour, and water needed to make the pastry crust, here is what you need to make it:
- thick-cut bacon (regular bacon will do fine in a pinch, but thicker-cut bacon is more similar to the traditional pork lardons)
- eggs
- milk + cream
- fresh ground black pepper + coarse kosher salt (this recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt; if you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half)
- ground nutmeg
- shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese (use what you have or your preference)
- pie crust (we will talk more about that below)
The Pastry for Quiche Lorraine
True to its Alsace-Lorraine heritage, this quiche relies on a French pastry for the crust. Pâte Brisée (pronounced "pat bree-ZHAY") is a buttery pie dough. However, it’s not quite the same as the flaky pie dough we are most familiar with here in the US.
This standard French-style pie crust is a bit more sturdy, with tighter “crumb” to it, and resembles what's called a "shortcrust pastry" across the pond in the UK. The butter is worked into the dough just a bit more than American-style pie pastry, and a final blending of the fat into the flour is performed at the end using a French technique known as fraisage. This final blending results in a crumbly, flaky pastry, which is incredibly delicious. It serves as the ideal vessel for this creamy quiche because it is sturdy yet crisp, providing a delightful textural contrast to the filling.
I've dedicated a whole recipe with lots of tips and tricks for making pâte brisée if you want to learn more about that. But, everything you need to know to make this pastry is written in the instructions below.
However, as this is a pie website, I have many different crusts you could pair with this Quiche Lorraine if you're looking for something different. This basic butter crust will work well here, or this cream cheese and butter pie crust for a more enriched flavor. Or this 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Pie Crust will also work.
You could also make the flavor a little bit more interesting by baking it in a Whole Wheat Pie Crust or a Spelt Pie Crust, which are both super delicious.
Blind Baking the Crust
For this quiche, the pie crust must be partially baked at a higher temperature of 425ºF before adding the filling, which is then cooked at 375º.
Blind-baking a pie crust can be intimidating, but it's actually easy if you follow a few simple tips. The recipe includes instructions on how to do it below, but if you are new to blind baking, check out this Blind-Baking Tutorial for a deeper dive into this subject.
Step-By-Step Recipe Overview
This is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. This is not the actual recipe, which is located at the end of this article and has much greater detail to ensure success.
Step 1: Rub the butter into the flour, then toss it together with the water.
Step 2: Blend the dough together using the fraisage technique (use the heel of your hand to spread the butter and dough into a thin layer)
Step 3: Blind-bake the pie shell.
Step 4: Crisp up the bacon.
Step 5: Add it to the tart shell, then pour over the egg mixture.
Step 6: Bake until the custard is set and golden brown.
How to Tell When It's Done
A classic Quiche Lorraine has a set filling with light brown speckles all over the top of the custard. Because it is thin, it cooks quite quickly compared to other quiches (like this Broccoli Cheddar Quiche, which takes about an hour to bake), so you'll want to check on the pie starting at 35 minutes.
You'll know the quiche is done when the filling has completely puffed up and the top has started to turn golden.
The quiche should cool for about 10 minutes before serving, at which point the filling will deflate slightly to form a flat surface.
Serving and Storing
Nothing compares to a freshly-baked quiche! When made correctly, it is creamy, light, and bursting with flavor. The best part is that quiche can easily be prepared in advance, up to a day or two before serving. Reheat it before serving and enjoy!
And this recipe also freezes nicely. Cool the baked quiche completely before wrapping it tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, then store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you need an easy meal, defrost completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then reheat in the oven at 350º until heated through. The quiche filling should reach an internal temperature above 160ºF.
More Quiche Recipes
More Savory Pies
I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make this Quiche Lorraine, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, and tag me on Instagram!
Full Recipe
Quiche Lorraine
A classic French dish, Quiche Lorraine is a rich and flavorful custard featuring cheese and bacon in a crisp and buttery pastry. This recipe calls for a 9" tart pan. If you wanted to bake this in a regular pie dish, you can, however the custard filling will be rather thin.
- Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield8 servings
Ingredients
For Pâte Brisée:
- 1-½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 grams) cold salted butter, diced into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup (60 grams) ice water, more as needed
For Quiche Filling:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) thick-cut bacon (about 6 pieces), diced into 1-inch pieces
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (230 grams) whole milk
- ½ cup (115 grams) heavy cream
- Pinch coarse kosher salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
- Pinch nutmeg
- ½ cup (60 grams) shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Instructions
Make the Pâte Brisée:
- Add the flour to a large bowl. Toss in the cold butter pieces and coat with flour. Using your fingertips, start working the butter into the flour. Continue until the butter is broken down into small pieces, no bigger than the size of a pea.
- Drip the ice water around the edge of the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough is mostly hydrated. If there is enough water, the dough should squeeze together easily with your hands. If needed, you can drip more water into any dry spots (check the bottom of the pile especially), adding just enough water to bring the dough together.
- Transfer the dough to a large work surface to fraisage the dough for the final blend of butter and flour. Spread the mixture out into a horizontal line in front of you. Using the heel of your hand, rapidly press the dough onto the board and streak it forward about 3 to 5 inches into a thin line. Repeat this process until most of your dough has been worked.
- Using a bench scraper, gather the dough into a pile. Place the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it stretches to the edges of the plastic wrap to ensure a tight seal. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Blind-Bake the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and place racks in the lower and middle parts of the oven.
- Roll out the pie dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit the pastry into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork. Place the tart shell in the freezer while the oven preheats, at least 15 minutes.
- Once chilled, line the tart shell with a round piece of parchment paper, then add pie weights (I recommend dry rice or beans or lentils), making sure to push the pie weights to the edges.
- Bake on the lower rack for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment and pie weights. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
Make and Bake the Filling:
- Lower the oven temperature to 375ºF.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Place the bacon and the cheese in the parbaked crust.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top.
- Bake the quiche on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top has fully puffed up and is lightly brown all over.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let the quiche cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Check out this Pâte Brisée recipe to learn more about making this classic French pastry.
If you can’t get salted butter, add ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt to the flour mixture when making the pâte brisée. This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by half for volume.
Quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Make it gluten-free by using this Gluten-Free Pie Crust.
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Sandy
Such a yummy meal - rich and delicious. The thorough instructions, tips and pictures really helped make this easy to prepare and bake.
I ended up making it with an All- Butter flaky crust because I already had some on hand ready to roll out and, while this is a step away from the suggested recipe (and one I plan to rectify on a future date), it was still tasty as can be! A big hit with the whole family.
Kelli Avila
So glad you enjoyed, Sandy! One of my favorites too!
Ute Hamann
You might want to correct your butter weight for the pastry.
1/2 cup butter = 1/4 pound = 8 oz= 113 gram
Kelli Avila
Hi! Thank you for catching that typo! It's been updated 🙂
Stef
I don't think words can really make justice to how much I adore this Quiche Lorraine! Run, don't walk to prepare it, you really need it in your life.
I know there are plenty of Quiché Lorraine recipes out there, but THIS IS IT! Layered crunchy pasta and a filling that doesn't taste too eggy.
I made it for my family, my dad wouldn't stop commenting on how good this was. ❤️
Giojoplin
Half and half??? What's that?
Kelli Avila
Half and half is a milk product you can buy (at least in the US) that is made up of equal parts milk and heavy cream!