Quiche Lorraine

When I’m serving a breakfast crowd (Easter brunch, anyone?), quiche is one of my tried-and-true staples. While there are countless quiche varieties (I have a soft spot for my asparagus quiche), it’s no secret that quiche Lorraine is the king of them all. Cheesy and packed with bacon all in a flaky crust, this classic recipe is basically everything you could want in a brunch spread, all in one bite. Ready to perfect it? Keep reading on for all of my top tips:

How To Make Quiche Lorraine

INGREDIENTS

• Pie Crust: I chose to use our classic pie crust recipe for this quiche. It’s perfectly flaky, and super easy to make at home. Trust me—you definitely won't regret taking the time to make it. That being said, if you’re short on time, store-bought pie crust will work, too.
• Bacon: One of the best parts of quiche Lorraine has to be the smoky, flavorful bacon. If you leave it out, it just won’t be quiche Lorraine.
• Shallot: Shallots are not only classic, but they’re my preference as well for this quiche. That being said, if you don’t have shallots on hand, substitute for yellow onions.
• Gruyère: I kept it classic here and used Gruyère, but if you don’t have any, you can use Swiss cheese instead.
• Eggs: 6 large eggs may seem like a lot, but they provide the perfect filling base for mix-ins that will fill out our pie crust.
• Heavy Cream: I highly recommend using heavy cream instead of a substitution. Unlike when you're making a frittata or scrambled eggs, you don't really want to substitute the dairy in this recipe. While half-and-half will also work, I recommend using heavy cream for the richest, most decadent quiche that will hold together nicely.
• Cayenne & Nutmeg: While this seasoning combination may seem surprising, a pinch of each does wonders for this dish. Cayenne adds a very subtle heat, while nutmeg adds a slight warming layer of flavor.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Before you start this recipe, make sure that your pie crust has been made and chilled for at least 2 hours. Once it’s good to go, preheat your oven to 375° and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Then, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4" thick. Then, very carefully, loosely drape the pie dough over a 9” pie plate and crimp the edges. Place in the fridge, and refrigerate until your filling is prepared and you’re ready to bake.

Now, we can prepare our filling. We’ll start by cooking our bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Turn it occasionally, and cook until crispy—this should take around 8 minutes. Once it’s to your liking, transfer it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain any excess grease, then crumble into pieces using your hands.

Now, remove your dough from the oven, and scatter the crumbled bacon over the dough, followed by the finely chopped shallot and 1 cup of shredded Gruyère (reserve the 1/2 cup for later). Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, cayenne, and nutmeg, then season well with salt and pepper. Pour it over the bacon and shallot mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining shredded Gruyère.

Bake the quiche until the crust is golden brown and the filling is cooked through, this should take around 40 minutes. Practice patience and let the quiche cool for around 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

What Is Quiche Lorraine?

Quiche Lorraine is a French breakfast dish that first became popular in the United States in the 1950s. While quiche Lorraine can vary from recipe to recipe, I kept this recipe classic with bacon, shredded Gruyère, shallots, and heavy cream. While I love this staple recipe as is, you can experiment and make it your own! Once you’ve got your base down, this recipe is endlessly adaptable.

Recipe Tips

• Variations. If you’re looking to expand beyond this classic recipe, I suggest looking to our spinach quiche, crustless quiche (if you're looking for a low-carb version), or our crispy hash brown-crusted bacon and cheddar quiche.

What To Serve With Quiche Lorraine

• Arugula salad
• Roasted Potatoes
• Copycat McDonald's Hash Browns

Storage

If you have any quiche leftovers, store them in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.