Classic Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Name: Quiche Lorraine
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 recipe pie dough (see Pâte Brisée recipe) or a prepared frozen pie crust; 1/2 pound (225 g) bacon (you can use more or less to your taste); 1 cup (235 ml) milk; 1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream; 3 eggs; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper to taste (we used about 1/2 teaspoon); 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 cup (4 ounces, 113 g) grated gruyere or other cheese (cheddar works, too); 1 heaping tablespoon chopped chives

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The mother of all quiche recipes is the quiche Lorraine, a light custard with lots of bacon in a buttery crust.

Culinary trends took an odd turn in the 70s when quiche gained the reputation of being a Ladies-who-lunch type of dish. Must have been because they took the bacon out and started putting everything else in (asparagus, goat cheese, mushrooms, heck, they even took out the crust).

But the classic quiche Lorraine has endured, I'm guessing mostly because of the bacon!

In this version of quiche Lorraine we've included some chopped chives because as of this writing it is springtime, and the chives are flourishing in the garden.

If you've never made a quiche before, don't worry, it couldn't be easier. Especially if you're working with a prepared frozen crust. If not, it's still easy, it just takes more time and planning.

Quiche lorraine with a piece set on a plate behind it. — Lori Rice

Can You Substitute the Milk and Cream?

You can substitute 1 1/2 cups of half-and-half for the 1 cup of milk and the 1/2 cup of heavy cream without changing the consistency of the custard much. Other dairy substitutions with less fat will add less richness to the custard.

Other substitutions to try (keeping in mind you'll change the consistency and possibly the taste):

Whole milk, 2% milk, or fat-free milk, or any combination of the three
Almond milk
Soy milk
Hemp milk
Equal parts fat-free sour cream and fat-free half and half

Can You Make This a Crustless Quiche?

Yes, you can make this a crustless quiche as long as you keep it in its baking pan, because it won't have enough structure to stand on its own. Also, add one more egg and 1/4 cup of flour to the egg, cream, and milk mixture if you choose to make a crustless Quiche Lorraine.

Can You Freeze (and Reheat) Quiche Lorraine?

To freeze an entire, fully cooked quiche, allow it to cool first. Then place it—pan and all—uncovered, in the freezer until it is frozen through. Remove from the freezer, pop the quiche out of the pan, and wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. Then wrap it in a layer of foil or place it in a large freezer-safe zip top bag with all air removed. The quiche will keep in the freezer up to three months.

Reheat frozen quiche straight from the freezer (unwrapped, of course) or after being thawed in the refrigerator. Whether you're reheating it from its frozen state or thawing it first, place it back in its original pan after removing it from the freezer and unwrapping it. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Cover the quiche with foil so it doesn't brown anymore. Individual slices can also easily be defrosted and reheated in the microwave.

Try These Great Quiche Recipes

Quiche Lorraine

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 70 mins

Chilling Time 30 mins

Total Time 115 mins

Servings 6 servings

Onions or shallots can be used in place of the chives. Use about 1/2 cup, finely chopped, and sauté in butter first before spreading over the bottom of the quiche crust with the bacon.

1 recipe pie dough (see Pâte Brisée recipe) or 1 deep-dish prepared frozen pie crust
1/2 pound (225g) bacon (you can use more or less to your taste)
1 cup (235 ml) milk
1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or less to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (113 g) grated gruyere or other cheese (cheddar works, too)
1 heaping tablespoon chopped chives

Prepare the dough:

If you are making your own pie crust, roll out the pie dough into a 12-inch round. Place it in a 10-inch wide, 1 1/2-inch high tart pan, pressing the dough into the corners. (If you don't have a tart pan, you can use a similarly sized pie pan.)

Use a rolling pin to roll over the surface of the tart pan to cleanly cut off the excess dough from the edges.

Freeze for at least 30 minutes before blind-baking.

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Pre-bake the frozen crust:

Pre-baking is also called "blind" baking. If you're using a store-bought frozen crust, follow the directions on the package for pre-baking.

If you are pre-baking a homemade crust, preheat oven to 350°F. Line the frozen crust with heavy duty aluminum foil. Allow for a couple inches to extend beyond the sides of the tart or pie pan.

Fill tart pan with pie weights such as dry beans, sugar, or rice.

If you are using a pan with a removable bottom, place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven to catch any spillage.

Bake for 40 minutes. Then remove from oven, remove the pie weights (the easiest way to do this is to lift up the foil by the edges) and the foil, and set aside. (See further tips on how to blind bake a crust.)

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Cook the bacon:

Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Arrange strips of bacon in a single layer on the bottom of the pan (you may need to work in batches or do two pans at once).

Slowly cook the bacon, turning the strips over occasionally until they are nicely browned and much of the fat has rendered out.

Lay the cooked strips of bacon on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. Pour fat out of the pan into a jar (not down the drain, unless you want to clog the pipes) for future use, or wait until it solidifies and discard in the trash.

Chop the cooked bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces.

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Preheat the oven:

After the bacon is cooked preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the filling:

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the nutmeg, salt, black pepper and chives and whisk a little more. Add the milk and cream and whisk vigorously to incorporate and introduce a little air into the mix – this keeps the texture of the quiche light and fluffy.
Put filling in pre-baked crust:

Arrange the bacon and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust.

Whisk the egg-milk mixture hard again for a few seconds, then pour it gently into the pie crust.

You want the bacon and cheese to be suspended in the mix, so you might need to gently stir it around just a little. You also want the chives, which will float, to be evenly arranged on top, so move them around with a spoon until you like where they are.

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Bake:

If using pan with removable bottom, place a rimmed baking sheet underneath.

Put the quiche into the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Check for doneness after 30 minutes by gently jiggling the quiche. It should still have just a little wiggle. (It will finish setting while it cools.) Cool on a wire rack.

Eat at room temperature, cold (a quiche will keep for several days in the fridge), or reheated gently in a 200°F oven.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
678	Calories
47g	Fat
37g	Carbs
26g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	678
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 47g	60%
Saturated Fat 20g	100%
Cholesterol 177mg	59%
Sodium 1207mg	52%
Total Carbohydrate 37g	14%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 281mg	22%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 374mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.