This perfect recipe for the classic French quiche Lorraine features a buttery pie crust filled with a savory custard studded with bacon, Gruyere cheese, and chives. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner!

Overview photo of baked quiche Lorraine in glass pie plate.

In the past, I’ve made quiche Lorraine scones and a bacon and cheese quiche tart, but now it’s time to visit the original: classic quiche Lorraine!

What is Quiche Lorraine?

Quiche dates back to the 13th century and appeared in cookbooks as early as the 15th century (!); it is widely known as a French recipe, but the simple eggs and cream custard baked in a pastry was also common in English and Italian cuisines around the same time.

Quiche Lorraine is arguably the most popular type of quiche recipe and is named after the Lorraine region of France; they made a classic quiche filling with eggs, cream, and lardons (cubes of fatty bacon or pork fat). Interestingly, the French quiches did not include cheese; however, in English-speaking countries, quiche Lorraine typically includes cheese, and the lardons are replaced with bacon.

What You’ll Need to Make It

Ingredients for quiche Lorraine prepped and labeled.

If you’ve felt intimidated about how to make quiche in the past, have no fear! It’s quite simple and only requires two steps: preparing and par-baking the crust, and then filling it up and baking it in the oven. 

Let’s go over each step…

The Crust

There are a few options when it comes to the quiche crust:

  • All-butter pie crust – This is the version included in the recipe below because I think it’s just absolutely divine. The buttery, flaky crust pairs wonderfully with the savory filling.
  • Foolproof pie dough recipe – This has been my go-to pie crust ecipe for years, using a combination of butter and shortening, along with some vodka in place of water for a perfectly flaky crust that’s easy to work with each and every time.
  • Store-bought crust: You can absolutely buy a pre-made crust and use that. I do think homemade is exponentially better, but if you’re short on time, it will absolutely work.
  • Crustless quiche option: You can make a quiche without a crust, just be sure to leave it in the pan that it’s baked in, as it won’t be able to be completely removed for serving.

How to Parbake the Crust

Also referred to as “blind-baking” the crust, we’re going to bake the crust until it’s almost done, but not quite since it’ll go back in the oven with the filling. I’ve tried many different methods for this, different pie weights (including ceramic balls, dry beans, rice, you name it!), and the method I’ve found that is completely foolproof is the one outlined by Stella Parks.

You can see a step-by-step tutorial here: How to Blind Bake Pie Crust and read the short version below:

Line the chilled pie plate with aluminum foil then fill it all up with granulated sugar (you can reuse it!) and bake it at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes (for partially-baked crusts) or 55 to 60 minutes (for a fully baked crust).

I have never had so much success – no shrinking pie crust, no dough sticking to foil as I try to remove it halfway through baking, and a beautifully browned pie crust.

Quiche Filling

For a wonderfully rich quiche, I use a combination of heavy cream and milk and feel it creates the best taste and texture. However, you can mix up the proportions if you’d like more milk than cream (or simply use half and half instead).

Side by side photos of whisking together the filling for quiche Lorraine.

Add-Ins!

While quiche Lorraine filling typically includes bacon, Gruyere cheese, and some type of onions, you can use this basic quiche recipe to mix and match ingredients for countless different quiche varieties! I recommend using no more than 1 cup of cheese and 2 cups of whatever else you want to include. Some ideas:

  • Meat: Ham or Canadian bacon, sausage, crab meat
  • Cheese: Swiss cheese, cheddar, goat, gouda, feta
  • Veggies: Spinach (or other greens), mushrooms, onion, shallot, asparagus, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini
  • Seasonings: Chives, parsley, basil, cayenne pepper, Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce

Note: If you use any fresh vegetables or greens, I recommend cooking them first so they don’t release liquid in the quiche and cause it to become watery or soupy.

Quiche Lorraine filling poured into a par-baked pie crust.

Many quiche Lorraine recipes also include some type of cooked onions or shallots; I am not always a fan of cooked onion in egg dishes, as I feel it can sometimes be overpowering, so I opted instead to use chives. They give the perfect amount of bite but are much milder.

The Pan

  • A classic 9-inch pie plate is perfect for this quiche recipe; I’ve found glass pie plates perform better than metal or ceramic pie plates in terms of browning, heat conduction, and consistency.
  • An alternative for your quiche is a tart pan, usually 9½ or 10 inches in diameter. Since tart pans are shallower than pie plates, you may have some leftover custard, and your baking time will be reduced if you choose to go the tart pan route. A tart pan with a removable bottoms allows you to remove the entire quiche from the pan and place it on a serving platter.
  • They also sell quiche molds, which are fluted like a tart pan (and also have a removable bottom), but much deeper than a traditional tart pan and should hold all of the filling without an issue.

The great news is that whatever pan you choose, no prep work is required; you do not need to grease them or line them in any way.

Baked quiche with a slice removed from the pan.

Make-Ahead, Storing, Freezing and Reheating Instructions

  • Make-Ahead Pie Crust: The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Make-Ahead Parbake Pie Crust: You can par-bake the crust ahead of time. Complete instructions through step 6, then allow the partially baked crust to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can fill the cold crust and bake (the crust does not need to be reheated prior to filling).
  • Storage: Wrap the quiche tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing Instructions: Cool baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil, place in a large ziptop bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat at 350°F (177°C) for 20-25 minutes.

What to Serve with a Classic Quiche

What you choose to serve with your quiche will probably depend on whether you’re serving it for breakfast/brunch, or dinner. Here are some suggestions that could work in either instance:

  • Fruit salad
  • Roasted tomatoes
  • Tossed salad
  • Cucumber salad
  • Breadsticks
  • Roasted, sauteed, or grilled vegetables
  • Soup
Side view of a slice of quiche on a white plate.

More Favorite Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

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Classic Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
This perfect recipe for the classic French quiche Lorraine features a buttery pie crust filled with a savory custard studded with bacon, Gruyere cheese, and chives. 
4.70 (13 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1¼ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

  • 8 ounces bacon, about 8 slices, cooked and chopped
  • 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon minced chives
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk

Instructions 

  • Prepare the Crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
  • Add the butter and, using a pastry blender or two forks, quickly cut it into the flour until large pea-sizes bits remain.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of the ice water and use a rubber spatula to stir it into the dough, pressing it together. If it still seems dry, add more water a little at a time until it is cohesive.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together with your hands, pressing it into a 6-inch round. Lightly flour the top and gently and quickly roll it out to a 13-inch circle, picking it up and doing a quarter turn after every couple of rolls to keep it from sticking.
  • Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate and gently press it into the bottom and up the sides. Trim the dough to 1 inch beyond the lip of the pie plate, then tuck it under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate. Flute the edges or press with the tines of a fork, then refrigerate the dough-lined plate for at least 2 hours.
  • Blind Bake Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the chilled pie dough with aluminum foil and use granulated sugar to fill the whole pie plate. Bake for 40 minutes; remove the foil and sugar and set the crust aside while you make the filling.
  • Prepare the Filling: Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
  • Sprinkle the bacon and cheese over the bottom of the pie crust.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until they are broken up and a little frothy. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and chives, and whisk to combine. Add the cream and milk and whisk vigorously for about 15 seconds.
  • Pour the filling over the bacon and cheese. Using a fork or spoon, gently stir everything around a little so that the bacon and cheese are mixed into the filling.
  • Bake the Quiche: Bake for 30 to 40 minutes; check for doneness by giving the pie plate a little wiggle. The quiche mixture should jiggle ever so slightly in the middle; it will finish setting up as it cools.
  • Allow the quiche to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. It can be served warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Crust: Use the included all-butter pie crust or my butter/shortening crust.
  • Pan: 9-inch glass pie plate (alternatives: tart pan or quiche mold)
  • Heavy Cream/Milk: You can adjust the ratios of cream and milk or use all half-and-half.
  • Mix-Ins: Mix and match meats, cheese, and veggies for your own custom quiche. See suggestions above, keeping it to 1 cup cheese and 2 cups meat and/or veggies.
  • Make-Ahead Pie Crust: The pie dough can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Make-Ahead Parbake Pie Crust: You can pre-bake the crust ahead of time. Complete instructions through step 6, then allow the partially baked crust to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can fill the cold crust and bake (the crust does not need to be reheated before filling).
  • Storage: Wrap the quiche tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing Instructions: Cool baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil, place in a large ziptop bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Calories: 488kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 168mg, Sodium: 497mg, Potassium: 154mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1067IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 197mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine: French

[Photography by Dee of One Sarcastic Baker]