Quiche Lorraine is the original quiche recipe and is still a favorite decades later. Made with crispy bacon, sharp Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and a rich egg base, this luscious Bacon and Swiss Quiche is a crowd-pleasing recipe perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Quiche Lorraine, just like Beef Bourguignon, Homemade Crepes, and French Onion Soup, is a classic French recipe. More specifically, Quiche Lorraine is a type of quiche that originated in the region of Lorraine, France, and is made with an egg custard baked with bacon, onions, and Swiss cheese in a pie crust.
While now we find quiches of all varieties, such as Ham and Cheese Quiche and Puff Pastry Quiche Cups, Quiche Lorraine was the first popular quiche recipe in America--and after one bite, it is easy to see why!
Why You'll Love Quiche Lorraine
- Amazing Flavor. From the flaky, buttery pie crust to the rich, cheesy custard, to the tender, slightly sweet onions, to the crispy, savory bacon, Quiche Lorraine has it all. It is creamy, rich, and downright divine.
- Bacon. Most people find it hard to resist bacon, so adding it to your quiche is a nearly fool-proof way to assure that your brunch guests will be pleased.
- Suitable for Any Meal. Pair Quiche Lorraine with a strawberry spinach salad and a homemade latte for a brunch that everyone will rave about! Or serve this hearty quiche with a Bacon Spinach Salad for a satisfying light dinner.
- Perfect for Entertaining. Not only is everyone wowed by the flavors in this Bacon Quiche but it can also be prepared in advance and tastes delicious warm or at room temperature.
Notes on Ingredients
- Pie Crust: For this recipe, you will need one deep-dish pie crust. Use a homemade pie crust, refrigerated pie dough sheets, or a 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie crust.
- Bacon: For Quiche Lorraine, I do recommend using pork bacon over turkey bacon for the best flavor, and you need the rendered bacon fat to use for sauteeing the onions. I prefer using thick-cut, cubed bacon, for nice hearty pieces of bacon throughout the quiche. That said, any thick-cut pork bacon works well.
- Onions: Use Vidalia or sweet onions, rather than yellow or red onions, for the best sweet, mellow flavor.
- Cream and Milk: Using both cream and milk will keep the custard creamy yet light. Use any fat percentage for the milk you have on hand.
- Cheese: Swiss Cheese is a must for Quiche Lorraine recipes. I recommend using either Gruyere or Baby Swiss for the best flavor. I also add a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese for additional flavor.
- Nutmeg: A bit of grated whole nutmeg adds warmth and complexity to the egg custard. Do not substitute the grated nutmeg for ground nutmeg, as the flavor can become
Substitutions/Modifications
- Speed It Up: Using a frozen pie crust will speed up the process of making Quiche Lorraine quite a bit, and will still render delicious results.
- Bacon Bits? Do not be tempted to use leftover baked bacon or store-bought bacon bits. The rendered fat from the bacon will give this quiche incredible flavor.
- Use Half and Half: Replace the milk and cream combination with 2 cups of half and half.
How to Make Quiche Lorraine
While it may seem like there are a lot of steps, this is an overall easy recipe for Quiche Lorraine and you will find detailed instructions in the recipe card.
Step One: Prebake Pie Crust. To prevent the crust from becoming soggy and to ensure the pie crust cooks through, the crust needs to be prebaked if you begin this quiche recipe using a refrigerated or homemade pie crust.
Recipe Note: For a frozen pie crust, there is no need to use pie weights or dried beans, simply bake the pie crust from frozen for 10 minutes and then cool slightly.
Step Two: Pan-Fry Bacon. While I typically opt to bake bacon for ease, for this recipe, you need to pan-fry chopped bacon. The rendered bacon grease is key to caramelizing the onions and adding flavor to the quiche.
Step Three: Caramelize Onions. Use one tablespoon of the rendered bacon grease to cook the onions. That grease will help to flavor the onions much more than using olive oil.
Step Five Make Egg Custard. An egg custard is simply eggs mixed with cream or milk. In the case of this quiche recipe, I use both cream and milk to keep the quiche rich, yet light.
Step Six: Assemble the Quiche. The easiest way to ensure that every bite of the quiche has the perfect ratio of bacon to onions to eggs, start by sprinkling the pie crust with the crispy bacon in an even layer and then top with the onions. Top with both the Swiss and parmesan cheese. Finally, pour the egg custard over the mixture.
Step Seven: Bake. Bake the Quiche Lorraine until the eggs are set around the edges and the center is just slightly wobbly, this will make sure that your filling is rich and creamy, rather than tough and overcooked. Keep in mind, you may want to check your quiche after 20 minutes of baking time. to determine if the crust is browning too much. At this point, you can use a pie shield or foil to shield your crust from further browning if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Quiche Lorraine is the ultimate recipe for breakfast, lunch, or even a light dinner. It is delicious warm or at room temperature and can be safely left out at room temperature for up to two hours, making it perfect for entertaining.
I love serving this bacon quiche with either a Strawberry Spinach Salad or Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing and a Honey Lime Fruit Salad for a meal that is sweet, savory, and satisfying.
How to Store Quiche
- Refrigerate: Once your bacon quiche has been baked and cooled, wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Place the baked and cooled quiche in the freezer and freeze until solid. Once frozen, wrap the quiche in a layer of foil and place it in a plastic freezer bag, removing air before sealing. To reheat frozen quiche, remove it from the freezer bag and remove foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until just warmed through.
More Favorite Brunch Recipes
- Easy Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight Breakfast Strata
- Broccoli & Asparagus Frittata
- Mediterranean Frittata
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Instant Pot Egg Bites
- Easy Cheese Danish with Puff Pastry
If you enjoyed this Quiche Lorraine recipe, I would love for you to leave a comment and review.
Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pie crust or storebought pie dough or frozen 9-inch pie crust
- ½ pound thick-cut bacon diced into chunks
- 1 large Vidalia or sweet onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Instructions
For the Pie Crust
- Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface and then transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Press the pastry dough into the pan. Fold under the overhanging crust so that the edge is thick and even and then flute the edges of the pie crust. Place the form pie crust into the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the homemade or refrigerated pie dough, line the crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and continue baking until the bottom crust is golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly. For a frozen pie crust, there is no need to use pie weights or dried beans, simply bake from frozen for 10 minutes and then cool slightly.
For the Quiche Lorraine
- In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove it from the skillet and place it onto a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat remaining in the skillet. Add the onion to the rendered bacon grease and cook until the onion is transparent and soft, stirring often. Turn off the heat on the skillet.
- To the prepared pie crust, add the cooked bacon and onion. Sprinkle the onion and bacon evenly with the Swiss and Parmesan cheese.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour the egg mixture over the pie crust. Gently tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Place the quiche onto a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the eggs are just set. The edges should be nice and firm and the center a tiny bit wobbly. After 20 minutes, check your quiche to determine if the crust is browning too much. At this point, you can use a pie shield or foil to shield your crust from further browning if needed.
- Remove to wire rack and let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Libby
This was the best quiche I've ever made, it was so easy to make and the flavor and texture were just amazing.
Kristen Chidsey
Thrilled to hear that, Libby! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review as well!
Jenn
Quiche is easily my fav go-to brunch item to make and quiche lorraine has been on my list to try for so long! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
So happy to hear you finally gave it a try! Thanks for sharing!
Ashley
I made this for brunch and it was delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Vicky
I'd never had quiche Lorraine before, and it was fantastic. The custard was so flavorful, especially with the addition of nutmeg. We will be eating this often!
Kristen Chidsey
So happy you gave it a try and enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and review. It is appreciated.
Audra
This is a perfect recipe for Easter. Made it as a trial run and delish. thanks for sharing!
Kristen Chidsey
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed and that is is on your Easter brunch menu! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Ben
I loved this quiche recipe! I love having slices to take to work with a small arugula salad!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh I love pairing the of quiche with an arugula salad. YUM! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review.
Gotta EAT
Try half cup whole milk and half cup creme fraiche( like they do in the Alsace-Moselle region ) instead of 1 cup each milk and cream. You'll never look back. Guaranteed.
Beth
I made this quiche for supper, along with your roasted asparagus, and both were SO delicious! The quiche came together easily and will be my go to recipe now.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Beth! That sounds like an absolutely delicious meal! So happy you enjoyed both!
Marsha
One of our favourites. We absolutely love this quiche!
Renee Goerger
This quiche recipe is one of my favorites. Thanks for the great recipe!
Liz
This was the first quiche I ever ate and your recipe brought back such delicious memories! Every bite was terrific!!
Kristen Chidsey
This is the first quiche I had too as a child...so good.
Abigail S. Raines
I love this quiche not only because it's tasty but because it's so versatile. I can eat this anytime of the day!
Janet
What temperature do you bake at?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi there. You bake this quiche at 375 degrees.