Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Name: Quiche Lorraine Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 9-inch crust pie dough, homemade or store-bought; 8 oz thick-cut bacon, diced; 1 small shallot, minced; 4 large eggs; 1 1/4 cups heavy cream; 1/2 cup whole milk; 6 oz gruyere cheese, grated; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp white pepper; 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

A classic French custard tart of eggs, cream, gruyere, and crisp bacon baked in a buttery pastry shell. — Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels

Blind-baking the crust before it's filled keeps it from turning soggy under the wet custard, and baking the custard just until it barely sets in the center leaves it silky instead of turning rubbery.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 55 min
Total: 120 min
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Servings8

Using a different pan?

1 9-inch crust pie dough, homemade or store-bought
8 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
1 small shallot, minced
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
6 oz gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

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Instructions

1Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Fit the pie dough into a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish and prick the bottom with a fork.
2Line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights and blind-bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake 5 minutes more, until just barely golden.
3Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
4Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
5Cook the shallot in the remaining bacon fat for 2 minutes, until softened.
6Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
7Scatter the bacon, shallot, and gruyere over the bottom of the crust.
8Pour the custard mixture over the filling.
9Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center is just set with a slight jiggle and the top is golden.
10Let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Tips & variations

Swap the bacon for diced ham for a milder, less smoky version.
Gruyere is traditional, but a mix of gruyere and sharp cheddar or Swiss also works well.
For a lighter custard, use all whole milk in place of the cream, though the texture will be less rich.
Add sauteed mushrooms or wilted spinach along with the bacon for a heartier variation.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover quiche, covered, up to 4 days. Reheat slices in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes to keep the crust from turning soggy, microwaving works but softens the pastry. Quiche also freezes well, baked and cooled, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

A rich, protein- and fat-forward dish thanks to the eggs, cream, and cheese, best served as a moderate slice alongside a salad.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

Let the quiche rest well before slicing, cutting it too soon while it's still very hot causes the custard to run instead of holding a clean slice.
A glass or ceramic pan shows you the crust color better than a dark metal one, which can make it hard to judge doneness by sight.

FAQ

Why is my quiche soggy on the bottom?

This usually means the crust wasn't fully blind-baked before filling, or the filling had too much excess liquid from watery add-ins like mushrooms that weren't cooked down first.

Can I make quiche lorraine ahead of time?

Yes, it reheats well and some people prefer it the next day once the flavors have settled, bake it a day ahead and reheat gently before serving.

Do I really need to blind-bake the crust?

For a crisp bottom crust, yes, skipping it usually results in a pale, undercooked layer under the custard since the filling doesn't give the crust enough direct oven exposure on its own.