French Quiche Lorraine
French quiche Lorraine is as classic as it gets. Our version uses a good-quality pre-made pie crust to make this dish more routinely achievable. It's generous with the bacon and Gruyere without being unreasonable. If you like you can bake it alongside our Quiche Florentine on the same rimmed baking sheet to serve a crowd and use up a two-pack of pie crusts. Quiche is even better the next day, so it's great to make in advance for a party or for a few nights' worth of dinners.
Servings: 8
Calories: 425kcal
Ingredients
- 9- inch deep dish pie crust see note
- 6 ounces (170 grams) thick cut bacon, cut crosswise into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small yellow onion or large shallot finely diced
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 ½ cups 6 ounces/(170 grams) shredded Gruyere
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
- Place crust (in foil pie plate) onto a rimmed baking sheet and defrost on countertop for 10 minutes.
- Prick crust all over the bottom and sides with a fork. (See note.)
- Bake crust for 10 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes. (If directions for “blind baking” on your crust’s package vary substantially, you can follow those, but this method should work for most frozen crusts.)
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- While crust bakes, set a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and crisped to your liking.
- Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Pour off all but about one tablespoon bacon fat from pan and replace pan over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about five minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs well with a fork.
- Add cream, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne, and mix until well-combined.
- Gently spread onion, bacon, and cheese evenly over bottom of crust.
- Open oven and pull out rack enough to set the partially filled crust (still on rimmed baking sheet) onto the rack.
- Carefully pour the egg mixture into the crust. It will be very full. Gently slide rack back into place.
- Bake until filling is just set and still ever so slightly jiggly (but not sloshy) in the center, 45-60 minutes. The center will firm up as it cools, and pulling the quiche out at this stage will prevent it from getting tough.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, preferably longer. Quiche is even better the next day.
Notes
- We like Wholly Wholesome traditional organic pie crusts from the freezer section of Whole Foods. Just be sure to use a good-quality crust that doesn't taste too sweet. Quiche does not want a sweet crust.
- If you want to eliminate any chance of the crust puffing up while it blind bakes, you can line the bottom with parchment and place dried beans overtop. This isn’t usually necessary for frozen crusts, which tend to have less dough than homemade crusts. If your crust puffs slightly while blind baking and doesn't settle down on its own after it cools for 10 minutes, just gently tamp it back down.
- If you’d like a browned crust, you can brush the edges of the crust with an egg wash.
- One of the best things about serving quiche at a party is that it actually improves with a little rest, so it’s a great make-ahead dish. You can make it the night before for a brunch party or in the morning for a dinner party and simply leave it to rest on the counter in a cool kitchen until ready to serve.
- Or you can make it two or three days in advance and store it tightly covered in the fridge once completely cooled, then reheat it until warmed through in a 325°F oven, covered with foil, shortly before serving.
- Leftovers will keep well, tightly covered in the fridge, for a week.
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.8g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 32.6g | Fiber: 0.8g