The Best Quiche Lorraine

Learn how to make quiche Lorraine, a simple yet elegant breakfast, brunch or dinner.
The Best Quiche Lorraine Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Featuring eggs as a main dish is just plain smart: They’re economical, versatile and nutrient-dense. Go beyond the basic scramble and learn how to make quiche Lorraine, the most famous quiche of them all.

What is quiche Lorraine?

While Lorraine is the region in France that took basic quiche and made it famous, this region kisses the edge of Germany—and the history of quiche Lorraine crosses borders. The word “quiche” actually comes from the German word for cake, kuchen, as it is essentially an open-face savory cake.

Quiches typically have a single crust on the sides and bottom, filled with a creamy egg filling and flavored with cheese. While a quiche’s additional ingredients are flexible (think all sorts of vegetables and meat), a quiche Lorraine is simply bacon, cheese and onions.

Ingredients for Quiche Lorraine

  • Pie pastry
  • Bacon
  • Sweet onions
  • Gruyere cheese
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Eggs
  • Whole milk
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Herbs and spices like thyme and nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

Step 1: Roll out the dough

Roll out the crust how to make quiche lorraineTaste of Home

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 14-inch circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch springform pan or deep fluted quiche pan with a removable bottom. Press the pastry firmly against the bottom and sides. Let it chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

Step 2: Cook the bacon

Cook the bacon how to make quiche lorraineTaste of Home

In a large skillet, cook bacon pieces over medium heat until it’s nice and crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and let it drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings, too.

Step 3: Add the onions

Add the onions how to make quiche lorraineTaste of Home

Add onions to the bacon drippings and cook over medium heat until they’re caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes. Add thyme, pepper and nutmeg. Remove the onion mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly. Then stir in the cheeses and bacon; spoon the mixture into the pastry.

Editor’s Tip: Before you start filling it, place the springform pan on a baking sheet. It will help catch drips and keep your oven clean if the springform isn’t perfectly sealed.

Step 4: Whisk the eggy filling

Whisk the eggs how to make quiche lorraineTaste of Home

Heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the onions and bacon.

Step 5: Bake

Bake how to make quiche lorraineTaste of Home

Bake the quiche for 75 to 85 minutes until the center is puffy and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Step 6: Let the quiche cool

Cool on a wire rack how to make quiche lorraineTaste of Home

Cool the quiche on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then loosen the sides with a knife and remove the springform rim from the pan. Let the quiche stand an additional 5 minutes before cutting. You can serve slices warm or at room temperature.

How to Store Quiche Lorraine

It’s best to refrigerate a quiche after baking, as ingredients include milk, cheese, meat and eggs. It’ll last in the fridge for three to four days.

How to Freeze Quiche Lorraine

Let the baked quiche Lorraine cool to room temperature. Then wrap it in a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze it for up to one month. The day before you want to serve the quiche, move it to the fridge to let it thaw gradually overnight. Reheat it in a 350° oven until the internal temperature reaches 160°.

Quiche Lorraine Tips

how to make quiche lorraineTaste of Home

What’s the secret to making the best quiche Lorraine?

Amazing cheese! The easiest way to add flavor to your quiche is by investing in good cheese. Buy a wedge or block and grate it yourself. While the traditional quiche Lorraine calls for Gruyere and Parmesan, get creative here. Go American (more specifically, Wisconsin) and try Uplands Cheese Company’s Pleasant Ridge Reserve for the Gruyere and Landmark Creamery‘s Pecora Nocciola for the Parmesan. Or use an aged Swiss or Emmentaler for a nutty flavor, or a sharp cheddar.

Can you use milk instead of heavy cream?

If you choose to replace the cream with more whole milk, the quiche will be less rich and the texture will be different. Using skim or low-fat milk will also impact flavor and texture.

Can you use premade crust?

Making pie crust is easier than people think, but don’t let a fear of making scratch pie crust stop you from making quiche. Buy a high-quality pie crust (look for butter in the ingredients).

To make a deep-dish pie crust, it is best to use two single crusts placed on top of one another and roll them out to fit the pan. There will be extra that can be trimmed (cut into fun shapes, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar), but the alternative is rolling out a single pie crust too thin and it may shrink during baking, tear or burn.

After making or fitting a pie crust into a springform pan, chill it for at least 15 minutes, or overnight.

Can you make quiche Lorraine ahead of time?

Making the crust early is a smart idea, says former Taste of Home deputy culinary editor James Schend. The night before you want to bake the quiche, complete Step 1 and let the pastry chill all night. The longer you allow it to chill, the better, he says. The crust will hold its shape more easily, adding more flaky, buttery goodness to every bite.

Watch how to Make The Best Quiche Lorraine

The Best Quiche Lorraine

Nestled in a buttery, rustic crust, this quiche is filled with sweet onions, bacon bits and cheese. It's truly the best quiche Lorraine recipe. —Shannon Norris, Cudahy, Wisconsin
The Best Quiche Lorraine Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time

Prep: 1 hour Bake: 1-1/4 hours + cooling

Makes

8 servings

Ingredients

  • Dough for single-crust deep-dish pie
  • 1 package (12 ounces) thick-sliced bacon strips, coarsely chopped
  • 3 large sweet onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 14-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-in. springform pan; press firmly against bottom and side. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
  2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in pan. Add onions to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat until caramelized, 20-25 minutes.
  3. Stir in thyme, pepper and nutmeg; remove from the heat. Cool slightly. Stir in cheeses and reserved bacon; spoon into crust. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and cream until blended; pour over top. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
  4. Bake on a lower oven rack until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 75-85 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Loosen side from pan with a knife. Remove rim from pan.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 671 calories, 49g fat (27g saturated fat), 308mg cholesterol, 841mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 2g fiber), 25g protein.