The mother of all quiches…. A homemade Quiche Lorraine is one of those things reserved for special occasions that puts store bought to shame. Surprise yourself with how easy it is to make a homemade quiche crust – or make life easy using frozen pastry or a pre prepared pie crust.
Quiche Lorraine
I can’t remember when I made my first quiche, but I can tell you for sure that it was a Quiche Lorraine. Because just as Pork Carnitas are the King of Taco Carts, Quiche Lorraine is surely the Queen of all savoury tarts.
Bacon. Surely it’s the bacon. I mean, how could a Zucchini Quiche possibly ever compete? 😉
Did you know…
This is not a REAL Quiche Lorraine. This is Quiche Lorraine as it is known outside of France. 🙂
As with many traditional dishes, once it leaves the country of origin, it tends to evolve. The filling for traditional Quiche Lorraine, very strictly speaking, is made only with bacon, eggs and cream/creme fraiche. If you add anything else to it, the French say it ain’t a Quiche Lorraine anymore! 😂
So basically, I break the rules and the French may be cursing me. But this is the Quiche Lorraine flavour that will be familiar to those who live outside of France, that I have always known and loved.
The onion adds more savoury flavour. I can’t help adding garlic to that – because when I sauté onion in butter, I add garlic like I’m on auto pilot.
As for adding cheese… I truly cannot image quiche without cheese. I have never had quiche without cheese!
Quiche crust
The pastry for quiche is a simple shortcrust pastry that is buttery and crumbly, crispy yet soft enough to cut your fork through without the needing to jack hammer it.
If you are lacking in time, use a pre-prepared pie crust or frozen shortcrust pastry.Â
But if you do have the time, it is truly worth making the effort to make your own pastry. Homemade quiche pastry is buttery and flaky in a way that store bought never will be.
And the thing is – it’s so darn easy using a food processor. The dough comes together in mere minutes – flour, butter, salt, water, blitz = ball of soft dough ready for baking.
Get the recipe for a easy homemade Quiche Crust.
It’s really hard to capture how buttery and flaky the homemade shortcrust pastry is in a photo, but here’s my attempt. 🙂 The pastry is crispy yet soft enough for the fork to cut through with barely any effort. Just as shortcrust pastry should be!
So here is my Quiche Lorraine recipe. There have been minor improvements since I first published it, streamlining the steps and explaining them more clearly. Most notably, the addition of a recipe video which I hope shows how simply the homemade quiche crust is to make, and how beautifully custardy the filling is!
Happy weekend everyone! A great one for a brunch? With……QUICHE?? 😉 Oh…and I believe Mother’s Day is around the corner… 🤔 – Nagi x
MORE GREAT BRUNCH RECIPES
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Spanish Tortilla (egg and potato omelette)
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CRUSTLESS Quiche – custardy, golden and fabulous (plus super speedy & low carb)
TRY THESE ON THE SIDE
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Kale and Quinoa Salad – pictured below, keeps well for days and days!
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Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Cranberries – make this when you’re wanting to impress
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Any fresh garden salad or steamed vegetables with French Vinaigrette, Italian or Balsamic Dressing
The Quiche Extended Family
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Quiche Lorraine – the French mother, with the buttery flaky crust
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Salmon Quiche – the elegant aunt. Made with smoked salmon, save this one for special occasions
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Italian Sausage Quiche – the cheeky Italian uncle
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Hash Brown Crust Quiche Lorraine – the flashy cousin with a hash brown crust
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Frittata with Bacon – the father, made the traditional way (stove then oven)
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Baked Vegetable Frittata – the uncle,made the easy way (pour and bake!)
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Frittata Egg Muffins – the healthy sister
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Spanish Tortilla (Omelette)Â –Â the Spanish potato-loving aunt
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
Quiche Crust - choose one:
- 1 homemade quiche crust (shortcrust pastry)
- 2 sheets shortcrust , thawed
- 1 prepared pie shell , fridge or frozen
Bacon Filling:
- 1 tbsp / 15g butter
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped (~1/2 cup)
- 200 g / 6.5 oz bacon, cut into small strips (1.5 x 0.5cm / 2/3" x 1/5")
Egg Mixture
- 4 eggs (~55- 65g / 2 oz each)
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream (thickened cream) (Note 1)
- Pinch of salt & pepper
Cheese:
- 1 1/4 cups (125g) grated gruyere cheese (or tasty, cheddar, monterey jack)
Garnish (optional):
- 50g / 2 oz bacon, chopped and cooked until golden
Instructions
Quiche Crust:
- Frozen shortcrust pastry or homemade quiche crust - prepare and bake the crust per Quiche Crust recipe (23cm / 9" quiche tin).
- Prepared pie shell - bake per packet directions.
Bacon Filling:
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan / convection).
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and bacon. Cook until bacon is light golden.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined bowl and leave to cool.
Egg Mixture:
- Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Assembling and Baking:
- Place quiche tin with cooked quiche crust on tray. Scatter cooled Bacon Filling evenly across base of cooked quiche crust.
- Scatter cheese evenly across top.
- Carefully pour Egg mixture over the top. Push some of the cheese/bacon below the surface.
- Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until the top is golden. The centre should still jiggly.
- Garnish with Extra Bacon, if using. Rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cut and serve.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2016, updated with new photos, slightly better filling and most importantly, a recipe video!
 LIFE OF DOZER
Giving me those “pity” eyes….no Quiche for Dozer!
Would this recipe work using filo pastry?
In (still) locked down Canberra so minimising visits to supermarket. Can you substitute full cream milk (which we have in frig) for heavy cream? If so, amount? We have free range eggs from markets that I would like to use. All my Nagi recipes so far have been big hits! Thank you.
Hi Kerry…I am not sure that full cream milk has enough fat…even low fat cream didn’t work in testing (see Note 1) so I can’t recommend it sorry. N x
Thanks Nagi for the quick advice. I’ve since found your crustless quiche which has a milk alternative so I will try that this time, and buy cream for my next quiche.
Great idea! N x
My first time making my own pastry and first time making a quiche! It was easy and delicious! My family loved it – and I reckon its better than the one our local cafe offers. Thanks Nagi!
Perfect recipe, including the homemade pastry which was a doddle to make. Served with simple rocket and olive oil/balsamic vinegar salad. Will become a picnic favourite.