Ideal for brunch or lunch, this Quiche Lorraine combines crisp pastry with creamy eggs, smoky bacon and nutty Emmental in a satisfying savoury tart.
This Quiche Lorraine is my version of the classic French savoury tart, made with a pastry crust and a creamy egg and bacon filling, topped with Emmental cheese. There are many variations of this classic dish, and I’m not claiming mine to be the traditional recipe. Actually, it looks like the original Quiche Lorraine didn’t have any milk or cheese in it!
Anyhow, I think this is a great recipe, and it tastes like the Quiche Lorraine I used to eat in France. It makes a delicious lunch served with a green salad and is perfect for a picnic. It’s also a nutritious lunch box option, especially for kids who love eggs. Enjoy!
Why We Love Homemade Bacon Quiche
- Pairs well with a simple green salad for an easy meal without lots of side dishes.
- Makes a practical make-ahead option when you want to prepare your meal early.
- Works well for family lunches because portions can be cut to different sizes.
Key Ingredients for Quiche Lorraine
Shortcrust Pastry or Puff Pastry
Shortcrust pastry adds a crisp, crumbly texture and a lightly buttery flavour. Puff pastry gives the quiche a lighter, flakier texture with delicate layers.
Eggs
Eggs give the filling a soft, tender texture and mild savoury richness. They create the creamy, custard-like consistency that contrasts with the crisp pastry and bacon.
Thickened Cream or Heavy Cream
Cream adds a rich dairy flavour and a silky, creamy texture. It pairs especially well with the salty bacon and nutty Emmental.
Milk
Gives the filling a softer, lighter texture with a gentle dairy flavour. It works with the cream and eggs to create the smooth, custard-like consistency of the quiche.
Streaky Bacon
Streaky bacon adds salty, smoky flavour and crisp pieces throughout the creamy filling. Choose bacon with a good balance of meat and fat for tender pieces with crisp edges.
Emmental
Emmental brings a mild, nutty flavour with a slightly sweet, buttery taste. Choose a good-quality block for a smooth, melty texture that pairs well with bacon and eggs.
Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Quiche Lorraine
Prepare the Pastry
Step 1: Press the puff pastry into the pan and prick it all over with a fork. Place a piece of baking paper on top of the pastry and either fill it with some rice/beans or place another pan on the inside.
Note: Weighing down the pastry helps prevent it from puffing up while baking.
Step 2: Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C – 480°F for about 5-10 minutes or until golden. Let it cool.
Prepare the Filling and Bake
Step 1: Put the bacon in a non-stick pan and sauté for a few minutes over a high heat, allowing the fat to render and the lardons to become crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream. Gradually add the milk and continue whisking until well combined. Add a pinch of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: Spread the lardons over the baked pastry. Pour in the egg mixture and evenly distribute the shredded Emmental on top.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C – 480°F for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the quiche is cooked through. It is ready when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the quiche comes out clean.
Step 5: Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Gruyère or Swiss cheese are good alternatives because they have a similar nutty flavour and melt well. Cheddar can also work if you prefer a sharper cheese flavour.
Sautéed shallots, onions, mushrooms or spinach work well with the creamy egg filling. Cook vegetables with a high water content first and drain any excess liquid before adding them to the pastry.
Yes. The original recipe allows either shortcrust or puff pastry. Shortcrust gives you a crisp, crumbly crust, while puff pastry has a lighter, flakier texture.
The top should be golden brown and the filling cooked through. Insert a toothpick into the centre of the quiche. It’s ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
Extra Help from the Kitchen
Use Room-Temperature Eggs – Bring the eggs out of the fridge ahead of time and let them lose their chill before whisking. This helps them combine more smoothly with the cream and milk.
Set the Pan on a Baking Tray – Place the quiche pan on a baking tray before pouring in the filling. Use the tray to transfer the filled pan to the oven with less risk of spilling the liquid mixture.
Protect the Pastry Edges – Cover the exposed pastry edges loosely with foil if they start browning too quickly during the final bake. Keep the centre uncovered while the filling finishes cooking.
Avoid Overfilling the Pastry – Pour the egg mixture into the pastry slowly and stop before it reaches the rim. Leave a little space at the top to make transferring the quiche to the oven easier.
Use Pie Weights – Place baking paper over the pastry and fill it evenly with pie weights before blind baking. Distribute the weights across the bottom to keep the pastry flat as it bakes.
Variations and Twists
Sauté Shallots – After cooking the bacon, leave a little rendered fat in the pan and cook finely chopped shallots over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until soft. Scatter them over the baked pastry with the bacon before pouring in the egg mixture.
Try Different Cheeses – Replace the Emmental with Gruyère or Swiss cheese for a nutty flavour, or use mostly Gruyère with a smaller amount of Parmesan for a saltier finish. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the filling before baking.
Swap the Bacon – Replace the streaky bacon with pancetta for a savoury, slightly salty variation. Cook it until crisp, then scatter it over the baked pastry before adding the egg mixture.
Experiment with Spices – Stir a small pinch of sweet paprika, cayenne pepper or ground mustard into the egg mixture for gentle warmth and savoury depth alongside the bacon and cheese.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store leftover Quiche Lorraine in an airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of serving, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 32°C – 90°F. Keep refrigerated for 3 to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze the quiche whole or in individual portions in a freezer-safe airtight container for 2 to 3 months. Thaw frozen quiche overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat until hot throughout, with the centre reaching 74°C – 165°F.
Quiches and Savoury Bakes to Try
- Zucchini and Ricotta Quiche
- Spinach and Ricotta Pie
- Italian Vegetable Pie
- Porcini, Speck and Potato Savoury Pie
- Savoury Zucchini Muffins
Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
- 1 or 1 ½ sheets shortcrust pastry or puff pastry – thawed
- 3 eggs
- 300 ml – 1 ¼ cups thickened cream or heavy cream
- 250 ml – 1 cup milk
- 230 g – 8 oz streaky bacon – cut into lardons, 5 x 15 mm – ¼ x ½ inch sticks
- 150 g – 5.3 oz Emmental – shredded
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- salt and pepper – to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Pastry
- Press the puff pastry into the pan and prick it all over with a fork. Place a piece of baking paper on top of the pastry and either fill it with some rice/beans or place another pan on the inside. Note: Weighing down the pastry helps prevent it from puffing up while baking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C – 480°F for about 5-10 minutes or until golden. Let it cool.
Prepare the Filling and Bake
- Put the bacon in a non-stick pan and sauté for a few minutes over a high heat, allowing the fat to render and the lardons to become crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream. Gradually add the milk and continue whisking until well combined. Add a pinch of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread the lardons over the baked pastry. Pour in the egg mixture and evenly distribute the shredded Emmental on top.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C – 480°F for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the quiche is cooked through. It is ready when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the quiche comes out clean.
- Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
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Quiche Lorraine has been on my list of things to try forever
Can I replace bacon with smoked turkey?
Sure! You can definitely substitute bacon with smoked turkey! I know some people who do not add any meat to it and use mushrooms instead, but I haven’t tried it yet. 🙂
Variations on Quiche Lorraines are always a great fall back to use up leftovers, as long as you have some eggs and cream, though even milk works well.
This quiche and a small salad and I’d be in foodie heaven 🙂
Quiche Lorraine is one of my favorites: cheese and bacon, what else we can ask for?