Description
This Classic French Quiche recipe features a flaky homemade crust filled with crispy beef bacon, sweet sautéed onions, nutty Gruyère cheese, and a rich, creamy custard made from eggs, heavy cream, and whole milk. Baked to perfection, this versatile dish is ideal for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner and brings authentic French flavors to your table.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
- ¼ cup ice water (approximate)
For the Filling
- 6 slices thick-cut beef bacon or 4 oz finely diced beef pancetta
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: For a store-bought crust, thaw and unroll into a 9-inch pie plate, trim edges, crimp the border, and chill for 30 minutes. For a homemade crust, whisk together flour and salt, then cut in cold cubed butter until coarse crumbs form. Gradually add ice water and mix until a dough forms. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Roll out dough to a 12-inch circle, fit into a 9-inch pie plate, trim, crimp edges, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Blind Bake the Crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the chilled crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the bottom is dry and lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook Bacon and Onions: In a skillet over medium heat, cook beef bacon or pancetta until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat. Sauté the diced onion in the reserved fat until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Combine the cooked bacon and onions.
- Make the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly frothy. Add the heavy cream, whole milk, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg, whisking gently until combined.
- Assemble the Quiche: Sprinkle one-third of the shredded Gruyère cheese evenly over the bottom of the cooled crust. Layer the bacon and onion mixture over the cheese, then top with the remaining cheese.
- Add Custard and Bake: Carefully pour the egg and dairy mixture over the fillings, filling almost to the top of the crust. Place the quiche on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35-50 minutes, until the edges are set, the center jiggles slightly, and an instant-read thermometer registers 170-175°F (77-79°C). Tent loosely with foil if the crust browns too quickly.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes so the custard can fully set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a quicker option, use a store-bought pie crust and follow the blind baking instructions carefully.
- Room temperature eggs help ensure a smooth custard texture.
- Using pie weights during blind baking prevents the crust from puffing up or shrinking.
- The quiche can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make sure not to overbake; a slight jiggle in the center means it will set as it cools.
- Substitute bacon with pancetta or smoked ham for different variations.
