Food and Recipes Dish Quiche Quiche Lorraine 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews A brunch classic with all of our favorite food groups: buttery crust, eggs, and bacon. By Southern Living Editors Updated on April 12, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins Servings: 6 Quiche Lorraine is a brunch classic with all of our favorite food group ingredients: buttery crust, eggs, and bacon. Fast and fancy, a quiche was featured in nearly every issue of Southern Living in the seventies, but none was more popular than Quiche Lorraine. We certainly understand our readers' obsession. Here, in our favorite version, the egg filling gets studded with flecks of green onions and bacon along with a generous helping of Swiss cheese. Add more veggies if you’d like, anything from bell peppers, to tomatoes, or zucchini. This quiche would be a welcome addition to a brunch buffet but also makes a great lunch or light dinner served with a side salad. Why Is It Called a Quiche Lorraine? Great question! Quiche, considered a classic French dish, may have originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, later renamed Lorraine by the French. The word "quiche" is believed to be derived from the German word "Kuchen," meaning cake. The original Quiche Lorraine was an open pie made with a filling consisting of an egg, cream, and smoked bacon. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough, but evolved into a buttery pastry crust. Cheese was added later and some chefs considered it sacrilegious, including Julia Child who’s Quiche Lorraine recipe didn’t include cheese. When onions are added to a Quiche Lorraine it becomes a "quiche Alsacienne." Quiche Lorraine became popular in England after the Second World War, and in the U.S. during the 1950's. Quiche Lorraine Ingredients You’ll need more than just eggs and a crust to make this delicious quiche. Here are a few of the main ingredients to pick up: Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Bacon: Bacon is an integral part of what makes a Quiche Lorraine what it is. It lends the quiche its classic savory flavor and adds a touch of salt. Thin and thick-cut bacon works in this quiche, and you can also use turkey bacon, if you prefer. Although not traditional, you could use pancetta, an Italian cured pork product, instead of bacon, too. Whatever bacon you use, it must be cooked before adding it to the crust. Swiss cheese: When we say Swiss cheese, you probably picture slices of the famous hole-y cheese, but Swiss cheese is actually a category of cheese, rather than a single kind of cheese. Of course, what you are picturing is exactly the kind of cheese we call for in this quiche, but we bring up this fun fact to note that you can really use any cheese that falls under the category, including Gruyère, which is a classic option for this quiche. That said, if you want to use Cheddar, Gouda, or another melty cheese, go for it. Whipping cream and half-and-half: Dairy is the other half of the custard base that makes up a quiche. Typically the ratio is one part egg to two parts dairy, so one egg for every cup of dairy used. While we think of quiche as a super eggy dish, you actually want just enough egg to set the dairy custard; too much egg and the quiche can be rubbery. We use a mix of whipping cream and half-and-half for richness and full flavor, but you can also use whole milk. Green onions: These are technically optional, but many Quiche Lorraine recipes include onion in the filling, (we know that technically makes it a quiche Alsacienne). Whether sweet, yellow onion or bright and savory scallions, onions are worth a little extra chopping for the boost of flavor they add to any quiche. How To Make a Quiche Lorraine There are just four simple steps to nailing this brunch staple: Form and par-bake the crust: Fit, form, and crimp the pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Prick bottom and sides of crust with a fork; bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow the piecrust to cool while preparing the filling.Make the filling: Whisk together beaten eggs, whipping cream, half-and-half, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl.Cook the bacon: Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy; drain on paper towels.Assemble and bake: Sprinkle the bacon and Swiss cheese over the bottom of the piecrust. Add green onion, if desired. Carefully pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake for 50 minutes or until lightly browned and set in the middle. Cool before serving. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page How To Store and Reheat Quiche Lorraine Wrap your cooked quiche tightly in plastic wrap, or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, place the quiche covered with aluminum foil on an oven-safe wire rack inside a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. The rack will allow the crust to breathe so that it won't get soggy as it reheats and the foil will keep the top from burning while trapping steam in to gently reheat the eggy center. For a long-term storage option, quiche can be frozen. To freeze, place the quiche on a parchment-lined tray or baking sheet, and freeze until firm. Once frozen, double wrap the quiche in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or in plastic wrap and a zip-top bag. To reheat, remove wrap, and bake directly from frozen in a 350°F oven for about 25 minutes, or until heated through. Frequently Asked Questions Should I prebake the crust for quiche? Yes! The crust and filling don’t cook at the same rate; the crust needs more time than the filling to fully cook. By par-baking, you give the crust a jump start on cooking and prevent it from getting soggy after adding the liquid filling. What is the secret to making good quiche? This is slightly subjective, but we think it’s all about nailing the bake. From the crust, which you want to be crisp (no soggy bottoms), to a perfectly set middle, making sure the quiche is properly baked is a huge part of a successful final product. To ensure a crisp crust, make sure to par-bake the crust before adding the filling (see above) and then bake the center until just set. That means the edges will be firm but the middle will still have a slight jiggle. A good phrase to remember if you are unsure as to whether the quiche is cooked or not is: “the center should jiggle like Jello, not wiggle like a wave.” You can also insert a knife in the center of the quiche and if it comes out clean when removed, then it’s cooked. Do you cook vegetables before putting them in a quiche? Most filling ingredients should be at least somewhat precooked before adding them to a quiche, as once submerged in the filling, the ingredients will heat but not cook through. Blanch or par-cook vegetables before adding them to quiche filling; this helps them have a tender but not mushy texture once baked into the quiche. If adding any kind of meat, like sausage or bacon, it must be fully-cooked. How do I know when a quiche is finished cooking? Bake the quiche until the center is just set. That means the edges will be firm but the middle will still have a slight jiggle. A good phrase to remember if you are unsure as to whether the quiche is cooked or not is: “The center should jiggle like Jell-O, not wiggle like a wave.” You can also insert a knife in the center of the quiche and if it comes out clean when removed, then it’s cooked. What Do You Serve With Quiche Lorraine? Quiche Lorraine is the perfect dish for just about any meal. It would be a welcome addition to a brunch buffet but also makes a great lunch or light dinner served with a side salad. Check out these side dishes and salads perfect for serving alongside Quiche Lorraine. Other Classic Quiches Once you master the Quiche Lorraine, try these other classic quiche flavor combinations. Asparagus-and-Goat Cheese Quiche - This quiche is perfect for the spring when asparagus is in season and makes a delicious vegetarian lunch. Cheese-and-Sausage Quiche - Maybe bacon isn’t your thing; try this sausage and cheese quiche that delivers on savory flavor and can be made using your favorite kind of breakfast sausage or other delicious sausages like chorizo. Roasted Tomato Quiche - The rich eggy custard in this quiche is loaded with crumbled bacon and melty Colby cheese, for a salty complement to the sweetness of the tomatoes. Editorial contributions by Alana Al-Hatlani. VVianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page/Southern Living Ingredients 1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts 16 ounces bacon, sliced 1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese, cubed or shredded 4 eggs, beaten 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon flour 3/4 teaspoon salt Dash of nutmeg Dash of pepper Option: Green onion, chopped Directions Parbake pie crust: Preheat oven to 375°F. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp. Prick bottom and sides of crust with a fork. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool piecrust on a wire rack with preparing filling. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Mix egg filling: Whisk together beaten eggs, whipping cream, half-and-half, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Cook bacon, add to quiche: Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 7 to 8 minutes or until crispy; drain on paper towels. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Sprinkle bacon and Swiss cheese over bottom of pie shell. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Add green onion, if desired. Carefully pour egg mixture over cheese. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Bake quiche: Bake at 375°F for 50 minutes or until lightly browned and set in middle. Cool before serving. Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Rate it Print Additional reporting by Alana Al-Hatlani Alana Al-Hatlani Alana Al-Hatlani is an Assistant Food Editor at Southern Living. learn more