The first time I remember having a classic French quiche Lorraine was in Paris, specifically at the Louvre. To this day, I remember it as the best quiche I’ve ever had, well, besides my Simple Veggie Quiche or this crustless Easy Mediterranean Quiche, of course.

It was the perfect balance of flavor from custard to cheese to crust, and I just loved it. I also know it sounds kinda pretencious to casually name-drop the Louvre, but it’s what happened, OKAY.

So even if you’re not sitting in a museum in Paris, you can take this French flavor combo and create this easy quiche right at home. It’s perfect for any meal and pairs deliciously with a fresh side salad.

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slice of homemade French quiche Lorraine

CLASSIC FRENCH QUICHE LORRAINE

To me, a quiche Lorraine is a subtle powerhouse. No one flavor outweighs another, yet you still have bold ingredients in the mix.

The Swiss and gruyere offer a tangy bite. The bacon gives that salty pork flavoring. The onions and garlic add a delicious savory depth of flavor. Wrap it in some homemade shortcrust pastry, and it’s just good.

Can I use store-bought pie crust for this recipe? You can… but if you have just a smidge of extra time, for home, I beg of you. It really is that much better!

crispy bacon and onions in shortcrust pie

INGREDIENTS

Flour: forms the structure of the crust
Butter: for flavor and a flaky crust
Salt: enhances the flavor of both the crust and filling
Eggs: bind the crust and create the custardy quiche filling
Bacon: adds smoky, rich flavor
Onion: brings an almost sweet depth to the filling
Garlic: for even more savory flavor
Greek yogurt: my secret ingredient to a fluffy quiche filling
Milk: lightens the custard while keeping it smooth and creamy
Black pepper: adds a smidge of heat but mainly balances
Ground nutmeg: gives the quiche a classic warm French flavor
Fresh thyme: adds herby freshness
Swiss cheese: adds mild nutty flavor and meltiness
Gruyère cheese: for extra depth and that classic French flavor

How do you evenly mix your filling in a quiche? Layering! I like to add a layer of bacon and onions to the bottom of the baked crust, top with the savory custard, then more cheese, bacon, and onions. Use a fork or knife to gently swirl it in as needed!

HOW TO MAKE A CLASSIC FRENCH QUICHE LORRAINE

Blind bake your shortcrust pastry…

Preheat your oven to 320°F convection.

To make the crust, combine the flour, butter, and salt in a large bowl, rubbing the butter into the flour with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse sand. In a separate bowl, beat the egg before mixing it into the flour mixture, cutting through with a knife as needed until a shaggy dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto your counter and press it together until smooth. Flatten into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to help create a flaky quiche crust.

Roll out your chilled pastry dough and carefully press it into a 9-inch pie dish. Prick the bottom with a fork, then line with crinkled parchment paper and fill with baking weights to prevent puffing while baking.

Blind bake the crust for 11 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and weights. Return the crust to the oven for another 2–3 minutes, until the pastry looks dry with no wet spots remaining, then cool completely before filling.

For your classic French quiche Lorraine filling…

Cook the bacon until crispy, either in a frying pan or spread out on a baking sheet in the oven. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool and absorb excess grease.

Add a tablespoon of bacon grease to a frying pan and cook the sliced onion over medium heat. Once softened, add a pinch of salt and continue cooking until translucent and lightly golden, stirring in the garlic halfway through cooking.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and fresh thyme until completely smooth. Make sure no streaks of egg white remain for the silkiest quiche custard filling.

Assembling and baking your French breakfast…

Stir two-thirds of the shredded Swiss and Gruyère cheese into the egg mixture. This helps distribute cheesy flavor throughout every bite of the homemade quiche Lorraine.

Scatter half of the bacon, onions, and garlic evenly across the bottom of the cooled crust. Pour over the egg mixture, then top with the remaining cheese, bacon, onions, and garlic, gently using a fork to mix the toppings into the custard instead of leaving them sitting on top.

Bake the quiche for 40–45 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden, while the center still has a slight wobble. Let the quiche cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving!

3 reasons you’ll love this classic French quiche Lorraine

Bake a classic French dish right at home, no flight needed
Packed with flavor in every bite thanks to the layers of cheese, bacon, and onion
Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the perfect meal for every day or a special occasion

TIPS & VARIATIONS

You can substitute the bacon for ham or your favorite crispy pork. Pan-fried or cooked in the oven, baker’s choice!
It’s important you cook down your onions to remove any excess water, before adding to your quiche filling. Too much water and your quiche can turn soggy, and not bake properly.
I love this shortcrust pie dough for this classic French quiche Lorraine, but you’re welcome to use any pie recipe or store-bought if preferred.
GARLIC PEOPLE, this is not the time to go over and beyond with the extra cloves. Believe me, I am a garlic lover, but it will overpower the other flavors of the quiche (and not in a good way).

MAKING AHEAD & STORING

You can bake your crust the day before, then wrap it tightly once cooled before you’re ready to bake. Once baked, cover and refrigerate your classic French quiche Lorraine for up to four days or freeze for two to three months.

I like to freeze my quiche in slices, so it’s easy to pull a piece out when needed!

MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES

EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

9″ Pie Dish
Mixing Bowls
Frying Pan
Spatula
Whisk
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Rolling Pin
Parchment Paper
Baking Weights (I use uncooked rice and beans)
Knife
Cutting Board

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 2

Servings 6

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, French

From the tangy mix of Swiss and Gruyère cheese, the salty bacon, and the savory onions and garlic, this classic French quiche Lorraine has delicious depth in every bite. Serve with a little side salad for the perfect meal, any time of day!

Equipment

9" Pie Dish
Mixing Bowls
Frying Pan
Spatula
Whisk
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Rolling Pin
Parchment Paper
Baking weights I use uncooked rice
Knife
Cutting Board

Ingredients

CRUST

1 ⅔ cups flour
7 tbsp cold butter cubed
½ tsp salt
1 egg

FILLING

4 strips bacon
½ medium onion sliced
2 cloves garlic
8 eggs
½ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
¾ cup Swiss cheese shredded
¾ cup gruyere cheese shredded

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 320°F CONVECTION
To make your crust, add your flour, butter, and salt to a large bowl, rubbing your flour in with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse sand. In a separate bowl, beat your egg and then mix it into your flour, cutting with a knife as needed to evenly combine
Dump your mixture onto the counter and press it together to form a dough. Then flatten into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes
Roll the dough out and lay it into your 9-inch pie dish. Prick the bottom with a fork and gently cover with a crinkled piece of parchment paper before pouring in your baking weights
Blind bake with the baking weights for 11 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper, and return to the oven, baking until your pastry is just dried through (no moisture), about 2-3 minutes. Remove and cool completely before adding quiche filling
Cook your bacon until crispy – you can do this in a frying pan or, my preferred way, laid out on a baking sheet in the oven. Place your crispy bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel to cool and dry
Add a tablespoon of your bacon grease to a frying pan and cook your onion. As the onion starts to soften, add a pinch of salt and continue to cook until translucent and slightly golden (about 6 minutes). Add in your minced garlic halfway through. Cooking down your onion is crucial to removing any excess water from your vegetable so it doesn’t make your quiche soggy as it bakes!
In a bowl, crack in your eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme, yogurt, and milk, and whisk. You don’t want any clumps of egg whites or yolks
Combine your cheese in a bowl and stir in ⅔ of your cheese into your egg mixture
Across the base of your cooled crust, crumble your bacon and sprinkle half of it and then half of your onions and garlic evenly on the bottom. Cover with the egg mixture, and top evenly with the remaining ⅓ of cheese and the other half of your cooked bacon, onions, and garlic. Use a fork to shimmy around gently and make sure the cheese is mixed into the egg mixture (not just sitting on top of it)
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the edges are set and slightly browned and the center of the quiche barely gives a wobble
Cool for 15 minutes, then cut and serve!

Video

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBOzIEipVB6/

Notes

*If you only have shredded Swiss or gruyere cheese, you can just use 1 ½ cups of one type (though I’d recommend gruyere)

*For my garlic people out there, you know who you are – the ones that a recipe says one clove and we say four – don’t do that here. I say that as a fellow garlic club member. It will overpower in a non-tasty way.

*You don’t need to buy baking weights. You can simply fill your parchment-lined dish with dried rice or beans (or a mix of both), then remove them, let them cool, and store them in a sealed container until your next bake!

*The shortcrust recipe for this quiche comes from Chef Ash, my head chef in pastry school