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Quiche Lorraine

This classic Quiche Lorraine relies on a dry, blind-baked crust and cooled fillings to keep its rich bacon-and-Gruyère custard tidy and softly set.
A golden Quiche Lorraine in a white pie plate shows softly set custard, bacon, Gruyère, and flaky crust beside green salad.

A quiche is at its best when the pastry stays crisp enough to support a tender custard. Blind baking creates that barrier, while a hot sheet beneath the pie plate gives the bottom a useful head start. Bacon, shallots, and Gruyère bring concentrated flavor, so the egg-and-cream mixture can remain simple and silky.

Build a dry pastry base

Parchment and pie weights hold the crust in place while its edges set. The brief second bake without them matters just as much: it dries the center before the liquid filling arrives, giving the pastry the structure to stay crisp.

Cool the savory fillings

Crisp bacon and softened shallots should be spread out to lose their steam before they meet the eggs. Cooling keeps the custard from setting in patches and prevents hot rendered fat from sinking through the pastry.

A blind-baked pastry crust is layered with cooled bacon, soft shallots, and shredded Gruyère before custard is added.
Crisp bacon, softened shallots, and Gruyère are layered in the blind-baked pastry before custard is poured in.

Aim for a gentle wobble

The right moment to pull the quiche is before the center looks completely firm. The perimeter should be set and puffed, while the middle trembles as a single soft area; residual heat carries it to a tender finish during the rest.

Serve at an easy temperature

A short rest makes slicing clean and gives the custard time to settle. Serve wedges warm or at room temperature alongside simple dressed greens, whose brightness balances the smoky, rich filling.

A close Quiche Lorraine wedge shows flaky pastry, softly set custard, bacon, tender shallots, and melted Gruyère.
A close slice shows the softly set custard, crisp bacon, melted Gruyère, and flaky golden crust.

Quiche Lorraine

6 servings
90 minutes total

Ingredients

  • •  1 refrigerated 9-inch pie crust
  • •  6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • •  2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
  • •  1 tsp unsalted butter
  • •  1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
  • •  4 large eggs
  • •  1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • •  1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • •  1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oven

    Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 375 F, placing a rimmed baking sheet on the rack as it heats.

    Look for: The oven indicator signals it is fully preheated and the baking sheet is hot.

  2. Shape the crust

    Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate, press it gently into the corners, trim any large overhang, and crimp the edge without stretching the dough.

    Look for: The dough lies flat against the plate with a defined crimp around the rim.

  3. Blind bake the crust

    Line the crust with parchment and fill it with pie weights, then bake on the hot sheet for 15 minutes until the edge looks dry and just begins to color.

    Look for: The rim is set and pale gold, while the parchment still lifts easily from the filling weights.

  4. Dry the bottom

    Lift out the parchment and weights, prick any puffed spots with a fork, and bake the bare crust for 5 minutes until the bottom looks matte and dry.

    Look for: The crust bottom is no longer shiny or doughy, which protects it from a soggy custard.

  5. Cook the bacon

    While the crust bakes, cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8 minutes until crisp and browned, then transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate.

    Look for: The bacon is deeply browned and crisp, with most rendered fat left in the skillet.

  6. Soften and cool the shallots

    Pour off all but 1 tsp bacon fat, add the butter and shallots, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until soft and translucent; spread them on the plate with the bacon to cool.

    Look for: The shallots are soft and sweet-smelling without browned edges, and the fillings are no longer steaming.

  7. Whisk the custard

    Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, kosher salt, and black pepper in a bowl until fully blended and smooth, without whipping in a thick foam.

    Look for: The custard is a uniform pale yellow with only a few small bubbles.

  8. Fill the crust

    Scatter the cooled bacon, cooled shallots, and shredded Gruyère cheese evenly in the warm blind-baked crust, then slowly pour the custard over them without filling above the crimped edge.

    Look for: The fillings are evenly distributed and the custard sits just below the crust rim.

  9. Bake until softly set

    Bake the quiche on the hot sheet at 375 F for 22 minutes, until the edge is puffed and set while the center has a gentle two-inch wobble when the plate is nudged.

    Look for: The center trembles as one soft area rather than sloshing, and a thin knife near the edge comes out clean.

  10. Rest and serve

    Let the quiche rest in the pie plate for 15 minutes so the custard finishes setting, then cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with a simple green salad.

    Look for: The center is softly set, slices hold their shape, and the crust stays crisp at the cut edge.