Quiche Lorraine

By Craig Claiborne

Updated Dec. 29, 2025

Quiche Lorraine
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Rating
5(4,780)
Comments
Read comments

The first quiche to come to the attention of the American public was the quiche Lorraine in the 1950s. Craig Claiborne, who started as food editor of The Times in 1957, created this classic recipe with bacon, onion and cheese to fill a pie dish. If you use a tart pan, expect to have extra custard.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 10 servings
  • Pastry for a one-crust 9-inch pie (see pastry recipe)
  • 4strips bacon
  • 1onion, thinly sliced
  • 1cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, cubed
  • ¼cup grated Parmesan
  • 4eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2cups heavy cream or 1 cup each milk and cream
  • ¼teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • ¼teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • Tabasco sauce to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

380 calories; 35 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 317 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Line a nine-inch pie plate with the pastry. By all means build a rim with the pastry and flute it. This is essential for the amount of custard indicated in this recipe.

    Image of pie dough being fit into a pie plate before baking.
  3. Step 3

    Cover the bottom of the pastry with a round of parchment paper and add enough dried beans or peas to partly fill the shell. Bake 10 minutes.

    Image of a pie crust weighed down with parchment and dried beans, prepared to be par baked.
  4. Step 4

    Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees. Remove and discard the beans and parchment paper and set the pastry-lined pie plate aside.

    Image of a par-baked crust for making a quiche Lorraine.
  5. Step 5

    Cook the bacon until crisp and remove it from skillet. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat remaining in the skillet. Cook the onion in the remaining fat until the onion is transparent.

  6. Step 6

    Combine the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle the bacon, onion and cheeses over the inside of the partly baked pastry.

    Image of bacon, onions and cheese being place in a par-baked pie crust for making a quiche Lorraine.
  7. Step 7

    Strain the cream mixture over the onion-cheese mixture. Slide the pie onto a baking sheet.

  8. Step 8

    Bake the pie until a knife inserted one inch from the pastry edge comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Let stand 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

    Image of baked quiche with a slice taken out and placed on a plate for making a Quiche Lorraine.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

FAQS

  1. In its most traditional French form, a quiche is composed of a buttery crust filled with a savory egg custard. The pastry is known as pâte brisée. Fillings can include any combination of cheese, herbs, vegetables and smoked meat or fish.

Ratings

5 out of 5
4,780 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Travis Creston

Something that really helps prevent soggy bottoms: after taking any pie crust out of the oven once you blind bake it, remove the beans or pie weights & parchment, paint the bottom with egg white & place back in the oven for a good five minutes or so. The EW will crisp up & create a nice barrier to prevent a soggy bottom! Works every time.

Mike Haller

FYI I'm a real greenhorn but my experience on my second try w this:
1. Used a prefab 9" frozen crust.
2. Cut up a large onion used about 3/4 of it.
3. Cut gruyere into very small cubes.
4. Used 3 eggs and 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
5. Put extra leftover cooked onions on top of custard before baking.
6. Baked for 35 min at 400 (elec oven)
I'd love to post a pic. Wish I could.
NYT Cooking is helping me learn cooking at age 71. THANKS.

Kristin PC

Flavors were great, but I had a few baking issues. I'd make it again with these adjustments:

ISSUE: The bottom of the finished quiche was VERY soggy. A good bit of liquid actually seeped through the crust onto the baking sheet.
FIX: After the 10 minute par-bake, remove weights and parchment. Continue to par-bake for 6-8 more minutes. Before adding ingredients and egg mix, protect the edge of the crust with foil strips.

ISSUE: Under baked.
FIX: Cook for 28-30 minutes.

Christina

“Chill briefly” is not a helpful cue, could you please be more specific?

B

@Christina sometimes when I make pies, I like to make the dough the night before so it is chilled well and easier to roll out and fill with ingredients the next day. At least 30 min if you’re rushing, 60 minutes in the fridge or overnight is even better.

D Clark

Easy recipe to follow.

A

What’s the point of the straining? I like the spices so I added that back.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.