Quiche Lorraine

Appetizers & Snacks, Dinner

Silky egg custard with smoky vegetarian lardons and sweet caramelised onions in a crisp pastry shell. The onions cook down slowly until they're soft and golden, adding depth to the salty lardons. The custard sets to that perfect wobbly texture, creamy in the middle, just firm enough to slice. Proper French comfort food that works for lunch, dinner, or a picnic.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings 6

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Ingredients  

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For the pastry (pâte brisée)

• 250 gr plain flour
• 125 gr unsalted butter cold
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 tbsp water cold
• 1 pinch salt

For the filling

• 200 gr vegetarian lardons smoked versions work best
• 2 onions
• 25 gr butter for frying
• 4 eggs
• 300 ml crème fraîche
• 100 ml whole milk
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• salt and black pepper

Equipment

• 1 fluted flan dish
• rolling pin
• baking mat or parchment paper
• whisk
• frying pan
• mixing bowl
• baking beans optional

Instructions

1. 1. Make the pastry

   Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring it together, don't overwork it. Wrap in cling film and stick it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

   This rest is crucial. The gluten relaxes, the butter firms up, and you get a properly crisp base that won't shrink when you bake it.
2. 2. Prepare the pastry case (optional partial blind bake)

   Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about 3mm thick. Line your tart tin, leaving a bit of overhang. Prick the base with a fork.

   If you want extra insurance against soggy bottoms, line with baking parchment, fill with baking beans, and bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for just 10 minutes. Remove beans and parchment immediately, don't bake it any further. The pastry should still be pale, just slightly set.

   This partial blind bake gives the base a head start, but it's honestly optional. Most French cooks skip it entirely.
3. 3. Cook the onions and lardons

   Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're soft, sweet, and lightly golden. Don't rush this, slow-cooked onions are what make this quiche delicious.

   Push the onions to one side and add the lardons. Fry for 5-6 minutes until they've got a bit of colour and some crispy edges. Mix everything together, then drain on kitchen paper.

   Even vegetarian lardons need proper browning to get that smoky depth. The onions add sweetness that balances the salty, smoky lardons perfectly.
4. 4. Make the custard

   Whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, and milk. Season with salt, pepper, and a good grating of nutmeg. The mixture should be smooth but not frothy.

   The crème fraîche is what makes it properly French, don't substitute with cream if you can help it. That slight tang cuts through the richness.
5. 5. Assemble and bake

   Scatter the cooked onions and lardons evenly over the pastry base. Pour the custard mixture over the top. Bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for 30-35 minutes until the filling is just set with a slight wobble in the centre.

   It'll continue cooking as it cools, so don't overbake it. You want creamy, not rubbery.
6. 6. Rest and serve

   Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

   Quiche Lorraine is genuinely better slightly warm rather than piping hot. The flavours settle and the texture's spot on.

Notes

• Traditional Quiche Lorraine has no cheese. The modern version sometimes adds 50g finely grated Gruyère scattered over the base before adding the custard. It’s your call.
• The pastry can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. The whole quiche can be assembled in the morning and baked before serving.
• The quiche is brilliant cold the next day. Reheats well in a low oven (150°C) for 15 minutes.

About this recipe

Quiche Lorraine comes from the Lorraine region in northeastern France and dates back to the 16th century, though the name “quiche” only appeared in the 1800s. The word comes from the German “Kuchen” (cake), a nod to Lorraine’s position between French and German culture.

Here’s the thing: the original Lorraine version was dead simple. Bacon, eggs, and cream in a pastry case. No cheese. No onions. No vegetables. That minimalism is what made it brilliant, when you’ve only got three main ingredients, they’d better be good ones.

But over time, especially in the mid-20th century, the recipe evolved. Onions became standard in most French homes and restaurants, adding sweetness and depth to balance the salty lardons. Cheese (usually Gruyère) crept in too, though French purists still argue about that one.

This version with onions is what most people know as Quiche Lorraine today, both in France and abroad. It’s become the standard. The onion-free version is technically more authentic, but honestly, the onions make it better. They add a sweet, caramelised richness that plays beautifully with the smoky lardons and silky custard.

Vegetarian lardons are a recent innovation, obviously, but they work surprisingly well here. The smoky, salty bite is what matters, and good vegetarian versions deliver that. You’re keeping the spirit of the dish alive whilst making it accessible to more people.

In France, quiche is everyday food, sliced for lunch with a green salad, or served at apéro hour with drinks. It’s not fancy, but it’s properly French, and when it’s done right, there’s not much better.