Tall, Buttery Bistro-Style Bacon & Gruyère Quiche
There’s something irresistibly elegant about a classic Quiche Lorraine, and when you take it deep dish, you turn it into a showstopper worthy of a weekend brunch, holiday table, or leisurely lunch.
With a flaky, buttery pâte brisée crust that shatters under your fork, a silky custard enriched with cream and eggs, smoky bacon lardons, and nutty, melty Gruyère, this French-inspired favorite delivers the perfect balance of richness and subtlety in every bite.
Blind Bake The Crust First — Trust Me
A deep tart pan lets you build a pâté brisée quiche that’s luxurious in height, with room for plenty of filling. After rounds and rounds of testing, I assure you that fully baking the all-butter pie crust before filling is necessary. It ensures the crust stays crisp from bottom to edge.
And while you can use store-bought pie crust, you just won’t get the same results. If you prefer a crustless quiche, try my foolproof broccoli cheddar quiche.
Overview of Steps
Full instructions and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Interested in a vegetarian version? Fill the pastry with the filling from my quiche florentine, bursting with fresh spinach and Gruyere cheese!
Chef-Tested Tips! 👩🏻🍳
- Weight matters: Because the crust is deep, you’ll need more pie weights (or dried beans) than usual to keep the sides from slumping. Fill them all the way to the top.
- Cool before slicing: Let it sit at least 20 minutes (though longer is better!) after baking for the custard to set—this ensures clean slices.
- Cheese: Gruyère is classic, but Comté or Emmental are equally delicious. For a twist, try sharp white cheddar or Fontina.
- Vegetarian option: Skip the bacon and sauté sliced leeks or mushrooms until golden, then layer in with the cheese. I did this recently and added fresh tarragon. Omg, it was amazing.
How To Know When It’s Done
Look for puffed edges, a golden top, and just a gentle jiggle in the center—similar to cheesecake.
A well-made quiche Lorraine is creamy yet sliceable. Served warm or at room temperature alongside a lightly dressed green salad, it’s truly a show-stopping brunch dish worthy of special occasions or a quiet Sunday brunch with the family.
Make It A Complete Meal
Consider pairing it with my lemony arugula salad, a lightly dressed romaine salad, or simple mixed greens dressed with a mustard vinaigrette. (And if it’s dinner time, you know a glass of buttery Chardonnay would pair so well.)
Or consider a simple side of oven-roasted asparagus, a quick tomato and onion salad, or, if enjoying for breakfast, fresh, ripe berries.
Elegant, rich, and perfect for brunch or holiday gatherings! If you give this deep dish quiche a try, be sure to let us know what you think by leaving a review and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Beyond excited for you to experience it!
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! Don’t forget to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio and upload your photos below! We love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Tell Us What You Think!
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a review and rating—we value your feedback and it helps us keep creating (and sharing!) free recipes. Your support means the world!
Rate this Recipe
Impossibly Creamy Deep Dish Quiche Lorraine with Flaky Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pâte Brisée
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup (168g; 12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
- 5 Tbsp ice water
For the Custard Base
- 8 large eggs
- 3 cups (750ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
For the filling
- 6 slices (175g) of high-quality bacon, cut into lardons (thin strips)
- 1¼-½ cups (125-150g) of Gruyere, Comte, or Emmental cheese, freshly shredded
For Serving
- Lightly dressed mixed greens salad
Instructions
- Make the pâte brisée. Combine 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (168g) cold, cubed butter, and ½ tsp kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse until the butter is broken into small pea-size pieces, about 10x. Add 5 Tbsp ice water, then pulse until the mixture just holds together, about 15-20 short pulses. If needed, add 1 more tablespoon of water, then pulse again. Do not let the mixture form into a ball.
- Chill the dough. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, then bring the dough together, forming into a disc, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days before using.
- Make the custard base. In a large bowl, whisk together 8 large eggs, 3 cups (750ml) heavy cream, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg. Set aside.
- Prepare the crust. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface (roughly 14 inches round), then transfer to the quiche pan. Use your hands to gently press the dough into and up the sides of the mold, then use the rolling pin to help trim any excess dough off the top by pressing down over the edges. Use a fork to prick holes all along the bottom of the dough. Transfer to the fridge to chill for about 15 minutes after rolling out. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Blind bake the crust. Place the pan on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, cover the dough with heavy duty aluminum foil, then fill with pie weights (or dried beans) right up to the top–this prevents the sides from shrinking. Bake for 40 minutes, then check on the progress. It will likely need an additional 30 minutes (so 1 hour 10 minutes total), but check every 15 minutes from here, or until the edges are golden brown and the center of the dough is dry. Allow to cool slightly, then carefully remove the foil and weights or beans.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, add bacon lardons then cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain excess grease.
- Assemble. Sprinkle the bacon and shredded cheese all over the pre-baked crust, reserving just a tiny bit of each, then pour the custard mixture on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese and bacon over the top.
- Bake the quiche. Transfer to the preheated oven, then bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 325°F (163°C), cover the quiche loosely with foil, then bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the quiche has puffed up and the center has only a slight jiggle. Cool slightly, then enjoy warm or at room temperature with a side salad.
Notes
- Nutrition facts assume 10 servings.
- Make-ahead: You can blind bake the crust and cook the bacon up to 2 days in advance, storing them separately in the fridge. The custard can be whisked together a day ahead. Assemble and bake when ready to serve.
- Storing leftovers: Wrap cooled slices tightly in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm in a 325°F (163°C) oven for about 15 minutes, uncovered, to restore crispness.
- Freezing: Quiche freezes beautifully. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- This would be fantastic with caramelized onions or shallots. Feel free to use this as a base recipe and add to it as you like.
Sooooo delicious! Do not skip the pie weights or dried beans for the pate brisee! Easy to follow recipe, thank you!
Um, okay!! Kay, this looks spectacular! You’ve totally made my day (and it’s not even 7am here on the east coast, ha!). Absolutely gorgeous and I’m so thrilled you love it too! Cheers, Ari
Can you describe the texture of the quiche in the pictures? It is hard to know if I achieved the recipe just by looking at the photos. The texture in the picture looks more creamy and soft, or is the texture more like a meringue? I think I might have slightly overcooked it, achieving more of a soufflé texture. I was hoping for a more creamy texture since my partner is not a fan of eggy textures. Overall, the recipe was perfectly balanced and instructed – easy to follow. I will try again.
Hi Pate! It is very creamy and custardy. Definitely not meringue-like in texture. I worked really hard on the timing during recipe testing (both for the crust and the filling, since they require different cook times). Do you happen to know if your oven runs hot (or cold)? Did you par cook the crust first? I’m sorry you ended up with over-cooked quiche, but delighted that you loved the flavor and thought the instructions were easy to follow. Kindly, Ari