BACON & CARAMELIZED ONION QUICHE

This classic French quiche offers a delightful combination of savory smoked bacon, sweet caramelized onions, and a luscious custard filling, all encased within a flaky golden crust. Perfect for a brunch or lazy family breakfast, this quiche strikes the perfect balance between elegance and simplicity. Bon Appétit! 

PERFECT QUICHE VARIATIONS:

​Quiche is the one thing you’ll always find on our table for holiday brunch and breakfasts, and is perfect for baby showers, bridal showers and garden teas.  My Holiday Ham & Cheese Quiche is the perfect base quiche recipe, baked in a super flaky pie crust. I use heavy cream or half & half for the richest, creamiest filling. You can easily change up the flavor profile by replacing the quiche filling add-ins identified below:
 
Ham & Gruyère Quiche:
1 cup Finely diced ham
2 cups Gruyère cheese
½ cup chopped yellow onion (sauteed)
Dijon mustard
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
 
Bacon & Swiss Quiche:
1 cup crumbled bacon
2 cups Swiss cheese
½ cup Thinly sliced green onions or sweet onion
Dijon mustard
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
 
Quiche Lorraine:
2 cups Gruyère or Swiss cheese
1 10-oz. pkg frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed free of water)
Thinly sliced shallots
 
Bacon, Spinach, Swiss & Caramelized Onion Quiche:
1 cup crumbled cooked bacon
2 cups Swiss cheese
½ cup Caramelized onions
Dijon mustard
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
 
Caramelized Onion & Gruyère Quiche:
1 cup Caramelized onions
2 cups Gruyere cheese
Dijon mustard
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
 
Eggs Benedict Quiche:
1 cup Canadian bacon (chopped)
2 cups Swiss cheese
Dijon mustard
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
Hollandaise sauce (warm to serve on side)
 
Sweet Onion & Herb Quiche:
1 cup Vidalia onion (chopped and sauteed)
2 cups Gruyère, Swiss or Italian cheese
Dijon mustard
Fresh herbs (thyme & chives)
 
Seafood Quiche:
1 cup Minced crab, lobster meat or tiny shrimp
2 cups Fontina cheese
Old Bay seasoning
Minced shallots
Minced fresh parsley
 
Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche:
½ cup Caramelized onions
½ cup Sauteed mushrooms
2 cups Gruyère cheese
Minced fresh parsley
 
Vegie & Feta (or Vegie & Goat Cheese):
1-1/2 cups fresh minced vegetables (choose from mix of fresh sweet peppers (red, yellow or orange), fresh mushrooms, diced tomatoes, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, asparagus tips)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
1 cup Swiss or Cheddar cheese
1 cup feta cheese (crumbled) or goat cheese
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
 
Spring Quiche:
1 cup Prosciutto (chopped)
1 cup Asparagus tips (cooked)
2 cups Ricotta cheese
Minced shallots
Fresh herbs (thyme & chives)
 
Mediterranean Quiche: 
1 cup Roasted red peppers & red onions
1 cup Grape tomatoes (diced)
3 cups fresh spinach (saute for a few minutes in olive oil)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Fresh basil
 
Chicken Cordon Blue Quiche:
½ cup Cooked chicken (shredded or diced)
½ cup black forest ham (chopped)
2 tablespoons finely sliced green onion
2 cups Swiss or Gruyère cheese
Fresh herbs (parsley)
½ cup seasoned croutons, crushed to sprinkle on top
 
BLT Quiche: 
1 cup crumbled cooked bacon
2 cups fresh spinach (saute for a few minutes in olive oil)
1 cup Fresh grape tomatoes (diced or sliced)
2 cups Swiss cheese
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
 
Sausage & Potato Quiche:
½ cup cooked sausage (breakfast sausage, Italian, turkey),
½ cup diced leftover baked potatoes or hash browns
1/4 cup yellow or sweet onions (minced)
2 cups Cheddar, Monterey Jack or co-jack cheese
Fresh herbs (parsley & chives)
Garlic powder & onion powder
 
Oriental Quiche:
1 cup cooked chicken breast (diced)
8 pea pods (sliced)
2 green onions (sliced)
2 tablespoons red bell pepper (minced)
2 tablespoons teriyaki or soy sauce
½ tablespoon grated gingerroot (in place of cayenne pepper)
2 cups Swiss cheese
 
Barbecue Quiche:
1 cup Barbecued pulled pork or chicken (shredded or diced)
¼ cup sweet onion (finely chopped)
2 cups Swiss or pepper jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Fresh herbs (parsley)
Barbecue Sauce (serve on side to drizzle on top)
 
Mexican Quiche:
1 cup cooked chorizo sausage
½ cup sauteed red onion (minced)
¼ cup sauteed poblano peppers (chopped)
2 Tablespoons Rotelle or canned green chiles
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, pepper jack or Mexican blend cheese
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
Red pepper flakes
Serve with salsa, hot sauce & chopped cilantro
 
Pizza Quiche:
½ cup Sweet Italian sausage (browned, drained & crumbled)
½ cup mini pepperoni slices (chopped)
2 plum roma tomatoes (thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups Fresh Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated to sprinkle on top)
Marinara Sauce (warm to serve on side)

BACON & CARAMELIZED ONION QUICHE

This classic French quiche offers a delightful combination of savory smoked bacon, sweet caramelized onions, and a luscious custard filling, all encased within a flaky golden crust. Perfect for a brunch or lazy family breakfast, this quiche strikes the perfect balance between elegance and simplicity. Bon Appétit! ​

INGREDIENTS:
1 (9-inch) pastry for a 9-inch pie crust (homemade, frozen or refrigerated)
6 thick slices hickory smoked bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large vidalia onion (thinly sliced)
3 green onions or scallions (thinly sliced)
1 cup (2 ounces) shredded Fontina cheese
2 cups (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup arugula leaves (finely chopped)
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cinnamon
 
HOW I MAKE THIS:

1. PREPARE PIE DOUGH:  Prepare pie dough and refrigerate overnight (unless using a refrigerated pie crust) – it needs to chill at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking. If using a frozen pie crust, keep frozen until ready to use.
2. ROLL OUT CHILLED PIE DOUGH: On a floured work surface, roll out the dough until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie plate and tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth.  Fold the excess dough over the edge to mold into a rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F.
4. PARTIALLY BLIND BAKE CRUST: Line chilled pie crust with parchment paper and evenly fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust edges are just starting to turn golden, about 15-16 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper and weights out of the pie. Prick holds all around the crust with a fork. Return crust to the oven and bake until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Reduce oven temp to 350°F.
6. PREPARE FILLING: Sauté bacon until crisp. Remove from heat and cool on paper towels. Break into thirds.  
7. Add olive oil to pan and sauté Vidalia onions and green onions at medium heat until they turn limp and slightly brown/caramelized; let cool slightly.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper and cinnamon until blended; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the freshly shredded Fontina and Swiss cheeses.
9. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese on bottom of warm pie crust. Layer with chopped arugula. Add onions on top of arugula and spread evenly.  Lay pieces of bacon evenly on top of onions.
10. Carefully pour egg mixture on top (I pour the egg mixture onto the back of a large spoon held just over the center of the pie plate so that it pours gently and evenly into the crust and doesn’t disturb the other contents). Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese.
11. Carefully place quiche in oven. After 15 minutes, place a pie crust shield on top to prevent excessive browning.
12. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the custard is set in the middle and top is lightly golden.
13. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. 

 
YIELD:  8 servings
​
MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: This quiche is perfect for meal prepping or hosting gatherings. You can pre-bake the crust up to 3 days ahead of time – cover cooled crust tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: I love that I can make this ahead of time and simply put it in the oven to reheat on a busy morning! To freeze, cool baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter, then bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

Originally posted December 2012; revised and reposted March 2023

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