This bacon quiche combines a rich, creamy egg custard with salty bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh spinach, all held together by a buttery pie crust. It’s a wonderful choice for breakfast or brunch, but it also works for a light lunch or dinner.
While it looks impressive, this recipe is straightforward. Most of the time is hands-off while the quiche bakes in the oven. You can prepare some components ahead of time to make assembly even quicker.
Why is Bacon Quiche a Must-Try?
Par-baking the crust is the key to avoiding a soggy bottom. This step ensures your crust stays crisp and flaky.
Cooking the bacon before adding it to the quiche keeps it from becoming soft and ensures a nice, crispy texture in every bite.
Letting the quiche rest after baking is important. It allows the custard to finish setting, making it easy to slice cleanly.
Bacon Quiche Ingredients
• Pie Crust: A store-bought refrigerated crust is a great time-saver. You can also use a frozen crust or your favorite homemade recipe.
• Bacon: Use any type of bacon you like. Regular, thick-cut, or applewood smoked all work well.
• Cheese: Sharp cheddar provides a good flavor, but you can substitute with Gruyère, Swiss, or Monterey Jack.
• Half-and-Half: For a richer, denser custard, you can use heavy cream. For a slightly lighter version, whole milk will work, but the texture will be less creamy.
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Bacon Quiche
Step 1: Prepare and Blind Bake the Crust
First, get your oven preheating to 400°F. Fit your pie crust into a pie dish, line it with parchment, and fill it with pie weights. Bake it for about 15 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for a few more minutes until it’s lightly golden. This step prevents a soggy bottom.
Step 2: Cook the Bacon
While the crust is in the oven, cook your bacon in a skillet until it’s nice and crisp. Once cooked, let it drain on paper towels and then crumble it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3: Assemble the Quiche
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Scatter the crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and chopped spinach into the bottom of your warm crust. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the half-and-half and seasonings.
Step 4: Bake and Rest
Pour the egg mixture over the fillings in the crust. Bake for 35-45 minutes. The quiche is done when the center is set and doesn’t jiggle. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before you slice and serve.
Expert Tips for Bacon Quiche
Food Safety: Egg dishes like quiche are cooked through when a thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°F (71°C).
You can use a frozen pie crust. Let it thaw according to package directions before par-baking.
For clean slices, allow the quiche to cool for at least 10 minutes. A warm quiche is easier to cut than a hot one.
Feel free to swap the cheddar for Gruyère or Swiss cheese.
What to Serve with Bacon Quiche?
This bacon quiche is satisfying on its own. You can also serve it with a simple green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette.
How to Store and Freeze Bacon Quiche
Store leftover quiche covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it; wrap individual slices or the whole quiche tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat slices in the microwave or in a 325°F oven until warmed through.
Bacon Quiche Recipe FAQs
Do I have to blind bake the crust?
Yes, we recommend it. Blind baking (or par-baking) the crust helps it become golden and crisp. It prevents the wet custard filling from making the bottom of your quiche soggy.
Can I make this quiche crustless?
Certainly. Grease a 9-inch pie plate well and pour the filling directly in. The baking time might be shorter, so start checking for doneness around the 30-minute mark.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
Yes, you can. Be sure to thaw the frozen spinach completely and squeeze out as much water as possible before adding it to the quiche. Excess water can ruin the custard’s texture.
Bacon Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked pie crust store-bought or homemade, 9-inch
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 4 oz / 113g
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach roughly chopped, 1 oz / 30g
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half 240 ml
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Press the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the parchment and weights. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until pale gold. Set the crust aside.
- While the crust bakes, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, then crumble or chop it.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Sprinkle the crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, and chopped spinach evenly over the bottom of the par-baked crust.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth and combined.
- Carefully pour the egg mixture over the fillings in the pie crust.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the center is just set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. The internal temperature should be at least 160°F (71°C).
- Let the quiche stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows it to set properly.
Notes
