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spinach quiche on a plate with a bite taken out
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4.94 from 44 votes

Bacon Quiche Recipe

Quiche is not a breakfast casserole baked in a pie shell, oh no. It is a creamy concoction that is more custard like, with plenty of cheese to boot. This is my favorite basic spinach quiche recipe because it is easy, incredibly flavorful, and hello, bacon. I will show you step-by-step how to make quiche for the perfect brunch!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Chill time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, French
Servings: 12
Calories: 352kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

  • 1 single pie crust
  • 10 ounces bacon chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 cups fresh spinach packed and then chopped
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks* see note
  • 1 & 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper this doesn't make it spicy, just adds flavor
  • 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup Swiss cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • fresh parsley to garnish
  • green onions chopped, to garnish

Instructions

  • This recipe requires a deep pie dish (1 and 1/2 to 2 inches deep). If you want to use a tart pan or a regular pie dish (1.25 inch), see notes for a scaled down recipe!
  • Make the pie crust: I highly recommend making a homemade pie crust for quiche! It seriously makes it next level. But a store bought crust is going to work just fine. You only need one sheet. If you are making my flaky pie crust recipe, see note about eggs. You will have one disc of pie dough leftover that you can tuck in your freezer for the next time you want to make this quiche. Or any pie!
  • Roll out the pie dough and transfer it to your pie pan. Fold the edges under and smooth out the crust with your fingers (just pretend you are working with play dough. You don't want jagged edges because that makes your crust crumbly. Try to get it smooth.) See photos. I have even more tips for rolling out pie dough on my pie crust recipe.
  • Crimp the edges of your pie crust. See photos. Try to make it so that the edge of your crust is sitting on top of the pie pan edge. (This well help keep your crust from falling while it's baking.)
  • Stick the whole pie pan in the freezer if you have room. Freeze for 30 minutes. If not, chill in the fridge for 60 minutes.
  • When you are ready to assemble your quiche, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place a baking sheet on a rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven to preheat as well (or a pizza stone works great too.) Let it preheat for at least 20 minutes and make sure it's at temperature.
  • Meanwhile, cook the bacon. In a large skillet, add 8-10 ounces chopped bacon (8 ounces is half of a 1 pound package. Add in a couple extra slices of bacon if you're feeling extra. I know I'm always feeling extra when it comes to bacon.) I always use scissors to snip the bacon right into the pan.
    Cook the bacon over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is the way you like bacon. I like mine mostly crisp while still being a little flexible.
    Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Drain most of the grease from the pan, leaving behind about a teaspoon.
  • Wilt your spinach. Pack spinach into a 2 cup measuring cup. Push it down with your fist. Chop the spinach into bite size pieces and set aside.
  • When you have drained most of the bacon grease from the pan, return it to the stove over medium heat and add in the chopped spinach. Cook the spinach for 1-2 minutes until it is wilted. Add in a sprinkle of salt if you know what's good for you. Turn off the heat and set aside.
  • Make the egg custard mixture. To a large bowl or stand mixer, add 4 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks. (See note if you made my homemade pie crust).
  • To the eggs, add 1 and 1/2 cups cream**, 1 cup whole milk, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. The nutmeg adds a nutty warmth. The cayenne adds great flavor but no heat.
  • Grate the cheese. You need a 1/2 cup each of Gruyere, Swiss, and Cheddar for this recipe, but 1 and 1/2 cups of literally any cheese that sounds good to you can be substituted.
  • Assemble the quiche. Get your pie crust out the the freezer or fridge. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Swiss cheese on the bottom of the pie. Sprinkle all the bacon on top. Cover the bacon with cheddar cheese. Spread the spinach evenly over the cheddar. Top the spinach with 1/2 cup Gruyere.
    Give the egg mixture one last stir to distribute the spices, then pour it all over the cheese.
  • Place the quiche on the hot pan or pizza stone that you have preheated to 425 F in the oven. The rack you bake the quiche on should be in the lower 1/3 of the oven, to help brown the crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make a pie crust shield. Get a square of aluminum foil a little bigger than the size of your pie. Fold it in half, then in half again so that it’s in quarters. Then use scissors to cut out the middle section. When you open it, you will have a square of foil with a circle cut out from the center.
  • After baking for 15 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 375. Take the quiche out of the oven and quickly shut the door. The crust should be lightly browned. Place your tin pie shield over the edges of your crust and mold it around the edges a bit so it doesn't burn.
    Don't forget to lower the temperature. Place the quiche back in the oven (still on the pan or pizza stone) and bake at 375 for another 35-45 minutes.
    You will know the quiche is done when the top is lightly browned. Don't over bake! The center of the quiche will still be a little jiggly!! (But not sloshy. Give it a shake.) A slightly loose center is how you get a creamy and silky quiche! You want the edges of the quiche to be fairly firm; the 2 inches of the quiche closest to the crust should be set and not jiggly. When you insert a sharp knife into the center edge of the quiche, it should come out dry.
  • Let the quiche cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes to continue setting.
  • Serve the quiche warm with chopped parsley and sliced green onions. Quiche is also delicious served room temperature, making it nice for potlucks!

Notes

*If you made my homemade pie crust you are going to have half a beaten egg leftover. You can use this half egg in place of one egg yolk in the quiche filling.
** Cream is a dairy product sold near the milk. Sometimes it's called whipping cream, ultra heavy cream, etc. (This differentiates fat content) Any type will work for this recipe!
No deep dish? If all you have is a standard pie pan (1 and 1/4 inch deep), use the following measurements. 
  • 8 ounces bacon
  • 1 and 1/2 cups spinach, packed
  • 3 eggs + 2 yolks
  • 1 and 1/2 cups cream
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • large pinch nutmeg
  • large pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/3 cup Gruyere
  • 1/3 cup Swiss
  • 1/3 cup Cheddar
Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425 as directed, then lower the temp to 375 and bake for another 30-40 minutes until set on the edges. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1223IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 1mg