Julia Child’s Quiche – easy bacon and Swiss quiche recipe. Bacon, swiss, eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and pie crust. Seriously the most amazing quiche recipe EVER!!! Can make ahead and freeze for later. Great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is our go-to recipe! #freezermeal #quiche
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Pin This RecipeEasy Quiche Recipe with Bacon
On the plane ride to and from Vegas, I read My Life in France by Julia Child. We saw the movie Julie and Julia and I was very interested in learning more about Julia Child’s life. The book was great. It was different from the movie and had many more details. I was inspired to finally try some of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I chose the quiche as my first test. The quiche was rich and velvety and extremely flavorful. I added bacon and swiss – a combination of Quiche Lorraine and Quiche au Fromage de Gruyere. I wanted to eat the whole thing by myself.
How to Make Julia Child’s Quiche
This quiche is super easy to make. Simply cook some bacon. Whisk together eggs and heavy cream. Place the cooked bacon in the bottom of a pie crust. Top with swiss cheese and pour the egg mixture on top. Pop the pie in the oven and bake.
- I took a shortcut and used a frozen pie shell. We all know Julia probably wouldn’t have used a pre-made crust. Here is a link to her homemade pie crust recipe: https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/pie-dough
- You can substitute ½ cup of pre-cooked chopped bacon for freshly cooked bacon.
- You can substitute turkey bacon for regular pork bacon.
- I used heavy cream, but you can substitute milk if you want a lower-calorie dish.
- Can quiche be made in advance? Yes! You can make the filling and keep it refrigerated until ready to pour it in the pie shell.
- Can quiche be frozen? YES! You can assemble the quiche and freeze it unbaked for later. To bake after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed below. You can also freeze the baked quiche. Let the quiche cool to room temperature and freeze. To reheat, thaw completely. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350ºF for 30 to 40 minutes.
What to Serve with Quiche
This quiche is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can use any combination of meat and cheese that you prefer. This is a great base recipe to get creative with. We like to serve this quiche some grits and biscuits or a salad. Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this quiche:
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Julia Child’s Quiche
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- ½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¾ cup swiss or Greyere cheese, shredded
- 3 eggs
- 1½ – 2 cups heavy cream
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 (9-inch) deep dish frozen pie crust
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Press bacon and cheese into bottom of the pie crust. Beat the eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until blended. Pour over bacon in the pie crust.
- Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until quiche has puffed and browned.
Notes:
Steph
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Pin This Recipe
I’ve been making this quiche for at least a couple years. It’s a “never fail” recipe!
I blind baked home made pie crust for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. After the bacon had rendered it’s fat I added chopped onion to the pan and cooked til tender. The addition of the onion was just fabulous!!
Can you make this without the pie crust?
I’m sure it could
Any issues with separating when cooking frozen quiche made with cream?
no
Thanks. Freeze before or after baking?
I always freeze unbaked. You can do it either way.
This was wonderful! I had ham left from Christmas dinner, so I used a combination of ham and bacon! I only made one. I will definitely make it again! Thanks for sharing.
I make this often. It is so very good. Have you tried her seafood quiche? Also very much worth the effort.
I really enjoy your site.
Thank you!
Do I thaw the pie crust?
I did not thaw it first.
if you don’t thaw it then it will just be difficult to unroll.
If you have the rolled pie crust then thaw it first. But if you have the frozen pie crust in a tin already you do not have to defrost it first.
I love this recipe so much! It’s my go to no fail breakfast that everyone loves! Thank you for sharing it with us!
What is cream?Sour cream?
heavy cream, sold near milk in the grocery store.
Instead of bacon can I use spinach? If so fresh, canned or frozen? Your quiche looks so creamy, yummy, yummy
You can certainly give it a try. I haven't made this with spinach, so I don't know which variety is best. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Many decades ago, Julia Child's quiche was my go-to recipe when entertaining friends and family for brunch. I lost my ratty recipe card with the instructions and thought I'd never make it again. BTW, I loved making this with Gruyere cheese, as it imparted a lovely nutty taste. Also, a pinch of nutmeg added a certain "jais se ne quois."
I plan on using a refrigerated roll out crust. Should I pre-bake the crust or just throw it all in at once?
Use the crust unbaked
just making this now and doubling the recipe. I'd like to freeze one. Is it best frozen cooked or uncooked?
Thanks
I freeze the quiche unbaked and thaw before baking as directed above
Steph, I was privileged to have several conversations with Julia Child and one of them was about quiche. I told her I made it with a whole wheat crust and she asked why I would do such a thing. I told her for added nutrition. Her reply was the same one she has given to Jacques Pepin and others: "We don't care about nutrition; we care about taste." She was a hoot!
Is this a nine inch pie?
Do you cook the pie crust a little first or do you put all the ingredients in an uncooked pie crust?
I do not precook the crust.
Made this a couple of times and I’m in love. I used whipping cream and it turns out heavenly. I tried it with sauteed leeks and swiss cheese — delicious combo. I also made the original version first and it was yummmy! My (refrigerated store-bought) pie crust did not cook up well the second time I made this (in a store-bought tin pie pan). The first time I used a ceramic pie plate and the bottom was cooked. Who knows? I have a thermometer in my oven so that was not the issue. Anyway, I think I’ll precook the crust (not 15 minutes — maybe 7 minutes) when I use a tin pie pan. Thanks for a great recipe!
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Is it better to use cream or milk? Or a combination? And if combination…equal parts or more of one than the other.
I'm about half way through My Life In France. I'm enjoying the book too. I just seem to spend more time reading food blogs than reading books. This quiche looks fabulous. I'm saving this recipe and will make it soon. Thanks for the post.
Your quiche is total eye candy! it looks so perfect. On a cold rainy night like we're supposed to have tonight, this would be my numbe one pick for dinner!