Caramelized Onion Bacon Quiche (Printable)

Flaky tart packed with caramelized onions, smoked bacon, and a creamy custard filling for a satisfying meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet (about 8.8 oz) store-bought or homemade shortcrust pastry

→ Filling

02 - 7 oz smoked bacon, diced
03 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Custard

10 - 3 large eggs
11 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
12 - 1/3 cup whole milk
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
14 - 2.8 oz grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
15 - Additional salt and pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out pastry and line a 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess and prick the base with a fork. Chill while preparing the filling.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and set aside.
03 - Discard excess bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add butter and olive oil to the pan. Add onions, sugar, salt, and thyme. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes until onions are deeply golden and caramelized. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well combined.
05 - Scatter the caramelized onions and bacon evenly over the chilled pastry base. Sprinkle with grated Gruyère cheese. Pour the custard mixture gently over the filling.
06 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the quiche is set and lightly golden on top. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
07 - Serve warm or at room temperature with a crisp green salad if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The caramelized onions taste like pure umami gold, sweet and savory at once in a way that'll make people ask for the recipe.
  • It's one of those dishes that feels fancy enough for guests but simple enough to make on a Tuesday night without stress.
  • Bacon and custard together are basically a flavor combination that was always meant to happen.
02 -
  • Those 25 to 30 minutes of caramelizing onions is non-negotiable—rushing them by turning up the heat gives you brown onions, not caramelized ones, and the difference is everything.
  • Don't skip chilling the pastry shell; a cold crust will stay crispy instead of turning soggy from the wet custard.
  • The quiche will continue cooking slightly after you pull it out of the oven, so aim for just-set rather than fully firm in the center.
03 -
  • If your pastry starts to brown too quickly during baking, loosely drape a piece of foil across the top to protect it while the custard finishes cooking.
  • For an even richer result, replace half the milk with more heavy cream, though the original ratio is already wonderfully creamy.
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