Quiche Lorraine with Caramelized Onions
The standard Quiche Lorraine with Caramelized Onions is my go to quiche dish; just slightly modified from the original recipe given to me in the late 1970’s.
I was 28 when I moved to Raleigh, NC from a suburb of St. Louis, MO. I had been married for just a couple of years when my husband was offered a management job with a telecommunications company and I was excited about the move. It was going to be hard to leave my young sister and niece that I adored but it was an adventure that I was ready for.
I had spent all of my life in one place and though Raleigh may not seem all that adventurous to many…the distance from home qualified it for me! The language barrier was my only issue but I learned to ‘Hey’ and ‘Y’all’ with the best of them in my ten years there.
As it turned out, our next door neighbors were also from St. Louis…talk about a coincidence. They were a few years older and had a wonderful little girl; we had a wonderful dog and between the six of us, we bonded quickly and spent a lot of time together. Jane and I both loved to cook as did Alma Snyder, a retired woman who lived in the same complex with her husband.
Alma became much like a mother to me; sometimes more so as we had great fun cooking together. Alma and her husband were German immigrants and so much of what we did together seemed an extension of the wonderful times I had spent cooking with my adored Grandmother Bathe.
I will never forget the weekend we decided to do a potluck between our families because it was at that meal when I was introduced to Quiche Lorraine. At that point in my life; although a decent cook and something I already loved to do, my experience was limited most often to the dishes I had helped make growing up; casseroles, meatloaf, fried chicken…those Midwestern staples.
Don’t laugh but I really thought Quiche Lorraine the epitome of sophistication. I had never once had anything in a pie crust that wasn’t sweet and of course, the French name sealed the deal for me. I had spent several years in high school learning French I never used…but now, now I was eating a real French dish. C’est tres bien!
Over the years, poor Quiche Lorraine has been abused and accused. Outdated, too simple…and we’ve all heard it right? ‘Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche!’ – You have to wonder why that phrase came to be. It’s not like it’s made of lavender and roses; it’s bacon, cheese, eggs and crust for crying out loud…with some cayenne and mustard thrown in for good measure!
If real men don’t eat those then why would they ever touch many breakfast dishes? Plus I’ve got a secret about guys and quiche that I think it’s high time I professed…I’ve never once offered a slice of quiche to a man and heard him say, “No thanks…I’m a real man and I don’t eat quiche.” They’ve always gobbled it up so I think it’s time you came out of the closet guys and professed your love!
This is one of my two favorite, easy to fix and yet deeply gratifying meals, for both their simplicity and the end result (spaghetti carbonara is the other). While I will typically make my own crust, I also have no qualms about using prepared pie crusts (well, maybe a few…don’t mock me forever or call me Sandra Lee, please?).
I always have a couple of the rolled up crusts in my freezer that you thaw and put into your own pie plate. They look and taste decent and sometimes, that ease factor makes them perfect for me so if you’re not into crust making; don’t let that stop you from making quiche.
I will mix up ingredients on a regular basis. Alma’s original Quiche Lorraine did not include caramelized onions and called for Swiss cheese where I’ve used a wonderful Aged Cheddar from my friends at Kerrygold USA; I’ve grown so very fond of their products…an intervention might be necessary.
I would much prefer a new, separate facility at my favorite Costco so that they can carry more and more of their cheeses (wonder if they have started to recognize my handwriting on those request cards yet, hmm?). This cheese was a gift from Kerrygold but they asked for nothing in return; they already know they have my undying love!
Might not be so totally French anymore but I assure you mesdames and messieurs; lads and lassies…you will love it!
Quiche Lorraine with Caramelized Onions IS for Real Men!
A wonderful blend of eggs, cream, bacon and caramelized onions in a pie crust.
Ingredients
- 1 prepared pastry shell, unbaked (make your own favorite or use an option from the grocery store)
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheese, I used aged white cheddar but Swiss is typical
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 8 slices crisp, cooked bacon, crumbled
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1-2 dashes of Cayenne
- 1/2 tsp powdered mustard
Instructions
- Preheat over to 375 degrees.
- Slice onion thinly and saute over medium heat for 20 minutes til soft and starting to turn brown.
- Spread onion mixture on bottom of prepared pastry shell.
- Sprinkle cheese and bacon on top of caramelized onions.
- Beat remaining ingredients together and pour over cheese.
- Bake until firm and brown approximately 45 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Love this site !!! 🙂
Kristy thank you so much. Just getting started and you’ve already made my day!
Please answer my question
Nicole. I am one person who manages this blog and I am not available for replies 24/7 so your urgency was not something I was aware of. To answer your question, heavy cream is what is used for whipping cream so that is what I was referring to. Truth be told you could substitute half and half if you choose to; either would work, one will just result in a richer filling.
I figured since I was cooking bacon that I should make good use of that bacon juice and sauted the onions in it. I poured a bit off… and should have poured off a bit more to maybe 1TB so the crust didn’t get as soggy, but it gave the quiche the extra bacon flavor that we can all appreciate. Thanks for the recipe!
I love caramelized onions in anything and I love quiche. Why haven’t I ever popped them together? Maybe I was worried about the sweetness of the onions. Well, I’m going to worry no more now that you’ve done the hard work for me. Quiche for me today!! I haven’t made one in ages and I love them.
Like you, I’ve never served quiche or anything else and had someone say, “I’m too [fill in blank] to eat this.”
I don’t know! But fair warning, be careful…seems I’m popping them into all sorts of things; macaroni and cheese among them!
This is right in my wheelhouse: cheese, bacon and, oh my, those onions.. heaven. Great post!
Thanks Abby! Mostly for stopping by so I know you’re alive!
I wonder how that old saying came to be, I don’t see what’s unmanly about a quiche. I’ve had that Kerrygold cheese before and it’s a great one.
Someone today told me it was a way to keep the men out of the quiche the women wanted to save for themselves. I know they were kidding but that’s something to consider!
I love quiche Lorraine and this one looks just beautiful. Sounds especially tasty with the sweet caramelized onions!
Thank you Kathy. And yes. It was. I haven’t had lunch today…making myself hungry just answering these comments; I’m reminded how much I loved it.
lovely story 🙂 and I adore this quiche in fact I have been using that cheese 🙂
Wonderful cheese isn’t it. I just love all of their products.
I know I am going to love this for sure…I had crustless quiche just a week ago. I am going try this…I am sure my wild Boar will love this since this is for real men ! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this !
Most welcome and make sure you don’t let the guys have ALL of it. Real women love quiche too!
I’m making this for Easter!
I’m thinking of doing it again for Easter. Maybe throwing in an herb; I’m so excited that my ‘Christmas’ rosemary tree made it through the winter. I’m surprised I didn’t throw some into the original recipe.
I love this particular brand of white cheddar, I love quiche and I LOVE the addition of caramelized onions in this dish. I am going to have to whip one of these up!
I recently did a macaroni with caramelized onions…seems I really like them mixed with cheesy goodness, huh?
Wow, that is one gorgeous quiche!! And if “real men” don’t want to eat it, fine … since that means more for me!!! As a fellow lover of Kerrygold cheese, I know this quiche truly rocks (well, that and the fact that YOU made it!!)
Your photography is improving by leaps and bounds!!
I never understood the saying ‘Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche!’. If it’s taste good, I’ll eat it and your darling Lorraine is just that. I will consume it’s entirety with pleasure.
We love quiche and I make it quite often. I love the cheese change-up and will try that! Your photos were beautiful! I wish my local grocer carried more Kerrygold!
I just made a quiche similar to this 2 weeks ago. If I’m not a man as a result, I don’t really care, because that quiche was amazing. And yours looks brilliant.
Thanks Chris…it must be an old wives tale…or maybe it was the old men?
It’s been a long while since I have made a quiche, but after reading this, I think that is about to change!
It’s something I sort of forget about and go too long as well. Don’t let that happen to you. 🙂
Bacon and Kerrygold? What time are you serving?
I haven’t made quiche in ages. It’s time to reacquaint myself with its eggy, cheesy goodness.
You know you are always welcome and today would have been available for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Lol, love quiche and your story! Very reassuring to know you understand my speaking Texas 🙂 when u wad little mom did a casserole version of quiche called spinach pie. I actually made it lay night all grown up with mushrooms Swiss, fresh spinach and leftover caramelized onions leftover from your French onion soup. I hope to make this version soon! Beautiful!
Wow…that sounds amazing too. A cousin of the quiche it seems!
I not only know that cheese… but I adore it! And I have no doubt that it’s wonderful in a quiche!
It really was…a bit more pronounced than my standard of Swiss and I appreciate you commenting my pescy friend…I’ve done it without bacon too you know?
I love quiche and Ricardo Larivee was featuring a beautiful one on TV. Would love to make quiche at home but my family does not like it. Maybe they would like yours 🙂
Then make one for yourself I say Helene!
One of my favorite all time dishes too. I kind of agree that there is something almost elegant about a great quiche. Maybe it is the simplicity or maybe it is the reward of making something that is usually foolproof but I just love pulling a quiche out of my oven.
What you said is so true…it is so simple but elegant too. And versatile. I have now had a slice of this one for dinner and breakfast and could see it for lunch too. Does a quiche a day keep the doctor away?
Absolutely adore quiche! I love the flavors you’ve added to this one, especially the Kerrygold. So good!
Thanks Elle…whenever I do make it I wonder why I don’t do it more often! And you’re right…how can you lose with a Kerrygold product as a supporting player? 🙂
A good Quiche never goes out of style! I make mine with Gruyere, Creme fraiche and I have to make my own crust. To me the store bought crust has a funny taste, but that is maybe just me.
I prefer making my own crust too and did for this quiche but I think that is too often the deal breaker for some cooks…so in lieu of that being a requirement, I think the store bought ones are fine. I’ve never noticed them tasting funny so much as just not as flaky or rich as my own.
Loved reading your tale Barbara, and loved the way you wrote it…LOL!! My man would LURVE this Quiche Lorraine. Looks darned good!!!
Thanks Deeba…and what can I say? Do it!
Bring back the quiche, Baby! Where has quiche gone anyway?! I loved your story and background and it made me realize how long it has been since I have made quiche. Seemed the hip thing to make just out of college when we all thought ourselves bon vivant gourmets but really had no palette or talent frankly. Such a soul warming dish. Good for you Barb!
Every time I make quiche I wonder that same thing and no matter where or who makes it…I always think of Alma Snyder!
“Real men” or not, who wouldn’t want to eat this?! Looks like it turned out perfectly — I love me some aged cheddar and bacon! The caramelized onions are a nice touch, too.
It was yummy…wait, is. Just had a slice for breakfast!
Beautiful quiche, beautiful photos and a wonderful (and amusing) story! Love visiting you!
Thank you Paula…and you know I love having you here!
Ha! I’m barely breathing.. damn this day job thing.It’s really cutting into my fun & friends! xx