Caramelized Onion Bacon Quiche (Printable Version)

Flaky tart filled with caramelized onions, smoky bacon, and creamy custard for a delicious savory meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet (approximately 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 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out the 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 the 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 salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Scatter the caramelized onions and bacon evenly over the chilled pastry base. Sprinkle with grated Gruyère. Pour the custard mixture gently over the filling.
06 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the quiche is set and lightly golden. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.
07 - Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • The caramelized onions taste like pure umami gold—sweet, savory, and almost luxurious without any fussing.
  • It's elegant enough for brunch guests but honest enough to eat cold straight from the fridge on a Tuesday night.
  • You can make it hours ahead, which means less stress and more time enjoying the people you've cooked for.
02 -
  • Caramelizing onions cannot be rushed—medium-low heat and patience are the only real secrets, and turning the heat up will give you burnt onions with a bitter taste instead of golden, sweet ones.
  • Pricking the pastry base and chilling it are what separate a flaky, delicate crust from a soggy, dense one, so don't skip either step.
03 -
  • Slice your onions as thin as you can manage; thinner onions caramelize more evenly and turn into silky strands rather than chunks.
  • The nutmeg in the custard is a whisper, not a shout—too much makes it taste like pumpkin pie, so measure carefully and let it enhance rather than dominate.
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