The Best Bacon and Mushroom Quiche Recipe (French Quiche)

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This easy bacon and mushroom quiche is rich, creamy, and perfectly balanced. Simple to make with just a handful of ingredients. Perfect for brunch, dinner, or making ahead for the week. You can make it in one big 9-inch pie, muffin sized quiches for brunch, or even mini quiche bites for parties.

Though it might sound intimidating, making an authentic French mushroom and bacon quiche isn’t complicated at all.

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Ingredients to make this bacon mushroom quiche

For a 9-inch standard pie:

• 1 nine-inch pie crust (about 9 oz/255g – I make my own homemade pâte brisée without a food processor, but store-bought works)
• Unsalted butter: or olive oil, to saute the mushrooms. I like to use unsalted, because the lardons or bacon and the cheese are already salty enough.
• Mushrooms, sliced (button or cremini): You can also use oyster mushrooms or mixed wild mushrooms. But plain button or cremini mushrooms are what are normally used for mushroom and bacon quiche in French cafes.
• Lardons fumees. Great if you can find them. If not, thick-cut smoked bacon is the best everyday substitute. Choose good-quality, thick-cut with natural wood-smoked flavor (applewood or hickory). Slice into short batons about ½ inch wide, like French lardons. French lardons are meaty, chewy, smoky.
• Shallots, finely diced (or ½ red onion).
• Eggs, 3 large.
• Crème fraîche or heavy cream: See note below on substitutions.
• Whole milk: Or low fat, but whole is best.
• Gruyère or Comté or Swiss: See note below on substitutions.
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Black pepper
• Fresh Chives: (optional) In French cooking, chives (ciboulette) are super common in egg dishes. I find chives give a nice mild onion flavor. And the little green flecks look gorgeous scattered throughout and on top. They’re like the final touch that makes it look and taste a bit more refined. But skip them if you don’t have them. The quiche will still be excellent!
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Substitutions and Additions

If You Don’t Have Gruyère or Comté:

These cheeses are classic for a reason (they melt beautifully, nutty savory depth), but you can still make an excellent bacon cheese and mushroom quiche without them. Here are some cheeses you can try:

• Swiss cheese: Easiest swap. Mild, melts well, keeps that slightly nutty flavor. Emmental or any Alpine-style Swiss
• Jarlsberg: Sweeter than Gruyère but melts the same way. Gentler, creamier flavor.
• Fontina: Great melt, slightly earthy, pairs beautifully with mushrooms.
• Aged white cheddar: Not traditional at all, but gives a sharp, rich flavor that works with smoky bacon. Use a bit less so it doesn’t overpower.
• Mozzarella mixed with Parmesan or cheddar for balance: Again, not traditional, but still yummy!

Pro Tip: Grate cheese yourself. Pre-shredded has anti-caking agents that make custard grainy instead of smooth.

Substitutes for Crème Fraîche:

• Heavy cream + yogurt: Mix ¾ cup heavy cream with ¼ cup plain yogurt. Mimics the slight tang without curdling when baked.
• Sour cream: Full-fat is best. Similar tang and richness, but slightly denser custard
• Heavy cream alone: Skip the tang, use all cream. Still silky, less tangy.
• Greek yogurt + milk/cream: Lighter option. Blend ½ cup Greek yogurt with ½ cup milk or cream. Creamy, but reduced fat.

Additions:

These additions do change the flavor profile and the mushroom and bacon quiche recipe will not have that traditional Alsace-Lorraine flavor, but it will still be delicious.

• Baby spinach (optional, about 30g/1 oz)
• Red bell pepper
• Kale

How to make bacon and mushroom quiche

1. Prep your workspace and get your ingredients ready.

• Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Wash and thoroughly dry your mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms, the shallots, the chives and the bacon.

2. Get your quiche crust ready (if using).

• Bake your pie crust until lightly golden. If you’re using my pâte brisée recipe, prick the bottom with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes. Blind bake with weights if you are organised 🙂
• Store-bought? Follow package directions.
• Want it crustless? Skip the pie crust and bake straight in a greased pie pan or tart tin or silicone muffin or mini muffin molds.

3. Cook the bacon and drain on paper towels.

In a frying pan over medium heat, cook bacon until cooked but not burnt. Transfer cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

4. Sauté the shallots and then sauté the mushrooms. 

• In a clean pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and gently sauté shallots. Do not brown them. You want them soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the remaining butter and mushrooms to the pan wthe ith shallots. Here’s where people mess up. You need to cook this mushroom mixture until all liquid evaporates. Like, completely. Mushrooms release a lot of water first, then it cooks off. Takes about 8-10 minutes. But don’t overcook them. You don’t want them grilled or fried. Keep a close eye and stir often. Evenly cooked but not overcooked. If you’re using baby spinach as an addition, toss it in during the last minute and let it wilt.

5. Make the egg mixture.

• In a large bowl, whisk large eggs with cream, milk, half the cheese, black pepper, and nutmeg. Don’t go overboard with the whisking. You’re not making a meringue. Just mix until combined. Overbeating adds too much air and can make your quiche puff up then deflate.
• Add bacon, mushrooms and shallots and chopped chives to the egg mixture in the bowl. Gently stir.

Pour everything into your prepared pie shell slowly until it reaches just below the rim. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.

Handy tip: It’s hard to know just how much of the quiche filling you will need. Sometimes my crust sags a bit and I have less room than I thought I would have. What I do is have my silicone mini quiche pan ready and I put the extra filling in there, without the crust. I store them in the fridge or freezer and they make a delicious snack or appetizer.

6. Bake it.

Place in preheated oven and bake 30-35 minutes for a standard 9-inch pie, less for muffin sized quiches and mini quiches. You want the center set but still with a tiny jiggle when you shake the pan. It’ll firm up as it cools and turn golden brown on top.

Whatever pan you use, always rely on the doneness tests below rather than just the clock. Every oven is different.

7. Let it rest.

Crucial. If you slice into a hot quiche, it’ll leak everywhere and fall apart. Give it at least 10 minutes. 15 is better. The custard needs time to finish setting as it cools.

How to make the best mini quiches

Perfect for parties, meal prep, lunchboxes. This same recipe makes about 12 regular muffin-sized quiches or 24 mini muffin quiches. But you don’t have to make 12 or 24 mini quiches. I make some mini quiches when I’ve got that little bit extra quiche filling that won’t squeeze into the main quiche 🙂

1. Grease muffin tins well with butter or cooking spray. Or use silicone muffin tins and you won’t have to grease them.
2. If using pastry, cut circles slightly larger than muffin cups and press gently into each cup.
3. For crustless: skip the pastry and just grease really well if not using silicone moulds. I skip the crust when making mini quiches.
4. Divide bacon and mushroom mixture evenly among cups.
5. Pour egg mixture to fill each cup about ¾ full.
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
7. Bake at 375°F (190°C). Regular muffin tins: 18-22 minutes. Mini muffin tins: 10-15 minutes.
8. They’re done when tops are golden and toothpick comes out clean
9. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from tin or mould.

These mini mushroom and bacon quiches freeze beautifully and reheat in the microwave in 45 seconds. Perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts.

Serving Ideas

I usually serve this mushroom and bacon quiche warm or at room temperature. This is how my French in-laws served it: warm with a simple green salad with French lemon shallot vinaigrette or some crudités (fresh, uncooked veggies), like this French-style carrot and cucumber salad. This follows the traditional rhythm of a French meal, where a savory course is followed by a fresh salad to cleanse the palate.

It also goes great with soups, like this asparagus soup with dill, broccoli asparagus soup, pumpkin and cauliflower soup, and cauliflower, potato and leek soup.

This easy bacon and mushroom quiche recipe is a perfect make-ahead quiche for brunches and lunches with friends. You can make it ahead and warm it up on the day and serve it together with salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, avocado and shrimp toasts, cottage cheese avocado toasts, and an avocado cottage cheese dip. And if you love quiche, you can also try this asparagus phyllo dough quiche with its crispy dough.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

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The Best Bacon and Mushroom Quiche (French Café Classic)

Marissa

This bacon and mushroom quiche is rich, creamy, and perfectly balanced. Just a handful of ingredients. Works for brunch, dinner, or meal prep for the week. Make it in one big 9-inch pie, muffin-sized quiches for brunch, or mini quiche bites for parties.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Brunch, dinner, lunch

Cuisine French

Servings 6 people

Calories 446 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Pan To saute the bacon and mushrooms
• 1 Sharp knife To cut the veggies and bacon
• 1 Measuring cups
• 1 9-inch pie pan Or 12 muffin tins or 24 mini muffin tins (or silicone moulds)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 nine-inch pie crust about 9 oz/255g – I make my own pâte brisée, but store-bought works
• 3 tbsp Unsalted butter (40 gr) or olive oil
• 10 oz Mushrooms 3 cups or 300g, sliced (button or cremini)
• 4 oz Lardons fumées 100g or 5-6 strips or thick cut smoked bacon, sliced
• 2 shallots finely diced (or ½ red onion)
• 3 large eggs 150g
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream 100 ml
• 3 tbsp Whole milk 50ml
• ½ cup Gruyère or Comté 50 grams, grated or Swiss cheese
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Fresh black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives optional
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• 3 tbsp Butter 40g or olive oil
• 1 cup baby spinach optional, about 30g/1 oz

Instructions

 

Prep your workspace and get your ingredients ready.

• Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Wash and thoroughly dry your mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms, the shallots, the chives and the bacon.
• Get your quiche crust ready
• Blind bake your pie crust until lightly golden. If you’re using my pâte brisée recipe (linked on the blog), prick the bottom with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Store-bought? Follow package directions.

Cook the bacon and dry it on paper towels.

• In a frying pan over medium heat, cook bacon until cooked but not burnt. Transfer cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Sauté the shallots and then sauté the mushrooms.

• In a clean pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and gently sauté shallots. Do not brown them. You want them soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add remaining butter and mushrooms to the pan with shallots. Here’s where people mess up. You need to cook this mushroom mixture until all liquid evaporates. Like, completely. Mushrooms release a lot of water first, then it cooks off. Takes about 8-10 minutes. But don’t overcook them. You don’t want them grilled or fried. Keep a close eye and stir often. Evenly cooked but not overcooked. If you’re using baby spinach, toss it in during the last minute and let it wilt.

Make the egg mixture.

• In a large bowl, whisk large eggs with cream, milk, half the cheese, black pepper, and nutmeg. Don’t go crazy with the whisking. You’re not making a meringue. Just mix until combined. Overbeating adds too much air and can make your quiche puff up then deflate.

Add bacon, mushrooms and shallots and chopped chives to egg mixture in the bowl. Gently stir.

Bake it.

• Place in preheated oven and bake 30-35 minutes for a standard 9-inch pie. You want the center set but still with a tiny jiggle when you shake the pan. It’ll firm up as it cools and turn golden brown on top.

Baking times

• Standard 9-inch pie (1.5 inches deep): 30-35 minutes
• Deep dish pie (2+ inches deep): 45-50 minutes. The center takes longer to set
• Shallow tart pan (1 inch deep): 25-30 minutes. Watch carefully, it can set faster
• Mini muffin tins: 10-15 minutes
• Regular muffin tins: 20-25 minutes
• Whatever pan you use, always rely on the doneness tests above rather than just the clock. Every oven is different.

Notes

 

When is the quiche with bacon and mushrooms done?

 

• Jiggle test: Center should jiggle slightly (like set Jello) but not be liquid
• Toothpick test: Insert toothpick or knife in center. Should come out mostly clean with maybe a few moist crumbs, but no liquid
• Visual cues: Top should be golden brown and slightly puffed
• Temperature check: If you have a thermometer, center should read 165°F (74°C)

 

 

Tip: If your crust edges are browning too quickly (around the 20-minute mark), loosely cover just the edges with strips of aluminum foil and continue baking. Especially common with store-bought crusts.

 

Helpful success tips for this mushroom and bacon quiche recipe

 

You might wonder why I’m so specific about certain steps. Here’s what I learned from making hundreds of these:

• Cook your mushrooms until the water is evaporated. Mushrooms are like little sponges. They’re about 90% water. If you don’t cook that water out completely, it releases into your custard while baking. That’s what makes quiches watery and sad. But make sure you don’t burn them either. Burnt or seared mushrooms do not taste nice.
• Add a pinch of nutmeg to the egg mixture. It’s traditional in French savory custards. Just a tiny pinch brings out the creaminess and adds warmth without tasting sweet.
• Cook the bacon and mushrooms separately. I cook them separately because I want to taste both. If you cook mushrooms in bacon fat, they can get too smoky and lose their earthy flavor. The quiche should taste balanced, not like a bacon bomb.
• Pre-Bake your pie crust before you fill it (Blind bake). A wet filling on raw pastry equals soggy bottom every single time. The French never skip this step. Never. You want that crust crispy and golden, strong enough to hold the custard.
• Tip: Use a tart pan with holes to get a nice crispy pastry base.
• Make sure you let the bacon and mushroom quiche rest before slicing. The custard is still setting as it cools. Cut it too soon and it’s like cutting into a lava cake. Everything runs out. Give it time and you’ll get clean, beautiful slices that hold together.

 

To Make Mini Quiches with Bacon and Mushrooms

 

1. Grease muffin tins well with butter or cooking spray. Or use silicone muffin tins and you won’t have to grease them.
2. If using pastry, cut circles slightly larger than muffin cups and press gently into each cup.
3. For crustless: skip the pastry and just grease really well if not using silicone moulds. I skip the crust when making mini quiches.
4. Divide bacon and mushroom mixture evenly among cups.
5. Pour egg mixture to fill each cup about ¾ full.
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
7. Bake at 375°F (190°C). Regular muffin tins: 18-22 minutes. Mini muffin tins: 10-15 minutes.
8. They’re done when tops are golden and toothpick comes out clean
9. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from tin or mould.

 

Make Ahead and Storage

 

Make Ahead:

• You can make this bacon egg and mushroom quiche a day ahead. Bake it completely, let it cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the fridge.
• To reheat: Place in a 325°F (160°C) oven for about 15-20 minutes until warmed through. Don’t microwave a whole quiche if you can avoid it as the texture gets rubbery.

 

Refrigerator Storage:

• Leftovers keep in the fridge for 4 days. Store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Individual slices reheat better than the whole quiche.

 

Freezing Instructions:

• 1. Let quiche cool completely to room temperature (important, or you’ll get ice crystals)
• 2. Wrap entire quiche or slices tightly in plastic wrap, no gaps
• 3. Wrap again with aluminum foil (double wrapping prevents freezer burn)
• 4. Label with date
• 5. Freeze for up to 2 months

 

To reheat from frozen:

• Unwrap and place frozen quiche on baking sheet
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil
• Bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 30-45 minutes until heated through (less if just a slice of quiche)
• Remove foil for last few minutes to crisp up the top

Nutrition

Serving: 1personCalories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 13gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 413mgPotassium: 354mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1247IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 173mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Quiche

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