Bacon Blue Cheese Quiche
Bacon blue cheese quiche with crisp bacon, tangy blue cheese, and a silky cream custard in a flaky butter crust. Ready in one hour for brunch or dinner.
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Bacon blue cheese quiche is a rich, savory custard pie loaded with crisp bacon and tangy crumbled blue cheese, all baked in a flaky all-butter crust. It takes the same foolproof method as my mushroom quiche and swaps in two big, bold flavors that were made for each other. With about 15 minutes of hands-on time and one hour start to finish, it is an easy way to put an impressive brunch, lunch, or breakfast-for-dinner on the table.
This recipe is a spin on my Easy Mushroom Quiche, which has been in my dinner rotation for decades. The custard ratio stays exactly the same, but the mushrooms step aside for smoky bacon, and nutty Gruyère makes way for blue cheese. I like to use my Basic Pie Dough for the crust, though store-bought works in a pinch. If you love the punch of blue cheese as much as I do, my Creamy Gorgonzola Pasta is another favorite, and for a grab-and-go bacon fix, try my Bacon Cheddar Scones.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love this Bacon Blue Cheese Quiche
Every bite has that perfect salty, smoky, tangy balance. The bacon brings crunch and smoke, the blue cheese melts into creamy pockets of sharp flavor, and a little fresh thyme ties it all together with an earthy, herbal note. The custard itself is silky and tender because it is made with heavy cream, not milk, so it never turns rubbery or weepy.
It is also one of the most practical recipes in my brunch lineup. You only need a handful of ingredients, most of which you probably already have, and the quiche tastes just as good warm, at room temperature, or reheated the next day. That makes it a smart choice for holiday mornings, baby showers, potlucks, or a make-ahead weeknight dinner served with a green salad.
Heather’s Expert Tips for the Best Bacon Blue Cheese Quiche
Drawing from 20 years of recipe development and my time co-founding a spice company, here’s what makes this recipe worth making exactly as written.
- Cook the bacon until truly crisp. Soft bacon turns chewy once it sits in custard. Render it until deeply browned, then drain it well on paper towels so extra grease does not pool on top of your quiche.
- Choose a blue cheese you love eating on its own. A creamy Danish blue or Gorgonzola dolce gives a milder, melty result, while Roquefort or Maytag blue delivers more bite. Crumble it into small pieces so it spreads evenly instead of clumping in one spot.
- Go easy on the salt. Bacon and blue cheese both bring plenty of salt to the party, so this recipe uses less than my mushroom version. After years of developing blends as co-founder of Spiceology, I always taste the components before adding more seasoning, and here a good grind of black pepper does more work than extra salt.
- Do not skip the par-bake. Pricking the crust and baking it for 15 minutes before filling is what keeps the bottom crisp instead of soggy.
- Pull it while the center still jiggles. The quiche is done when the edges are set and puffed and the center wobbles slightly, about 170°F on an instant-read thermometer. It will finish setting as it rests.
Maillard Reaction
The Maillard reaction is the chemical process that happens when proteins and sugars meet high heat, creating hundreds of new flavor and aroma compounds along with that beautiful golden brown color. In this quiche, it does its best work on the bacon. As the bacon renders over medium heat, the fat melts away and the lean meat browns, developing the deep, savory, almost sweet smokiness that defines the whole dish. Pale, undercooked bacon skips that step and tastes flat by comparison.
You will see the Maillard reaction again in the crust and on the top of the custard. The par-bake gives the butter crust a head start on browning, and the egg and cream proteins on the surface turn golden in the oven. If the top darkens before the center is set, tent it loosely with foil so you keep the flavor without tipping into bitter, overbrowned territory.
Equipment Needed
- 9-inch quiche tart pan or deep pie dish
- Large skillet, preferably cast iron
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Medium mixing bowl and whisk
- Instant-read thermometer
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients in Bacon Blue Cheese Quiche
- Bacon – your favorite kind of bacon, fried up crisp
- Blue cheese – crumbled blue cheese adds a deliciously unique flavor to the quiche
- Gruyere cheese – binds the eggs and bacon to create a creamy texture
- Eggs – large eggs are best
- Cream – heavy cream or double cream for the best texture
- Fresh thyme – adds a little herby flavor and texture
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Add caramelized onions. Slowly cooked onions add sweetness that plays beautifully against the tang of the blue cheese.
- Stir in greens. Fold in a cup of sautéed spinach or arugula, squeezed very dry, for color and a peppery edge.
- Swap the bacon. Pancetta, diced ham, or crumbled breakfast sausage all work in place of bacon.
- Use a milder cheese. If blue cheese is too strong for your crowd, use half blue cheese and half Gruyère or goat cheese.
- Add a little crunch. Scatter toasted walnuts or pecans over the filling before pouring in the custard.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Cool before storing. Let the quiche cool on a wire rack for 30 to 60 minutes so steam does not soften the crust.
- Refrigerate. Wrap tightly or transfer slices to an airtight container within 2 hours of baking. It keeps for up to 4 days; tuck parchment between stacked slices.
- Freeze. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw. Move frozen slices to the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheat. Warm covered in a 300°F oven until heated through, then uncover for the last few minutes to re-crisp the top. Skip the microwave if you want the best crust.
What to Serve with Bacon Blue Cheese Quiche
- Endive Salad with Pear and Blue Cheese echoes the blue cheese and adds crisp, sweet contrast.
- Kale Chopped Salad brings a bright, crunchy side that cuts through the richness.
- Huckleberry Scones add a sweet, fruity touch to a brunch spread.
- Greek Yogurt Custard with Fresh Berries is a light, fresh finish.
- Bloody Maria with Chile Lime Salt makes it a full brunch celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
A creamy, medium-strength blue like Danish blue or Gorgonzola dolce is the most crowd-friendly choice because it melts smoothly into the custard. For a sharper, more assertive flavor, use Roquefort, Stilton, or Maytag blue.
Yes. Bake it up to 2 days ahead, cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Serve it at room temperature or reheat it covered at 300°F until warmed through.
A watery quiche usually comes from wet add-ins or underbaking. Drain the bacon well, squeeze any added greens completely dry, and bake until the edges are set and the center only jiggles slightly.
You can. Grease a pie dish well, add the bacon and cheese, pour in the custard, and bake at 350°F until just set, about 35 to 40 minutes. If you want a crustless egg dish built for it, try my Spinach Artichoke Frittata.
Absolutely. Press a refrigerated or thawed frozen crust into your pan, prick it all over, and par-bake it for 15 minutes before filling, just like homemade.
Bake two quiches side by side; the timing stays the same. For an even larger spread, pair one quiche with my make-ahead Sausage Mushroom Croissant Casserole.
If you Like this recipe, try:
Bacon Blue Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- ½ recipe Basic Pie Dough, or store-bought pie crust
- 4 strips bacon, fried crisp, crumbled
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, leaves only
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, preferably 35%
- 3 tbsp blue cheese, crumbles
- ⅓ cup gruyere cheese
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Pastry Shell
- Make a half recipe of my basic all-butter pie dough (or use a store-bought pie crust). Press into quiche tart pan or pie dish and set aside for 20-30 minutes so the gluten as time to relax.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and precook for 15 minutes. Remove and cool slightly.
Blue Cheese Custard
- In a medium bowl, add eggs, heavy cream, gruyere and blue cheese, thyme, salt and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
Assemble & Bake
- Lower oven to 375ºF.
- Layer bacon pieces on the bottom of the baked pastry shell and pour egg mixture over.
- Bake 45 minutes. If the top is getting too brown, tent the top of the pan with aluminum foil.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.