This easy Quiche Lorraine With Hash Brown Crust is filled with bacon, sautéed onions, Swiss cheese, and a creamy egg custard. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner...it's sure to be a hit!
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And I bet you won't miss the pie crust one bit. Because what goes better with eggs, bacon and cheese than potatoes? It's the perfect combination of flavors!
Even better, we're taking a shortcut by using thawed frozen shredded hash browns to make the crust super simple. No peeling, grating, or soaking potatoes required.
Fun Fact: Quiche Lorraine gets its name from the Lorraine region in northeastern France where it originated.
Now, although this may not be a truly authentic Quiche Lorraine, it's a really delicious variation of the classic. Cheese and onions are not original ingredients but have become very popular additions over the years. And, of course, the hash brown crust replaces the traditional pie crust.
It's yet another dish where just a few very simple ingredients turn into a dish that's so full of flavor, and it's even impressive enough for serving guests!
Ingredients You Need
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Frozen shredded hash browns (thawed and patted dry with paper towels)
- Butter (melted)
- Eggs (large)
- Bacon (chopped; I use and recommend thick-cut bacon)
- Onion (chopped)
- Half and half (this is a blend of equal parts milk and heavy cream; find it in the dairy aisle or make your own)
- Swiss cheese (shredded; I use baby Swiss because it has a milder flavor that I prefer)
- Nutmeg
- Salt
- Black pepper
Special Equipment Needed
- 9½ x 1¾-inch pie dish (a standard 9-inch pie dish will be too small for this recipe)
How To Make Quiche Lorraine With Hash Brown Crust
Note: This is just a brief overview of the steps. For the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, please go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, mix together the hash browns, melted butter, egg, salt and pepper until well combined.
Press the hash brown mixture into the bottom and all the way up the sides of the pie dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top of the crust is just barely starting to turn lightly golden and the edges are starting to turn brown in spots.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside.
Remove all but one teaspoon of the bacon grease from the skillet. Sauté the onions over medium-low heat until softened.
Put the onions, bacon and shredded Swiss cheese into the hash brown crust.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper until well combined. Pour the egg mixture into the crust.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the custard is set. Let rest for 15 minutes, then slice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Thaw the frozen hash browns in the refrigerator overnight (put them on a large plate, tray or baking sheet lined with paper towels and cover). Or, if you're in a hurry, you can put them on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper towels and microwave for a few minutes just until thawed.
- Once the hash browns are thawed, be sure to pat them dry with paper towels to get rid of any excess moisture (you don't want the crust to be too wet).
- When adding the cooked bacon, I hold back a few pieces and then sprinkle them on top of the egg mixture. This is optional. I do this because most of the bacon will remain submerged in the custard, and this lets you see that there is bacon in there.
- To test the quiche for doneness, you can use one or more of the following methods:
- Give the pie dish a very gentle shake back and forth on the oven rack (use oven mitts, please). There should be no jiggle.
- Insert a knife into the center of the quiche; if it comes out clean, it is done.
- Take its temperature in the center. It should be at least 165°F.
- It's important to let the quiche rest for about 15 minutes. This will allow the custard to cool a bit and set up more so that you can easily slice it and remove it from the pie dish.
Substitutions & Variations
- Refrigerated pre-shredded potatoes can be used instead of frozen (most often, you can find these in the dairy aisle).
- If you'd rather make the hash brown crust from scratch, grate/shred peeled potatoes to get about 4 heaping cups, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain and squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel and proceed with the recipe.
- For extra richness, you can use all heavy cream instead of the half and half. For less richness, you can use all whole milk instead of the half and half.
- Use Gruyère cheese instead of Swiss. It can be quite pricey, which is why I most often use Swiss, but it's a nice splurge now and then, and it's super delicious!
- If you're not into the flavor of Swiss cheese, use a cheese that you enjoy. Cheddar would be great, as would Monterey Jack.
- Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the egg mixture for a little background heat. I do this often...YUM!
Make Ahead, Leftover Storage & Reheating
Make Ahead
- This quiche is at its absolute best when freshly made. However, leftovers do reheat quite well, so you can definitely make it and bake it ahead of time. See reheating instructions below.
Leftover Storage
- Store leftovers (or made-ahead quiche) in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 to 4 days.
- I don't recommend freezing quiche because the texture can change after being frozen, and not in a good way.
Reheating
Whichever method you choose, be careful of overcooking, as this can cause the quiche to become dry and rubbery.
- My preferred method is the oven, as the quiche tastes more like it is freshly-baked.
- I recommend reheating the quiche as slices rather than reheating the whole quiche or a large piece of quiche because they will reheat faster.
- Let the slices sit at room temperature to take the chill off while the oven preheats to 325°F.
- Place the quiche slices in a lightly greased baking dish, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake just until heated through.
- You can also reheat quiche slices in the microwave. But be super careful because it can overcook very quickly.
- I recommend reheating one slice at a time and using a lower power setting like 50%. Check it after about 2 minutes. If it needs more time, continue cooking at the lower power setting in 30-second intervals just until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
For breakfast or brunch, this quiche is great as is - you've already got your hash browns - or you can simply pair it with some toasted bread, English muffins, bagels, and some fresh fruit or a fruit salad.
For lunch or dinner, it's great with a fresh green salad and/or your favorite vegetable (I especially love it with roasted asparagus, roasted green beans or roasted broccoli). It's also fantastic paired with soup.
Love quiche? Also try my Broccoli and Cheese Crustless Quiche and Easy Mini Quiches (3 Ways).
I hope you try this Quiche Lorraine With Hash Brown Crust recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
Want even more simple and delicious breakfast and brunch recipes?
Check out my Breakfast and Brunch Recipes page.
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went. Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Quiche Lorraine With Hash Brown Crust
Ingredients
For the Hash Brown Crust
- 1 pound frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and patted dry with paper towel (about 4 heaping cups)
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (I use kosher salt; if using regular table salt, you may want to use less)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Filling
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup chopped onions, about ½-inch pieces
- 5 large eggs
- ¾ cup half and half
- 1 cup freshly shredded Swiss cheese, I use baby Swiss because it has a milder flavor that I prefer
- pinch nutmeg, about 1/16 of a teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (I use kosher salt; if using regular table salt, you may want to use less)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Special Equipment
- 9½ x 1¾-inch pie dish (a standard 9-inch pie dish will be too small for this quiche)
Instructions
Make the Hash Brown Crust
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, melted butter, one egg, salt and pepper; mix until well combined.
- Put the hash brown mixture into a 9½ x 1¾-inch pie dish; spread it out and press it down onto the bottom and all the way up the sides of the dish.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is just barely starting to turn lightly golden on the top with some light browning on some spots along the edges. While the crust is in the oven, move on to making the filling.
Make the Filling and Bake the Quiche
- In a medium skillet, cook the chopped bacon over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until crisp.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon pieces to a plate lined with a paper towel; set aside.
- Remove all but 1 teaspoon of the bacon grease from the skillet. Add the onions to the skillet; sauté, stirring frequently, until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- When the crust has finished baking, remove it from the oven and add the onions, bacon and shredded Swiss cheese in even layers.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 5 eggs, half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Pour the egg mixture into the crust.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or just until the eggs are set. Be careful not to overcook, which can cause the quiche to be dry and the eggs rubbery.To test for doneness: there should be no jiggle when you give the dish a gentle shake on the oven rack (use oven mitts, please), and a knife inserted in the center of the quiche should come out clean. If you'd like to test it by temperature, the center of the quiche should be a minimum of 165°F.
- Remove the quiche from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes (this allows the custard to cool a bit and set up more so that the slices will come out of the dish neatly).
- Slice into 6 wedges and enjoy!
Notes
- You can either thaw the frozen hash browns in the refrigerator overnight or, if you're in a hurry, you can put them on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for a few minutes until they are thawed.
- Once thawed, be sure to pat them dry with paper towels to get rid of any excess moisture (you don't want the crust to be too wet).
- When adding the cooked bacon, I like to hold back a few of the pieces and then sprinkle them on top after I add the egg mixture. This is optional, but it lets you see that there is bacon in there (most of the other pieces will remain submerged in the custard).
- Please refer to the post for additional information and tips as well as step-by-step photos, information on substitutions and variations, making ahead, storing leftovers, reheating, and serving suggestions.
Susan says
Love the hash brown crust! Turned out great!
Michelle says
Thank you, Susan! I appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!