Mini Quiche Lorraine

These Mini Quiche Lorraines are one of those recipes that are useful for pretty much any occasion.

I originally created them during the King’s Coronation week, when everyone seemed to be looking for easy party food, picnic recipes and things you could put out on a buffet. But they’re definitely not just for a royal celebration.

They’re brilliant for summer picnics, lunchboxes, afternoon teas, parties, BBQ spreads or simply something to keep in the fridge when you fancy a quick snack.

You’ve got crisp shortcrust pastry filled with smoky streaky bacon, softened onion and Cheddar, then everything is held together with a simple egg, double cream and chive filling.

And because we’re using ready-rolled pastry, they’re genuinely easy.

There’s no making pastry from scratch, no full-sized quiche to carefully slice and no complicated filling. You get 12 individual quiches that can be eaten warm or cold and are perfect for picking up with your hands.

Why you’ll love these Mini Quiche Lorraines

There’s something about miniature food that just works when you’re feeding people.

A big quiche is great for lunch, but these individual ones are much more versatile.

You can put them on a buffet and let everyone help themselves. Pack a couple into a picnic. Serve them as part of an afternoon tea. Or make a batch at the weekend and you’ve got an easy lunch or snack ready for the next few days.

They’re also really straightforward to make.

Using ready-rolled shortcrust pastry removes most of the work, and the filling only needs a handful of familiar ingredients.

Bacon, onion, cheese, eggs, cream and chives.

Nothing complicated.

What is Quiche Lorraine?

Quiche Lorraine originates from the Lorraine region of France and is traditionally associated with a rich savoury custard and bacon or lardons baked inside pastry.

Like loads of classic dishes, you’ll find plenty of debate about exactly what should and shouldn’t go into an “authentic” Quiche Lorraine.

Cheese in particular can be contentious.

My version isn’t trying to win an authenticity competition. It’s an easy homemade Mini Quiche Lorraine recipe, and I like the flavour Cheddar brings to the bacon and onion.

The important bit for me is that you’ve got crisp pastry and a soft, rich filling with plenty of smoky bacon.

Why ready-rolled shortcrust pastry is perfect

You can absolutely make shortcrust pastry from scratch.

But do you need to?

Not for these.

Ready-rolled shortcrust pastry is one of those shortcuts that makes complete sense, particularly when you’re making party food.

This recipe uses two 320g packets, giving you enough pastry to cut 12 circles for a standard muffin tin.

Because it’s already rolled to an even thickness, you also get much more consistent pastry cases.

Use an 8cm round cutter and press each circle gently into the muffin tin.

One important little detail: make sure there isn’t air trapped underneath the pastry.

You want the pastry sitting directly against the tin so you get a nice shape as it bakes.

Why I bake the pastry before adding the filling

The pastry cases get a quick five-minute bake before any filling goes in.

This gives the pastry a head start.

The filling contains eggs and double cream, so you’re adding quite a lot of moisture. If everything went into completely raw pastry, there’s a greater chance of ending up with a soft or slightly soggy base.

Five minutes isn’t enough to completely cook the pastry.

That’s not what we’re trying to do.

We’re simply beginning the baking process before adding the wet filling.

If the middle of any pastry cases puffs up during this first bake, gently press it back down with a teaspoon.

Then let them cool slightly while you make the filling.

The bacon and onion filling

Streaky bacon is ideal for these because it has a good balance of meat and fat.

Slice the rashers into thin strips and get them into a frying pan over a medium-high heat.

They only need a couple of minutes before the onion goes in.

As the bacon cooks, it releases some of its fat, which then helps cook and flavour the diced onion.

Give the onion another four to five minutes until it’s softened.

You don’t want crunchy raw onion inside the finished quiches.

Taking those few extra minutes to soften it gives you a much sweeter, more rounded flavour.

Why Cheddar works so well

Traditionalists might have something to say about Cheddar in Quiche Lorraine.

I’m keeping it.

The sharp, savoury flavour works brilliantly with smoky bacon, sweet onion and creamy eggs.

There’s 80g across 12 quiches, so it doesn’t overwhelm them.

I like adding a little grated cheese directly into each pastry case before spooning over the bacon and onion mixture.

That way you know every single quiche gets a good distribution of cheese and filling.

Nobody ends up with the sad one that’s somehow got no bacon in it.

How to make a good quiche filling

The custard itself couldn’t be much simpler.

Three eggs are lightly beaten with 150ml double cream, chopped chives and a little salt and black pepper.

The eggs provide the structure.

The cream provides richness and keeps the texture tender.

You don’t need to aggressively whisk everything together. You’re not trying to incorporate loads of air.

Just lightly beat it until combined.

Also be careful with the salt.

Bacon and Cheddar are already salty, so you might need considerably less seasoning than you’d expect.

Don’t overfill the pastry cases

Once you’ve got the cheese, bacon and onion inside, carefully divide the egg mixture between the 12 pastry cases.

Don’t fill them right to the point where they’re overflowing.

Egg expands slightly as it cooks, and you want the filling contained inside the pastry rather than baked onto your muffin tin.

A small jug can make dividing the custard easier and considerably less messy than trying to spoon it in.

How do you know when mini quiches are cooked?

Bake them at 180°C fan for 18–20 minutes.

You’re looking for the filling to be risen, set and golden.

They may puff up slightly in the oven.

That’s completely normal.

As they cool, they’ll settle back down.

Give them around 10 minutes in the tin before trying to remove them. Straight from the oven, the filling and pastry are more delicate.

Once they’ve had a chance to cool slightly, they should be much easier to lift out.

Can you eat Mini Quiche Lorraine cold?

Definitely.

That’s one of the reasons they’re so useful for picnics and parties.

They’re lovely warm from the oven, but they’re also really good once completely cooled.

I’d actually say the flavour becomes slightly more pronounced as they cool because you pick up the bacon, cheese and chives more clearly.

If they’ve been refrigerated, you can eat them cold or allow them to come closer to room temperature before serving.

Perfect for picnics and lunchboxes

This is probably where mini quiches beat a full-sized one.

They’re already individually portioned and you don’t need a knife and fork.

Pack them alongside salads, sandwiches, fruit and other picnic bits and you’ve got something much more substantial than your average snack.

For lunchboxes, I’d add a couple alongside some salad or chopped vegetables.

Just remember that because these contain eggs, cream, cheese and bacon, they need to be kept properly chilled rather than sitting somewhere warm for hours.

Mini quiches for parties and buffets

If I’m making food for a party, I always want a mixture of things that can be prepared before everyone arrives.

These are ideal.

Make them earlier in the day or even the day before, refrigerate them once cooled and you’ve got one less thing to think about when people turn up.

They’re also substantial enough that a couple actually feel like food rather than just another tiny canapé.

For a bigger gathering, you can easily double the recipe and make 24.

Easy Mini Quiche Lorraine variations

Once you’ve got the basic method, you can change the filling really easily.

You could swap the bacon for cooked ham.

Add some finely chopped mushrooms.

Use Gruyère instead of Cheddar.

Add spinach for some extra veg.

You could even leave out the bacon and make a vegetarian version with cheese, caramelised onion and roasted peppers.

Just be careful with ingredients that release lots of water.

Things like mushrooms and spinach are best cooked first so that moisture doesn’t end up in the quiche filling.

Making this recipe in the US

If you’re making these Mini Quiche Lorraines in America, there are a few ingredient names and measurements worth translating.

640g ready-rolled shortcrust pastry is approximately 1.4 lb pastry. British shortcrust pastry is closest to an American pie crust/pie pastry. You can use ready-made refrigerated pie crust rather than making your own.

8 rashers streaky bacon is simply around 8 slices of bacon in the US. American bacon is generally similar to what we call streaky bacon in Britain.

80g Cheddar is approximately 3 oz grated/shredded Cheddar cheese.

150ml double cream is approximately ⅔ cup heavy cream. Heavy cream is the closest commonly available American equivalent to British double cream.

A British medium egg is slightly larger than a US medium egg, so 3 US large eggs are the easiest choice here.

5g chives is approximately 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives.

For the oven, 180°C fan is approximately 400°F in a conventional US oven. If you’re using a convection oven, around 355–360°F is closer.

The muffin tin and 8cm pastry cutter translate to a standard 12-cup muffin pan and roughly a 3-inch round cutter.

So if you’re in the US searching for mini bacon quiches, mini Quiche Lorraine or individual quiche cups, you can follow exactly the same method with those simple substitutions.

Ingredients

640g ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (2 x 320g packets)

8 rashers streaky bacon

1 onion, diced

80g Cheddar cheese, grated

3 eggs

150ml double cream

5g chives, chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Spray a 12-hole muffin tin with spray oil.
2. Use an 8cm round cutter to cut 12 circles from the shortcrust pastry. Press each one into the holes of the muffin tin, making sure there isn’t any air trapped underneath.
3. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. If any of the pastry has risen, use a teaspoon to gently flatten it back down.
4. Slice the bacon rashers into thin strips, then pan fry for 2 minutes over a medium-high heat.
5. Add the onion and cook for another 4–5 minutes, or until softened.
6. Sprinkle a little grated cheese into each pastry cup, then use a teaspoon to divide the bacon and onion mixture between them.
7. Add the eggs to a mixing bowl and lightly beat. Add the double cream, chives and a little salt and black pepper, then mix well.
8. Divide the egg mixture between the 12 pastry cases, then bake for 18–20 minutes until golden and risen.
9. Leave the mini quiches to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully lifting them out.

Equipment

12-hole muffin tin

8cm round pastry cutter

Frying pan

Mixing bowl

Whisk or fork

Sharp knife

Chopping board

Cheese grater

Teaspoon

Small jug, optional but useful for pouring the filling

FAQs

Can you make Mini Quiche Lorraine ahead of time?

Yes. They’re a brilliant make-ahead recipe. Bake them, allow them to cool completely and then refrigerate in an airtight container. You can serve them cold or gently reheat them before serving.

How do I stop mini quiches getting soggy bottoms?

Giving the empty pastry cases a short bake before adding the filling helps. It’s also important to cook ingredients such as bacon, onions, mushrooms or spinach before adding them, particularly if they contain a lot of moisture.

Do I need to blind bake mini quiche pastry?

This recipe gives the pastry cases a quick five-minute pre-bake rather than a traditional blind bake with baking beans. If they puff up, simply press them gently back down with a teaspoon before adding the filling.

What is double cream called in America?

Heavy cream is the closest widely available US substitute for British double cream and works well in these mini quiches.

What is shortcrust pastry called in America?

Pie crust or pie pastry is the closest American equivalent. Ready-made refrigerated pie crust is a convenient substitute for British ready-rolled shortcrust pastry.

Can you freeze Mini Quiche Lorraine?

Yes. Once completely cooled, freeze the quiches in an airtight container with baking paper between layers if necessary. Defrost them in the fridge before reheating.

Can I make these without bacon?

Absolutely. Leave out the bacon and replace it with cooked vegetables or another filling. Cheese and onion is particularly simple, while spinach, mushroom or roasted pepper all work well.

Can I use milk instead of double cream?

You can use milk, but the finished filling will be less rich. A higher-fat milk or a mixture of milk and cream will give you a texture closer to the original.

Why have my mini quiches puffed up?

Egg expands as it cooks, so it’s normal for quiches to puff up in the oven. They’ll usually settle as they cool.

How do I know when mini quiches are done?

The filling should look set, risen and lightly golden rather than wet in the centre. For this recipe, that takes around 18–20 minutes at 180°C fan.

Can I use a normal muffin tin for mini quiches?

Yes. That’s exactly what this recipe is designed for. A standard 12-hole muffin tin gives you 12 individual quiches.

What’s the difference between quiche and Quiche Lorraine?

Quiche is the general name for a savoury pastry tart filled with an egg-based custard. Quiche Lorraine traditionally refers to the famous Lorraine-style version associated with bacon or lardons.

Final thoughts

I originally made these Mini Quiche Lorraines for the King’s Coronation, but they’re far too useful to save for special occasions.

They’re easy, inexpensive and you can make 12 individual portions from a handful of familiar ingredients.

The combination of crisp shortcrust pastry, smoky bacon, softened onion, Cheddar and that creamy chive filling is difficult not to like.

And because they’re just as good cold as they are warm, they’re exactly the sort of recipe worth having up your sleeve for summer.

Make them for a picnic, put them out at a party, stick a couple in a lunchbox or just make a batch to keep in the fridge.

I’d definitely recommend making more than you think you’ll need.