Bacon and Cheese Quiche 🥓🧀 with Smashed Potato Crust 🥔 is the brunch or breakfast-for-dinner comfort food recipe your family will adore! Smashed Yukon gold potatoes form the crust while caramelized onions, bacon, and cheese create an irresistible filling that’s savory perfection! 🍳
Easy Bacon and Cheese Quiche Recipe
- Calling all bacon lovers, this bacon-forward quiche is for you! And it doesn’t hurt that there are also lightly caramelized scallions, shredded cheese, and some peppery arugula leaves.
- What sets this quiche apart though is the crust. It’s not a traditional pie crust and instead I made the crust with Yukon gold potatoes that I smashed to form the crust. Therefore, this quiche recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- And unlike traditional quiches with pie dough, the smashed potato crust doesn’t need pre-baking which saves time.
- If you need a crowd-pleasing brunch recipe or holiday brunch recipe for Easter, Mother’s Day, Christmas morning, New Years, this is perfect. And my family wouldn’t complain if I served this as breakfast-for-dinner either!
- Pro Tip: If you have leftover holiday ham, you can use it in place of the bacon!
Ingredients in Quiche with Smashed Potato Crust
Potatoes: Using waxy potatoes like baby Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes is what I recommend because they’ll hold their shape better unlike Russet potatoes. Baby red potatoes are another viable option.
Bacon: I like using thick-cut bacon or use your favorite. Tip – To save time, you can substitute and use leftover ham or holiday ham. Cook the shallots in a bit of olive oil.
Shallots: Caramelizing shallots adds so much flavor. White onions or yellow onions may be substituted. Tip – If you’re a fan of mushrooms, bell peppers, or other veggies, you can cook them down along with the onions.
Greens: I mix the cooked shallots with baby arugula leaves but you can use baby spinach or omit the greens if preferred.
Cheese: I use white cheddar cheese or select Gruyere cheese if you’re feeling fancy (and use the rest of your Gruyere in my One Hour French Onion Soup recipe!). Sharp cheddar cheese, extra sharp cheese, gouda, or Swiss cheese.
Liquids: Large eggs are key and I use half-and-half although you could probably get away with whole milk to keep it slightly lighter. Heavy cream is not necessary and almost too thick.
Seasonings: Salt, pepper, paprika or smoked paprika, optional red pepper flakes.
Garnishes, optional: Green onions, chives, reserved bacon, Parmesan cheese, feta, fresh parsley, fresh herbs, or as desired.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How To Make Bacon Egg and Cheese Quiche
- Boil potatoes in large stockpot for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Cook the bacon in a large cast iron skillet until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, remove it with a slotted spoon, and caramelize the shallots in the bacon grease. If desired, toss the caramelized shallots with greens. Tip – You need a high sided skillet, so I do not recommend a pie dish or pie plate because they’re too shallow.
- Place the boiled potatoes directly in the skillet and smash them! You can use the palm of a gloved hand, a drinking glass, measuring cup, etc. to form a crust.
- Sprinkle half the cheese over the crust, the cooked bacon, shallot mixture, and sprinkle the remaining cheese.
- Whisk the eggs, dairy, and seasonings together in a large bowl and then slowly pour the egg filling over the crust and toppings.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until set, golden brown, and done. Garnish as desired and serve your deep dish masterpiece.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for step-by-step photos and process shots of the cooking process.
Bacon and Cheese Quiche
Equipment
- large cast iron skillet (10-inch or 12-inch recommended)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, (small yellow or gold waxy potatoes recommended, baby red potatoes may be substituted; I don't recommend Russet potatoes or starchy potatoes because they won't hold their shape as the crust)
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced (or your favorite type of bacon)
- 1 ½ cups thinly sliced shallots, thinly sliced white or yellow onions may be substituted
- 1 ½ cups grated white cheddar cheese, divided (Gruyere cheese, sharp or extra sharp yellow cheddar, or shredded gouda cheese may be substituted)
- 2 cups baby arugula leaves, optional (baby spinach leaves may be substiuted)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half, whole milk may be substituted; heavy cream is overkill
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided, and to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Fresh chives, green onions, or fresh herbs such as parsley; optional for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position. Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and boil until fork-tender, about 15-18 minutes depending on their size. When they're done, drain, and set aside. Meanwhile, continue with the next steps in the recipe.
- To a large cast iron skillet, add the diced bacon and cook over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes; stir and toss frequently. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate or bowl.Cast Iron Skillet Tips – Using a cast iron skillet is non-negotiable. Its ability to retain and evenly distribute heat ensures the potato crust crisps perfectly and the quiche bakes uniformly. Other pans won’t achieve the same results.
- Add the shallots to the skillet with the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until soft and caramelized, about 10-12 minutes; stir and toss frequently. Tip – If you'd like to saute mushrooms or diced bell peppers with the shallots/onions, go for it.
- Remove the shallots with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl. Optionally, toss with arugula (or baby spinach); set aside. Note – I say optionally because not everyone is a fan of greens but they do wilt considerably and this is an easy way to work in a bit of greenery and nutrients!
- To the skillet with the bacon fat, using a spoon, remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan (or just carefully pour off the grease).
- Brush the skillet, including the sides, with the bacon fat.
- Place the cooked and drained potatoes directly into the greased skillet, and smash them into an even layer, pressing up the sides slightly to form a crust.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt, place a lid on the skillet, and cook covered over medium heat for 5 minutes to help set the crust.
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle half the cheese over the potato crust.
- Layer with bacon (reserve 1-2 tablespoons for garnishing, if desired), shallots and arugula mixture.
- Evenly sprinkle and top with the remaining cheese. Set aside momentarily.
- To large mixing bowl, add the egg, half-and-half, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, whisk well to combine.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the skillet toppings.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the quiche is set (not jiggly) and the top is lightly golden. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Cool for about 10-15 minutes before garnishing as desired with any reserved bacon, and chive, green onions, fresh herbs, or as desired.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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First let me say Averie is one of my top go to sites for recipes. I was looking for a gluten free option for quiche with 2 celiacs in my family. This recipe did not disappoint. It was absolutely delicious.
Thanks GG for your vote of confidence and for trusting my recipes and so glad to hear this quiche worked great for you and also checked off the GF box for a GF recipe for you, too!
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I do love your recipes though. So many great ideas!
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Wish this was pinterest friendly
There are 6 separate pinterest graphics AND hovering Pin It buttons on the top corner of every photo. Doesn’t get much more friendly and easy than that!