Quiche lorraine is one of those recipes that feels a little fancy but is actually pretty easy to pull off. And yes, you can absolutely make it gluten free without sacrificing flavor or texture.

The trick is in the crust. A blend of gluten free all-purpose flour and tapioca starch gives it that flaky, buttery quality you’d expect from a traditional pie crust.

For the filling, we’re keeping it classic. Bacon, gruyere, and a smooth egg custard seasoned with nutmeg and fresh chives.

It’s the kind of dish that works for any occasion. Weekend brunch, a holiday table, or just a regular Tuesday when you want something a little special.

The whole thing comes together without too much effort, and the result is honestly hard to tell apart from a regular quiche. Let’s get into it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Finally a Gluten Free Crust That Actually Works – The combo of gluten free flour blend and tapioca starch gives this quiche crust a flaky, buttery texture that honestly rivals any traditional wheat crust you have had before.

Crispy Bacon and Melty Gruyere – Thick-cut bacon and rich, nutty gruyere cheese make every single bite of this quiche feel like something you would order at a fancy brunch spot.

Perfect for Brunch Hosting – If you have gluten free guests coming over, this quiche lorraine lets everyone eat the same meal together without anyone feeling left out or stuck with a sad substitute.

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 1/4 cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Cold Unsalted Butter (cubed)
1 Egg Yolk
2 tbsp Ice Water

For the Filling

6 slices Thick-Cut Bacon (chopped)
1 cup Gruyere Cheese (shredded)
4 Large Eggs
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
2 tbsp Fresh Chives (chopped)

How to Make

Step 1

Make the crust by combining the gluten free flour blend, tapioca starch, and salt in a food processor. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse 10 to 12 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and ice water, then pulse just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap, flatten into a disc, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing it into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any excess and prick the bottom with a fork. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Step 3

Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, then bake for another 5 to 7 minutes until the bottom looks dry and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F.

Step 4

While the crust bakes, cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Step 5

Scatter the cooked bacon and shredded gruyere evenly over the bottom of the par-baked crust.

Step 6

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Pour the custard mixture over the bacon and cheese in the crust.

Step 7

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the filling is set around the edges but still has a gentle jiggle in the very center. Let the quiche cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chives, then slice and serve.

Helpful Tips

Keep the Butter Really Cold

The butter needs to stay as cold as possible when you make the crust. Cut it into small cubes and put it back in the fridge for a few minutes before adding it to the food processor.

Gluten free dough can get soft and sticky fast, and cold butter is what keeps it flaky. If the butter warms up and melts into the flour, you’ll end up with a tough, dense crust instead of a tender one.

If at any point the dough feels greasy or too soft while you’re working with it, just pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up again.

Roll the Dough Between Parchment Paper

Gluten free dough doesn’t have the stretch that regular dough does, so it cracks and breaks easily. Rolling it between two sheets of parchment paper keeps it from sticking to your counter and your rolling pin without needing extra flour.

Roll from the center outward and rotate the dough a quarter turn every few rolls. This helps you get an even circle instead of an oval shape.

If the dough cracks while you’re transferring it to the pie dish, don’t worry. Just press the pieces back together with your fingers. Gluten free crust is very forgiving that way since there’s no gluten to overwork.

Don’t Skip the Blind Bake

Blind baking means baking the crust by itself before adding the filling. This step is important because the wet custard filling would make the bottom of the crust soggy if you poured it into a raw shell.

Make sure you use pie weights or dried beans on top of the parchment when you blind bake. They keep the bottom flat and stop the sides from sliding down. Once you remove the weights and bake for those extra 5 to 7 minutes, the bottom should look dry and just barely golden.

Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork before blind baking. This lets steam escape so the dough doesn’t puff up and create big air bubbles underneath.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which gluten free flour blend works best for this crust?

A blend that contains rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch (like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1) works really well here. The key is to use one that includes xanthan gum, since that helps the dough hold together the way regular pie crust would.

If your blend doesn’t have xanthan gum already mixed in, add about 1/2 teaspoon to the dry ingredients. Without it, the crust can crumble apart when you try to slice the quiche.