Cauliflower Cheese and Bacon Quiche

4.80 (36)
⏱ 50 mins 🍽 Serves 6 🌶 french ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This recipe merges the comforting flavours of cauliflower cheese with the classic elements of a quiche Lorraine. It features a buttery homemade pastry case filled with a creamy mixture of eggs, double cream, grated cheese, chives, nutmeg, cooked cauliflower, and bacon. The quiche is baked until golden and set, and is best served warm after a brief rest. Ideal for a buffet, lunch, or main course, it serves six people.

Cauliflower Cheese and Bacon Quiche

Ingredients

  • 225g plain flour plus extra for rolling out
  • 140g cold unsalted butter roughly cubed
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2-3 tbsp ice-cold water
  • 1 small cauliflower broken into smallish florets
  • 100g thick-cut unsmoked streaky bacon roughly chopped
  • 3 large free-range eggs
  • 284ml carton double cream
  • 175g/6oz cheese finely grated (combine two or three of the following: parmesan, cheddar and gruyère or emmental)
  • 2 tbsp snipped chives
  • good grating of nutmeg

Method

  1. For the pastry, pulse the flour with a pinch of salt in a processor. Add the butter and pulse to a breadcrumb texture. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tbsp water, pour it in, and process until a ball forms, adding a 1⁄2-1 tbsp water if needed. Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes or up to 48 hours.
  2. Let the pastry come to a cool room temperature. Roll it out thinly and use it to line a 23cm round, 4cm deep tart tin with a removable base. Press the pastry into the corners without stretching and trim any excess. Chill for 30 minutes.
  3. At the same time, heat your oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/gas 5. Line the chilled pastry with foil, fill with baking beans, and bake for 12-15 minutes. Take out the foil and beans and bake for a further 5-7 minutes until the pastry is no longer raw and is a pale gold.
  4. While the pastry bakes, boil a pan of salted water. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 5 minutes from when the water returns to a boil. Drain thoroughly and allow to cool.
  5. Place the bacon pieces in a cold non-stick pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the fat renders and the bacon is coloured but not crisp. Set aside to cool.
  6. Whisk together the eggs, cream, all the cheese, chives, and nutmeg with black pepper and a little salt. Fold in the cooled cauliflower and bacon. Pour this filling into the pastry case. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is set with a slight tremble. Let it stand for 30 minutes before serving warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories752 kcal
Fat60 g
Saturates35 g
Carbs33 g
Fibre3 g
Protein22 g
Sodium492 mg
Salt1 g

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy
CategoryMain course
Cuisinefrench