Quiches go down well at any party! Throw 6 ingredients together for the easiest, tastiest and best looking mini quiche lorraine you’ll ever make. No pre baking of the crust necessary!
Is this the perfect make ahead party food?
After my son’s first birthday celebration there was hummus and raw vegetables left over (OK, so this combo can be on the boring side even though I love it). And a few other bits and bobs.
But there wasn’t a single one of these mini quiche lorraine left.
They go down really well at any sort of celebration: birthday parties, baby showers, engagement parties, Super Bowl parties… you name it. But they are also very very easy to make.
And if you’d like to make them ahead of time, which I recommend for ease on the day, they’re perfect.
What ingredients you need to make these mini quiches
So you only need 6 ingredients plus a few grinds of pepper to make these mini quiche lorraine:
- ready-made shortcrust pastry sheets (or make your own pastry in a few minutes in a food processor)
- parmesan cheese (or any kind of tasty cheese really, but I like to use parmesan for maximum flavour)
- bacon (or ham if you don’t want to have to pre cook anything at all)
- chives (so that you don’t have to cook onions!)
- cream (well actually I prefer to use a mix of cream and milk to lighten the quiches a bit, but I’m sneakily still calling this one ingredient)
- eggs
How to make your own pastry for quiches
Pastry used to be something I avoided making as much as possible. I find buying ready-made works well most of the time, and it’s really cheap to buy a big package of it too, at least here in Australia.
On the other hand, recently I’ve discovered that it’s really easy to make your own pastry quickly and easily if you have a food processor. Sometimes I find it easier to throw flour, butter and water into my food processor than to go to the supermarket to buy ready made pastry.
So if you’d like to make your own pastry, here’s the simple recipe I always use:
- 350g (2 cups or 12 ounces) plain flour
- 170g (12 tablespoons or 6 ounces) cold butter, cut into cubes
- 6 tablespoons cold water
Just pulse the flour and butter and water together in a food processor until a ball forms (or big clumps!). Bring the pastry together with your hands and chill for at least half an hour. Roll out and cut out rounds with a pastry cutter.
Couldn’t be simpler!
Do you have to blind bake/pre-bake the pastry to make these mini quiche lorraine? I hate doing that!
Me too! It always puts me off if a recipe tells me to blind bake the pastry before adding the fillings. It feels like a hassle, the recipe invariably takes longer, and I often end up with overcooked pastry in the end.
One of the things I love about this easy mini quiche recipe is that you don’t have to pre bake the pastry. The pastry comes out just perfect after about 20 minutes of cooking time.
In fact the only thing I pre-cooked was the bacon – for 10 minutes. I used chives instead of onions for colour and flavour.
If you’re really short on time, you could even skip the bacon and use ready cooked ham instead. This would cut down the cooking time by another 10 minutes.
So how do you make these mini quiche lorraine?
It’s SO easy. There are just 4 simple steps (5 if you decide to make your own pastry):
- Cut out big circles of pastry and press into pie trays.
- Put teaspoonsful of cheese, bacon and chives in each pastry case.
- Pour milk/cream and egg mixture on top.
- Bake for around 20 minutes!
It’s really as simple as that.
So can I freeze these mini quiches and reheat them?
Yes, yes, yes. Absolutely! These mini quiche lorraine are perfect for making ahead, freezing, and reheating later. They taste just as good reheated.
Simply make as per the recipe instructions and let cool. Then either freeze in plastic containers in single layers with baking paper between the layers OR flash freeze on baking trays for about half an hour, and then store in ziplock bags.
When you’re ready to eat your easy mini quiche lorraine, just reheat on a baking tray at 355F/180C for about 10 to 15 minutes. They taste great either hot, cold, or at room temperature.
Can I put different fillings in these mini quiche lorraine?
Well yes, of course. They won’t be quiche lorraines then of course, but mini quiches are just as delicious made with different fillings.
Here are some ideas:
- leftover cooked roasted vegetables
- finely chopped, cooked mushrooms
- uncooked bits of chopped asparagus
- cooked meats
- almost any cheese you can think of
- fresh herbs
- tiny bits of sundried tomatoes or salad onions…
You’re only limited by your imagination!
Products I’d find useful for making this recipe (affiliate links):
round-bottomed pie trays like these ones
This kind of shallow pie / muffin pan also works!
Freezer and storage bags like these for freezing your mini quiche lorraine in batches.
More quick and easy party food
- Greek filo parcels with tzatziki
- crispy mushroom filo triangles
- supermarket copycat pesto and cheese twists
- 10-minute fresh tomato salsa
- mini feta cheese triangles
- The very best zucchini slice (cut into squares… mmm, delicious!)
Or see all my easy party food here
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Mini quiche lorraine
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 1 pound shortcrust pastry (weight is average – I used 3 sheets ready-made pastry)
- 0.75 cups parmesan cheese grated (or other tasty cheese)
- 9 ounces bacon chopped into small pieces (4 to 6 rashers)
- 0.5 ounces chives finely sliced
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream =double cream in the UK/Australia
- 0.5 cups milk
- black pepper a few good grinds
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 355F / 180C.
- Pan fry the bacon in a little oil for ten minutes or until starting to crisp.
- Meanwhile, cut 24 circles out of the shortcrust pastry sheets using a large round cookie cutter or the rim of an upturned glass.
- Lightly spray 2 round-bottomed pie trays with oil, then press the pastry circles into the holes.
- Put a teaspoon of cheese into each hole, then top with a teaspoon each of cooked bacon and chives.
- Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and pepper and pour on top of the cheese/bacon/chives so that the pastry cases are filled almost to the top.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the egg mixture is lightly set and the pastry and tops of the quiches are starting to brown lightly.
Heather says
Hi Helen, thanks for a great recipe! So timely! I’ve cranked out 8 dozen of these beauties over the last couple of weekends to stash in the freezer for an upcoming engagement party. So easy & utterly delicious. My hubby has taste tested each of the flavours and loved them all – your original recipe, caramelised onion & feta, and sun dried tomato & feta. I will definitely be keeping your fabulous recipe handy for the future!! Thanks again & best wishes xx
Helen says
Heather! So lovely to hear from you! You know we’re living in Perth now? Would love to catch up some time!
Thank you so much for letting me know how the recipe went. 8 dozen – wow, I’m impressed! They’re so easy though, aren’t they?
I like the idea of caramelized onion and feta. Will definitely have to try that one. All the best to you and the hubby!
mira says
Happy Birthday to your little guy! No wonder these didn’t last a long time, they look amazing! Such a cool idea and perfect for a party!’
Helen says
Thanks, Mira! I just can’t believe he’s one already!
Marissa says
What a fun idea, Helen! I love Quiche Lorraine and these mini versions are perfect party fare!
Helen says
Thanks, Marissa. I feel like this is one of those recipes I’ll make time and time again!
Helene D'Souza says
I don’t pre-bake mini quiche, there is no need because the pastry gets cooked anyhow when they are that small. To be honest I have never seen any of my french aunties, cousins grandmother, mother pre-baking quiche, tart or tourte shortcrust and sweet shortcrust pastries. nobody has time to waste in the kitchen or so I was told. I would love your quiche as afternoon snack right now.
Helen says
I would usually pre-bake the pastry when making a large quiche, but these small ones definitely don’t need it!
Glad you like the recipe, Helene!
Lucy @ Supergoldenbakes says
Make ahead recipes for party food is always on my radar. I love the simplicity of these and that they can simple be reheated, if desired, right before serving. perfect.
Helen says
Thanks, Lucy!
Maddy O'Shea says
Hi Helen, Thank you once again for this recipe!
As with your crispy mushroom filo triangles these will go down a treat
as well. I do like how you set out your recipes and love the inform notes…x
Helen says
Hi Maddy! Lovely to hear from you again! I really appreciate this lovely feedback, and it’s really great that you’re finding the recipes easy to follow. That’s definitely my intention!
I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.
Have a great weeekend!