Easy Bacon and Cheese Frittata (or Quick Crustless Quiche Lorraine)
This bacon and cheese frittata (or quick crustless Quiche Lorraine) is a simple breakfast or brunch recipe that’s always a hit. It’s super easy, fast to make, naturally gluten free and it’s always cooked perfectly.
If you’re looking for a simple way to impress your guests, look no further than this bacon and cheese frittata. (Or quick and easy crustless Quiche Lorraine as I like to call it.)
It’s simple to make, but it’s sure to wow everyone with its delicious flavor.
Which makes it the perfect dish for a brunch gathering or holiday breakfast. Or really, any time you want eggs made a different way.
And here’s why:
- It’s easy to make. Cooking the mixture on the stove before putting it in the oven makes sure the eggs are always cooked through and not runny. (You can cook it the traditional quiche way in a pie plate in the oven if you prefer. But I’m not sure why you’d want to).
- It has less calories than a traditional quiche because it has a lot less dairy and no crust. (But it still tastes like a quiche.)
- Since it doesn’t have a crust, it’s naturally gluten free.
- It only needs 6 ingredients that you probably already have in your refrigerator – bacon, eggs, cheese, milk, salt & pepper (7 if you add the green onions)
- It’s ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
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Here is your shopping list:
- meat: 6 slices of bacon – the extra thick kind works best
- eggs: 6 large ones
- dairy: 4 ounces gruyere cheese, ¼ cup milk
- spices: ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- vegetables: green onions or chives (optional)
Substitutions
- You can substitute cheddar or swiss cheese for the gruyere, but it won’t have a traditional Quiche Lorraine flavor.
- For a richer dish (with more calories), use half-and-half or cream instead of the milk.
How to make a bacon and cheese frittata
Prep work
Pre-heat the oven to 375℉.
If you are using them, chop the green onions or chives.
Grate 1 cup of cheese.
Resist the urge to make your life easier by buying grated cheese. It has additives in it to keep it from clumping, which also prevents it from mixing smoothly with the eggs.
Cook the bacon
Cut 6 slices of bacon in half lengthwise. Then cut those strips into small pieces.
I find it’s easiest to use kitchen scissors for this, but a knife will work, too.
Now, we need to fry the bacon over medium heat until it is brown but not crispy.
If you are making this dish the quick and easy way, you’ll need an oven-proof skillet since we’ll be baking the frittata in it later. I like to use a cast iron pan.
If you’re planning on baking it in a pie plate (like a traditional quiche), then any kind of frying pan is fine.
Combine the ingredients
In a mixing bowl, whisk 6 eggs together until fluffy.
Mix in 1/4 cup milk, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Stir in the grated cheese.
Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bacon from the pan and add it to the eggs.
Cook
As I mentioned above, there are two ways you can make this:
- The traditional method for cooking frittatas is to cook it in a cast iron pan on the stove for a few minutes and then bake it in the oven to finish it. This is my favorite since you never end up with runny eggs and it’s faster.
- The second method is more like a traditional quiche, where you pour the ingredients into a pie plate and bake it.
You can find the directions for both below.
To cook in a cast iron pan
Pour out the excess grease from the frying pan and put it back on the stove.
Add the egg mixture to the pan.
Cook for about 3 minutes over medium heat, pulling the egg mixture in from the sides so the runny egg flows to the bottom of the pan.
When the egg stops running but isn’t completely set, sprinkle the top with chopped green onions or chives (if using).
Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, or until all of the egg is cooked.
To bake in a pie plate
Pour the uncooked egg mixture into the baking dish.
Then bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the eggs are set.
Serve
Serve hot for the best results.
It can also be served at room temperature, but I’m not a big fan of cold bacon.
Frequently asked questions
The biggest differences between a crustless quiche and a frittata is the cooking method and the amount of milk (or cream) that is used. Crustless quiche is baked in a pie pan in the oven and generally uses more dairy. Frittatas are cooked on the stove in a cast iron pan and then finished in the same pan in the oven.
Yes, you can freeze frittatas after baking for up to a month. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight freezer storage container. Then thaw and reheat in the microwave to serve.
Other brunch recipes you might like
- Classic Mimosas (with a non-alcoholic option)
- Strawberry cheesecake stuffed waffles
- Blueberry pancakes (with a gluten-free version)
- Berry yogurt parfait with granola
- Shrimp cocktail with homemade seafood sauce
Easy Bacon and Cheese Frittatas (or Quick Crustless Quiche Lorraine)
Equipment
- Kitchen scissors or sharp knife
- 8" oven-safe frying pan
- mixing bowl
- Whisk
- slotted spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 6 slices extra-thick bacon
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
- 2 chopped green onions or chives
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut up the bacon into small pieces.
- In an oven-safe saute pan, cook the bacon until it is brown (but not crunchy) over medium heat.
- Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until fluffy.
- Mix in the milk, salt and pepper.
- Stir in the grated cheese.
- Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bacon from the pan and add it to the eggs.
- Pour out the excess grease from the frying pan and put it back on the stove.
- Pour the egg mixture into the pan.
- Cook for about 3 minutes, pulling the egg mixture in from the sides so the runny egg flows to the bottom of the pan.
- When the egg stops leveling itself in the pan but isn't completely set, sprinkle the top with diced green onions or chives (if using).
- Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, or until all of the egg is cooked.
Notes
- Substitute cheddar or swiss for the Gruyere cheese if you prefer. You can also omit the cheese altogether.
- Avoid buying pre-grated cheese since it has additives that keep it from clumping that also prevent it from mixing smoothly with the eggs
- Scissors are the easiest way to cut the bacon
- When transferring the bacon into the eggs, use a slotted spoon or spatula to keep more of the grease in the pan.
- To make the dish more like a traditional quiche, skip the step of cooking the eggs on the stove. Pour the uncooked egg mixture into a pie pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the eggs are set.
- Serve hot for the best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Before you go
This is also the last day of our Festive Christmas Ideas blog hop, where we team up with a bunch of talented blogging friends to bring you a plethora of creative ways to celebrate your holiday season.
Which means you’ll find a lot of other Christmas breakfast recipes at the bottom of the page.
You can find all of my 2020 holiday posts HERE.
And now here’s the rest of the recipes:
Other Breakfast Recipes You Might Like
Have comments or questions about our bacon and cheese frittata? Tell us in the section below.
This post was originally published on May 20, 2020 but was updated with new content on July 13, 2022.
It kind of reminds me of a frittata, which we have for supper once a week. Sounds yummy and I definitely want to give this recipe a try on frittata night!
You’re right, Marie…it is kind of like a frittata. And it is pretty tasty 🙂