This savoury cheese and onion quiche is made with buttery shortcrust pastry, sweet caramelised onions, mature Cheddar cheese, and a rich egg custard. The result is a deeply comforting quiche with crisp pastry and a cheesy, satisfying filling. Serves 6, ready in just over 2 hours.
I make this quiche regularly for weekend lunches and it always disappears fast. The slow-cooked onions are the real secret, turning sweet and golden to give every slice incredible depth of flavour.
Cheese and Onion Quiche Ingredients
For the Shortcrust Pastry:
- 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 125g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 1-2 tbsp cold water
For the Cheese and Onion Filling:
- 25g butter
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 medium eggs
- 150ml double cream
- 150ml full-fat milk
- 175g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Cheese and Onion Quiche
- Make the pastry: In a large bowl, rub the cold, cubed butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of cold water with a knife until it starts to come together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Line the quiche tin: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6). Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 23cm loose-bottomed flan or quiche tin. Press gently into the sides, trim the excess, and prick the base all over with a fork.
- Blind bake the pastry: Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill it with ceramic baking beans or dried rice. This ensures the pastry base stays crisp. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the paper and beans.
- Finish the blind bake: Return the empty pastry case to the oven for another 5-10 minutes until it is dry and a light golden colour. Set aside.
- Cook the onions: Melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook very gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft, sweet, and lightly caramelised.
- Prepare the custard: In a large jug, whisk together the eggs, double cream, milk, and Dijon mustard (if using). Season well with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
- Assemble the quiche: Spread the softened onions evenly over the bottom of the baked pastry case. Sprinkle about two-thirds of the grated Cheddar cheese over the onions.
- Bake the quiche: Carefully pour the egg and cream mixture over the cheese and onions. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and mostly set with a slight wobble in the middle.
- Cool before serving: Let the quiche stand in the tin for 10-15 minutes to allow the filling to set completely before removal. Serve warm or at room temperature.
What Are the Best Tips for Cheese and Onion Quiche?
- Cook the onions slowly: Do not rush this step. Slow cooking over low heat caramelises their natural sugars, making them sweet and tender. This creates a deep, rich flavour base that contrasts beautifully with the sharp cheese.
- Use a strong cheese: The cheese flavour must stand up to the creamy custard and sweet onions. Mild Cheddar will get lost. Use a good quality strong or extra-mature Cheddar for a robust, tangy taste. Try our Quiche Lorraine recipe for another delicious variation.
- Let the onions cool slightly: After cooking, let the onions cool for a few minutes before spreading them in the pastry case. Adding piping hot onions can begin to scramble the egg mixture as you pour it in.
- Don’t overbake the filling: Perfect quiche custard should be silky and smooth, not firm and rubbery. Remove from the oven when mostly set but with a slight jiggle in the centre. It will continue to cook from residual heat as it cools.
What Should You Serve With This Quiche?
This classic cheese and onion quiche is a versatile star. For a simple and delicious lunch, serve a slice with a crisp green salad and some ripe tomatoes. It pairs wonderfully with tangy chutney or relish to cut through the richness. For a more substantial meal, try it with homemade coleslaw or some fluffy new potatoes.
How Should You Store Leftover Quiche?
Refrigerate: Store leftover quiche well-covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It is delicious eaten cold, straight from the fridge, or brought to room temperature before serving.
Freeze: Once baked and cooled completely, wrap the whole quiche or individual slices securely in cling film and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven.
To Reheat: The best way to reheat quiche is in the oven. Place slices on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 160°C (140°C Fan) for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. This keeps the pastry nice and crisp.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6th of the quiche)
- Calories: 595 kcal
- Total Fat: 47g
- Saturated Fat: 26g
- Total Carbohydrate: 28g
- Sugars: 6g
- Protein: 17g
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to make my own pastry? No, a good-quality store-bought block or pre-rolled sheet of shortcrust pastry is a fantastic time-saver. You will still need to blind bake the pastry case before adding the filling.
Why does my quiche have a soggy bottom? This is the most common quiche problem and is almost always because the pastry case was not properly blind-baked. It is essential to pre-bake the empty pastry case until it is sealed, dry, and golden before the wet filling is added.
How does this cheese and onion quiche compare to other versions? Many recipes skip the important step of slow-cooking onions or use shop-bought pastry without blind baking. This recipe’s advantage is the caramelised onions and homemade shortcrust pastry that stays crisp, creating superior flavour and texture.
What other quiche recipes can I try? Once you’ve mastered this cheese and onion version, try our Quiche Lorraine for a classic bacon and cream combination, or explore our Filo Pastry Quiche for a lighter alternative.
Can I make this cheese and onion quiche ahead of time? Yes, this quiche is perfect for advance preparation. Bake it the day before, cool completely, cover, and store in the fridge. Serve cold or reheat gently in the oven at 160°C for 15-20 minutes.
Try More Recipes:
- Hairy Bikers Quiche Lorraine Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Cheese and Onion Pie Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Filo Pastry Quiche Recipe
Hairy Bikers Cheese and Onion Quiche Recipe
Description
This savoury cheese and onion quiche is made with buttery shortcrust pastry, slow-cooked onions, mature Cheddar cheese, and a rich egg custard. Serves 6, ready in just over 2 hours.
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
For the Filling:
Instructions
- Make and chill pastry: Make the shortcrust pastry by rubbing butter into flour, then binding with the egg and cold water. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Blind bake: Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C Fan). Line a 23cm quiche tin with the pastry. Prick the base, line with baking paper, fill with baking beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove beans and bake for another 5-10 minutes until golden.
- Cook onions: While pastry bakes, slowly cook the sliced onions in butter and oil for 20-25 minutes until very soft and sweet. Let cool slightly.
- Assemble and bake: Reduce oven to 180°C (160°C Fan). Spread the onions and most of the cheese in the pastry case. Whisk eggs, cream, milk, and mustard, then pour into the case. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set with a slight wobble.
- Cool and serve: Let the quiche cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
