What does quiche mean?
A quiche is a baked savory tart made with a pastry crust and a filling based on eggs and cream, usually including cheese. Other ingredients may be added, such as onions, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon, or other meats. Quiche Lorraine, the best-known traditional version, combines eggs, cheese, and bacon or lardons. The dish is associated with the Lorraine region of northeastern France and is commonly served at lunch, in cafés, and as part of informal meals. Its name is often confused with a simpler egg-and-cheese pie, but a quiche traditionally has a custard-like filling rather than merely scrambled eggs. The word entered English from French in the late nineteenth century. Although related dishes exist throughout France and the wider Francophone world, quiche is especially strongly identified with French cooking and the classic quiche Lorraine.
nounA savory French tart made with a pastry crust and a filling of eggs, cream, and usually cheese, often with vegetables, meat, or other ingredients. The classic variety is quiche Lorraine, traditionally containing bacon or lardons, eggs, and cheese.
- A baked savory tart with a pastry crust and an egg-and-cream filling, usually enriched with cheese and sometimes containing vegetables, meat, or fish.
"She served a spinach-and-feta quiche for lunch."
"We had quiche and salad at the café."
"She baked individual vegetable quiches for the party."
The plural is formed by adding -s; quiches is pronounced /ˈkiːʃɪz/.
"The bakery sells individual quiches, including vegetarian and Lorraine varieties."
The classic quiche Lorraine takes its name from Lorraine, the French region where the dish is closely associated with its origins.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does quiche come from?
The English word quiche was borrowed from French in the late nineteenth century. French quiche comes from a regional form associated with Lorraine and is generally traced to a Germanic word meaning “cake,” related to German Kuchen. The more distant culinary family—including kitchen, cuisine, and culinary—ultimately derives from Latin cucina, a word associated with cooking.
How quiche is actually used
In English, quiche is pronounced /kiːʃ/, with the final consonant heard as /ʃ/ rather than French /ʃ/ with the sound of /k/. It is normally a countable noun and is often described as a savory or savoury tart.