📌 Ground Beef and Potato Quiche
Posted 2 May 2026 by: Admin
Have you ever found yourself on a Saturday morning with a shortcrust pastry that’s been waiting since Tuesday, some leftover ground beef, and two potatoes starting to sprout? This quiche is the answer. Rustic, generous, and frankly satisfying — the kind of dish that makes a meal all by itself.
Fresh out of the oven, the surface is golden like a light caramel, with little bubbles frozen in the melted cheese. It smells of softened onions mixed with braised meat — a dense, warm scent, the kind that brings everyone into the kitchen. The inside, when you dip your spatula in, is wobbly and creamy, almost like a set custard. The potato cubes have absorbed everything around them.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef, potatoes, eggs, and grated cheese — simple ingredients for a frankly generous result.
- Ground beef (300 g) : Beef with at least 15% fat, not 5% — meat that is too lean dries out during cooking and loses its flavor. You can mix half beef and half ground lamb for a stronger flavor. What really counts is browning it in the pan, not just graying it.
- Potatoes (2 medium) : Waxy potatoes — a Charlotte or a Nicola. Floury varieties fall apart during cooking and make the filling pasty. Pre-cook them just enough: they should hold on a fork, not mash.
- Crème fraîche (20 cl) : Full-fat heavy cream (crème épaisse). Low-fat liquid cream creates a filling that is too fluid and won’t hold up well after baking. With heavy cream, the interior stays silky and well-bound.
- Grated cheese (100 to 150 g) : Classic Emmental or, if you want more character, hand-grated Comté. Avoid pre-shredded bags — the anti-caking starch prevents homogeneous melting and it shows in the result.
- Paprika (1 teaspoon) : Sweet paprika is enough. It gives the meat a very appetizing orange-brick color and a slightly smoky background without dominating. Add a third of a teaspoon of smoked paprika if you want a bit more depth.
The shortcrust pastry — the part everyone rushes through
The temptation is to roll out the dough straight from the fridge and bake it immediately. Result: a bottom that buckles, shrinks at the edges, and filling that overflows onto the tray. The solution is simple. Line the mold, prick the bottom with a fork — everywhere, don’t be shy — and blind bake for ten minutes before adding anything. The pastry should start to turn blonde, taking on a slightly golden ivory hue at the edges. It takes ten extra minutes on the weekend schedule, and it completely changes the texture when slicing.
Why the meat must really smell the pan
Never put raw meat in a quiche. The water it contains will be released during cooking, soaking the filling and softening the pastry from below. In a hot pan, the sliced onion starts to sizzle — that little fatty whistle on contact with olive oil — then becomes translucent in three minutes. The ground meat follows, crumbled with a spatula into regular small pieces. The minced garlic goes in last, otherwise it burns. When the juices start to stick slightly to the bottom of the pan and the meat turns a rusty brown with almost crispy edges, it’s ready. That’s where all the flavor is built.
The quiche filling — neither too rich nor too lean
Three eggs, 20 cl heavy cream, 10 cl milk. Whisk together until you get a uniform mixture, slightly frothy on the surface. Salt, pepper — that’s it. The seasoned meat already brings depth, no need to overdo it. What matters is the ratio: too many eggs and the quiche is rubbery, too much cream and it doesn’t hold. These proportions give a filling that sets well while remaining melt-in-the-mouth. Pour it in a thin stream over the filling, slowly, so it seeps between the potato cubes and the meat pieces.
40 minutes in the oven — and resist the urge to open
190°C, fan oven. The quiche enters a preheated oven — a cold oven prolongs cooking and heats unevenly. For the first twenty minutes, don’t touch anything. The filling sets from the edges toward the center and the cheese takes on a progressive amber color, almost copper on the most exposed parts. If the top browns too quickly, a square of aluminum foil placed on top is enough. The quiche is ready when the center barely wobbles — like a still-supple custard. It finishes cooking out of the oven. Ten to fifteen minutes of rest before unmolding, and the slices will hold perfectly on the plate.
Tips & Tricks
- Always let the quiche rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting — the filling finishes solidifying out of the oven and you get neat slices instead of a filling that runs as soon as you plunge the knife in
- Pre-cook potatoes until they give under a fork but still resist: overcooked, they will disintegrate in the quiche and blend into the filling instead of remaining as cubes with texture
- If you prepare the quiche the day before, keep it in the fridge unmolded and reheat for 15 minutes at 160°C — it will be as good as fresh from the oven, sometimes even better because the flavors had time to blend
How do I prevent a soggy pastry bottom?
There are two habits to adopt. First, blind bake the base for 10 minutes before adding the filling — the dough starts to dry and forms a barrier. Second, never put raw ground meat in the quiche: it releases a lot of water during cooking and soaks the bottom.
How can I tell if the quiche is cooked without cutting it?
Gently shake the mold: the edges should be completely set, only the center can still wobble very slightly. If the whole surface wobbles as one block, it needs 5 to 10 more minutes. The top color should be amber, not just blonde.
Can I prepare this quiche the day before?
Yes, and it’s even recommended. A night in the fridge allows flavors to meld. Keep it unmolded, covered with plastic wrap, and reheat for 15 minutes at 160°C before serving. It holds up as well as fresh out of the oven.
Can I freeze this quiche?
Yes, once cooked and completely cooled, it can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 160°C for 20 minutes. Avoid the microwave, which softens the pastry.
Which potato should I use so the cubes stay whole?
You absolutely need a waxy variety: Charlotte, Nicola, or Amandine. Floury varieties like Bintje disintegrate during cooking and blend into the filling. Pre-cook them just enough — they should still slightly resist the fork.
Can I replace heavy crème fraîche with liquid cream?
You can, but the result will be more fluid and the filling will hold less well when sliced. If you only have liquid cream, reduce the milk quantity to 5 cl to compensate. Full-fat heavy cream remains the best option for a melting texture and a quiche that holds its shape.
Ground Beef and Potato Quiche
French
Main course
A rustic and generous quiche with browned ground beef, tender potato cubes, and a creamy egg filling. The family dish that really satisfies.
Ingredients
- 1 roll shortcrust pastry (230 g)
- 300 g ground beef (15% fat)
- 300 g waxy potatoes (2 medium, e.g., Charlotte or Nicola)
- 3 eggs
- 200 ml full-fat heavy crème fraîche
- 100 ml whole milk
- 120 g grated cheese (Emmental or Comté)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line the tart mold with the shortcrust pastry, prick the bottom with a fork over the entire surface, and blind bake for 10 minutes.
- 2Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes. Plunge them into a pot of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes — they should give under a fork while still resisting. Drain and set aside.
- 3Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onion for 3 minutes until translucent, then add the minced garlic for 30 seconds.
- 4Add the ground beef and crumble it with a spatula into small pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook while stirring until the meat is well browned, with slightly crispy edges. Remove from heat.
- 5In a bowl, beat the eggs with the crème fraîche and milk until the mixture is homogeneous and slightly frothy. Season with salt and pepper.
- 6Spread the meat and potato cubes over the pre-baked tart base. Pour the mixture in a thin stream, slowly, so it seeps into the filling. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- 7Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is amber-colored and the filling is set. If the top browns too quickly, cover with a piece of aluminum foil.
- 8Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes out of the oven before unmolding and slicing.
Notes
• Storage: 3 days in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. Reheat for 15 minutes at 160°C or in a covered pan over low heat.
• Freezing: freezes very well for up to 2 months once cooked and cooled. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.
• Variation: replace the beef with ground lamb for a punchier flavor, or add grilled red peppers to the filling.
Nutrition Facts (per serving, estimated)
| 580 kcalCalories | 25 gProtein | 36 gCarbs | 34 gFat |
