Vegetable Frittata

A vegetable frittata is the ultimate make ahead, crowd-friendly breakfast, brunch, or dinner dish. Customize this versatile egg dish with your favorite vegetables and cheese and serve it any time of day.

Nothing beats a freshly baked frittata for brunch. This creamy, custardy egg dish can be made with just about any type of vegetables, cheeses, or herbs, which makes it perfect for using up leftovers that have been hanging out in the fridge. But my favorite thing about this recipe is that it really can be served anytime. Frittata is great for breakfast and makes a great light meal with a fresh green salad. Add some homemade French bread on the side for one of the simplest and most satisfying meals around.

Just saute a few of your favorite vegetables in a cast iron skillet, pour the whisked eggs into a baking pan, add the veggies and some meltable cheese, and bake! How easy is that for a healthy, filling meal? Frittatas are as easy as an omelet to make, but large enough to satisfy a hungry crowd.

What Is a Frittata?

A frittata is a baked egg dish filled with different veggies, herbs, cheeses, and meats. Frittatas are known for their custardy consistency, which is achieved by whisking the eggs with a bit of milk until you get a smooth, creamy texture. Frittatas are often called crustless quiches because they have that famous rich quiche-like filling, minus the pastry dough crust. 

‘Frittata’, which basically translates to ‘fried’ in Italian, gets its name from “frying” eggs in a skillet. Although, frying eggs doesn’t literally mean to fry eggs, it can also mean cooking eggs like an omelet on the stove, or even scrambling them.

How to Make It

1. Prep the baking pan. Line a 9-inch cake pan, 9-inch springform pan, or 8-inch square baking pan with parchment and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. Make the egg mixture. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper. 
3. Saute the veggies. Saute the veggies in butter for 4 to 6 minutes if using raw vegetables, or just 1 minute if using pre-cooked. Add the greens and cook until the greens are wilted. 
4. Add the eggs. Pour the eggs into the prepared pan. Add the vegetables and cheese, and gently stir to combine. Fold some of the vegetables and cheese into the center of the frittata and leave some on top so the mix-in ingredients are nicely integrated.
5. Bake the frittata. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 24 to 26 minutes, or until the center is just set. 
6. Slice and serve! Let the frittata rest for 5 minutes at room temperature before slicing and serving.

Ingredients

• Eggs - The base of the frittata. 
• Milk - Use any type of milk or cream in this recipe. Milk helps to create a custard-like consistency. The richer the milk, the richer the eggs will be.
• Kosher Salt, Black Pepper - To adjust taste.
• Unsalted Butter - Unsalted butter gives sauteed veggies a rich flavor that goes perfectly with the fluffy egg mixture. You can also use olive oil for a more neutral flavor.
• Chopped Vegetables, Fresh or Pre-Cooked - Any vegetable, or combination of vegetable will work in a frittata. There are a few suggestions below, but you can really get creative by using everything from crisp red bell peppers, to green onion, or even tender potatoes.
• Greens - Whatever greens you have lingering in your refrigerator, or growing in your garden, can be added to this vegetable frittata.
• Cheese - There is no wrong answer when it comes to what type of cheese to add to a frittata. Cheeses like goat cheese will give you a tangy flavor, while cheddar will create a sharper taste.  

Tips

• Vegetables: Quick cooking veggies like onions, bell peppers, asparagus, or green beans can be added to the skillet raw. Heartier veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, broccoli, and cauliflower should be roasted until tender ahead of time. 

• Use leftover frittata in breakfast sandwiches. Thinly slice the frittata and place between an English muffin for a delicious morning sandwich.

Variations

• Try different cheeses - Creamy ricotta, crumbled goat cheese, tangy feta, or shredded mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, or gruyere all work in this oven baked frittata. 

• Use a variety of greens - Baby spinach, chopped kale, or chopped Swiss chard add tons of nutrients and flavor. You could even use microgreens, arugula, or bok choy.

• Add fresh herbs - Tarragon, basil, oregano, thyme, and chives lift the vegetable flavors in the frittata to new heights. 

Make Ahead

Frittatas are one of the best make-ahead brunch dishes. Bake the frittata as usual, then let the dish come to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also store the vegetable frittata in the baking pan with a tight layer of plastic wrap. 

To serve the frittata, bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. Because the eggs are already cooked, you only need to make sure the frittata is thoroughly warmed, rather than giving it additional cook time.  

FAQs

More Make Ahead Egg Dishes

• Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos
• Bagel and Egg Breakfast Bake with Whipped Scallion Cream Cheese
• Spicy Breakfast Strata with Chorizo
• Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Cheese {Low Carb}

Favorite Tools

• Glass Mixing Bowls
• 10 inch Non-Stick Pan
• 8 inch Square or 9 inch Round Baking Pan, 9 inch Springform Pan, or Muffin Tin

📖 Recipe