How to make a Frittata? (Plus 5 Recipe Variations)

• Food: Frittata
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Discover how to cook a frittata with this easy tutorial and 5 recipe alternatives! They’re simple and delicious, making them ideal for any meal, from brunch to dinner.

My favorite breakfast dish to prepare at home is a frittata. I figured you would enjoy a frittata recipe idea—or five—with Easter coming up this weekend because it’s simple and adaptable.

Since I often use whatever vegetables I have on hand to make my frittatas, I’ve tried a ton of different combinations throughout the years. Here are some of my favorites and some advice.

But first, you might be wondering: What exactly is a frittata? A frittata is sometimes known as a crustless quiche (although, I call a quiche a crust-full frittata).

It’s an egg bake with tasty vegetables, fresh herbs, and some cheese. If you don’t like savory breakfasts, you may make it for supper on a busy weeknight instead.

Creating a Frittata

Making frittatas is incredibly easy! This is how:

1. Start by combining the frittata base, which consists of just eggs, almond milk (or any other type of milk), garlic, salt, and pepper. Then, choose a recipe variant from the list below.
2. Then, in a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet, sauté the vegetables just until they are soft.
3. Before adding the eggs, mix in any spices or herbs once the vegetables are finished cooking. Shake the pan gently to evenly distribute the frittata base among the vegetables after adding it.
4. Put your frittata in a 400° oven after topping it with cheese.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown around the edges and the eggs are set.
6. Before cutting and consuming, give the frittata a little time to cool.
   Ingredients for a vegetable frittata

Variations in Frittata Recipes

Making inventive vegetable and herb combinations for your frittata is part of the pleasure. Here are my top 5 picks!

1. Broccoli & Feta
2. Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach
3. Spring Veggie with Asparagus
4. Mixed Mushroom & Tarragon Caprese
5. Cherry Tomatoes & Basil.

Frittata Advice

To consistently prepare a top-notch frittata, use the following advice:

• Before pouring the eggs in, distribute the vegetables evenly over the pan. As soon as the egg mixture is added, you won’t be able to move the vegetables around much without getting scrambled eggs, so arrange them equally in the pan before adding the egg mixture to ensure that every bite of the finished frittata contains vegetables.
• Switch it up! Experiment with these flavor pairings. A good veggie: egg ratio is around 1/4 cup of vegetables per egg, or 2 heaping cups of vegetables for 6–8 eggs, so keep that in mind if you experiment with substituting in different herbs or vegetables.
• Use a cast-iron frying pan. Cast iron skillets are the finest option for preparing frittatas because they conduct heat evenly and well from the stovetop to the oven. A cast-iron pan can be made non-stick by seasoning it; therefore, a well-seasoned skillet will make slicing and serving the food the simplest. I enjoy using an enameled cast iron skillet because it doesn’t need to be pre-seasoned. Make this breakfast casserole recipe if you don’t have a skillet.
• Safety first! I’ve learned the hard way several times that the handle of the cast iron pan will continue to be hot after it is removed from the oven. To help you remember not to grab it before it has cooled off, place a kitchen towel on it. One of these silicone handle coverings is also available.

Ideas for Serving Frittata

Your frittata would go well with mimosas, traditional french toast, banana bread, pancakes or muffins, baked oatmeal, overnight oats, blueberry scones, or fruit salad if you’re serving it as part of a larger brunch.

Individual slices can be dressed up by adding more fresh herbs on top or by serving them with avocado slices, lemon yogurt, pesto, pico de gallo, or tomatillo salsa.

I prefer to serve my frittata with a kale salad and some nice bread for a midweek dinner.

Frittata with five variations

Here are five simple and delectable veggie frittata variants in addition to the traditional frittata recipe.

Ingredients

Basic Frittata Recipe:

• 6 large eggs, use 8 eggs for a 12-inch skillet
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, or any milk
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Choose ingredients for one of the variations below:

Variation #1: Broccoli Feta (pictured)

• 6 scallions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped broccoli or broccolini
• ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Variation #2: Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach

• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped
• 2 cups spinach
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese

Variation #3: Spring Veggie

• ½ cup chopped asparagus, tender parts
• 4 spring onions or scallions, chopped
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• ½ cup halved mini mozzarella balls
• ¼ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup chopped tarragon or chives

Variation #4: Mixed Mushroom & Tarragon

• 1 shallot, chopped
• 12 ounces mixed mushrooms, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped tarragon
• ⅓ cup grated pecorino cheese

Variation #5: Caprese

• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• ¾ cup halved mini mozzarella balls
• ½ cup sliced basil

Instructions

1. Set the oven to 400°F.
2. Eggs, almond milk, garlic, and salt should all be thoroughly blended. Place aside. Make one of the veggie versions listed below by following the directions:
3. Broccoli Feta: In a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, boil the broccoli and scallions for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the broccoli is soft but still brilliant green. After adding the egg mixture and giving the pan a gentle shake to distribute, stir in the smoked paprika. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the eggs are set, after adding the feta cheese. Serve after flavoring to taste.
4. Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach: In a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat a half-teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until transparent. Add the spinach and roasted red peppers. Add the egg mixture and gently shake the pan to distribute after sautéing until the spinach has wilted. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the eggs are set, after adding the feta cheese. Serve after flavoring to taste.
5. Spring Vegetable: In a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat a half-teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the asparagus for approximately 5 minutes, stirring periodically, until it is soft but still brilliant green. Add the scallions and a touch of salt and pepper. Add the mozzarella and feta, then the peas, gently shaking the pan to spread the ingredients. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Serve after flavoring to taste.
6. Mixed Mushroom & Tarragon: In a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften. With just occasional tossing, simmer the mushrooms for about 8 minutes, or until they are soft and delicate. After adding the egg mixture and carefully shaking the pan to disperse it, stir in the tarragon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the eggs are set, then sprinkle with the pecorino. Serve after flavoring to taste.
7. Caprese: In a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until transparent. Stir in the tomatoes and half of the basil before adding the egg mixture and giving the pan a gentle shake to disperse it. When the eggs are set, add the mozzarella and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the remaining basil over top. Serve after flavoring to taste.