Introduction

If you’re looking for a quick and easy lunch or dinner that also happens to be healthy, this frittata is the recipe for you. All it requires is eggs, cheese, veggies and a few other ingredients.

What is a frittata

A frittata is a type of omelette, made with beaten eggs and then cooked in the oven. It’s often served as a side dish or starter, but it can also be used as part of an entrée or main course.

A frittata is ideal for using up vegetables and leftovers because it separates into individual slices that can be served as appetizers. You can also make a frittata by adding cheese to your egg mixture before cooking—your options are endless!

How do you make a frittata

How you make a frittata is up to you! Here are some suggestions:

Make it in advance. A frittata can be made ahead of time and reheated later, making it an excellent option for breakfast or brunch. You can prepare the frittata the night before, refrigerate it overnight and bake in the morning. This works best when using eggs that have been at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to cooking (if using cold eggs straight from their carton, add 2 minutes to your baking time). For best results, use a cast iron pan or other oven safe skillet so that you can easily get all sides of your frittata golden brown without having to flip it mid-bake.* Use whatever vegetables sound good!
Add some cheese—your favorite kind will work just fine.* Don’t forget herbs! Fresh basil pairs especially well with tomatoes.* And meat if you want some protein on your plate too (or skip this step if not!).

Frittata can be made anyway you want

You can make a frittata in any way you want. This is one of the great things about it. You don’t have to follow any recipe exactly, because the ingredients are all up to you! So if you’re feeling inspired and want to try something new with your frittata, just go for it!

Start with what you’ve got on hand. If you have some leftover vegetables from last night’s dinner, throw them in there with some cheese for something tasty and nutritious. Or maybe there’s some ham leftover from last week’s party; shred it up (or dice it really small) and cook that up too.
Use whatever meats or cheeses sound good to you—this is where it gets fun! Try adding bacon or pancetta instead of sausage; try using smoked gouda instead of cheddar; go ahead and mix things up however much as possible so that no two bites taste exactly alike.*

Ingredients

Eggs
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil (or any neutral tasting oil)
Onion (diced finely)
Garlic (finely minced)

In addition to these basic ingredients, you can add any of your favorite veggies and herbs. This is the perfect opportunity to use up those odds and ends in your fridge! You’ll also need: red bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms and dill.

Start with 6 large eggs

6 large eggs

3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup milk*

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Gruyere, optional

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat 6 large eggs with a fork or whisk until they are foamy. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add milk (or heavy cream) and beat vigorously for about 30 seconds until lightened in color but not frothy (about like cake batter).

Set aside while you prepare the veggies.

* You can use any kind of milk for this recipe, but I prefer whole because it makes the frittata a little richer. If you use heavy cream, the frittata will be very rich and creamy; however, if you choose low-fat or nonfat milk instead, it won’t have as much richness but still tastes delicious!

6 Tbs. olive oil or unsalted butter, divided

Measure 6 tablespoons of olive oil or unsalted butter.
Add the olive oil or butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once you put in your pan, it’s important not to move it around too much, because this will make your fritatta stick and turn out unevenly cooked (and maybe even burnt!). Let everything get nice and warm before you start cooking!

1 small yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)

To dice the onion, use a food processor or a sharp chef’s knife. Cut the onion in half, then cut each half into quarters. Slice each quarter into thin slices, making sure to remove any seeds that you find along the way. Lay these slices flat and make thin horizontal cuts—you should end up with what look like little squares of onion. Now turn those squares over and make vertical cuts so that you have long strips of onion in front of you (see photo).

Put all four strips together so they form one big square again; this time, turn them 90 degrees so they’re perpendicular to your original horizontal cuts (upright). Now slice through horizontally again—each time you do this an additional time until there are 8 evenly-sized cubes left!

3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbs.)

Garlic is used in a lot of recipes, which is why it’s good to know how to use it. Garlic is also very healthy for you—it’s a great source of vitamin B6, potassium, manganese and selenium. It also has some vitamin C and iron in it as well.

To mince garlic:

Cut off the top of the head of garlic (just enough so that you can see all the cloves). Place your knife about 2/3rds of the way down on one side and make sure you don’t hit any cloves when cutting (this will keep them from being crushed). Make sure not to cut too far into your knife or else you’ll be at risk for injury (and blood everywhere!).

Place your knife against an edge of one clove and put pressure onto it until it releases from its skin. Then rinse off excess dirt with cold water before adding other ingredients because if this gets mixed up with something else then we will have no more food!

2 leeks, white and light-green parts only, sliced into chunks (about 2 cups)

Leeks, also known as alliums, are related to onions. They’re an excellent source of vitamins A and C, folate (a B vitamin), fiber, vitamin K and manganese. Leeks also contain antioxidants that may help protect cells from damage by free radicals. Leeks contain more than 80 different flavonoids — plant compounds that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties — which might help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease or cancer.

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)

Cut the ends off of each bell pepper and slice in half lengthwise.
Remove all seeds by scraping out with a knife or spoon.
Cut the bell peppers into chunks, about an inch in size.

1 lb. sliced button mushrooms (about 4 cups)

When buying mushrooms, make sure they’re not too large. Large caps can be tough and chewy, while small ones are more tender (and often cheaper). If you want to use large mushrooms, slice them in half before cooking.

Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel if they’re dirty. Then slice them into thin slices or pieces as directed in your recipe.
Store fresh mushrooms in a paper bag for up to two days in the refrigerator (or up to one week if frozen).

2 zucchini, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

Zucchini is a summer vegetable. It’s also available year round, but it’s at its best in the summer months. Zucchini is a good source of vitamin C and potassium, as well as fiber and folate.

Zucchini can be eaten raw or cooked—it can even be grilled! You’ll find that zucchini has a mild flavor that lends itself well to almost any recipe you might want to make. This makes it easy to use in fritattas because it won’t overpower any other flavors in your dish like cheese and bacon do sometimes!

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup)

Mozzarella cheese is your best bet for a frittata. It’s mild and has a creamy texture when melted, which means it won’t overpower the other flavors in this dish. You also need to be sure that you buy fresh mozzarella so that it will melt well in the oven, otherwise you’ll end up with tough curds of cheese that don’t break down into a gooey melding of egg yolk and milk.

Assemble the Frittata

Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium heat until it starts to shimmer, about 30 seconds; add the vegetables (starting with onions). Once all the vegetables are nearly cooked through, add the egg mixture to the pan.
Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes; reduce heat to low and cook an additional 2 minutes until set but still moist in the center (it’s okay if it starts to brown on top). Remove from heat; sprinkle shredded cheese on top if using — then place pan under broiler until golden brown on top (about 30 seconds). Cut into wedges & serve hot or warm!

this will be the best frittata you’ve ever made

If you’re like me, you probably have a lot of vegetables in your fridge that need to be used up. Frittatas are a great way to use these leftovers (or whatever vegetables you have on hand). They’re quick and easy to make and can be customized with whatever veggies you have lying around.

Whether it’s for breakfast or dinner, this frittata will be the best one you’ve ever made!

Conclusion

So, now that you’ve learned how to make a frittata from scratch, it’s time to start perfecting your skills. You’ll be a master chef in no time with this easy and delicious recipe under your belt!