How to Make a Frittata

5 from 4 votes

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A step by step guide to making a perfect frittata, with how-to photos and a recipe. Vegetarian-friendly, simple, and great any time of the day!

Frittata in blue skillet

A frittata is an Italian omelet in which the add-ins (potatoes, ham, veggies, rice, what have you) are beaten directly into the eggs, instead of folded into the middle as a filling.  Generally, it’s cooked first on the stovetop, then finished under the broiler. 

Some people cook a frittata entirely on the stovetop, flipping it during the cooking process instead of transferring the pan under the broiler.  Some people are also circus acrobats or professional skydivers, and this is an easy frittata recipe anyone can pull off.

Slice of frittata on plate with leafy greens.

Frittatas are great warm or at room temperature, happily hanging out for a couple of hours before being cut up and served. Ideal for brunch, they are a subtle way of saying, “I’m not making individual omelets for all of you.”  They’re also a good potluck notion and, when cut into small squares, a lovely hors d’oeuvre.  And, because it’s so easy to make a vegetarian frittata, it solves the need for a vegetarian appetizer which should always be part of your offerings.

Ingredients

Frittatas are one of the most genius ways to use up leftovers that I know of.  Save just about anything you might toss for a future veggie frittata — ½ cup roasted broccoli, some extra rice, a few basil leaves…anything.  

The eggs are the main ingredient in a frittata, mixed with a little bit of cream to give it some lightness.  I like to use about ¼ cup of cream blended in with the 10 eggs in this frittata.

Beating eggs with a whisk

Now, notice that the cheese choices in this vegetable frittata recipe are quite varied. Each will give you a distinctly different frittata and, for the most part, frittatas are the way you are using up that last chunk of Manchego, or what have you. Start with a milder cheese or one you know your family will like. For the next frittata, maybe switch to a new cheese. 

This vegetable frittata features onions, spinach, and potatoes, and in that way is much like a Spanish Tortilla, the Spanish cousin of a frittata.  Use new or waxy potatoes with white or red skins, not all-purpose potatoes, which won’t hold their shape as well when they are sliced and cooked.  Yukon Gold potatoes are another good option.

You will need a skillet that can go from the stovetop to the oven and stand up to the heat of the broiler, and that means one without a plastic handle. If you have one that is oven-safe and nonstick, you are golden. One of my very favorite lines in “New Girl” (which is a little addiction of mine) is when Schmidt says to Jess: “Are you making a frittata in a saucepan? What is this, prison?”

A step by step guide to making a perfect frittata, with how-to photos and a recipe. Vegetarian-friendly, simple, and great any time of the day!

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How to Make a Frittata

Preheat the broiler to high with the rack set about 4 inches away from the heat source.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-size (8-inch) broiler-proof skillet. Add the potato, onion, and the herb of your choosing, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet and cook the potato and onion until they are beginning to become tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat if it seems like the vegetables are starting to burn. Uncover the skillet and cook the vegetables until they are tender and turning golden, about 4 minutes longer.

Cooking potatoes and onions in blue skillet on stovetop

Meanwhile, place the eggs, cream, spinach, and parsley in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine well. Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Whisking eggs, spinach, and parsley in stainless steel bowl

When the vegetables are ready, pour the eggs into the skillet and stir to combine everything.

Pouring beaten eggs and spinach into skillet to make a frittata

Let the frittata cook until the eggs start to set on the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and, using a spatula, gently lift the edge of the frittata so that the uncooked eggs run underneath those that are set on the bottom. Do this every couple of minutes until the frittata is pretty much set on the bottom but the top and middle are still a bit runny.

Cooking a potato and spinach frittata on the stove

Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the frittata and place the skillet under the broiler. Broil the frittata until it is set, the cheese is melted, and the whole top is lightly golden, about 2 to 4 minutes.

Sprinkling cheddar cheese on top of a frittata

Remove the skillet from the broiler and let the frittata sit for a minute or two on a heatproof surface. Leave a dishtowel draped over the handle of the skillet to remind yourself that the handle is hot!

Broiled frittata in blue skillet

Run a spatula or knife around the edge of the skillet to loosen the frittata. You can cut it into wedges and serve it directly from the skillet. Or carefully slide the whole thing onto a serving plate, using a spatula to help guide the frittata out. Then cut it into wedges.

Serving a slice of frittata
Swiss Chard Frittata in skillet

Other Vegetable Frittata Recipes

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5 from 4 votes

How to Make a Frittata

A step by step guide to making a perfect frittata, with how-to photos and a recipe. Vegetarian-friendly, simple, and great any time of the day!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 8 People

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
  • 1 large waxy potato (such as white, red, or Yukon Gold, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced)
  • 1 onion (quartered and very thinly sliced)
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, or basil (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, oregano, or basil)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 10 large eggs
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley or basil (optional)
  • ½ cup shredded or crumbled cheese (such as cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, feta, Parmesan, or goat cheese)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the broiler with the rack set about 4 inches away from the heat source.
  • Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-size (8-inch) broiler-proof skillet. Add the potato, onion, and the herb of your choice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet and cook the potato and onion until they are beginning to become tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat if it seems like the vegetables are starting to burn. Uncover the skillet and cook the vegetables until they are tender and turning golden, about 4 minutes longer.
  • Meanwhile, place the eggs, cream, spinach, and parsley in a medium-size bowl and whisk to combine well. Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper to taste. When the vegetables are ready, pour the eggs into the skillet and stir to combine everything. Let the frittata cook until the eggs start to set on the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and, using a spatula, gently lift the edge of the frittata so that the uncooked eggs run underneath those that are set on the bottom. Do this every couple of minutes until the frittata is pretty much set on the bottom but the top and middle are still a bit runny.
  • Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the frittata and place the skillet under the broiler. Broil the frittata until it is set, the cheese is melted, and the whole top is lightly golden, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the broiler and let the frittata sit for a minute or two on a heatproof surface. Leave a dishtowel draped over the handle of the skillet to remind yourself that the handle is hot!
  • Run a spatula or knife around the edge of the skillet to loosen the frittata. You can cut it into wedges and serve it directly from the skillet. Or carefully slide the whole thing onto a serving plate, using a spatula to help guide the frittata out, then cut it into wedges.

Notes

Frittatas are one of the most genius ways to use up leftovers that I know of.  Save just about anything you might toss for a future veggie frittata — ½ cup roasted broccoli, some extra rice, a few basil leaves…anything.  

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 226mg, Sodium: 219mg, Potassium: 237mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1079IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 112mg, Iron: 2mg
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About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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