Today, I’m going to teach you How to Make a Frittata with virtually anything in your refrigerator with my 1-1-1 method – plenty of eggs, of course, being a necessary ingredient!
The frittata is the perfect recipe to revive your tired leftovers and/or unused ingredients from the week’s grocery haul. Dare we say it is the “meatloaf” of breakfast?! Maybe kitchen sink frittata is more appropriate – literally any protein and/or vegetable combination can happily enjoy themselves amongst the pillowy egg fluff of this breakfast delight.
So break out those mimosas and call over your friends, “Brunch, anyone?!” Underlying text: I’ve got leftovers to kill (::wink::).
Let’s get on with the goodness.
⚡Navigation ⚡
Frittata vs. Quiche vs. Omelet
Allow me to explain the basic differences between a frittata, quiche, and omelet.
First up, we have the frittata. This Italian dish is similar to an omelet, but it’s typically thicker and cooked in a skillet in the oven. Frittatas are usually made with eggs, cheese, and various ingredients such as vegetables, meats, or seafood.
Next, we have the quiche, which hails from France. Unlike the frittata, quiches have a pastry crust and a custard filling made from eggs and cream. They often include vegetables, meats, or cheeses as well.
And finally, we have the omelet, which is probably the most well-known of the three. Omelets are made by whisking eggs and pouring them into a hot pan, then adding various fillings such as cheese, vegetables, or meats before folding the omelet in half.
So there you have it! Frittatas are thick and cooked in the oven, quiches have a pastry crust and custard filling, and omelets are folded in half and cooked on the stovetop.
Build Your Own Frittata: The 1-1-1 Method
Base Ingredients:
- Eggs
- Heavy cream (or whole milk, full fat plain yogurt)
Pick 2-3 fillings from the below table:
| Protein (1 cup) | Vegetable/Starch (1 cup) | Cheese (1 cup) |
| Chicken Ham Bacon Steak Ground Beef | Onion Asparagus Zucchini Tomato Garlic Spinach Artichoke Mushrooms Bell Pepper Broccoli Potato Sweet Potato | Cheddar Mozzarella Goat Cottage Cheese Feta Gruyere |
The goal is to accumulate 3 cups of filling ingredients, one of which being cheese (cheese is a must!), but feel free to choose any combination (all protein + cheese, all veggie + cheese, mix of protein + veggie + cheese).
Also note this isn’t an exhaustive list of ingredients – any cooked protein and vegetable leftovers in the refrigerator will do – have fun with it! In fact, the frittata is the perfect way to bring those lingering leftovers back to life.
How To Make a Frittata (using Leftovers)
The frittata purists will probably give me hell over this comment, but there are two ways to make a frittata in my humble opinion: in the skillet or baking dish (gasp).
First order of business, round up your ingredients and equipment:
Ingredients:
- 12 eggs (if using a 12 inch skillet/oven-safe pan or baking dish) -or- 8 eggs (if using a 10 inch skillet/oven-safe pan)
- Heavy cream (alt: whole milk, full fat yogurt)
- 1-1-1**
- 1 cup protein
- 1 cup veggies
- 1 cup cheese
**Reference the Build your Own Frittata table above for ideas. Otherwise, have fun with this – really any combination will do!
Equipment:
- 12 inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan or baking dish
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Whisk
- Spatula
Method #1: USING COOKED LEFTOVERS
Turn the oven on to Bake at 350°F (176°C) and prepare your baking dish, coating it with butter. You can use cooking spray if you’d like.
In a mixing bowl, crack all eggs (whisk), add heavy cream (whisk), and cheese (whisk). It’s okay to add half of your cheese in the egg mixture now and safe half to top the frittata before putting it into the oven.
Chop all protein and/or veggies into ¼-½ inch pieces, if not done already.
Add your protein and/or veggies to the baking dish and pour the egg mixture over them. Use a fork or spatula to mix up the ingredients to ensure even distribution.
Place the baking dish in the oven for 25-30 minutes. I always like to check the frittata at the 20 minute mark – give the pan a little shake.
If the middle is still soupy, continue cooking. You are done if the middle jiggles only slightly. Then, remove it from the oven and set it on a rack to cool.
Use a sharp knife to cut and stuff your face.
Method #2: USING UNCOOKED INGREDIENTS
Turn the oven on to Bake at 350°F (176°C). Place your cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan over medium heat on the stove. Add butter.
In a mixing bowl, crack all eggs (whisk), add heavy cream (whisk), and cheese (whisk). It’s okay to add half of your cheese in the egg mixture now and safe half to top the frittata before putting it into the oven.
If you need to cook protein, do that first. Add it to the skillet/pan, cook completely and then remove it from the pan.
In the protein’s residual fat, add in your vegetables, starting with the more dense items first (broccoli, carrots, onion) and finishing with the less dense items (mushrooms, spinach).
Once your vegetables are cooked through, remove your skillet/pan from the heat, and add your cooked protein back in. Pour the egg mixture over them and use a fork or spatula to mix up the ingredients to ensure even distribution.
Place the skillet/pan in the oven for 10-15 minutes. I always like to check the frittata at the 10 minute mark – give the pan a little shake.
If the middle is still soupy, continue cooking. You are done if the middle jiggles only slightly. Then, remove it from the oven and set it on a rack to cool.
Use a sharp knife to cut and stuff your face.
The Best Ways to Serve a Frittata
For breakfast or brunch and fresh from the oven! While a frittata can really stand on it’s own, we recommend accompanying it with the usual breakfast sides (toast, english muffin, fruit, etc.)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do you scale this recipe?
When reducing the size of the skillet, reduce the count of eggs as well. Example: if you’re using a 10-inch skillet (cast iron or other oven-safe pan), use 10 eggs instead of 12. Reducing the amount of heavy cream or fillings is really up to you – I personally love a creamy, densely filled frittata, but you might prefer to reduce the heavy cream down to ⅛ cup or fillings down to ¾ cup (total of 2 ¼ cups) if using a 10-inch skillet.
What substitutions can I make in this frittata recipe?
- Eggs: certainly more labor intensive, but it is possible.
- Heavy Cream: substitute that out 1:1 for whole milk, full-fat yogurt, half & half, or crème fraîche. It is possible to use dairy alternatives, but you may find the frittata is a little more runny and not as rich taste wise.
- Fillings: the world is your oyster. The goal is to aim for 3 cups of filling in total in whatever combination works best for you – go all protein, all veggie, or dare I say, all cheese.
Can I use this recipe to make frittata muffins instead?
Definitely and this is a fun alternative for kids! Be sure you butter or spray your muffin tin ahead of time. Even distribute your filling ingredients amongst each cup, then pour over your egg mixture filling each cup approximately ¾ of the way (allowing some space for the eggs to rise). Cook for 10-15 minutes with a jiggle check at 10 minutes – if the center does not jiggle or does very slightly, they’re done so pull the muffin tin from the oven. Let the frittata muffins cool down for 5 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin.
Is it okay to freeze this frittata recipe?
Yes, but you may lose some flavor and reheating can be tricky. Frittatas are best enjoyed fresh, but if you want to freeze them, the best way to do this is to individually wrap (saran wrap & ziplock bag) and freeze each piece. Store them in an airtight container for 1-2 months. When you’re ready to eat them, remove from the freezer and allow them to naturally defrost. Place on a microwave safe plate and heat for 15 second increments. It’s incredibly easy to over cook so be careful!
📺 Watch Me Show you How to Make a Frittata with Leftovers!
🍳 Recipe
Frittata
Equipment
- 12 inch cast iron skillet, oven-safe pan, or baking dish
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream (alt: whole milk, full-fat plain yogurt)
- 1 cup protein
- 1 cup vegetable
- 1 cup cheese
- ½ tsp salt (optional: only use if cooked fillings did not include salt)
Instructions
IF USING COOKED LEFTOVERS:
Preparation
- Turn the oven on to Bake @ 350°F (203°C)
- Crack all eggs into a separate bowl, add heavy cream and cheese, and whisk until well combined
- Coat the baking dish with butter
- Add protein and/or veggie fillings into the baking dish and pour over the egg mixture. Use a fork to evenly distribute
- Top with remaining cheese, if any
Cooking
- Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes
- When the edges are a light golden brown and the frittata is puffy and jiggles only slightly when you shake it (shouldn't be soupy), pull from the oven
- Set the baking dish on a rack to cool
- Use a sharp knife to cut and serve
IF USING UNCOOKED INGREDIENTS:
Preparation
- Turn the oven on to Bake @ 350°F (203°C)
- Crack all eggs into a separate bowl, add heavy cream and cheese, whisk until well combined
- Set the skillet on the stove over medium heat, add butter and coat all edges
- Add protein, if using, to the skillet or oven safe pan and cook completely, remove from pan temporarily
- Add veggies to the skillet/pan, starting with more dense ingredients first (e.g. onions, broccoli, asparagus) and then the less dense ingredients (e.g. mushrooms, spinach); saute until cooked through
- Remove skillet/pan from heat
- Return protein back to the skillet/pan
- Pour in egg mixture into the skillet. Use a fork to evenly distribute
- Top with remaining cheese, if any
Cooking
- Carefully place the skillet or oven safe pan in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes
- When the edges are a light golden brown and the frittata is puffy and jiggles slightly when you shake the skillet, remove it from the oven
- Set the skillet/pan on a rack to cool
- Use a sharp knife to cut and serve
More Recipes You Might Also Like
- Want more breakfast goodness, try or Gluten Free Waffles
Want to learn more?
- Review the About page
- Brush up on the Functional Home Cooking Philosophy