Frittata Recipe is Flexible and Forgiving
A frittata is an Italian egg dish similar to an omelet or quiche, but it’s easier and more forgiving to prepare. It’s lazy because the recipe is easy, and you don’t have to do the tricky omelet fold. It’s also forgiving because you don’t have to make a crust, and unlike an omelet or quiche, it uses no cream or milk. Try making this lazy egg frittata recipe on a Sunday when you don’t feel like doing anything. It’s a great way to utilize the vegetables that have been forgotten in your fridge.
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What's The DIfference Between a Frittata and a Omelet or Quiche?
FRITTATA
Frittata is like an open faced omelet. It is cooked on the stovetop and then finished in the broiler or oven.
FRITTATA VS OMELET
An omelet is cooked on the stovetop in an omelet pan and the eggs are folded over the filling and serves one.
FRITTATA VS QUICHE
A quiche is baked in the oven with a tart pan and has a crust. It also uses milk or cream as an ingredient.
Why this Frittata Recipe Works
- Fast, One-Pot Meal
- Veggie forward dinner
- Low-Carb Recipe
- No crust and no cream means fewer calories
- Make-Ahead option
- Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner
- Budget-Friendly – Use leftover vegetables
- Great for gatherings – can be served at room temperature
- 17 grams of protein per serving
- Gluten-Free
- Grain-Free
- Reduces waste since on-hand vegetables can work in this recipe
Equipment Needed to Make a Frittata
- Whisk
- Mixing Bowl
- Scanpan 10″ -11″ non-stick skillet, which is oven- and broiler-safe, or a cast-iron skillet. Please ensure the handle is broiler-safe and move the oven rack so it does not touch the heating element.
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Favorite Ingredient Combinations
- Eggs
- Parmesan cheese
- Feta cheese
- Yellow squash or zucchini
- Red onion
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
Try it with your favorite quiche or omelet combination. Other good ingredients include red peppers, broccoli, and asparagus. Best of all, use any leftover vegetables in the produce drawer. Additionally, many kinds of cheese work well—try grated cheddar or Swiss cheese.
Cooking Methods
- A frittata begins on the stovetop by sautéing vegetables in the pan and pouring the egg mixture over the top. The second step is to finish the eggs in the broiler for a beautiful, golden-brown finish on top. However, it can be tricky because one minute is too long, and you will end up with a charred top.
- Another option is to complete the first step on the cooktop and finish in the oven for those who do not have a broiler or are nervous about using one. The recipe below provides these options.
Frittata vs. Omelet
What is the difference between an omelet and a frittata? A frittata is often referred to as an Italian open-faced omelet, but they are distinct dishes. Frittatas are cooked on the stovetop with vegetables placed at the bottom and finished under the broiler. In contrast, an omelet is a French dish cooked entirely on the stovetop, with vegetables added to the egg mixture. Once the eggs are set, the omelet is folded in half around the filling. Omelets are served immediately, while frittatas can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. An omelet typically serves one person, whereas a frittata can serve several. Can omelets and frittatas be made with the same types of fillings? Yes, try your favorite omelet combination in a frittata.
Frittata vs. Quiche
What is the difference between quiche and frittata? Frittatas, sometimes referred to as crustless quiches, are baked egg dishes that typically include vegetables, meats, and cheese. However, a quiche is a savory tart with a crust, whereas a frittata is a crustless version of a quiche. A standard quiche recipe typically uses cream or milk, whereas a frittata contains significantly less dairy. Quiches are usually cooked in pie pans, whereas frittatas are prepared in a skillet. Due to the lower dairy content and lack of a crust, frittatas generally have fewer calories than quiches.
If you have a favorite quiche variation, try adding those fillings to a frittata.
Can Frittata Be Made Ahead?
You can prepare this Lazy Egg Frittata recipe ahead of time and leave it in the pan on the counter for up to one hour to serve at room temperature. Another option is to make it earlier, but warm it on the stovetop for a few minutes.
If made ahead longer than one hour, bring it to room temperature and store it covered in the refrigerator. Either heat it on the stove or reheat individual pieces in the microwave.
Egg Frittata Recipe Steps
1
Saute vegetables in skillet.
2
Place spinach on vegetables and wilt.
3
Cook sausage in separate pan. Drain and sprinkle over vegetables.
4
Whisk eggs and mix in cheeses.
5
Add eggs to skillet and cook.
6
Place frittata under the broiler with rack placement at the second from the top.
More Budget Friendly Meals
This Lazy Egg Frittata recipe is part of my budget-friendly meal category, which utilizes inexpensive protein, in-season vegetables, and commonly stocked grocery items. However, the biggest money saver is that it uses leftover veggies that would otherwise have gone to the compost pile.
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Lazy Egg Frittata – is it an Omelet or a Quiche?
This lazy egg frittata recipe is akin to an omelet or quiche, but easier and more forgiving – everything you need to get a delicious meal on the table for a lazy day. It’s an excellent veggie-forward and make-ahead addition to your menu rotation. Try it with your favorite quiche or omelet ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Meatless
- Method: Cooktop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 yellow squash or zucchini, diced
- 8 oz. white mushrooms, diced, optional
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
- 4.5 oz. Mexican pork chorizo, or plant-based “sausage”, optional*
- 8 large eggs
- 4–oz. feta cheese from a block, crumbled**
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated from a block
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Stovetop and Broiler Method
- Prepare the Oven: Preheat the broiler and move a rack to the top third of the oven. The second rack from the top works well, but ensure your skillet handle is clear of the broiler heat element. If you need to use the third rack from the top, add one to two minutes to the cooking time.
- Cook Vegetables — Heat olive oil in a 10″ to 11″ oven-safe skillet on medium heat on the stovetop. Add diced onion and salt and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped yellow squash pieces and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the spinach over all the cooked vegetables and stir until wilted. Covering with a lid will speed up the process.
- Cook Meat: If using sausage, cook it in a separate small skillet until it is cooked through and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Note that the chorizo is red due to the spices and does not change color when cooked, unlike other meats. Dry the sausage on paper towels or use a slotted spoon to separate the grease. Sprinkle the sausage over the vegetables in the skillet.
- Prepare and cook the eggs: Break the eggs into a medium mixing bowl and whisk until light, foamy, airy, and uniform in color. Add both kinds of cheese, salt, and pepper, and mix gently to combine. Pour the eggs over the vegetables in the large skillet. Gently distribute any large feta chunks that land in one place. Cook for approximately 10 minutes on the stovetop. The center will still be runny.
- Broil Frittata: Place the pan in the oven and cook under the broiler for 2 minutes. Pull the pan out and inspect for a golden brown top and a firm middle. If the middle jiggles or the top is not golden brown, return the pan to the oven and rotate the handle to the opposite side from the first cooking. Cook for 1 minute more, being careful not to over-brown the meat. The frittata should be golden brown and firm, like a cake.
- Serve – Allow the pan to cool before slicing into five slices***. This dish can be served immediately or within 1-2 hours at room temperature. To make ahead, follow steps 1 -5 and reheat the frittata in the pan on the stovetop before slicing and serving. If made ahead and stored for longer than 1 hour, bring to room temperature and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Heat individual pieces in the microwave or reheat in the pan on the stove.
Note: Stovetop and Oven Method – If you do not have a broiler, omit the boiling instructions and place the skillet with eggs and vegetables in the center of a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the eggs are firm.
Notes
*Sausage is optional. Plant-based breakfast sausage or Mexican chorizo (uncooked, spicy pork in a casing or tube) can be used.
**For the best flavor, buy feta in a block and crumble it before using it in a recipe.
*** This serves four as the main course and eight as a side dish for a brunch or luncheon.
Serve With Lazy Egg Frittata
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10 responses to “Lazy Egg Frittata – is it an Omelet or a Quiche?”
And your definition of a quiche versus a frittata it is inaccurate when you say there was a half a cup of milk for every egg in a quiche. I have a basic egg quiche on my Pinterest account that only has one cup of milk and six eggs which is not a half a cup of milk per egg!
Beth, thank you for sharing. I appreciate your experience and success with the proportions in your quiche recipe.
This recipe is so delicious and flexible. Whatever vegetables I have on hand, the results are fantastic.
Thanks for your trying the recipe in various ways!
Yum. My favorite new breakfast!
Jesse,
Super news to learn that this recipe made it to the top.
Gadzooks — this frittata recipe is sublime! I’ll never make another recipe again!
Ben: too funny. I hope you try another recipe!!
So easy and delicious! I ate the whole dish in one sitting. The recipe is very accommodating and forgiving if you don’t have all of the ingredients and don’t follow the steps as described. I had only 3 eggs and used leftover roasted peppers, beets, carrots, and a baked yam (or was it a sweet potato) in lieu of squash and mushrooms. Nor did I have any chorizo. I added the greens (a mix of spinach, baby chard & kale) AFTER I had already poured the eggs in the pan. Oops! Next time I’ll make sure to have champagne and orange juice so I can have a mimosa to go along with it.
Sue, sounds like you had fun making and eating your frittata. Good job on using items on hand. That is the beauty of frittata. Enjoy!