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The Only Frittata Recipe You’ll Ever Need

Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Author: Zoe Denenberg & the Editors of Epicurious

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil or unsalted butter
  • ½ cup diced onions
  • Assorted mix-ins (see notes)
  • 8 large eggs
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Place rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil or unsalted butter in a 10” cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup diced onions and any add-ins that need to be cooked. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk 8 large eggs in a medium bowl with ½ cup whole milk, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper.
  • Pour egg mixture and any uncooked additions into your skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until edges pull away from sides of pan, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer skillet to oven and bake until set, 10–15 minutes.
  • The frittata can be served immediately or stand at room temperature for up to an hour. A cooled frittata can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Serve cold or reheat in the oven or microwave.

Notes

The key to a fluffy, not rubbery, frittata is in the technique. Instead of the tricky folding-and-flipping method, our best frittata recipe takes a stir-and-bake approach. Stirring the eggs while they cook builds volume, then transferring the skillet to the oven lets the egg dish cook through and develop a crispy bottom. The resulting frittata has a silky, set texture, falling somewhere between quiche and omelet. The total time for making one clocks in at about 30 minutes, and it makes a fantastic brunch centerpiece.
How to customize your frittata:
The formula above offers a basic frittata recipe, but feel free to add whatever you like or have on hand. Swap the diced onion for sliced shallots, red onion, or leeks. Trade the whole eggs for egg whites. Don’t have whole milk? Swap in half-and-half or heavy cream for a richer, more custardy frittata or oat milk to keep it dairy-free. Chop up last night’s sautéed greens and stir them in with some freshly cooked chopped bacon. Add shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella, or crumbled goat cheese.
The whole point of a frittata is that you can make it anytime, with almost anything. You can never go wrong with a heap of leftover roasted vegetables, cheese, and a bunch of fresh herbs, but feel free to think outside the box. Load your frittata with spinach, raisins, and pine nuts, or make a baked frittata ahead of time and slice for quick breakfasts throughout the week.
Here are a few classic combinations we love:
French frittata: Add ½ cup sautéed diced red bell pepper, ½ cup zucchini, ¼ cup shredded Gruyère cheese, and ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves.
Cobb frittata: Add 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1 diced avocado, 1 cup shredded chicken, ¼ cup crumbled cooked bacon, and ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese.
Italian frittata: Add 8-oz. Italian sausage, crumbled and browned, ½ cup cooked broccoli rabe, cut into 2-inch segments, and ¼ cup grated Parmesan.
Spring vegetable frittata: Add 2 cups sliced cooked asparagus, ¼ cup chopped fresh chives, ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, and dollops of ricotta cheese. Top the cooked frittata with 1 cup arugula and more herbs.
Greek frittata: Add 1-lb. baby spinach, cooked just until wilted and squeezed dry, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, and 2 Tbsp. sliced green onions.
Spanish frittata: Add 2 cups coarsely chopped cooked potatoes and ½ tsp. smoked paprika.
Ham and cheese frittata: Add ⅔ cup chopped cooked ham and ⅔ cup shredded Swiss cheese.