An easy baked frittata is something you’ll find yourself making again and again. I came to this recipe idea after making scrambles, omelets and frittatas on a regular basis in order to use up leftover veggies. You know that situation, when you open the fridge and look around the kitchen, only to discover you have one broccoli crown, a half cup of grape tomatoes and a bag of spinach? Yeah, that.
This frittata is the answer, too, when you just can’t bring yourself to make pasta, a big pot of soup, or a giant salad with all of those leftover veggies. Eggs are so amazingly versatile and this easy baked frittata is proof positive.
We are a fan of kitchen efficiencies around here and doing our best to not let food go to waste. It’s a process, and we’re not perfect. But there’s no better feeling than using up everything you buy in any given week, right? Baked frittatas are the perfect vehicle for odds and ends that get left behind in your fridge, even the ones that are about to go bad.
This recipe has A LOT of room for customization, so let’s get into it.
The foundation is simply eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. The rest is up to you! Sweet freedom! This is one of those awesome templates that won’t fail you, provided you follow a few easy steps based on what you’re putting into that egg-based meal prep..
What kinds of veggies should I add to frittatas?
To make it easier, we’ll list these from hardest to softest. These veggies will all work well in a baked frittata.
- Cooked potatoes of any kind: Yukon gold, fingerling, sweet potato, russet, etc
- Hard squashes like butternut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkin
- Brussels sprouts
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus
- Leeks
- Shallots, onions, or garlic of any kind, diced finely and cooked in a little oil or butter to start
- Peppers of any kind, chopped
- Zucchini or yellow summer squash
- Peas (frozen peas for the win, yet again)
- Tomatoes (canned or fresh)
- Cooking greens of any kind, but especially kale, Swiss chard, collards, arugula, and spinach. (Salad lettuces like red and green leaf tend to wilt a little too much and so we think they taste better fresh.)
Veggies that don’t work in frittatas
Ssper watery veggies that shouldn’t be cooked like cucumbers and red and green leaf lettuces, or iceberg lettuce. Corn and carrots are ok, but not the best candidates; they’re pretty sweet and they sort of disappear in a frittata.
Related: How to Use Up Your Greens and Save What You Don’t!
What about leftover cheese and herbs in your frittata?
Cheddar, Monterey jack, blue cheese, goat cheese, feta, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Manchego, and many others work well here.
In terms of herbs? Well, eggs love basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, and so forth. They are very accommodating!
Try dried spices such as paprika, Old Bay, za’atar, and anything that’s got a kick, like cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Related: How Long Are Leftovers Good For and What to Do With Them?
How to prep veggies for a baked frittata
From the list above, the ones highlighted in green need to be cooked for about 10-15 minutes (chopped small so they cook fast!) before baking them into a frittata. The harder they are at room temperature, the longer the pre-cook needs to be.
You can choose to roast them (since you’re using the oven anyway) or quickly sautee them in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil in a skillet on the stove.
The remaining veggies can go into a frittata raw or lightly steamed in the microwave, or in a steamer basket on the stovetop.
What meat works well in a frittata?
All kinds of sausage, bacon, chorizo, and ham, along with ground meat, work well in frittatas, too! Just make sure it’s cooked before you add it to the egg mixture. Think about whatever kind of meat you’d put right next to your egg breakfast, and trust that it will work!
How to serve a meal-prepped frittata
Of course, we love this for breakfast, but eggs are great any time of day. You can reheat a wedge of it in the microwave for a minute, add a few drops of hot sauce, and enjoy it “plain.”
But you can use the baked frittata as a filling for a sandwich or wrap (trust us, it works!), or just eat it with a slice of toast or two on the side! Sometimes, if I’m having a slice of frittata for lunch and I didn’t put any potatoes in it, I’ll add some frozen French fries to the air fryer and eat them alongside. A fresh green salad makes for a good accompaniment to a frittata, too.
As you can see, I sliced mine into four pieces, but how many servings you get out of this depends on what you eat it with, and how hungry you are. If you eat it with bread, a smaller piece could be filling enough. Without bread, you might need a larger piece to fill you up.
How to store and reheat frittatas
This baked frittata can last in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months. It reheats well in the microwave, on the stove, in the oven, or in the toaster oven. Just cover it, so it doesn’t dry out). You can also eat it cold or at room temp!
A quiche tends to freeze well, but something about a frittata doesn’t do quite as well as a quiche. So we don’t recommend freezing it.
Other notes and adaptations
Feel free to double this recipe and make it in two casserole dishes or one really large one. You can also make this right in an oven-safe cast iron skillet instead, and that will work, too. (That’s often my preferred method.)
Frittatas also work well with leftover bread, torn into small chunks, or croutons. You’re getting more into the territory of a breakfast strata, but that’s a good choice, too!
Happy meal prepping!
More Awesome Breakfast Preps!
- Breakfast Taco Bowl
- Spinach Feta Breakfast Wrap (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
- Freezer Friendly Veggie Breakfast Burritos
- Easy Quiche Lorraine Recipe
- Scrambled Egg and Sweet Potato Meal Prep
Easy Baked Frittata: The Last Chance For All Your Unused Vegetables
Ingredients
- 7 eggs large
- 1/3 cup milk of your choice plant based is ok
- cooking spray
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups leftover vegetables approximate amount will vary
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Whisk 7 eggs in a large bowl with milk of your choice and set aside. Add in salt and pepper and don't be afraid with these seasonings. Eggs are a blank slate.
- Gather your leftover vegetables. Harder vegetables, like potatoes, broccoli and green beans, should be cooked before you add them to the frittata. Saute them in a pan with some oil and a pinch of salt until they're mostly cooked through – 10-20 minutes depending on the size and type of veggie.
- For softer vegetables, like greens, zucchini, peppers and peas, you can leave them raw when you add them to the frittata OR you can give them a quick steam in the microwave. You can place these veggies in a microwave-safe bowl and partially cover them (I use a food container lid) and microwave for a minute.
- For tomatoes and herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley, etc.) they can and should be added to the frittata raw.
- Pour the whisked egg into a baking dish. Stir in cooked/prepped vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheese, if using. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until the top of the frittata is a deep golden color and it's firm to the touch.
