There is nothing easier than a frittata as a quick meal – both for prep work and cooking time. It’s another one of my favorite kinds of recipes – one that has a whatever-you-have-available kind of ingredient list. 🙂 I’m linking up again today with Tina and Deborah for their Meatless Monday series, with a recipe for vegetable frittata. Don’t forget to check out their blogs for many more vegetarian recipe ideas today.
Frittata is an Italian dish, basically an open faced omelette. Or, like a quiche without the pastry. Following is the recipe for what I made for this vegetarian version, but you can use whatever you like as the filling.
An easy weeknight meal - make it for a Meatless Monday!
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 15 oz canned black beans
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/s teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper until frothy. (The more they're whisked, the higher your frittata will rise in the oven).
- Stir in drained, rinsed black beans, tomatoes, scallions and half the cheddar cheese.
- Spray an oven-safe and non-stick skillet (no plastic handles!) with oil spray and put on a low heat.
- Add your egg and veggie mix and let it cook on the low heat for about 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over top of the eggs.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for about 5 minutes (or until cheese is browned and the eggs are clearly cooked).
- Slice the frittata in the skillet, then use an egg flip to serve triangles of deliciousness.
- Your frittata can also be served warm, or chilled.
And that’s it! You basically put your vegetable frittata on the stovetop and the oven and let it cook itself. No flipping, no stirring, no trying to fold it in two and keep the filling from spilling out everywhere. And of course, you can use whatever you have on hand to throw in for the filling. Want some ideas? You really can’t go wrong, but here are a few combinations off the top of my head (not all are meatless options, so just go with what you like).
Filling Combinations:
- Parmesan, rosemary (dried if you don’t have fresh) – for when your fridge is really bare. 😉
- Sliced boiled or baked potatoes, cheddar, caramelized onions, mushrooms and parsley.
- Asparagus, ham, parmesan and cheddar. Mm-hmm, that’s right – two kinds of cheese.
- Kale, roasted pine nuts, bacon, sliced cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan.
- Crumbled goat cheese, chives, parsley, mushrooms.
- Spinach, feta, kalamata olives, fresh or dried oregano, garlic.
- Onions, roasted peppers, sausage, monterey jack.
- Smoked salmon, capers, creme fraiche. (Okay, I would consider this a well-stocked fridge, but you get the gist).
Basically any ingredients you can think of that would work well in an omelette are perfect for your frittata. Go take a look in your fridge and see what’s taking up space, especially things like jarred foods that have only a little left, like olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, or roasted peppers. Use what cheese you have on hand. You can add a meat, or any kind of canned beans if you like. Then use what veggies you happen to have in the crisper. Voila! (or I guess, more accurately, Allora!) you have yourself a delicious, quick and easy meal.
Special notes:
If you’re using ingredients that need pre-cooking (like caramelized onions, bacon or garlic, for example), there’s no need to use a separate pan. Cook your ingredients first in your oven-proof skillet, then once they’re done, distribute them evenly over the whole pan and pour your egg and cheese mixture over top before cooking.
You can easily make this a bigger meal, or serve more by adding more eggs, in which case just adjust the ingredients amounts as well. There’s really no science to the adjustment – you can make it as filling-heavy or light as you wish.
Do you prefer frittata or omelets?
What’s your favorite ingredient combo for an eggy dish like this?
Is it just me, or os breakfast for dinner sorely underrated?
I love fritattas! So many options and so simple to make. Yum! Thanks for linking up with us today for MM hope to see you again soon.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Kicked Up Corn Chowder~Meatless Monday
Thanks for hosting, Deborah! I love all the meal inspiration in your link-up.
YAY! Carly, I LOVE it when you join us!!! This sure is easy, and I really need to learn to be more adventurous with my egg making, I wish I could pull myself away from cereal more, but with recipes like this….I think I could! I love all the goodies inside! Thanks so much for linking up, can’t wait to see you again!
Tina Muir recently posted…Meatless Monday- Tempeh Rainbow Stir Fry with Thai Peanut Dressing
Eggs are such a great recovery food – it’s perfect for your training! Get the hubby-to-be cooking, then you’ll have a coach & private chef all rolled into one! 😉
That looks awesome – I think I will make it this weekend for the boys for next week’s breakfasts!!!
Kim recently posted…Happiness Comes from Within
It’s a great breakfast! There have been a couple of times I’ve made it for dinner, then munched on a slice en route to a client the next morning. So filling! (Especially when you’ve got teenage boys with bottomless stomachs!!)
I don’t know why I don’t think to make these more often!? They are the perfect post long run meal. I guess the issue is that the boys are allergic to eggs so it would pretty much just be for me! Frittata for one please!
Allie recently posted…The Rundown: The Email That Changed Everything
SO good post running, Allie, because with the veggies & cheese it’s protein, carbs & fat in one easy dish.
It’s true – there’s nothing like a frittata. I’m a huge eggs person. I’m not really into waffles or pancakes or cereal, so I need eggs pretty much because otherwise I get too hungry.
I like the inclusion of beans! I like multiple protein sources.
Tamara recently posted…Grief As Big As An Ocean.
I LOVE eggy breakfasts! And yes, lots of protein makes me feel full for quite a while in the morning. Also, I’m on a bit of a protein kick right now, growing this human and all! 😉