OH MY GOODNESS

I really didn’t know what to expect with this latest experiment. But I couldn’t be more excited to share the results I discovered with this full flavor frittata.

One of the many sandwiches I make at the restaurant are frittatas. Some with sausage, peppers, and onions, others with broccoli and cheese, or just mushrooms. We even made one with vegetarian stuffing that was tasty. We cook them in bulk, exclusively in the oven with pretty good results.

I’d never made them at home, but was intrigued by the authentic method of cooking frittata in a skillet. First, what starts off as the equivalent of a large omelet, transforms into a casserole as it’s finished by baking in the oven.

What I discovered was the full flavor of this magical Italian egg dish. I’m chuckling to myself even now because I couldn’t believe how delicious and juicy this sandwich really was. My first trial was with whole eggs, which I expected would be pretty good. That’s what I use professionally. The next time, I decided to give egg whites a try with modest expectations. But they were every bit as good! I couldn’t believe it.

Here are some other discoveries I made. Traditionally, the frittata is made with a dozen eggs and cut in triangles like a pie or quiche. But I didn’t need that much, so I used just 6 eggs and doubled up the thin layers on my sandwich.

A long, thin triangle shaped frittata was not going to work on my sandwich. At the restaurant, we cut them in rectangles. But how could I do that with a round dish? Simple. On a cutting board, I cut the frittata down the middle, gave it a 90 degree turn and cut it down the middle again. Then I placed English muffins on each quarter, basically trimming the edges until I had 4 rectangle slices that were a little bigger than the muffins.

Another idea I found in my research is to use leftover frittata as a breakfast taco or burrito. So those scraps I cut from the edges were perfect filling. It’s that good that you won’t want to waste any of it.

PLUS, did you know that frittata’s can be enjoyed hot, cold, or even room temp? So pack them in your lunch box or picnic basket. They also keep for about 5 days in the fridge, so they are perfect for breakfast meal prep. All I do is win, win, win!

Ingredients for Full Flavor Frittata

Eggs – Use either whole eggs or just egg whites. I used both with great results. Because this is the featured ingredient, get the best you can.

Dairy Fat – Fat is where it’s at. Fat is a tremendous source of flavor and helps create a custardy texture in your eggs. I had delicious results using light cream, but feel free to use whatever you have – heavy whipping cream, half and half, whole milk, 2% – it just has to have some fat in it to boost flavor and make the eggs creamy. It is important to note that I have seen a lot of recipes, by very well respected chefs, that don’t add dairy fat other than cheese. So if you’re going that route, consider using full fat cheeses.

Mushrooms – Whole baby bella (aka cremini) mushrooms, but of course choose your favorites. Slice them or chop them up. They are full of water, so start with about 8-12 ounces because they will shrink to about 1/3rd their original size. I used a full cup of sauteed mushrooms for my recipe.

Sun Dried Tomatoes – These add robust bits of tomato flavor to all types of dishes and cuisines. An 8 ounce jar should do the trick. I prefer the tomatoes in oil because they add juiciness and even more flavor to the frittata. Be sure to chop them up a bit because they are chewy. This recipe used 1/3 cup of sun dried tomatoes.

Baby Spinach – For these, I used about 2 ounces, cut into narrow strips so that you’re getting some in just about every bite. I included about 1/3 cup.

Goat Cheese – Here’s a great place to add some dairy fat, flavor, and creaminess. Goat cheese is kind of similar to cream cheese, but a little buttery, salty, and tart. It’s typically crumbled instead of sliced, which makes it pretty easy to sprinkle on food.

Onions and Bell Peppers – Get whatever types you like. I prefer white onions for a more potent flavor, along with multiple colors of bell peppers for aesthetics. Saute them in your favorite cooking oil, to a soft, slightly charred texture ideal for layering flavor on your frittata.

Cooking oil – I use canola oil because it has a higher smoke point than olive oil. But use your favorite.

Chipotle Ranch – Slightly spicy, smokey, and creamy dressing that adds a perfect complement to your sandwich. It’s great on salads too.

French Fried Onions – These underrated crunchies are so much more than just a green bean casserole topping at Thanksgiving. You will love them on this sandwich. Trust me. You need this in your life!

Green Lettuce – Find what works best for you. I used a spring mix with baby spinach. But arugula would be excellent here as well.

English Muffins – An English muffin makes this a great breakfast sandwich. I prefer Bay’s brand for texture, flavor, and freshness. Other great options could be bagels, croissants, or sourdough bread. If you have focaccia or ciabatta, that’s gold!

How to Make a Full Flavor Frittata

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

This temperature may vary depending on how your oven cooks. 400 will cook your frittata a little faster, but is also a little less forgiving if you let it cook too long.

Start by preparing fresh vegetables

Wash and chop mushrooms, onions, and peppers. I sliced whole mushrooms, then chopped them into large chunks. My onions and peppers are done with a large dice.

For the baby spinach, I stacked several leaves together, then rolled them for a chiffonade slice. Holding the roll, thinly slice the roll from one end to the other. The result will be delightful, green ribbons of spinach.

Sun dried tomatoes aren’t fresh (or scientifically even vegetables), but I’ll include them here. Be sure to chop the sun dried tomatoes a bit because larger pieces can be a bit too chewy.

Prepare the Eggs

It’s almost time to start cooking. However, it’s a good idea to have the egg mixture ready to go. So start with cracking open 6 eggs into a blender. If you are doing egg whites, you’ll want about one full cup.

Add 1/4 cup of light cream (or other dairy fat) for every 6 eggs used. This is optional, but provides flavor and makes for a more custardy mixture. Add some salt and pepper. Blend until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

Cooking Vegetables

To save time, this will require two skillets. One should be a large, non-stick, oven proof pan. While the other can be any type of medium pan.

Place the large pan (for the mushrooms) over medium heat. The medium pan (for peppers and onions) over medium-high heat. Once hot enough for water to sizzle, add a tablespoon of canola oil in each one.

To the large pan, once the oil begins to shimmer, add the rinsed and chopped mushrooms. Salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes until they begin to shrink and brown. Go a little longer if necessary. Stir occasionally. The mushrooms are full of water and will reduce by 50% or more.

For the peppers and onions (save the spinach and tomatoes for the egg mixture), toss them in shimmering oil. Add salt and pepper. Let them sear for a few minutes before stirring. This will give them some color on their edges.

After about 4 minutes, reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the peppers are soft and the onions are translucent. About 8-10 minutes total.

Turn the skillet to low while the frittata is in the oven so they are hot and ready to go on your sandwich.

Make the Frittata!

Spread the mushrooms out to cover the bottom of the pan. Then do the same with 1/3 cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes and 1/3 cup of spinach ribbons. Crumble 1/3 cup of goat cheese and sprinkle evenly over the veggies. Last pour the egg mixture gently over the ingredients already in the pan.

Return the pan to the heat, cooking for about 5 minutes. By then, the egg edges should begin to brown and the top will be slightly cooked. I’ve seen recipes that suggest cooking on the stovetop for just a minute or two. That works also, but you’ll need to bake the frittata for longer.

Move the frittata to the oven to let it finish cooking. For me it was about 5 minutes each time. Check it every couple of minutes just to make sure that it is not overcooked. When the frittata is ready, the top should begin browning slightly, and the edges should start pulling away from the pan. It’s also suggested to poke your egg mixture with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the eggs are done.

Removing your Frittata from the pan

This part is pretty important because presentation matters. We eat first with our eyes, so you’ll want to carefully remove the frittata from the pan. Here’s how:

#1 Let the frittata cool slightly for about 2 minutes.

#2 THE HANDLE IS STILL HOT! Remember to use an oven mitt or other protection when handling your pan. As a reminder, I just put an old oven mitt right on the handle so that I wouldn’t grab it by mistake. Which I might have done briefly. Owie!

#3 Use a spatula or turner to get under the frittata all the way around the edges, as far under as you can to ensure separation from the pan. By skipping this step, you could end up with a hot mess because if part of the frittata sticks to the pan.

#4 Place a large plate or cutting board over the skillet. Hold it firmly against the pan as you quickly flip it over. Be careful not to let it slip apart or touch the skillet with your bare hands.

#5 The moment of truth awaits as you gently remove the skillet and see what you’ve created. Did it come out in one piece? If not, that’s okay. Just take the torn pieces and try your best to fill them in. Because it’s going on a sandwich, it should be pretty easy to hide. My first try, the middle stuck slightly, so there was a little tearing, but it still worked out just fine.

Go ahead and move the frittata to cutting board for the next step.

Cutting the Frittata into serving sizes

There are lots of ways to cut your frittata into serving sizes. For a sandwich however, I wanted pieces that were just a little larger than my bread. I started by dividing the eggs with a slice down the middle. Turn the frittata 90 degrees (1/4 turn), then I cut dividing it again.

With the frittata divided into quarters, I placed my English muffins on each part, and trimmed the edges to make the perfect serving size.

Let’s make this a sandwich!

#1 Place one or two slices of frittata on a piece of toasted English muffin.

#2 Add sauteed peppers and onions.

#3 Drizzle chipotle ranch dressing over the peppers, onions, and frittata.

#4 Add a healthy bunch of French fried onions to add some crunch. Not just a pinch, but a handful.

#5 Add lettuce, arugula, spinach, or mixed greens.

#6 Top it with the other toasted muffin.

#7 Pour yourself a glass of juice and enjoy your breakfast!

FAQ for the Full Flavor Frittata

Does it matter what kind of eggs I use?

Not really. For best results, try to use the highest quality, freshest eggs possible. But honestly, any eggs will work. I used Farm Fresh brand large brown eggs for one batch. In another I used a carton of egg whites and just poured out a little over a cup into the blender. They both worked just as well and with delicious results.

Can I meal prep frittatas?

Definitely! Frittatas can be served cold out of the fridge, room temp, or piping hot. Eat them for breakfast, lunch, or a picnic. They are good in the fridge for about 5 days. Freezing is not recommended because the eggs turn to a rubbery texture.

How do I know if my skillet is oven safe?

It’s important to play it safe. Check with the manufacturer of your skillet. If you don’t have the packaging, find their website.

If that info is not available, pay attention to your pan’s construction. If it’s all metal, it’s very likely oven safe up to at least 350 degrees. High quality non-stick, all metal pans, such as the Cuisinart pan I use, or a cast iron skillet are supposed to be safe up to about 500 degrees.

What if I don’t have an oven safe skillet?

A Frittata is simply on open-faced omelet. So if you don’t have an oven safe skillet, or maybe not even an oven, you can still make a great omelet on your cooktop. If you have an oven, you could just bake it in a cake or muffin pan the whole time.

Did you make this recipe? Share your experience in the comments below and a photo on Instagram @TheFlavorFanatic1.

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