Equipment
Ingredients
Pantry Staples
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Main Ingredients
- 8 large eggs, room temperature
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 100 g cheddar cheese, grated
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 60 g baby spinach, washed and dried
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 409 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 271 mg
- Potassium
- 243 mg
- Calcium
- 183 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 25 mg
- Phosphorus
- 236 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 280 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 52 mcg
- Water
- 72 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175 C (350 F) and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, kosher salt, and black pepper until completely homogenous.
Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften and blister, releasing some of their moisture.
Add the baby spinach to the skillet with the tomatoes. Gently toss the vegetables together until the spinach has wilted down completely.
Pour the egg and cream mixture directly into the skillet over the cooked vegetables. Scatter the grated cheddar cheese evenly across the entire surface of the pan.
Allow the skillet to sit undisturbed on the stovetop over medium heat for a few minutes until the outer edges of the egg mixture just begin to set and pull away from the pan.
Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the center is just set and the edges are lightly golden brown.
Remove the frittata from the oven. Let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.
Chef's Notes
- The golden ratio for a luscious, custard-like frittata is 120ml (roughly half a cup) of full-fat dairy for every 6 to 8 eggs.
- Always pre-cook your vegetable add-ins. Raw vegetables will weep into the eggs as they bake, creating a watery base that ruins the texture of the dish.
- For the best texture, avoid aggressively beating the eggs. You want them thoroughly blended but not a foam; too much air causes the frittata to over-puff in the oven and collapse into flat, dense layers upon cooling.
- This recipe is a blank canvas. You can swap the spinach and tomatoes for leftover roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, cooked bacon, or any vegetables languishing in your crisper drawer.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Wrap individual slices in parchment for easy grab-and-go.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Microwave gently in 30-second bursts, or cover with foil and bake at 150C/300F until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Frittata is dense and rubbery
Cause: The eggs were cooked at too high a temperature or left in the oven for too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the texture can be improved by serving with a moist topping like fresh salsa or a creamy sauce.
Prevention: Check the frittata early and remove it from the oven as soon as the center barely jiggles. Residual heat will finish the cooking.
Frittata is watery at the bottom
Cause: Vegetables were not sufficiently cooked down before adding the eggs, releasing water into the custard.
Fix: Blot the bottom slices with a paper towel or serve using a slotted spatula to drain excess liquid.
Prevention: Always pre-cook high-moisture add-ins like tomatoes, zucchini, or mushrooms until their liquid has evaporated.
Cultural Context
Originating in Italy, the word frittata translates loosely to fried. It was historically a clever, frugal method for rural Italian home cooks to repurpose leftover pasta, meats, and vegetables from the previous night's dinner into a hearty, slow-cooked egg meal.
