Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 100 g fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 150 g red bell pepper, diced
- 80 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
Base & Dairy
- 8 large eggs, room temperature
- 60 ml whole milk
- 60 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Seasoning
- 4 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 169 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 487 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 258 mg
- Potassium
- 288 mg
- Calcium
- 124 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 29 mg
- Phosphorus
- 196 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 241 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 38 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 84 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.47 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 82 mcg
- Water
- 116 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, kosher salt, and black pepper until completely homogenous and frothy.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper, sautéing for 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
Stir the minced garlic and chopped spinach into the skillet. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted and any excess moisture has evaporated.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables in the skillet. Scatter the crumbled feta cheese across the top. Let it sit undisturbed on the heat for about 2 minutes, until the edges begin to pull away and set.
Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit, until the center is just set and slightly puffed.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let the frittata rest for 5 minutes. Slide a flexible spatula around the edges before slicing into wedges to serve.
Chef's Notes
- Full fat dairy is key to a tender frittata. The fat in whole milk or heavy cream prevents the egg proteins from binding too tightly, ensuring a creamy rather than rubbery mouthfeel.
- Do not skip the vegetable pre-cook. Onions, peppers, and spinach hold immense amounts of water. Sweating them out concentrates their flavor and prevents your eggs from becoming waterlogged.
- Frittatas are excellent vessels for clearing out the refrigerator. Feel free to swap the spinach for kale or the feta for gruyere, keeping the overall ratios roughly the same.
- To achieve a more pronounced crust on top, you can switch the oven to broil for the final 1 to 2 minutes of cooking. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Wrap with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Reheating: Microwave slices for 30-45 seconds, or reheat in a 150C/300F oven until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Watery or weeping frittata
Cause: Vegetables released too much moisture during the baking phase.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure vegetables, especially spinach, are cooked down thoroughly and the pan is dry before adding the egg mixture.
Frittata sticks to the pan
Cause: Pan was not sufficiently pre-heated, lacked enough fat, or was not non-stick/well-seasoned.
Fix: While still warm, run a flexible spatula around the edges and gently work it under the bottom to release.
Prevention: Use a properly seasoned cast iron skillet or a high-quality oven-safe non-stick pan, ensuring the oil coats the entire bottom before adding ingredients.
Rubbery or tough texture
Cause: Overcooked eggs due to baking too long or at too high a temperature.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Pull the frittata from the oven the moment the center stops jiggling, as carryover cooking will finish the job.
Cultural Context
The frittata is a quintessential Italian dish, translating loosely to fried. Originally conceived as a thrifty way to transform leftover vegetables, meats, and pasta into a hearty meal, it has evolved into a beloved global staple. Unlike its French cousin, the omelet, a frittata mixes the ingredients directly into the eggs and finishes slowly in the oven, making it an excellent centerpiece for communal dining.
