Frittatas come together so easily. With just a few ingredients and a pan, you’ll get a breakfast worth slicing into. This Frittata Recipe is so versatile and you can change it up depending on what you have on hand (see all of the variation options below).
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What is a Frittata?
A Frittata is an Italian egg dish that tastes similar to a Quiche (minus the crust, so it’s naturally gluten-free). To me, it’s more like an open-faced Omelette that is baked in a cast-iron pan and so simple to make! It typically contains a variety of meats, vegetables, and cheeses for a simple and excellent one-pan breakfast.
Base Frittata Recipe
Egg breakfast recipes are so wholesome and perfect for breakfast, from Poached Eggs to Breakfast Quesadillas and Breakfast Burritos. We love getting creative with these egg frittatas. Whether it’s a busy weekday morning or you’re hosting a brunch, all you need to do is pop this frittata in the oven.
You can make just about any frittata variation starting with these basic ingredients and it’s easy to scale up and down (i.e. if using a 12-inch pan, use 8 eggs):
- Eggs – the main ingredient of a frittata
- Heavy cream – adds moisture and richness to the egg base
- Salt – a simple seasoning is all you need
- Butter – to grease the pan and keep the frittata from sticking
- Cheese – we love mozzarella and goat cheese together
Frittata Variations
Now for the fun part. Frittatas are so versatile and forgiving that you can mix and match different toppings and ingredients to get your perfect breakfast.
- Cheese: What kind of cheese is best for frittata? You can’t really go wrong with: goat cheese, feta cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar (sharp cheddar is a favorite), and brie all work great.
- Veggies: Red bell peppers, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, asparagus, tomatoes, garlic, leeks, eggplant, shallots, and jalapenos.
- Potatoes: You can cook potatoes in the cast iron pan before adding the rest of the ingredients, just follow our Hashbrowns Recipe instructions for the potatoes.
- Bacon: Bits of crispy bacon add a nice salty bite. Try Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon to crisp it up then chop and sprinkle it over the quiche.
- Leafy Greens: Arugula, spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, endive, and beet greens.
- Dairy Options: Heavy cream is the best option here, but you can also use half-and-half or full-fat milk (reduce to 1/4 cup if using milk). If you don’t have whole milk, adding a little sour cream, yogurt, or crème fraîche will do the trick.
- Herbs: Parsley, chives, dill, or basil. You can also make it spicy by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes.
How to Make Frittatas
Making a frittata is as simple as it gets for a hearty and healthy breakfast in no time.
- Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, and salt.
- Chop veggies – dice your tomatoes and bell peppers.
- Butter your cast iron pan and add veggies.
- Pour over the egg mixture, top with cheese, and bake.
What is the Best Pan for Frittatas?
Use a cast-iron pan or oven-safe pan between 9 and 10 inches in diameter to get the perfect-sized slice so your frittata doesn’t spread too thin on the skillet. A cast iron pan is great because it can go from the stovetop to the oven if you want to pre-cook any fillings before pouring over the eggs.
How do you know when a frittata is done?
It’s important not to over-bake your frittata or it will seem rubbery and dry. Check early to avoid overcooking. Here are some tips to know when your frittata is done baking:
- Set center: Bake until the edges and center are no longer jiggly, and the top is lightly golden.
- Temperature: If you have an instant-read thermometer, bake until the internal temperature of the frittata reaches 160˚F.
- Knife test: when you insert a knife into the center, it should come out clean with some moisture. If you see the wet egg mixture clinging to the knife, continue baking.
Once you have a great Frittata base, there are so many possibilities to change it up and keep it exciting. Let me know your favorite toppings and add-ins in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
Make-Ahead
Making a frittata in advance is perfect for meal prep or for when you are hosting a large brunch spread and want to make things ahead. I think a frittata tastes best freshly baked but it does keep well in the fridge and freezer.
- To Refrigerate: Cool the baked frittata to room temperature, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, or transfer slices to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freshly made or refrigerated frittata works best as not every variation of frittata works well for the freezer. Veggies like tomatoes and avocado do not freeze well. Be sure to fully thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating or it may end up wet and rubbery.
- To Reheat: You can microwave a single slice until warmed through. If reheating in the pan, cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 350˚F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
If you love this frittata, these top-rated breakfast recipes will get you excited to wake up in the morning.
- The Best Scrambled Eggs
- Dutch Baby Pancakes
- Ricotta Pancakes
- Zucchini Fritters
- Easy Crepes
- Acai Bowl
- Instant Pot Egg Bites
Best Frittata Recipe (Easy Oven Method)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, *
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, red, orange or yellow
- 1 cup arugula
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp fresh herbs, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Whisk eggs, heavy cream and salt until you get a smooth and even texture. Set aside.
- Cut tomatoes in half. Chop bell peppers into small pieces.
- Melt butter and coat the sides of the baking dish with it. Spread vegetables and greens evenly on the bottom of the pan.
- Pour over the egg mixture. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Using a fork, distribute the cheese around a little to incorporate it into the eggs. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges and center are set and the top is golden. The internal temperature of the frittata should reach 160˚F on a thermometer.
Notes
- Cheese: You can’t really go wrong with: goat cheese, feta cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar (especially sharp cheddar), and brie.
- Veggies: Red bell peppers, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, asparagus, tomatoes, garlic, leeks, eggplant, shallots, and jalapenos.
- Potatoes: You can cook potatoes in the cast iron pan first before adding the rest of the ingredients; just follow our Hashbrowns Recipe then pour the egg mixture over.
- Bacon: Bits of crispy bacon add a nice salty bite.
- Leafy Greens: Arugula, spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, endive, and beet greens.
- Dairy Options: Heavy cream is the best option here, but you can also use half-and-half or full-fat milk (reduce to 1/4 cup if using milk). If you don’t have whole milk, adding a little sour cream, yogurt, or crème fraîche will do the trick.
- Herbs: Parsley, chives, dill, or basil. Try a pinch of red pepper flakes to add spice.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natalya Drozhzhin
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I took the toppings (ham, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions and peppers) off a leftover pizza and added tomatoes and feta cheese. I used 8 eggs in my large oven proof skillet. It was a hit!
I’ve been making lots of crustless quiches but will switch to “clean the fridge” frittatas.
I use a Silicone Egg Molds Frittata Pan to customize the ingredients for each mold (picky eaters). I love this recipe just the way it is, but not all my family members enjoy goat cheese, meat, mushrooms, etc. Therefore, the personal mold lets me tailor all the ingredients to suit everyone’s tastes. Perfect JUMBO egg bite size.
Made this with left over asparagus, a garden tomato and a can of diced potatos and it came out great! I used 1/2 and 1/2 along with some shredded cheese and sprinkled diced feta on it. Delish!
Sounds delicious!
Forgot to add on that I like making large portions for leftovers. I doubled the recipe and put it in a 13X9 which worked perfectly! I got that tip from one of your reviews.
Hi Natasha, thank you for this recipe, made it tonight and everyone loved it. Did heirloom cherry tomatoes from a local farm, fresh chives and spinach. Loved the goat cheese the most, which I’ve never had. Thank you!
You’re very welcome!
Love this recipe. I made it the other night. I wanted to use up peppers, onions, and small potatoes. I sautéed the peppers and onions, sliced and cooked the potatoes, then added the egg mixture right on top then put it in the oven. I used cottage cheese instead of heavy cream. It was delicious! Wish I took a picture! Thanks for a great recipe! (I used so much veggies and potatoes that I used eight eggs. This increased the cooking time, but taking the temperature was a perfect cue to being done!)
Thank you for sharing, Angela. I’m glad you loved it.
making it tonight, what size pan is that for the 4 serving size? Thanks.
Hi Dean! I linked the cast iron above in the blog. You can use a 9-10” pan. Mine was 10 inches.
I make this on Sunday’s, it is just my husband and I so we have leftover. We use the leftovers to make egg salad sandwiches for lunch or dinner. It is great!
My family enjoyed this recipe for Easter. Easy to follow recipe (thank you), you can customize it with what you have on hand.
I wanted to make a frittata to use up some leftover buttermilk, and although your recipe doesn’t use buttermilk, I love your recipes so I used it as a base to make mine. I used only 4 eggs (what I had on hand) and 1/4 cup buttermilk. I used some leftover ham, swiss, mozzarella, leftover roasted asparagus(with sesame seeds), green onions, and salt and pepper to taste. I cooked it in a glass pie dish (that I coated with melted butter) at 400 degrees for 15-17 min. It turned out perfectly! When I have all the ingredients I’ll make your exact recipe! Thanks for making your recipes so easy to adjust and use as a base!
Absolutely delish. The tomatoes added a freshness to the dish and I loved the arugula. I used half the amount of cheese. Ty
If I double the recipe for 8 people, is a 12 in. cast iron pan large enough?
Hi Terry! I’m not sure. I haven’t tested this recipe in different size pans/quantities to know the exact measurements. You may have some leftover custard, which if that’s the case can be baked in a smaller dish along side the larger dish.
One of my readers shared this about doubling
, “you can certainly do this in 9×13 baking dish! Bake on 350°F for 50 minutes then let rest before digging in!”
I made this for my ladies sewing group and they truly enjoyed it. They never had frittata. They asked for the recipe which I had brought to the group, just in case someone wanted to make it. I told them I made some adjustments per recommendations from others on this site. I have 6 free range chickens and they’re really laying now that it’s spring time. What a great way to use the eggs! Besides increasing the recipe for 8 people, I used the half cup of ricotta cheese and a cup of mozzarella cheese and only used half & half because that’s what I had on hand. I also added baby spinach. Highly recommend this recipe. Thank you Natasha for coming up with fabulous, easy recipes. Ps I also bought your recent cookbook.
That’s so great to hear, Cherie! Thank you for sharing.
I love this recipe! So easy, and I change it up with whatever veggies I have on hand. I make this often in the spring and summer due to my chickens laying up a storm! Thanks!
Hi Jody! You’re welcome. I love how versatile it is. I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
Love your recipes. I don’t typically follow recipes and this one is great for helping me do my thing. This was my first frittata and it did not disappoint.
I did add a little onion and mushroom which I sweated with the bell pepper. I used mixed baby greens. My husband didn’t even pick out the tomatoes! Thank you 😊
Hi Letitia! Thank you so much for your kind comment and review! I’m so thrilled to hear you loved this recipe! I like that you put your own twist on it too! Kudos on converting your husband into a tomato fan by the way. Thank you for trying out my recipe!
Would I be able to make this in a 10 inch round pan. i dont think the pan size was mentioned
Hi Cara! Yes- see my note in the blog above, “What is the Best Pan for Frittatas?”
I hope you love recipe!
THE absolute best to clean up your fridge after Xmas! I only had eggs, 2% milk, 1TB creme fraîche, 2 TB goat cheese, 1 Roma tomato, a bit of Parmesan and various fresh herbs. I cooked it according to the instructions. Perfect+++ Now, go and play 😉
It really is the best way! That sounds delicious right now! Thank you for sharing that with me, Barbara!
what type of pan should I use if I want 12 servings? Should I distribute the mixerinto 2 8inch pie pans?
Hi Genie! Sorry, I don’t have the exact instructions for that, I have not tested it.
Never ever made a fritatta. I definitely did not have the ingredients so I went out of the box…. a lot.
I actually used a powdered buttermilk mixed with a touch of 2% milk and a huge dollop of sour cream and let that sit while I worked on the rest.
Oven baked bacon and a mild sausage…. sautéed some slivered onions and some celery. Added some drained can homemade diced tomatoes… ran out of homegrown cherry tomatoes.
Used my trusty old cast iron Dutch oven.
Very tasty but I took it out of pan a little too early so it broke apart…. we still ate it.
Hi Keith! Thank you for sharing that with us!