Created and written by in-house chef and Transportation Coordinator, Ruth Solomon

Frittata_ROTMHave leftovers in your fridge you don’t know what to do with? These frittatas are the perfect way to give them a second life and have a fun breakfast snack. Feel free to bake them into a pie pan, or a square pan and cut out pieces, or for a grab and go option, use cupcake tins. 

It is super easy to mix and match the filling based on what you like and what you might have lying around. Make individual frittatas in a cupcake pan as a fun way to mix and match for picky eaters so that everyone can enjoy what they like. 

This recipe is also a great way to use up those ends of cheese blocks or bags that don’t quite fit into a whole recipe. These frittatas are perfect to make all year round and switch up the ingredients based on what is seasonal and attainable at the farmers market. Check the bottom of this recipe for fun ways to mix and match and share your experiments!

There are a few rules of thumb to ensure a recipe for success:

First, all of the ‘filling’ ingredients need to be cooked before adding them to your dish. The eggs cook relatively quickly and you don’t want to end up with undercooked filling and overcooked eggs. 

Adding milk and dairy will make the filling taste great and have a more custardy texture, but if you don’t want to add milk or don’t have any around, be sure to mix up the eggs thoroughly. Whisk the eggs right before adding them to the pan and placing in an oven. 

Depending on the pan you use to cook your eggs will determine how long they will bake. If you’re using a round pie pan, they’ll take about 20-25 minutes, an 8x8 square baking pan will be approximately 20-25 minutes, and if you’re using muffin tins, bake for about 10-20 minutes. Bake at 350 for ~10-25 minutes (internal temperature 160F). 

Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

Frittata Filling: 
Remember, use what you have left over in the fridge, but here’s what I like to use to make a tasty frittata. 

  • 2-4 potatoes, medium dice
  • 1 medium sized onion, diced
  • 1 sm bunch Asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
  • ½ cup Mushrooms, slicedFrittata_ROTM
  • 2 Sausages, cooked and cubed (optional)
  • ½ cup shredded cheese (optional)
  • S&P
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)

 

Important Note about Food Safety: 
You shouldn’t use veggies that have mold on them or smell foul or bitter. They’ve likely gone bad, and should be added to your compost! For your greens, they’ve gone bad if they’ve turned a yellowish color and/or appear slimy.

Egg mixture

  • 8 eggs : 1/3 cup milk (12 eggs: ½ cup milk or 6 eggs: ¼ cup milk)
  • S&P
  • Finely chopped herbs (optional)
  • If you don’t want to use milk make sure to whisk your eggs and beat them up right before pouring in your pan and putting the pan in the oven!

 

Optional cheeses: manchego, goat cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, etc (leftover nibs and nubs)

How to bake:

  • Preheat oven 375F

 

  • Toss all chopped fillings together (except herbs, cheese) with oil S&P (red pep flakes optional) on a sheet tray and roast for 20-30 minutes tossing every 10 minutes for even cooking. The goal is to cook things until they are done but not over cooked. 
    • Alternative ways of cooking filling ingredients:
      • Grill veggies and meats
      • Blanch/boil vegetables (pat/drain dry before adding to eggs)

 

  • Grease your pan with cooking spray, butter, oil

 

  • Fill pan ⅔ way with filling

 

  • Pour egg mixture 

 

  • Top with cheese (optional, very highly recommended) 

 

  • Place in a preheated oven at 350F degrees and check every 5-10 minutes. Rotate your pan so eggs cook evenly! 

 

  • (9” Round Pie pan 20-25 minutes - 8x8 square baking pan 20-25 minutes - Muffin tins 10-20 minutes)Frittata_ROTM

 

How to know when your frittata/ egg bites are done?

Check on your frittata by using a heat-safe oven mitt or a kitchen towel. If you are using a thermometer the internal temperature should be about 160F.  Give the pan a soft shake. If the mixture is loose and jiggles then it needs more time (OR check your eggs by jiggling your pan slightly and if the center is wobbly then it’s not done yet!). You’re looking for the eggs to be just set with a slight wobble in the center. 

Pro tip: right before you are finished cooking your eggs, place them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. This will give the tops of your frittata a nice crust and light browning while making sure to not overcook the center.

Fun combinations to try in your Frittata:

Spring Frittata:

  • Spring onions
  • Asparagus
  • Spinach/ Arugula
  • Fontina cheese

 

Mexican Frittata:

  • Black beans
  • Tomatoes
  • Scallions
  • Mexican cheese blend (cheddar, mozzarella, Monterrey jack)

 

Spicy Sausage Frittata

  • Spicy sausage
  • Peppers
  • Onions
  • Pepper jack cheese

 

Breakfast Pie

  • Potatoes
  • Onions
  • Bacon
  • Maple sausage

 

Greens greens greens

  • Leeks
  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Chard 

 

And voila! Now you’ve made some delicious frittatas while using up a lot of leftovers in the process! You’ve done your good deed of the day by reducing food waste. 

Did you know about 43% of all food wasted in the United States occurs at home? If you want to learn more about food waste, click here!