Flipped Frittata With Asparagus, Spinach, Ham, and Cheese Recipe (2024)

Recipes
Recipes By Course
Frittatas

Flip your frittata for a quicker meal, no broiler required.

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated July 13, 2023

(4)

WRITE A REVIEW

Why It Works

Pre-seasoning the eggs with salt helps them retain moisture during cooking.
Cooking the vegetables in batches gives us more control over their texture.
Keeping the cheese in large chunks gives us oozy pockets in the frittata.
Flipping the frittata ensures a creamy, dense center.

The other night I was up late editing some photos and got a bit of the ol' late-night hunger pangs. After realizing I was out of pickles to wrap in slices of Swiss cheese (my standard eaten-by-the-warm-glow-of-the-refrigerator light meal), I spied the carton of eggs and rememberedDaniel's excellent tutorial on how to make a Spanish-style tortilla. I quickly pulled out my phone to check my shopping list to see if I was out of potatoes, then stopped myself because I realized I could get the answer much faster by looking at the potato bin right next to me. It was empty.

Luckily I had a fridge full of vegetable and cheese scraps. My tongue turned toward my stomach and flashed electric signals across a vast tunnel of synaptic gaps to deliver one word in three syllables:frit- ta- ta.

My stomach had only just given a genial growl to indicate its approval of the plan when my brain butted in and saidahem, we arenotgoing to be turning on the broiler tonight,daring anyone to challenge it. Cranking the oven on a hot summer evening just wasn't gonna happen.

Meanwhile, my hands had already started slicing onions and garlic, some asparagus, spinach, and a couple of shish*to peppers before my brain had even caught up to what was going on. Most of my brain decided to take a moment to regroup while my hands continued to sauté vegetables. The only part that stuck around to watch was the bit that remembered to sauté the onions separately so that the steam from the other vegetables didn't inhibit any delicious caramelization on the onion bits.

By the time my brain caught up, my hands had already sliced some ham and diced up some cheese (a much nicer way to incorporate it into frittatas and quichesthan grating it), whisked some eggs, and deposited them into the skillet.

So there I was. I suddenly found myself with a frittata cooking in the skillet and no broiler to finish it under. The solution was simple: Just flip it like a Spanish tortilla. Compared to a normal finished-in-the-oven frittata which can take on a poofy, souffléd texture, flipping produces a much creamier, denser omelette. It's a texture I actually prefer.

AsDaniel demonstrated, once you get the hang of it, the process of flipping is really simple and it allows you to put dinner on the table much faster than using the oven (and it saves you from having to heat up the kitchen during the summer). All you have to do is place an empty plate or pot lid over the pan, invert it over the sink (just in case you have any drips), then slide it back into the skillet. You end up with a nice fat omelette that's golden brown on the outside and nice and creamy in the middle.

After I finished my slice, I covered the rest and left it out for breakfast. My stomach thanked my hands, my hands gave a synaptic high five to my brain, and my eyes remembered seeing the last egg come out of that carton. My thumb flicked on my phone and when I looked down to update my shopping list, my hand decided to smack my head: Turns out I'd never put potatoes on the list anyway.

July 2016

Recipe Details

Flipped Frittata With Asparagus, Spinach, Ham, and Cheese Recipe

Active20 mins

Total20 mins

Serves3to 4 servings

Ingredients

Directions

Lightly beat eggs with a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large bowl. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil in a 10-inch non-stick, cast iron, or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add asparagus and peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until asparagus is tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggs.
Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring, until starting to brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until onions and garlic are lightly browned, about 1 minute longer. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggs. Add ham (if using) and cheese to the eggs and stir the mixture until everything is evenly combined.
Wipe out skillet. Add remaining 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil to skillet and set over medium-high heat until shimmering. Scrape egg mixture into skillet and cook, swirling and shaking pan rapidly, until bottom and sides begin to set, about 3 minutes. Using a heatproof spatula, press the edges in to begin to form the frittata's puck shape. Continue to cook, adjusting heat to prevent bottom of frittata from burning, until beginning to set around edges, about 3 minutes longer.
Working over a sink or garbage can, place a large overturned flat plate or lid on top of skillet, set hand on top (using a dish towel if you are sensitive to heat), and, in one very quick motion, invert frittata onto it. Carefully slide frittata back into skillet and continue to cook until second side is beginning to firm up, about 2 minutes. Use rubber spatula to again press the sides in all around to form a rounded puck shape. Continue to cook frittata until lightly browned on second side but still tender in the center when pressed with a finger, about 2 minutes longer. If desired, you can flip frittata 2 to 3 more times during these last minutes of cooking, which helps to cook the center more evenly and reinforce the shape.
Carefully slide frittata out of skillet onto a clean plate, and serve.

Special Equipment

Nonstick, carbon steel, or cast iron skillet

Frittata With Bacon, Corn, and Gruyère
Spinach and Feta Frittata
Chorizo and Potato Frittata
Kale, Onion, and Cheddar Frittata
Spring Ramp and Asparagus Frittata

Stovetop Eggs
Cheese
Omelettes
Ham
Asparagus

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
374	Calories
30g	Fat
9g	Carbs
18g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3to 4
Amount per serving
Calories	374
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g	39%
Saturated Fat 10g	48%
Cholesterol 307mg	102%
Sodium 516mg	22%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 26mg	130%
Calcium 281mg	22%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 337mg	7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Flipped Frittata With Asparagus, Spinach, Ham, and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep frittata fluffy? ›

Beat eggs until just blended: Overbeating the eggs invites too much air in to the egg mixture. As the frittata bakes, the eggs will expand and puff up. That can leave them with a spongy texture that's dry and unappealing. You want to combine the eggs well, but stop once everything is fully incorporated.

Get More Info Here ›

How do you know when to flip a frittata? ›

Here's an important tip: Don't flip your eggs until they're mostly cooked on the first side. This isn't an even split. We want to cook 85% of the eggs initially, and then flip them to finish off the last bit.

Discover More Details ›

How do you make a frittata not soggy? ›

Never use uncooked vegetables in a frittata

If your frittata turned out soggy, it's because you used uncooked mix-ins. According to Bon Appétit, many common frittata ingredients like tomatoes, mushrooms, and zucchini have a high moisture content, and that means they seep water when cooked.

Keep Reading ›

What makes a frittata so different from an omelet? ›

While it's similar to an omelet, crustless quiche, and Spanish tortilla, the way a frittata is cooked is what sets it apart. Frittatas are generally thicker than omelets. A frittata is made with the exact same ingredients as an omelet, but here, the milk, or more preferably, cream, is crucial.

What kind of cheese is best for frittata? ›

Crumbled Feta Cheese: I love the creamy, salty tang of feta, but a shredded hard Italian cheese, such as parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano, would also be delicious in this Mediterranean-inspired frittata.

Know More ›

How to easily flip a frittata? ›

All you have to do is place an empty plate or pot lid over the pan, invert it over the sink (just in case you have any drips), then slide it back into the skillet. You end up with a nice fat omelette that's golden brown on the outside and nice and creamy in the middle.

Read On ›

What kind of pan is best for frittata? ›

Use a cast-iron skillet.

The best choice for making frittatas, cast iron skillets can safely go from stovetop to oven, and they conduct heat well and evenly. Seasoning a cast-iron pan gives it a non-stick quality, so a well-seasoned skillet will result in the easiest slicing & serving.

Learn More ›

How jiggly should a frittata be? ›

When you pour in your eggs, let the frittata set for a couple of minutes on the stovetop. Then keep an eye on it when it's in the oven, and take it out when it's still a touch jiggly—not quite creme brulee-level jiggly, but when the top is a still a tiny bit shaky, get that frittata out of the oven and serve it warm.

What is the frittata ratio to memorize? ›

The egg to dairy ratio: If you are making a smaller frittata use 6 eggs and 1/4 cup of dairy, and if you are making a larger frittata use 12 eggs and 1/2 cup of dairy.

Show Me More ›

Does a frittata have a crust? ›

Crust: A quiche has crust while a frittata does not. Sometimes, quiche is baked without crust.

What's healthier, frittata or omelette? ›

But unlike omelets, egg frittatas can serve a family fast. And unlike most egg recipes, a four-serving frittata cooks all at once without any flipping or fuss. Plus, since there's no crust (like quiches), it makes it a healthier breakfast option.

Learn More Now ›

Why did my frittata rise? ›

What Makes a Frittata Rise? Milk or cream is the essential ingredient that will make your frittata rise. Cooked without either milk or cream, the frittata will be flatter and less puffy. Add the milk or cream to the eggs and whisk them together until they are fluffy.

How do I keep my frittata from falling? ›

Beat the eggs just enough to blend the whites and yolks. You don't want to beat the eggs too much or you will incorporate too much air into the eggs; this will cause the frittata to poof in the oven and fall into a dense sad frittata after cooling.

See Details ›

How do you keep eggs fluffy? ›

Whisking incorporates air, which produces fluffier scrambled eggs, and fluffy eggs are the end goal. These eggs are whisked twice: once to blend the eggs together and a second time once you add the milk. For best results, whisk until your wrist is tired! The mixture should look pale yellow and frothy with bubbles.