Transform Your Breakfast With This Light & Fluffy Spinach Frittata! (2024)

When it comes to breakfast, it’s hard to think of a better option than frittatas. With eggs as their base, they’re protein-packed and incredibly filling, and you can add any type of vegetable you like to them.

This one takes the classic approach of using baby spinach and freshly grated parmesan cheese, along with the essential but simple flavoring agents of garlic and shallots.

The result is an incredibly light and fluffy bake that’s not only an excellent breakfast choice but also a great brunch, lunch or light dinner option. I’ve spent enough solo nights to know the simplicity of a frittata dinner like this.

Ingredients needed to make a spinach frittata

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Shallot or onion
• Garlic
• Eggs
• Milk
• Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Baby spinach

Aromatics

The shallot and garlic are sautéed first in the olive oil to mellow out their flavors and soften before baking with the eggs. Use freshly minced garlic if you can rather than pre-minced jarred garlic. The fresh stuff tastes so much better, and in a simple recipe like this, the difference is pronounced.

Fresh herbs can also be a great way to add flavor easily. Basil, thyme and oregano would go well with the spinach and parmesan in this recipe.

Vegetables

Bagged baby spinach already pre-washed and ready to use is a hard-to-beat convenience, but you can use fresh spinach if preferred. In fact, any other leafy green is easily swapped in for the spinach in this frittata recipe.Collard greens, kale and Swiss chard are all good options.

But leafy greens aren’t the only option. ThisThanksgiving frittatauses pre-cooked winter squash and mushrooms. Thesefrittata bitesillustrate how easily almost any type of leftovers can be turned into a frittata recipe.

Cheese

A frittata without cheese is hardly worth eating. Freshly grated parmesan is a solid choice that always pairs well with eggs. Other good options include goat, feta, cheddar, mozzarella or Gruyere. Pairing two cheeses together is also a great choice. Dollops of goat cheese would be delicious on top of this spinach frittata.

Eggs

As the main ingredient, choose high-quality eggs with golden yolks for the best-tasting frittata. Pasture-raised eggs will provide the most delicious and nutritious option.

How to make this spinach frittata recipe

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pour the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet (make sure the handle is not wood) or pot on the stove-top over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for another minute or so until fragrant. Turn off the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until beaten. Add the grated cheese, salt, pepper and cooked shallot mixture from the pan. Stir to combine, then fold in the baby spinach.

Pour the egg mixture back into the skillet and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until the center is set and the frittata is nice and puffy.

Optionally — you can broil the frittata for the last minute of cooking for a golden brown crust.

Using an oven mitt, remove from the oven, let cool for at least 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

What’s the best type of skillet to use for a frittata?

Cast iron skilletsor pots are the best choice for making frittatas. They can safely go from stove-top to oven and are excellent at even heat conduction.

A well-seasoned cast-iron pan is naturally non-stick, so removing the frittata from the pan is not an issue.

What’s the difference between a quiche and a frittata?

A frittata is essentially a crustless quiche. Other than that slight distinction, the two dishes are pretty similar. They’re both egg-based recipes mixed with milk or heavy cream, baked in the oven to which you can add veggies, cheeses or other fillings.

Omeletsare typically single-serving dishes, whereas quiches and frittatas are meant to be shared.

The key to a fluffy spinach frittata

There are two essential things to take heed of for a fluffy frittata:

1. Don’t forget to add milk or cream — Just a tiny amount of dairy helps to create that light and fluffy texture frittatas are known for.
2. Don’t overbake it — Remove the frittata from the oven when the center is just set. Cooking past this point will dry out the eggs and deflate the whole dish.

Can frittatas be frozen?

We don’t suggest it. This recipe doesn’t freeze very well, as the texture gets a bit funky with defrosting. Try ourhomemade breakfast hot pocketsif you’re looking for a breakfast or brunch recipe that freezes well.

Storing and reheating leftovers

Frittata recipes are great for leftovers. Making a big frittata for breakfast all week is an easy way to meal-prep for the week. Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The frittata can be reheated in the microwave on a medium-power setting in 30-second intervals. If you enjoy cold dishes, frittatas are excellent eaten cold as well.

Other egg dishes to try:

Kale feta egg bake— This easy recipe is a favorite for quick and easy dinners or weekend breakfasts.

Cheesy potato breakfast casserole— Name a better brunch option than this casserole filled with potatoes, cheese, turkey sausage and aromatics.

Slow cooker summer frittata— A completely hands-off recipe that’s great for summer-time brunches, this frittata uses zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and prosciutto for a filling start to the day.