This is the perfect dish to meal prep for breakfast (or brinner!) to keep you satisfied and full all morning long. A frittata is an egg-based, simple to cook meal that you can tailor to your preferences or to what you have on hand. I chose ham and cheese for this recipe in particular, but typically I grab my left over vegetables and make a frittata to use them up before they go bad.
What You’ll Need to Make a Ham and Cheese Frittata
Below is a list of what you’ll need to make it. I did add vegetables for added vitamins, minerals, fiber and color. These can be left out or subbed out for different ones.
- Onion
- Half a bell pepper
- Uncooked spinach
- Ham
- One dozen eggs
- Block of cheddar cheese
- Milk
- Paprika
- Ground black pepper
- 8×8 inch baking pan
- Cooking spray
How to Make
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, dice the onion and bell pepper up and sauté until cooked and the onion is translucent (about 3-5 minutes). Chop the spinach as fine as you’d like but leave it uncooked. Dice the ham or purchase it pre-cut. Shred the cheese or use pre-shredded.
Step 2:
Whisk all the eggs and add the milk, cheese, and spices. Keep approximately a fourth of the cheese out to layer on top at the end.
Step 3:
Spray the baking pan with cooking spray and add the onions, peppers, and ham. Pour the egg and cheese mixture on top and lay the spinach on top. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to combine everything.
Step 4:
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and place the pan in the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Step 5:
Check the dish at 35 minutes. If the center is still runny and wiggly, allow to bake another five minutes before checking for doneness again.
What Can You Prep Ahead of Time
If you’re cooking this to eat fresh one morning, I suggest meal prepping your vegetables and pre-cooking raw meat that’s going to be added in. Chopping produce can be time consuming but you’ll be so glad you did this in advance when it comes time to assemble the recipe. I have experimented with a lot of vegetables going into a frittata both raw and cooked. Most of the time, the dish is going to work out best if they’ve been cooked (roasted, sautéed, etc) and even patted dry/drained of excess liquid.
If the meat being added is raw, such as ground sausage, I suggest cooking that ahead of time and draining the fat.
What Can You Substitute
Ham can easily be substituted for an alternative breakfast meat. There are lots of different breakfast meat options but don’t stop there. Try anything from cooked, crispy bacon to breakfast sausage to ground up venison. You can make almost any meat taste like breakfast by using a homemade breakfast spice combination of sage, thyme, crushed fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic, smoked paprika, and kosher salt and pepper to taste.
It can also be made into a dairy-free frittata by substituting cows milk for soy and leaving out the cheese. To add a cheesy flavor without actual cheese, try adding nutritional yeast.
Can You Make it Vegetarian
A frittata is very easy to make for an ovo-vegetarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian, someone who doesn’t eat animal products except for eggs or eggs and dairy. The most simple way to do this is to not add animal protein to your dish. However, drained and rinsed garbanzo beans or black beans are an excellent choices for adding plant protein, more fiber and texture to the dish as well.
How Do You Know When a Frittata is Done?
When the timer goes off, grab the pan (with a pot holder of course) and give it a wiggle. If the center of the bake is still jiggling or appears to have a pool of liquid, give it another five minutes and check again. Watch the edges as well as they will start to brown and pull away from the pan indicating it’s done or very close to it.
Can You Reheat Frittata
A frittata can is a great dish to make at the beginning of the week for a simple, nutrient dense breakfast that’s ready to go. It’s also a great dish to make for dinner when you’re short on time. You can reheat a slice of it in the microwave at fifty percent power for 30 to 60 seconds. Always reheat eggs gradually so they do not dry out.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this with a favorite sour dough or whole grain toast and jam. Or serve with crisp grapes, apples, or assorted berries to compliment the salty ham. If you’re hosting a brunch, get the works going with pancakes, toast, fruit, parfaits, and a side of potatoes.
Nutritional Boosts
Looking to add a bit more nutrition to this dish? Try adding something from one of the below categories.
- Protein: Add beans, hemp hearts, canned salmon, scrambled tofu or a second breakfast meat
- Quality fats: Cook the vegetables in avocado or olive oil or add canned salmon, flax meal, hemp hearts or serve with avocado or this guacamole on top.
- Color: Try a cup of any cooked seasonal produce from sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, tomatoes, salsa, leeks, turnips, carrots, etc.
Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
Ham and Cheese Frittata
Equipment
- 1 8×8 inch pan
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- ½ red bell pepper*
- 2 cups spinach, uncooked
- 1 lb diced ham
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 12 eggs
- ¼ cup 2% milk
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F
- Dice the onion and bell pepper. Saute over medium heat with the oil for 3-5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Chop the spinach.
- Whisk the eggs and shred the cheese if not using pre-shredded. Mix the cheese in with the eggs reserving about ¼ cup on the side.
- Add the spices to the egg and cheese mixture, combine.
- Add the cooked vegetables, diced ham, egg and cheese mixture to a greased 8×8 inch pan. Top with spinach and use a spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
- Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and bake for 35-40 minutes.**
Notes
Nutrition
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