Breakfast Frittata – the Ultimate Leftovers Dish
My family loves breakfast! On the weekends, I tend to cook a big farm breakfast. In the summer, however, I don’t want to eat that much food, let alone stand in front of a hot stove cooking it.
This breakfast frittata is a perfect compromise and uses up leftovers from the week.
I make mine with six eggs because it gives each of us two eggs. If we have company, I add two eggs more per person. If I need more than 12 eggs, I’ll make more than one frittata. That’s just too many eggs for it to be a good frittata.
I usually use leftover veggies and meat, and add some cheese. This version used up a leftover bratwurst, cooked onions and peppers, and sliced cheddar cheese that I had left from cheeseburgers. What goes in the frittata doesn’t really matter. This is a flexible dish that can be changed up many ways!
Where does the frittata come from?
The frittata is an Italian dish similar to an omelette. The biggest distinction is that ingredients in an omelette are placed in the middle of the eggs, then the eggs are folded over to make a crescent or rectangular shape. Frittata ingredients are mixed with the eggs and everything is cooked together.
There’s no definitive evidence of when or where the frittata originated but I’d suspect that as soon as we had frying pans we were making something like this dish. Eggs are inexpensive and make the perfect base for a home cook to create endless variations. You’ll find a frittata on my table several times a month for those reasons!
A word about farm eggs
If you have a way to buy farm fresh eggs, take advantage of the opportunity. I prefer farm eggs over store bought. The yolks are deeper colored – sometimes near orange – and the taste is richer. Not all farm eggs are brown, either. I’ve seen all colors, including green and spotted!
I’m blessed to have friends and family who have chickens, so I have access pretty much whenever I want them. I had eggs in my last batch that still had a feather or two attached to them! Here’s a great article from Back Roads Living discussing some of the differences between the two types of eggs.
Enjoy this easy dish, and get creative!
Breakfast Frittata
Easy basic frittata for a simple breakfast.
- 1 cup leftover cooked meat (vegetables, or a combination)
- 8 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Chop meat and vegetables into bite-size pieces if necessary then place in an oven safe skillet over medium heat. Heat through.
- While vegetable mixture is warming, crack eggs into mixing bowl and add water. Whisk eggs until the whites and yolks are combined and you have an even yellow color.
- Pour eggs into skillet and let cook for about five minutes.
- Place skillet into oven and bake for 12-5 minutes or until eggs are set. Turn off oven.
- Place cheese slices on top of the frittata and put the skillet back in the oven to let the cheese melt.
- Serve with sour cream or salsa if desired.
I use a cast iron skillet but any oven-safe skillet will work. Cast iron holds heat and is a great way to serve the frittata from the breakfast table.
