Breakfast Recipes

Loaded Ham and Cheese Frittata

Whenever we have a bunch of odds and ends in the fridge to use up, our go-to solution is always a frittata. It’s easy to make, and any combination of veggies, meats, and cheeses will invariably taste fantastic with those fluffy eggs! Here, we load the frittata up with crisp asparagus, kicky shishitos, spicy-sweet red onion, bright spinach, sliced ham, and sharp white cheddar.

A lot of white cheddar, in fact! We dice the cheese so it creates gooey pockets throughout the frittata. All that glorious cheddar is so satisfying with the smoky ham — and adds just the right amount of salty, tangy, melty goodness to foil the fresh vegetables.

We love making a veggie-loaded ham and cheese frittata for a special weekend breakfast with the partner — or if we’re hosting the whole family for, say, Easter brunch. It comes together without a fuss (the hardest part is flipping it onto the plate … but just be brave and go for it!), looks bright and beautiful, and no surprise, is always a hit. If your fam is anything like the tasters in our test kitchen, don’t be surprised if this frittata is the first thing to disappear from the table!

Our tip: This frittata is also an awesome dinner for a busy night. Add a green salad, a hunk of bread, and a glass of white wine, and it’ll feel effortlessly fancy.

Servings: 4 to 6

Loaded Ham and Cheese Frittata
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Breakfast

Loaded Ham and Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

8 large eggs
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground Gelson’s black pepper, to taste
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 asparagus stalks, sliced on the bias into ½” pieces
6 shishito peppers, seeded and diced
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
3 oz sliced ham, cut into ½” pieces
5 oz sharp white cheddar, diced into ½” pieces

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

  2. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the asparagus and shishito peppers. Season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

  3. Let the vegetables cool for 1 minute then add them to the eggs.

  4. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and sauté until they start to brown around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes.

  5. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  6. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute. Let cool for 1 minute, then transfer the spinach and onions to the eggs.

  7. Add the ham and cheese and stir to combine.

  8. Using a paper towel, wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Scrape the eggs into the skillet and cook, swirling the pan and pressing the edges inward with a rubber spatula to round the edges, about 3 minutes.

  9. Adjust the heat to prevent the bottom of the frittata from burning, and cook until its edges and the top are beginning to set, about 3 minutes.

  10. Place a large, flat plate upside down on top of the skillet. Place a dish towel and your hand on the bottom of the plate. In one quick motion, lift the pan and invert the frittata onto the plate.

  11. Carefully slide the frittata back into the skillet, cooked side up. Continue to cook until the second side is beginning to firm up, about 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to press the sides downward to round the edges.

  12. Cook the frittata for 2 minutes more, or until lightly browned on the second side yet tender in the center when pressed with a finger.

  13. Carefully slide the frittata out of the skillet onto a clean plate, and serve hot.

Recipe adapted from: Serious Eats

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