Easy Italian Frittata Recipe

This classic Frittata Recipe is made with pancetta, potatoes, and roasted onions. It’s the perfect way to start your day. and you will love how simple this classic Italian dish is to prepare.

We are huge breakfast fans in our house and love trying different things. If you are the same way and want to change your breakfast routine, you must try my Dutch baby or Quiche Lorraine Recipe.

Frittata

A frittata in its simplest form is some whisked eggs and Parmigiano cheese cooked in a skillet, flipped over, sliced, and served. It roughly translates from Italian to English as “fried. I researched this recipe but fell short of finding its origin and period of creation. It seems as if a frittata was just thrown together with leftovers and never had a formal name.

Frittatas are an incredibly easy breakfast egg recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes. While some recipes cook them in the oven, everything can be done right on your stovetop. This recipe has some variations, such as including spinach, sausage, peppers, asparagus, or mushrooms.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Eggs – Chilled or room temperature large eggs work fine. You can use any sized egg for this recipe.
• Onions – You can use a red, white, yellow, or sweet onion.
• Bacon – I used pancetta in this. However, you can also use guanciale, bacon, ham, or prosciutto.
• Oil – I prefer to use a good olive or avocado oil.
• Cheese – The most classic cheeses are Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano. You could also use fontina, mozzarella, or ricotta salata.
• Potatoes – I used Russet potatoes, but Yukon gold or red potatoes can be used.

How to Make a Frittata

1. In a 10″ skillet, cook the pancetta, onions, and potatoes in olive oil and saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and tender.  If you have other ingredients you want to use, this first step is where you would add them in there.
   
   
   
2. Whisk together your eggs and cheese, and then pour it right into the cast iron skillet.
   
   
   
3. When cooking the frittata on the stovetop, you want to keep pushing the eggs from the outside of the pan using a spoon or spatula to the inside, like when making an omelet.  You’ll also want to let the runny parts of the frittata go under the cooked parts by lifting them with a spatula.
   
   
   
4. Once the frittata is just a bit runny, invert it using a plate and place it back into the skillet to finish cooking the runny side.
   
   

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 30 minutes before. Keep it covered and over low heat in the oven (<200°).

How to Store: They last about 3 days when covered in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. They don’t freeze all that well, as the ingredients can turn mushy when reheating, but if you must, cover them in plastic and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

How to Reheat: Add the frittata to a skillet, cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350° for 5-7 minutes or until hot.

CHEF NOTES + TIPS

• The most classic way to eat a frittata is on a sliced piece of Italian bread, and you eat it just like an open-faced sandwich. 
• A non-stick skillet will work if you do not have a cast iron skillet.
• A frittata is just an Italian omelet, except you don’t have to worry about folding it over perfectly.
• To extend the recipe, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream or milk to the egg batter.
• The other option would be to bake this recipe, so once it is almost done cooking, simply place it in the oven for 5-6 minutes at 375° until it becomes light and fluffy.
• If you have other ingredients you want to use, you would add them in at the first step. 
• While cooking, you’ll also want to let the runny parts of the frittata go under the cooked parts by lifting them with a spatula.

More Breakfast Recipes

• Corned Beef Hash
• Shakshuka
• Chilaquiles
• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Blueberry Scones

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Easy Italian Frittata Recipe

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5 from 13 votes

This classic Frittata Recipe is made with pancetta, potatoes, and roasted onions. It's the perfect way to start your day.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup pancetta lardons
• ½ peeled and small diced sweet onion
• 1 medium-size peeled and small diced russet potato
• 10 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese , plus more for garnish
• coarse salt and pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley and rosemary for garnish, , optional

Instructions

• Add the oil to a 10” cast-iron skillet over medium heat and cook the pancetta, onions, and potatoes until tender and cooked, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pancetta is crispy and the potatoes are tender. Be sure to stir every few minutes and season with salt and pepper.
• While the pancetta, onions, and potatoes are cooking, add the eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper to a medium-sized bowl and whisk until completely combined and smooth.
• Add the eggs to the cast iron skillet and constantly push the eggs from the outside of the pan to the inside, similar to making an omelet. You may need to turn the heat to medium-low to ensure nothing is bruning.
• Once the eggs are slightly runny on top, about 4 to 6 minutes, invert the frittata using a plate, place it back into the skillet runny side down, and finish cooking for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the frittata in the skillet or on a serving platter or plate, and garnish with additional parmesan cheese, parsley, and rosemary. Serve alongside fresh bread.

Notes

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 30 minutes before. Keep it covered and over low heat in the oven (<200°).

How to Store: They last about 3 days when covered in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. They don’t freeze all that well, as the ingredients can turn mushy when reheating, but if you must, cover them in plastic and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

How to Reheat: Add the frittata to a skillet, cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350° for 5-7 minutes or until hot.

The most classic way to eat a frittata is on a sliced piece of Italian bread, and you eat it just like an open-faced sandwich.

A non-stick skillet will work if you do not have a cast iron skillet.

A frittata is just an Italian omelet, except you don’t have to worry about folding it over perfectly.

To extend the recipe, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream or milk to the egg batter.

The other option would be to bake this recipe, so once it is almost done cooking, simply place it in the oven for 5-6 minutes at 375° until it becomes light and fluffy.

If you have other ingredients you want to use, you would add them in at the first step.

While cooking, you’ll also want to let the runny parts of the frittata go under the cooked parts by lifting them with a spatula.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 16gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 285mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 297mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 526IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 249mgIron: 2mg

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Chef Billy Parisi