Breakfast Frittata

My breakfast frittata is a healthy, veggie and cheese-filled egg dish to slice up and enjoy as a delectable, cafe-inspired breakfast made at home. Prepared with caramelized onions, shiitake mushrooms, baby broccoli, plus an abundance of herbs and a sprinkle of Gruyere cheese, this frittata recipe is an easy-yet-gourmet tasting indulgence perfect for a leisurely weekend breakfast!

A Simple Frittata Brimming with Mouthwatering Flavors

Making a delectable and rustic egg dish on a weekend morning is something that we love to do in our household.

From softly scrambled eggs, to fried eggs, to frittatas, there are so many flavor profiles we can enjoy when preparing our eggs, depending on what other tasty little morsels we decide to add to them to take their flavor over the top.

Since we adore rustic, cafe-inspired breakfasts, this breakfast frittata is one that we enjoy preparing on a leisurely weekend morning, especially during the cooler time of year when the warmth of the oven just makes the kitchen that much cozier.

This particular frittata recipe is loaded with lots of earthy, savory ingredients such as caramelized onions, shiitake mushrooms, plus healthy, crisp-tender baby broccoli, as well as generous addition of creamy, nutty and deliciously pungent Gruyere cheese.

Sprinkled with some fresh herbs for added flavor and baked off until hot and fluffy, this breakfast frittata is puffed and ready to be sliced and enjoyed alongside of a hot cup of morning coffee in about 30 minutes!

A Frittata Recipe Made for Breakfast

What I love about this delicious and savory frittata is that while the flavors are complex and delicious, the list of ingredients is simple and the preparation fairly easy.

I like to saute and caramelize my ingredients in my cast iron pan for this recipe, and then whisk up and pour my eggs into the skillet and allow them to cook for just a couple of minutes before transferring things into the oven to bake and puff.

For that savory flavor, I caramelize a couple of small onions and sliced shiitake mushrooms just until golden-brown.

Then, for a bit of freshness, vibrant green color, I love the addition of healthy baby broccoli pieces. This not only adds a little more body to the frittata, but delicious texture as well.

And while any highly meltable cheese is fine to use for this breakfast frittata, from jack to cheddar to mozzarella, I love the slightly nutty flavor of Gruyere here, and opt for that for a hint of richness.

Here's a peek at my breakfast frittata recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I saute my onions in my hot cast iron skillet until golden-brown and sweet, then add in my sliced shiitake mushrooms and continue to saute those until golden.
2. I add in my chopped baby broccoli, and saute that for a few minutes, just enough to take away that raw “bite” and bring it to a crisp-tender texture.
3. Next, I whisk my eggs with a bit of half and half and a portion of the cheese, pour those into my skillet, and allow the mixture to cook for a couple of minutes, just until the eggs begin to set up on the side of the skillet.
4. To finish, I sprinkle over the rest of the cheese and place the breakfast frittata into the oven to bake for about 24 minutes, or until set and puffed. Then, I slice and enjoy nice and hot.

Recipe

Breakfast Frittata

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This savory, cafe-inspired breakfast frittata is brimming with caramelized onions, shiitake mushrooms, baby broccoli and Gruyere cheese!

Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: Italian-American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 382 calories per serving

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 small white onions, quartered and sliced thinly
• 7 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 6 ounces baby broccoli (the kind with the thin, longer stems), stems peeled and everything chopped into very small pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped cilantro
• 12 eggs
• ½ cup half & half
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 ½ cups grated Gruyere cheese, or other meltable cheese

Preparation:

1. To begin, gather and prep all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Place a cast-iron (10 inch) skillet, or other non-stick and oven safe skillet, over medium-high to high heat, and add in the butter and the oil. Once the butter has melted, add in the sliced onions, and allow them to caramelize a little, for about 10-12 minutes.
4. Then, add in the sliced shiitakes, and continue to cook until the mushrooms become golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Add in the chopped baby broccoli and stir that in to incorporate, and allow the broccoli to become crisp-tender, about 3 minutes or so.
5. Add in the garlic, a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the chopped parsley and cilantro, and stir to combine. Once the garlic becomes aromatic, turn the heat to very low, or turn off for a moment.
6. Whisk together the eggs, the half &half, a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper, the pinch of cayenne (if using), and about 1 cup of the grated cheese, whisking only until then eggs are broken up, taking care not to over-whisk.
7. Now, with the heat turned up under the skillet to medium-high, pour in the egg mixture and gently stir with the sauteed vegetables to incorporate. Then, allow the egg/veggie mixture to cook, undisturbed, for about 2-3 minutes, or just until the sides begin to set up.
8. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over top, and place the skillet into the oven to bake for about 24 minutes, or just until the frittata is puffed and set. Allow for a few minutes out of the oven before slicing and enjoying.

Tips & Tidbits for my Breakfast Frittata recipe:

• Use a large 10” cast iron skillet, or other oven-safe, heavy bottom pan: Cast iron skillets are ideal for a frittata recipe, as they hold heat very well and very evenly. I also love that the veggies can caramelize in the cast iron really nicely, for that added flavor. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any heavy-bottom and oven-safe skillet will do, just opt for one that is large enough to accommodate the eggs.
• A splash of half and half, or cream: I like to add a little bit of half and half to my eggs when I whisk them up, just enough to add a hint of richness and body, and to help puff up the eggs in the skillet. For richer flavor, you can substitute heavy cream, or for lighter flavor, you can add a splash of milk.
• Favorite meltable cheese: While I'm opting for Gruyere here, other terrific cheeses for this breakfast frittata are mozzarella, jack cheese, or white cheddar. For even more savory notes and a bit more “gourmet” flavor, you could even add little dollops or sprinkles of goat cheese into the frittata before placing it into the oven to bake.
• Prep ingredients ahead for convenience: To help save some time on the morning you'd like to bake off and enjoy this savory frittata, you can saute and caramelize the veggies a day or two ahead of time and keep them in a container in the fridge. Then, the day of, gently reheat the veggies in your oven-safe skillet, whisk up the eggs and proceed with the steps for baking the frittata.

Craving more delectable breakfast recipes? Check out this Vegetable Frittata, this French Toast Casserole, these Hash Brown Potato Cakes, these Orange Cinnamon Rolls, this Breakfast Casserole, this Shakshuka, or this Sweet Potato Hash!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017, and has been updated with even more love!