Frittatas are such a delicious and versatile meal and are a great way to use up leftovers, especially ham & cheese. They are so easy to put together and take plain, boring eggs to a whole new level.
I love making frittatas because they are just so easy to make but taste so good! They are a great way to use up leftover ham, cheese, potatoes, vegetables – whatever is in the fridge. I like to use ham and gruyere cheese because the melty Gruyere is so good mixed in with the fluffy potatoes and it pairs so well with ham. (If you don’t have ham, you can use bacon or Canadian bacon. )
You can use any kind of cheese, but Gruyere melts the best and has a perfect mildness that isn’t overpowering. (Freshly grated cheese is best – if you use a bagged shredded cheese, it won’t melt as well because there are anti-clumping additives that slow down the melting process.)
Table of Contents
🥘 Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- Onion, diced
- Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced
- Eggs
- Heavy Cream
- Gruyere Cheese (I also added a little Asiago to add a little bite)
- Leftover Ham or Bacon, diced
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
🍽 Equipment Needed
- A 10 – 12 inch Oven-Safe Skillet or Frying Pan (I like to use cast iron or Calphalon)
- A Cutting Board and Sharp Knife
- A Mixing Bowl and Whisk
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- A Rubber Spatula
- Optional: A Instant Pot or large pot to pre-cook potatoes
🥣 How to Make It
Frittatas are surprisingly easy to make!
First, preheat the oven to 400°F.
I like to precook the potatoes in my Instant Pot, so they are nice and fluffy. I put them in a strainer basket with one cup of water in the bottom and cook at high pressure for 3 minutes, then quick release. They are nice and pillowy soft in the frittata this way. (If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can boil them on the stove until they are fork-tender, then strain them.)
To make the frittata – melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
Once the butter is melted, add onions and potatoes to the skillet. (Pictures 1 – 2)
Cook until onions are translucent and the potatoes have a little crisp on the edges. (Pre-cooking the potatoes will get the edges crispy while the inside stays fluffy.)
While onions and potatoes are cooking, whisk cream, eggs, kosher salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Add about ¾ of the cheese to the eggs. (Pictures 3 – 6)
When the potatoes and onions are cooked, pour in the egg mixture and spread the potatoes out evenly in the eggs. (Picture 7)
Let the eggs set on the edges, then add the ham. Spread a spatula around the edges once or twice to make sure it has set and it isn’t sticking to the pan. (Picture 8)
Cook on the stove the frittata is mostly set and the edges start to harden – the top will still be soupy but you should be able to run a spoon or spatula cleanly under the sides of the frittata. (Picture 9)
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the frittata (Picture 10) and place it in the warm oven and bake for 8 – 10 minutes. The frittata is ready when the edges are golden brown and the top is no longer runny. Try not to overcook the eggs or they can get tough – slightly underdone is okay because the frittata will continue cooking a little as it cools.
Sorry, this picture sucks – I didn’t realize that it was blurry until it was too late to take another! It gives you a little bit of an idea though of the edges getting crispy while the top is firm and cooked but soft to the touch. Spongey maybe is a good word?
Serve immediately, garnished with fresh cracked pepper and salt, green onions or chives, sliced tomatoes, or even a dollop of sour cream. I have also seen people add a little bit of hot sauce.
This frittata is even 2 and 4 year old tested and approved – just make sure it cools down enough so they don’t burn their mouths.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
ANY CHEESE. Gruyere is my favorite because it is melty and mild, but I also add a little bit of a sharper cheese as well to give it a little bit of bite.
A frittata is thicker than an omelet and is cooked over low heat, slowly – then finished in the oven. Am omelet, on the other hand, is cooked quickly over high heat and is much thinner. Omelets are great for a quick, small breakfast, whereas a frittata is great for serving a crowd.
🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses
Frittatas are great for breakfast and brunch to serve a large crowd – or for a small family to have breakfast for a few mornings. I also like making frittatas to change up dinner time.
🍲 Serving Size
I like to cut my frittatas like a pizza – each frittata will give about 8 slices.
🥫How to Store Leftover Frittata
Once cooled, store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftovers for a few months – let them defrost at room temperature then reheat in the microwave or oven.
✏️ Helpful Tips
- Try not to overcook a frittata – the outside will get a little tough and chewy if the eggs get overcooked.
- Be sure your frying pan is oven safe – a cast iron pan or non-stick Calphalon pan is best.
- Be VERY careful when using a frying pan in the oven. Speaking from experience, after you take it out to cool – do not grab the handle. (I have a scar on my hand from my carelessness.) Leave a towel over the handle if you can and make sure it is far from the reaching hands of children – it will stay hot longer than you would expect.
Other Breakfast Recipes
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How to Bake Eggs in a Muffin Tin
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Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Breakfast Recipes
Southern Sour Cream Biscuits
Breakfast Recipes
Cheesy Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast Recipes
Ham, Cheese, and Green Onion Scones
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
📝 Recipe
Ham, Gruyere, and Potato Frittata
Equipment
- 10 – 12 inch cast iron skillet or other oven-safe frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 – 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes diced, about 1 ½ – 2 cups
- 8 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup gruyere cheese grated (I like to use a mix of grated and chunks of the cheese) + a little Asiago cheese to give it some bite
- 1 cup leftover ham or bacon diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Optional – I like to precook the potatoes in my Instant Pot so they are nice and fluffy. I put them in a strainer basket with one cup of water in the bottom and cook at high pressure for 3 minutes, then quick release. They are nice and pillowy soft in the frittata this way. (If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can boil them on the stove until they are fork-tender, then strain them.)2 – 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.1 tablespoon salted butter
- Once the butter is melted, add onions and potatoes to the skillet.1 small onion
- Cook until onions are translucent and the potatoes have a little crisp on the edges. (Pre-cooking the potatoes will get the edges crispy and the inside fluffy.)
- While onions and potatoes are cooking, whisk cream, eggs, kosher salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Add about ¾ of the cheese to the eggs.8 large eggs, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 cup gruyere cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- When the potatoes and onions are cooked, pour in the egg mixture and spread the potatoes out evenly in the eggs.
- Let the eggs set on the edges, then add the ham. Spread a spatula around the edges once or twice to make sure it has set and it isn't sticking to the pan.1 cup leftover ham or bacon
- Cook on the stove until the frittata is mostly set and the edges start to harden – the top will still be soupy but you should be able to run a spoon or spatula cleanly under the sides of the frittata.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the frittata and place it in the warm oven and bake for 8 – 10 minutes. The frittata is ready when the edges are golden brown and the top is no longer runny. Try not to overcook the eggs or they can get tough – slightly underdone is okay because the frittata will continue cooking a little as it cools.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh cracked pepper and salt, green onions or chives, sliced tomatoes, or even a dollop of sour cream. I have also seen people add a little bit of hot sauce.
Notes
I like to cut my frittatas like a pizza – each frittata will give about 8 slices. 🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses
Frittatas are great for breakfast and brunch to serve a large crowd – or for a small family to have breakfast for a few mornings. I also like making frittatas to change up dinner time. 🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
Once cooled, store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftovers for a few months – let them defrost at room temperature then reheat in the microwave or oven. 📋 Tips
- Try not to overcook a frittata – the outside will get a little tough and chewy if the eggs get overcooked.
- Be sure your frying pan is oven safe – a cast iron pan or non-stick Calphalon pan is best.
- Be VERY careful when using a frying pan in the oven. Speaking from experience, after you take it out to cool – do not grab the handle. (I have a scar on my hand from my carelessness.) Leave a towel over the handle if you can and make sure it is far from the reaching hands of children – it will stay hot longer than you would expect.
What kind of cheese is best in a frittata?
ANY CHEESE. Gruyere is my favorite because it is melty and mild, but I also add a little bit of a sharper cheese as well to give it a little bit of bite. What’s the difference between a frittata and an omelet?
A frittata is thicker than an omelet and is cooked over low heat, slowly – then finished in the oven. Am omelet, on the other hand, is cooked quickly over high heat and is much thinner. Omelets are great for a quick, small breakfast, whereas a frittata is great for serving a crowd.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
Great recipe! Will use it often.