Breakfast · Italian
Vegetable Frittata
Sweet roasted peppers, zucchini and onion set in a tall, puffy egg cake with a lid of melted Gruyère.
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Hands-off
- 1 h 8 min
- Oven preheat
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 28 min
- Makes
- 8 wedges
- Serves
- 6
Turn the oven on before you chop: it heats while you dice the vegetables (preheat overlaps prep). Total = 20 min hands-on + 68 min hands-off: 30 min roasting the vegetables (whisk the eggs meanwhile), 20-30 min baking, 3 min for the cheese and a 5-minute rest.
Oven 220 °C · 200 °C fan, then 180 °C · 160 °C fan (425 °F, then 350 °F)
Pan 25 cm ovenproof sauté pan or skillet (US: 10-inch ovenproof sauté pan or skillet)
- easy
- vegetarian
- gluten-free
- brunch
- vegetarian
- one-pan
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? Made for a 25 cm (10 in) ovenproof pan. Halve it for a 20 cm (8 in) pan and start checking the bake early. Don't double it in the same pan: the thicker frittata takes much longer to set in the middle and the edges overcook. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: rimmed sheet pan · large bowl and whisk · 25 cm (10 in) ovenproof sauté pan or skillet (no plastic handle) · rubber spatula · instant-read thermometer · oven mitts
Contains: egg · milk
Method
Heat the oven, roast the vegetables
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, 425°F). On a sheet pan, toss the diced zucchini, both peppers and the red onion with 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
Ready when: The vegetables are starting to soften and colour at the edges.
Add the garlic, then lower the oven
Toss in the 2 tsp minced garlic and roast 15 minutes more. Take out the pan and turn the oven down to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F).
Ready when: Vegetables are tender with browned edges, and the garlic smells sweet, not burnt.
Whisk the eggs
While the vegetables roast, whisk the 12 eggs, 240 ml (1 cup) half-and-half, 60 ml (1/4 cup) Parmesan, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a large bowl until evenly yellow.
Scallions and vegetables in the pan
Melt the 1 tbsp butter in the 25 cm (10 in) ovenproof pan over medium-low heat. Cook the 80 ml (1/3 cup) scallions for 1 minute, then add the roasted vegetables and toss them together.
Ready when: Butter is foaming and the scallions are bright green and just softened.
Pour in the eggs
Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes over medium-low heat without stirring.
Ready when: The egg around the edge of the pan has just started to set; the middle is still liquid.
Otto tried this firstOtto stirs the eggs like a scramble. Now it's scrambled eggs with vegetables, not a frittata. Leave it alone so it sets in one piece.Bake
Move the pan to the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remember the handle is now oven-hot.
Ready when: Puffed and set right to the centre: it doesn't wobble when you nudge the pan, and a knife pushed into the middle shows no liquid egg. The centre reads 71°C (160°F).
Cheese, rest, slice
Scatter the 57 g (1/2 cup) Gruyère over the top and bake 3 minutes more. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 6 or 8 wedges.
Ready when: The cheese has just melted.
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F) and eat within 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat
- Reheat slices until hot in the centre, 74°C (165°F).
If something goes wrong
- Middle still runny when the edges are done Why: The pan is smaller or the frittata thicker than intended, or the oven runs cool.
Use a 25 cm (10 in) pan and keep baking in 3-5 minute steps until the centre reads 71°C (160°F).
Good to know
- Once the eggs are in the pan, don't stir: the frittata should set in one piece.
- Add the Gruyère only for the last 3 minutes so it melts without browning hard.
Safety
- Bake until no liquid egg is left and the centre reaches 71°C (160°F), the safe temperature for egg dishes.
- The pan handle stays dangerously hot long after it leaves the oven. Always grab it with a mitt, and keep kids' hands off; they can whisk the eggs instead.
- Wash hands, the bowl and the whisk in hot soapy water after handling raw egg.
- If you eat strictly vegetarian, check the cheese labels: some hard cheeses are made with animal rennet.