Veggie-Packed Muffin-Tin Frittatas, Two Ways
There are dozens of possible filling combinations for these muffin-tin frittatas, limited only by your imagination, your family’s likes and dislikes, and what you have on hand. This recipe is incredibly versatile and a great way to use up any leftovers or extra veggies you might have languishing in the back of your fridge. I share with you below how to make 2 of our favorite combinations—Broccoli and Cheddar, and Spinach, Red Pepper, and Feta—but you can think of these as a starting point for your own creations too. Just keep in mind that some veggies work better in the frittatas when they’re cooked (e.g., broccoli), but others are fine to mix in raw (e.g., spinach and other greens), so if you want to save yourself the extra step of pre-cooking the veggies, choose your add-ins accordingly. (See the Notes section below for more guidance.)
These mini frittatas are a great make-ahead breakfast option that can help get your day started on the right nutritional foot, with plenty of protein from the eggs and dairy and a serving of good-for-you vegetables. But as I mentioned above, they can be eaten any time of day: Serve one or two of these frittatas with a slice of whole-grain toast for breakfast, with a simple green salad (or fruit salad) for lunch or dinner, or even on their own as a quick, nutritious snack.
One last note before we begin: I bought a silicone muffin pan specifically for making these mini frittatas in my cooking classes, after testing them in older metal muffin tins and discovering that they tend to stick to the pans. However, if you have only metal muffin pans, try to use a nonstick pan if possible, and be sure to *generously and thoroughly* grease the pan or spray it with nonstick cooking spray for easier removal of the frittatas. Alternatively, you can line the pan with reusable silicone baking cups (like these), which will also help keep them from sticking.
VEGETARIAN, GLUTEN-FREE
Yield: 12 mini frittatas
These mini frittatas are a great make-ahead breakfast option that can help get your day started on the right nutritional foot, with plenty of protein from the eggs and dairy and a serving of good-for-you vegetables. But as I mentioned above, they can be eaten any time of day: Serve one or two of these frittatas with a slice of whole-grain toast for breakfast, with a simple green salad (or fruit salad) for lunch or dinner, or even on their own as a quick, nutritious snack.
One last note before we begin: I bought a silicone muffin pan specifically for making these mini frittatas in my cooking classes, after testing them in older metal muffin tins and discovering that they tend to stick to the pans. However, if you have only metal muffin pans, try to use a nonstick pan if possible, and be sure to *generously and thoroughly* grease the pan or spray it with nonstick cooking spray for easier removal of the frittatas. Alternatively, you can line the pan with reusable silicone baking cups (like these), which will also help keep them from sticking.
VEGETARIAN, GLUTEN-FREE
Yield: 12 mini frittatas
Author: Wholesome Family Kitchen
Ingredients
For the base recipe:
- • Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray for coating muffin pan
- • 8 large eggs
- • ½ cup milk (Full-fat whole milk yields the creamiest results, but low-fat milk will also work. I’d just avoid using nonfat milk, as it can make the frittatas watery.)
- • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Broccoli and Cheddar Frittatas:
- • 2 cups steamed broccoli cut into small bite-sized pieces * (see below for cooking tips)
- • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top if desired
For the Spinach, Red Pepper, and Feta Frittatas:
- • 1 cup finely chopped spinach (Other greens such as kale or Swiss chard also work well.)
- • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top if desired (I also love using crumbled goat cheese, but my boys prefer feta.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Generously coat a standard-size 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. (For extra insurance that the egg muffins won’t stick to the pan, use a silicone muffin pan.)
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and beat them with a fork or whisk until well blended. Whisk in the milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, then stir in the vegetables and cheese of your choice.
- Scoop the egg mixture into the prepared muffin pan, dividing the mixture evenly among the muffin cups, about a scant ⅓ cup in each. (I like to use a ⅓-cup measuring cup or a small ladle for this step.) Sprinkle a little extra cheese on top of each muffin cup, if desired.
- Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven, and bake until the eggs are puffed and just set in the center, about 25 minutes. (Rotate the pan halfway through the baking time to ensure the frittatas cook evenly.)
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. (The frittatas will deflate as they cool; this is normal!) Run a thin spatula or butter knife around the edges of each frittata to help remove them from the muffin pan. Serve warm, or allow the frittatas to cool completely before storing.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD:
The mini frittatas will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. When hunger strikes, place 1 or 2 frittatas on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power for 30 to 40 seconds, or until heated through and steaming. (Keep in mind that my microwave is quite old and has less power than most, so your microwave time will likely vary.) Alternatively, you can reheat the mini frittatas in a warm oven or a toaster oven.
GET CREATIVE:
There are really no hard-and-fast rules for what constitutes an “acceptable” filling for these mini frittatas. Let your palate be your guide: If you think the ingredients would taste good with eggs (especially if you’ve previously enjoyed a particular flavor combination in an omelet or a quiche), then they’ll probably make a yummy filling for your frittatas.
You can substitute 2 cups of your favorite vegetable(s), chopped into small, bite-sized pieces, for the vegetables in the main recipe above. Depending on the veggies you choose, you might not need to pre-cook them before adding them to the egg mixture. For example, spinach and other greens don’t release a lot of water as they bake in these frittatas, so they don’t need to be pre-cooked. Other vegetables, however, might release too much moisture and make the frittatas watery (e.g., mushrooms, zucchini) and/or won’t be fully cooked through by the time the frittatas are done (e.g., potatoes). For these veggies, it’s best to cook them first before adding them to the egg mixture (a quick sauté in a little olive oil should do the trick). You can also use leftover cooked vegetables, regardless of how they were cooked—sautéed, roasted, or steamed. Just be sure the veggies are at room temperature (cooled after cooking or brought to room temperature after being in the fridge) before adding them to the egg mixture. And if you have any particularly vegetable-averse kiddos (or adults) in your household, you might find that finely chopping the vegetables in a food processor so that they nearly disappear into the frittatas can help make pickier palates more willing to try them.
As for the cheese, you can substitute ½ cup of your favorite cheese (shredded, grated, or crumbled) for the cheese in the recipe above. You can also swap out the ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese in the base recipe for an additional ¼ cup of the cheese of your choice. I like the extra layer of flavor that the Parmesan adds to the frittatas, but it’s totally your call.
My carnivorous boys would also like to point out that cooked, crumbled bacon or cooked, diced ham are welcome additions to mini frittatas.
And if you want to “dress up” these frittatas or add another boost of flavor, you can serve them with a dollop of salsa or pesto, a few slices of avocado, or a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
One last tip: The base recipe halves neatly, so if you’d like, you can make 2 different flavors of frittatas in a single muffin tin. Just mix up 2 half batches of the egg base (4 eggs + ¼ cup milk + 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese) in 2 separate bowls, adding a different filling (1 cup veggies + ¼ cup cheese) to each, then divide each egg mixture evenly among 6 muffin cups.
The mini frittatas will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. When hunger strikes, place 1 or 2 frittatas on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power for 30 to 40 seconds, or until heated through and steaming. (Keep in mind that my microwave is quite old and has less power than most, so your microwave time will likely vary.) Alternatively, you can reheat the mini frittatas in a warm oven or a toaster oven.
GET CREATIVE:
There are really no hard-and-fast rules for what constitutes an “acceptable” filling for these mini frittatas. Let your palate be your guide: If you think the ingredients would taste good with eggs (especially if you’ve previously enjoyed a particular flavor combination in an omelet or a quiche), then they’ll probably make a yummy filling for your frittatas.
You can substitute 2 cups of your favorite vegetable(s), chopped into small, bite-sized pieces, for the vegetables in the main recipe above. Depending on the veggies you choose, you might not need to pre-cook them before adding them to the egg mixture. For example, spinach and other greens don’t release a lot of water as they bake in these frittatas, so they don’t need to be pre-cooked. Other vegetables, however, might release too much moisture and make the frittatas watery (e.g., mushrooms, zucchini) and/or won’t be fully cooked through by the time the frittatas are done (e.g., potatoes). For these veggies, it’s best to cook them first before adding them to the egg mixture (a quick sauté in a little olive oil should do the trick). You can also use leftover cooked vegetables, regardless of how they were cooked—sautéed, roasted, or steamed. Just be sure the veggies are at room temperature (cooled after cooking or brought to room temperature after being in the fridge) before adding them to the egg mixture. And if you have any particularly vegetable-averse kiddos (or adults) in your household, you might find that finely chopping the vegetables in a food processor so that they nearly disappear into the frittatas can help make pickier palates more willing to try them.
As for the cheese, you can substitute ½ cup of your favorite cheese (shredded, grated, or crumbled) for the cheese in the recipe above. You can also swap out the ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese in the base recipe for an additional ¼ cup of the cheese of your choice. I like the extra layer of flavor that the Parmesan adds to the frittatas, but it’s totally your call.
My carnivorous boys would also like to point out that cooked, crumbled bacon or cooked, diced ham are welcome additions to mini frittatas.
And if you want to “dress up” these frittatas or add another boost of flavor, you can serve them with a dollop of salsa or pesto, a few slices of avocado, or a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
One last tip: The base recipe halves neatly, so if you’d like, you can make 2 different flavors of frittatas in a single muffin tin. Just mix up 2 half batches of the egg base (4 eggs + ¼ cup milk + 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese) in 2 separate bowls, adding a different filling (1 cup veggies + ¼ cup cheese) to each, then divide each egg mixture evenly among 6 muffin cups.
Recipe by Wholesome Family Kitchen at https://www.wholesomefamilykitchen.com/recipe-veggie-packed-muffin-tin-frittatas/