A vegetable frittata is the best way to make a healthy breakfast and eat it all week long! Cast iron frittatas make a super healthy low carb breakfast, but they are also a great lunch or dinner option too, especially if you’re looking for a vegetarian recipe… or if you love breakfast for dinner like I do. I packed this keto egg frittata with some of my fave low carb veggies, but feel free to make it your own. The possibilities are endless. That’s one of my favorite things about it – not only is this keto frittata healthy, but it’s totally customizeable. Ready to learn how to make a frittata? Let’s do this! I’ll show you how, plus give you a formula so you can make your own with any ingredients you have on hand.
What Is A Frittata?
A frittata is an egg dish that is started on the stovetop and finished in the oven. It’s a mix between an omelette and an quiche, but doesn’t have a crust and isn’t rolled. A vegetable frittata is simply a frittata that’s loaded with vegetables – making it a healthy and delicious way to start your day.
Are Frittatas Keto Friendly?
Frittatas are sometimes made with regular milk, which is not low carb. However, you can easily make it low carb by using heavy cream, like I do in this keto breakfast frittata recipe. It has only 2g net carbs in a slice that’s 1/8 of the pan, and around 2.5g net carbs if you cut it into 6 slices instead. Sometimes even “regular” frittata recipes use full-fat dairy anyway (heavy cream, sour cream or creme frache), and in this case they’d be naturally keto. If you want a dairy-free version, try unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk instead.
How To Make A Frittata In The Oven
This keto egg frittata is easy to make, and is ready in less than 30 minutes! Here are the simple steps:
Heat the skillet. Heat oil in the 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook vegetables. Add vegetables to skillet and cook until they are browned and soft, and any extra moisture has cooked off.
Make egg mixture. Whisk together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and add the cheese. Stir together gently.
Bake the frittata. Bake until top is puffy and just set in the center. Let it cool before slicing.
How Long To Cook A Frittata
A cast iron veggie frittata takes 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.
How To Make A Frittata Fluffy
Keto frittata recipes are meant to be fluffy! So how do we make this happen? By adding cream. Without using cream or milk, frittatas end up being a bit more dense and flat. We use heavy cream instead of milk in this keto egg frittata, because the heavy cream is lower in carbs, and higher in fat. Perfect for keto! See my other tips below to make sure you get a super fluffy frittata.
Follow the formula, and the the number of cast iron frittata combos you can come up with are endless.
8 eggs 1/4 cup heavy cream 2/3 cup cheese 2 cups cooked vegetables (~2 2/3 to 4 cups raw) Salt & pepper
To keep your frittata keto, be sure to use low carb veggies…
Veggies For A Keto Vegetable Frittata
I used a very classic combination of vegetables in this low carb frittata recipe – mushrooms, bell peppers, and zucchini – but as I mentioned, the possibilities are endless. It’s important to cook the veggies ahead of time, and make sure to cook off any liquid that they give off or you’ll end up with a soggy frittata.
More Veggie Ideas for your Keto Egg Frittata:
Asparagus Bell peppers Broccoli Cauliflower Kale Mushrooms Onions Spinach Sun-dried tomatoes Zucchini
Check my keto food list for a full veggies that you can use in your keto frittata recipe.
Tips For The Best Frittata Recipe
Always Cook The Vegetables First
If you put them in raw, the frittata will be watery and the veggies won’t cook through by the time the eggs are done.
Use The Right Amount Of Veggies
You need 2 cups of cooked vegetables for 8 eggs. These are cooked amounts, so you’d start out with 2 2/3 to 4 cups of raw vegetables, depending on how much they shrink when cooking. For this particular recipe, 1 cup each of raw bell peppers and zucchini shrink down to 3/4 cup each when cooked, and 1 1/2 cups of mushrooms shrink down to 3/4 cup when cooked.
Cook The Veggies In The Right Order
If you use firmer vegetables, like onions or carrots, cook those first until they are almost soft, then add the soft vegetables, like zucchini.
Don’t Over Mix The Eggs
Whisk the eggs just enough to mix, not too much. Too much air can cause the frittata to puff up in the oven, and then deflate, leading to a more dense frittata.
Don’t Over Cook The Keto Egg Frittata
Don’t overcook the frittata. Avoid browning on the top – by then it will be too dry. It’s done when the center is just barely set, but still jiggles just slightly if you shake the pan. Note that if you leave it in the pan, it will continue to cook for a couple of minutes due to residual heat after you take it out of the oven.
Adjust The Cook Time To Your Skillet
Your pan size and material affects the frittata baking time in the oven. This frittata recipe is made for a 10-inch cast iron skillet, which retains heat very well. A different type of skillet may need more time, a smaller skillet will definitely need less time, and a larger one, more time. For a taller frittata, you can multiply the recipe by 1.5 and use the same size skillet.
You Can Add Cheese To The Keto Egg Frittata 2 Ways
You can mix all the cheese into the frittata for ease, or reserve a bit for the top if you like. Up to you!
Frittata vs. Quiche – What’s The Difference?
Quiches and frittatas are very similar, but have several key differences:
Why To Use Cast Iron For A Frittata?
There are multiple reasons that cast iron skillet frittatas are convenient:
Since a frittata is cooked on both the stove top and the oven, using cast iron allows you to use the same pan with both heating elements. Cast iron heats foods really evenly and consistently, so it’s a great pan to have anyway. Cart iron pans are beautiful for serving! I love serving this keto frittata recipe and other rustic dishes right out of the skillet.
Can A Frittata Be Made In Advance?
Yes, you can make your keto friendly frittata in advance. They reheat well, so make it ahead and store it in the fridge for 4 days.
How To Reheat A Frittata
Reheat your keto egg frittata in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees F, until heated through. Be careful not to overheat, to avoid a rubbery texture.
Can You Freeze A Frittata?
This keto frittata recipe can be frozen for 2-3 months in an airtight container. Let it thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a 350 degree F oven. It can be heated in the microwave, but oven is ideal or it may end up a bit soggy after freezing.
What To Serve With A Frittata
While frittatas make a nutritious breakfast, they make a fast, healthy meal that’s delicious any time of the day. Simply serve your vegetable frittata with a vegetable side dish, low carb bread, or keto soup recipe. Here are a few recipes to serve with a frittata:
Oven Roasted Mushrooms – Serve your keto egg frittata with these warm mushrooms for a hearty, vegetarian meal. Strawberry Spinach Salad – This bright salad is sweet, savory, crunchy, and bursting with flavor! Keto Microwave Bread – Forget to make a side? No worries! This one comes together in minutes. Fathead Bagels – The ultimate breakfast meal – healthy, nutritious, and satisfying. Almond Flour Biscuits – Want a grab-and-go breakfast? Cut a piece of frittata out and put it in between a biscuit. It’s a healthy breakfast sandwich! Creamy Cauliflower Soup – This soup is luxuriously creamy and such a delicious way to eat more vegetables. Low Carb Vegetable Soup – I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for easy ways for my family and I to eat more vegetables. This soup is great to have on-hand for quick lunch and dinner sides.
Cast Iron Skillet – Necessary to make a cast iron frittata! This one comes pre-seasoned, so no need to do so yourself and eggs won’t stick! Chef’s Knife – A good knife is a kitchen essential and makes chopping veggies that much easier. Glass Storage Containers – Prep this vegetable frittata and you’ve got a healthy breakfast all week. Store and re-heat in the microwave in these glass containers.
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