Fast Fritattas

Hello!  Last night was one of those nights - I needed a quick protein-based dinner I could whip up before running out to do some grocery shopping.  But we were out of meat!  What's a girl to do?  I had a big zucchini in the fridge, but no protein to round out a meal.  Luckily we had a full pack of eggs in the fridge to make this quick and easy fritatta!  We also keep bacon on hand for just these types of occasions (since we don't eat it that often, Dave wraps it up into packs of four strips, puts them in the freezer, and they defrost easily anytime he wants a little breakfast pig).  If you chop while you fry, everything is ready in about 30 minutes, plus 15 minutes to wash the dishes before you eat :)  For this veggie fritatta, I intended to include a tomato I had laying around, but the whole onion and zucchini were enough to fill the pan.  For some added color, you could use just half the onion and a smaller zucchini, and throw in a sweet red bell pepper or small chopped tomato.  Spinach, kale or any other quick-cooking veggie would work in place of the zucchini :)

A few days later I made another quickie frittata using anything I could find in the fridge: a few chopped scallions, some handfuls of spinach, the rest of a pack of smoked salmon... It was delish!  The combinations are endless :)  Find the variations for that recipe at the bottom.  Enjoy!

Veggie Fritatta

2 slices of bacon, chopped (or four, if you want more bacon flavor and don't mind the calories)
1 medium onion, diced
1 large zucchini, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, diced or crumbled
8 eggs, beaten
1 tsp turmeric (optional, but it's totally good for you!)
Salt and pepper, to taste


Heat a 10-inch saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat (it has to have a metal, oven-safe, non-plastic handle).  Preheat oven to 375.

Chop the bacon and add to the pan, stirring from time to time until slightly browned.

While bacon cooks, dice the onion, then add to the pan.  If the pan looks dry add a couple tablespoons of white wine.  Season with salt, stirring frequently, until wine evaporates.

While onion cooks, chop the zucchini, drop it in a colander and sprinkle with salt.  Toss to coat.  (Skip this step if you prefer, or do it at the beginning to give the zucchini more time to sweat.)  When onions are soft, drain the zucchini on a paper towel, dabbing any excess moisture before adding to the pan.  Season with pepper and turmeric, stirring frequently.

While zucchini cooks, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk vigorously.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Chop or crumble the feta.  When zucchini is cooked, scrape any vegetables from the sides of the pan so there is an even bed of cooked vegetables.  Sprinkle the feta cheese evenly over the top of the vegetables, then pour the eggs directly into the pan.  Tip the pan so that the eggs distribute evenly.

Allow eggs to cook undisturbed for a few minutes until the edges are solid.  Move the pan to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are set and don't jiggle when you shake the pan.

That pan took forever to clean.

Using a rubber spatula, gently separate the fritatta from the sides and bottom of the pan.  Use a knife to cut into four servings.  Serve with a green salad or wine.

Estimated nutritional info per serving:
288 calories, 20 g protein, 19 g fat, 10 g carbs

Double the nutritional information if you accidentally eat two of these, like my husband did.

Spinach and Salmon Frittata

2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 scallions, chopped
4 cups fresh spinach or (10 oz frozen, thawed)
8 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
8 eggs, beaten
Pepper to taste (the smoked salmon and feta are already very salty)


Preheat oven to 375.

In the ovenproof saute pan heat the oil over medium.  Add the scallions and saute for a few seconds before adding the spinach.  Cook until it wilts, making an even layer of spinach around the pan.  Drop the smoked salmon into the pan, distributing the pieces evenly.  Do the same with the cheese.  Season with pepper to taste and pour the eggs into the pan, tipping the pan if needed to make an even layer.

Allow eggs to cook undisturbed for a few minutes until the edges are solid.  Move the pan to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are set and don't jiggle when you shake the pan.

Slice and serve!

Estimated nutritional info per serving:
400 calories, 31 g protein, 30 g fat, 4 g carbs

Leggo my eggo