It takes a lot for me to say something is incredibly delicious. I am not the most effusive person when it comes to food, so when I say this Bacon Egg Frittata recipe is good, it is over the top. You can never go wrong with eggs, cheddar, bacon, sautéed broccoli, and some butter. If you're looking for the perfect healthy breakfast choice or brunch recipe, you've found it. Let's look at what it takes to put all these ingredients together for breakfast nirvana.
This recipe is:
Table of Contents
An Egg Frittata Like No Other
In my house, eggs seem to evaporate right into thin air. We buy about two dozen eggs a week, and they disappear somehow. My kids love scrambled eggs, and we use a ton of eggs in the crêpes I make for them weekly, too. Recently, however, I've been on a frittata bender, which has been fun, but the local chickens are running scared!
My recent obsession with the frittata happened as the weather has been slightly cooler. It feels like it is time to warm up in the mornings with a somewhat heartier and mouthwatering breakfast. I've made my ultimate cheesy grits without even thinking about it. It's weird how the weather impacts our daily lives, right down to the meals we prepare.
Well, I've been on the hunt for the best egg frittata. I've broken a lot of eggs and made ultra-delicious frittatas, but this one stands out from the crowd. As always, the classic combination of bacon and cheddar works perfectly. But when you add some of my spicy sautéed broccoli, it goes from good to great in no time flat. The delicious flavor combination is outstanding, particularly when the cheese crisps as it cooks in the butter. Man! You have to try this egg dish!
5 Reasons to Love This Recipe
You will fall madly in love with my broccoli bacon frittata recipe for several reasons:
- Easy and quick hearty breakfast.
- The wonderful flavors are out of this world!
- It stores and reheats beautifully, thus great for meal prep.
- Simple recipe with minimal and easy-to-find ingredients.
- It is low-carb, but everyone will only notice the savory flavors.
Is Bacon Egg Frittata Low-Carb?
Yes, a bacon and egg frittata made with low-carb ingredients like eggs, bacon, cheese, and non-starchy veggies like broccoli fits the low-carb lifestyle.
Also, if you want to dig into the details of "Is Bacon Low Carb?", the article put up by the certified nutritionist at I'd Rather Be A Chef is going to help you!
This recipe is super low-carb as it only uses ingredients low in carbohydrates. You may enjoy it for breakfast or brunch without worrying about a surge in your carb intake.
Bacon Egg Frittata Ingredient List
To make a delicious bacon and broccoli frittata, you need the following ingredients:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sautéed broccoli
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup bacon, cooked and sliced
- ¼ cup cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt (a couple pinches)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper (a couple of grinds)
Note: Any raw ingredients from the substitutions or additions lists must be fully cooked before adding to the egg mixture. The frittata does not get hot enough to cook these ingredients fully.
Ingredients Substitutions
Here are some ingredient swaps that will also yield luscious bacon broccoli frittata:
- Broccoli: Use chopped asparagus, chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach. They should all be sautéed before adding.
- Cooked bacon: Try my homemade bacon bits. They are delicious. Other great alternatives include pancetta, Canadian bacon, speck, or diced ham.
- Cheddar cheese: We want the bite of sharp cheddar cheese, but we can swap it out for some shredded Colby Jack, shredded Monterey Jack, or a jalapeño Havarti.
- Cream: Replace with half-and-half. I would avoid coconut cream as the flavor does not work well with the recipe.
- Butter: Use ghee or clarified butter.
Additional Ingredients
Take the egg and bacon frittata flavors a notch higher with these great additions:
- Fresh Herbs: Garnish this fresh frittata with a medley of fantastic flavor from chopped parsley, chives, or even some green onions.
- Veggies: Add some diced tomatoes, sautéed zucchini, or sautéed green beans.
- Cheese: Try crumbled Feta or goat cheese. They are tasty!
- Proteins: This frittata loves homemade chorizo, crumbed breakfast sausage, or chop up some cooked Italian sausage to make it a meat lover's paradise!
Note: The ingredients are optional and not part of the recipe. Use them only to boost the egg and cheese frittata flavors.
Cooking Tools
Get the following tools for the simple egg, bacon, and cheese frittata recipe:
- Oven-proof pan
- Cheese shredder
- Silicone spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Bowl
- Whisk or fork
The Frittata Pan: What You Need
In order to make a proper frittata, you'll need a good oven-proof skillet. Your non-stick skillet with a plastic handle or other non- "oven-proof" material won't cut it for this recipe. We will heat the pan over the stove to start the eggs cooking and then transfer it to a hot oven to finish off the process. In my opinion, plastic doesn't belong in the oven—even the "oven-proof" plastics some companies are touting.
I've added two Amazon links for pans I use when I'm in Cleveland. These pans are excellent for eggs and will stand the test of time. For this recipe, I am using an 8.5 inch non-stick induction skillet from IKEA. It's an excellent pan, but I prefer my cast iron or my non-stick pans from home. Here's what to look for in a good frittata pan:
- The pan needs to be oven-proof. No plastics!
- You can use either a non-stick pan (like this one from Cuisinart) or a seasoned cast iron skillet (like this one from Lodge). Both are inexpensive and will last a long time in the kitchen.
- You may use a stainless steel pan, but you need to be careful; otherwise, your eggs will stick like glue to the bottom of the pan. I recommend either non-stick or seasoned cast iron.
- I prefer to use pans with a thicker base to retain the heat. Adding the eggs to the pan will rapidly cool off the surface as the heat exchanges. Thin pans will take longer to recover than pans with heavy bottoms and create "hot spots" where your eggs may burn.
- I've never been a fan of ceramic-coated pans. But if you have one of these and it works well for you, go ahead and use it. The three I have bought work great for a couple of weeks and then seem to stop functioning correctly with time.
Now that we have the right pan for the job, let's learn how to make a frittata.
How to Make Bacon Egg Frittata: Complete Cooking Guide
Cooking Method
- Sautéing
- Baking
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C.)
- Gather all the tools and ingredients.
- Shred the cheese.
- Whisk the eggs.
- Mix all the ingredients with the eggs in a bowl.
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat your pan with about a tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, remove it from the heat. Swirl the butter around the bottom of the pan to coat the pan's sides as well. Taking your time with this step is important for the frittata to have a nice brown crust.
- After coating the entire pan interior with butter (only butter; no need for oil), return it to the heat until the butter starts to bubble. Now, it is time to add the egg mixture.
- Leave the egg mixture on the stove until the eggs around the edges start to set. Don't stir anything; let it bubble for about 30 seconds before you move the egg frittata to the preheated oven.
- After about 12 minutes in the oven, check the frittata for doneness. Every oven works differently. You can check it easily by carefully shaking the pan. If it jiggles, it needs more time.
- When the eggs have set, add cheese or other toppings to the frittata and turn on the broiler. The topping will be nice and crisp, adding to the deliciousness.
- Remove the frittata pan from the oven and run a silicone spatula around the edge to release it. It is best to do this while it is hot. When you tilt the pan to slide the finished frittata out, you can use the spatula to lift it just a little bit so it lands perfectly on the plate or cutting board. Voilà! It's time to eat.
Note: These steps can be used to make just about any frittata. Go wild with your culinary adventures!
Step 1: Gather up all your ingredients. For this frittata I had cooked bacon and broccoli in the fridge already. We’re using farm fresh eggs too. Yummy.
Step 2: Combine all the ingredients. I find it is easier to mix the eggs, cream, salt and pepper first. Then add the remaining ingredients.
Step 3: After you coat the pan with butter, add the egg mixture and heat over high heat until the eggs start to set and the butter bubbles around the edges. This is now ready to go into the oven.
💡 My Pro Tips
I have a few good tips when it comes to the ingredients... Here goes:
- Use the freshest eggs possible. We have been getting ours from a local farm, and the difference in flavor is tremendous.
- Use good cheddar cheese. Low-end cheddar is made with a lot of oil, which will come out during cooking. You don't need the BEST cheddar, just decent cheese.
- Don't use too much cream. A little bit goes a long way. I've found that with too much cream, the frittata has a much denser consistency.
- Use real butter. It tastes delicious. Eggs love butter.
- Keep your egg-to-ingredient ratio in mind. Too much "stuff" in the frittata sometimes makes it fall apart. I've found that 4 eggs to 1.5 to 2 cups of goodies is a solid ratio.
- Make sure that any ingredients you are going to add to the frittata are already cooked. It's not going to be in the oven long enough to cook the bacon or broccoli. They need to be already cooked.
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- For convenience, prepare and cook the frittata ingredients ahead of time, or use leftover cooked veggies and bacon from other recipes.
- Make a double batch and cut it into portions. Store the portions in the refrigerator for quick breakfasts or lunches during the week.
What to Serve with Bacon Egg Frittata?
Bacon egg frittata is a delightful breakfast, brunch, or lunch dish that pairs well with various foods and toppings:
- Pickled Jalapeños: Top the frittata with pickled jalapeños for a tangy and spicy twist.
- Sweet Fennel Sausage: Pair the sausage with the crispy bacon cheese frittata for a hearty breakfast or brunch meal.
- Spiralized Asian Carrot Salad: For a light lunch, serve the frittata with the refreshing Asian carrot salad. The carrots' slightly sweet flavors are a refreshing contrast to the savory frittata.
- Sweet and Spicy Roasted Carrots: The roasted baby carrots is an ideal dish and add a magical touch of sweetness and spiciness that contrast beautifully with the frittata's flavor.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
- Store the leftover bacon egg frittata in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Any longer than that and the eggs take on a strange texture.
Reheating
- You can easily reheat the leftover frittata in the same pan you used to cook it. First, add the leftover frittata. Next, add about 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan and heat over medium-high for 5-6 minutes or until the water has evaporated. Remove the lid and cook for another minute until the bottom has crisped up again. This method is better than using the microwave.
Recipe Conclusion
Bacon Egg Frittata is one of the easiest and heartiest egg meal for breakfast. This recipe makes a fun experience out of a gluten-free breakfast with just a few simple ingredients. It is super-easy and quick yet sophisticated when plated. You will be the star chef! Ensure you get a proper frittata pan for the best results. Use different additions to spruce up the recipe and customize its flavors to your liking.
Try this delicious dish and share the results. What are your favorite ingredients to add to eggs? Let's discuss this in the comments. I hope you enjoy the luscious egg, bacon, and cheese frittata as much as we do. Happy cooking!
More Frittata Recipes
I have more delicious frittata recipes that you may love as well:
FAQs
Yes, you can overcook a frittata. Overcooking results in a dry and rubbery texture, especially if the eggs are cooked too long or at an extremely high temperature. The key is to cook the frittata until the eggs are just set but still moist.
Allow the frittata to cool for 5 to 10 minutes so the eggs can set fully and you can slice it without falling apart.
Your frittata will be runny in the middle if it is undercooked, if you use a pan that is too large for the eggs and frittata ingredients, or if you add too many wet ingredients without adjusting the egg-to-ingredient ratio.
Bacon Egg Frittata
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sautéed broccoli
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup bacon cooked and sliced
- ¼ cup cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt a couple pinches
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper a couple of grinds
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C.)
- Gather all the tools and ingredients.
- Shred the cheese.
- Whisk the eggs.
- Mix all the ingredients with the eggs in a bowl.
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat your pan with about a tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, remove it from the heat. Swirl the butter around the bottom of the pan to coat the pan's sides as well. Taking your time with this step is important for the frittata to have a nice brown crust.
- After coating the entire pan interior with butter (only butter; no need for oil), return it to the heat until the butter starts to bubble. Now, it is time to add the egg mixture.
- Leave the egg mixture on the stove until the eggs around the edges start to set. Don't stir anything; let it bubble for about 30 seconds before you move the egg frittata to the preheated oven.
- After about 12 minutes in the oven, check the frittata for doneness. Every oven works differently. You can check it easily by carefully shaking the pan. If it jiggles, it needs more time.
- When the eggs have set, add cheese or other toppings to the frittata and turn on the broiler. The topping will be nice and crisp, adding to the deliciousness.
- Remove the frittata pan from the oven and run a silicone spatula around the edge to release it. It is best to do this while it is hot. When you tilt the pan to slide the finished frittata out, you can use the spatula to lift it just a little bit so it lands perfectly on the plate or cutting board. Voilà! It's time to eat.
Notes
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
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6 Responses
How do I enlarge the recipe to feed 4-6 people?
Hi Mary, to make the recipe for more people, you can double the ingredients. Then use a pan that is 2" larger to accommodate the extra ingredients. If you use any larger of a pan, you'll end up with an omelette, rather than a frittata. 🙂 Enjoy!
It looks like you have one more recipe just like this on your blog- not sure if you knew or not. I chose to make this one and it was really good. I'm going to make it larger next time, so knowing how to make it for more people would be really helpful.
Hi Sage:
Yup, frittatas are my favorites and I'll probably share a few more similar recipes because they're so good.
Thank you for stopping by and have a great day in the kitchen!
Scott