Four Frittatas to Make Your Mouth Water + My Asparagus, Mushroom and Salmon Frittata

If you wanted me to, I could give you 100 reasons explaining my immense passion for frittatas. Don’t worry, I won’t, I’ll just give you three:

1.     Breakfast
2.     Lunch 
3.     Dinner 

Frittatas are one of the most versatile dishes on the planet. They can be enjoyed by those who opt for a vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free or refined carbohydrate-free diet, and pretty much everyone else too. They’re a crowd-pleaser, packed with nutrients and one of my favourite things to serve up any time of the day. 

Before we dive into the all-important frittata, it’s about time we give thanks to its foundations; the humble egg. The frittata would be nothing without the egg, and I mean this in both an emotional and physical sense.

The most versatile of ingredients, eggs can be dressed up any way you like. You can make poached, scrambled and fried eggs throughout the seasons at any time of day. Name me a more versatile ingredient, I’ll wait… I’m still waiting…. Full of protein, iron, iodine, selenium and B vitamins, eggs are a modest show-stopper. They’re the dark horse of your favourite reality TV show; and they win every time. 

Like eggs, frittatas are versatile in nature, they surpass food trends (the frittata is, like, cauliflower rice, who?) and are great for just about any occasion. You can serve up a frittata at a family lunch, for a slow Saturday morning breakfast or easy mid-week dinner. Like this Caramelised Onion Frittata.

If you’re thinking to yourself, aren’t frittatas merely a glorified omelette or sad quiche, you would be incorrect. I understand the confusion, so let’s clear it up here and now...

A frittata is similar to an omelette or quiche, as it’s an egg-based dish, but that’s where the similarities end. Unlike a quiche, the frittata doesn’t include an oily, refined-carbohydrate-filled crust. It’s also not flat like an omelette, it’s more layered, complex and satisfying. It’s the whole package, and truly stands the food test of time. 

One of the best parts about frittatas is that you can fill them with pretty much anything your heart desires. If you’re trying to get rid of some older, sad-looking vegetables that are lying limp in your vegetable crisper, they’ll go perfectly in your frittata.

Why not fill your frittata with as many veggies as you like, and maybe even a sprinkle of goat’s cheese! If it’s a frittata for a meat lover, go ham with some ham, and if it’s a fish dish that you’re craving, that’ll work swimmingly too!

Basically, anything but the kitchen sink goes when filling a frittata. Some of my favourite frittata combinations include:

• Broccoli and cauliflower
• Zucchini and carrot 
• Tomato and Goat's cheese 
• Salmon and onion 
• Beef and spinach 
• Spinach, olives and fresh basil
• Roast pumpkin and macadamia or Goat's cheese 

If you’re not yet convinced, have a look at my Green Eggs No Ham Frittata. This green frittata can be enjoyed hot or cold and is even better the next day (hello, leftovers).  

If you’re a serious meat lover and can’t imagine it not being included in every meal, you may prefer my Fluffy Chicken Frittata. It’s a savoury lovers’ delight, full of protein, vitamins and minerals, and may I say, it is incredibly satisfying on the ol’ taste buds.

As you can see, I believe there’s a frittata for every occasion. 

If you’re ready to head under the sea, open your eyes (and mouths!) to my Asparagus, Mushroom and Salmon Frittata. This frittata is vibrant, savoury and packed full of nutrients. It’s perfect for the dairy-free among us, using almond milk to create an irresistibly fluffy texture. This protein-rich frittata will keep for days and is a brilliant way to sneak in vegetables in one go.

Asparagus, Mushroom and Salmon Frittata

SERVES 4

• 8 eggs
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
• 200 g (7 oz) cooked salmon, flaked
• 90 g (31/4 oz) mushrooms, sautéed
• 350 g (12 oz/2 bunches) asparagus, woody ends trimmed, blanched
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• chives, finely chopped, to serve (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 22 cm (81/2 inch) pie dish or 15 x 25 cm (6 x 10 inch) baking tin.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in the almond milk, salt and yeast flakes, if using.

Spread the salmon in the prepared pie dish and pour the egg mixture over. Arrange the mushrooms and asparagus on top.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the frittata is set in the middle and the top is puffy and slightly browned.

Serve hot or cold, seasoned with salt and pepper, and topped with chives, if using.