Zucchini and Cheddar Frittata
I always love the idea of a frittata. So long as you have a carton of eggs, you can throw one together in 30 minutes, and they’re great for using up any leftover veggies, bits of meat or hunks of cheese you might have languishing in the fridge. Problem is, they’re usually dry, tough and spongy — and just not that good. Whenever I have one, I find myself thinking that for the same calories, I’d so much rather be eating quiche! This is my kind of frittata: delicate and creamy, almost like a crustless quiche. There are three secrets to success: 1) squeeze as much water as possible out of the zucchini; 2) add heavy cream and lots of cheese to the egg mixture; and 3) bake the frittata in the oven at a low temperature, instead of the traditional stovetop-to-broiler method, so the eggs cook gently into a custard without scrambling.
It’s best to use small zucchini, as they contain less water. Once grated, place the zucchini on several layers of paper towels and squeeze out as much water as possible.
Depending on how much water is in the zucchini, you may need to repeat this step.
Next, melt a few tablespoons of butter in an 8 or 10-inch oven-proof, nonstick sauté pan.
Add the shallots.
Along with the zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the zucchini is tender.
Meanwhile, combine the eggs, remaining salt, pepper and heavy cream in a large bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Add the cooked zucchini and grated cheese to the egg mixture and stir.
Pour the frittata mixture back into the pan.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until just set.
Zucchini & Cheddar Frittata
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound (12 oz) zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots, from 1-2 shallots
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 6 large eggs
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 ounces (about 1 cup) grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Using a food processor or box grater, grate the zucchini. Place the grated zucchini on top of several layers of paper towels and wring dry. If necessary, repeat 1-2 times to remove any excess moisture.
- In an 8 or 10-inch ovenproof, nonstick sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the moisture evaporates and the zucchini is tender, 6-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked zucchini and grated cheese to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Pour the frittata mixture into the pan (no need to wash it), then place in the oven and bake until set, 20-23 minutes.
- Note: Be sure to keep a dish towel over the pan handle after you remove it from the oven; it's easy to forget that it's hot and burn your hand.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 317
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 16g
- Sodium: 337mg
- Cholesterol: 689mg
Reviews & Comments
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Another great recipe! I doubled the recipe and of course had to bake it a little longer – it turned out fantastic. I love it cold too. The only issue I had (and its because I did not know how to do it any easier or differently) was having to ring out the zucchini. It took me a while to make sure that all the water was out (I used a cheese cloth to assist) and therefore prep time doubled. Thanks again for a great recipe!
I’m a Realtor, Jenn & after I came home with a possible Buyer at my Open, I felt so inspired I decided to make your Frittata that I’d been saving.
Wow – made it just as you directed, including squeezing 2x the moisture out of the Zucchini & lots of cheese and it turned out just as you said: creamy and nice and puffy.
I took a chance and made it in the Steam Convection Oven and it worked perfectly at 324F for about 23 minutes. I did Broil the top a little.
Thanks so much – this is a keeper! Hope you’ve had a delightful summer. It’s been gorgeous here in Vancouver BC.
Another winner Jennifer! I made this for dinner tonight and served it with a slice of toasted homemade beer bread that I made this morning and some cucumbers, tomatoes and asparagus. The frittata flavor was wonderful!
The frittata was yummy – will serve it for breakfast when we have overnight guests. But what are the small chopped green things on the top? Attractive for sure but a missing herb?
Glad you liked it, Mary. I don’t add any additional herbs to this, so I suspect that the green you’re referring to is either the bits of zucchini or scallions.
do you have other frittata recipes
your recipes are easy and inspiring
Glad you like the recipes, Robin! I don’t have any other frittata recipes, but I have a number of quiches and stratas that may appeal to you. You can find them here.
Hi, Jenn. Do you think this can be made in a cast iron skillet? If so, should I reduce the oven temperature?
Hi Liesel, I think it will work without making any adjustments. Hope you enjoy it!
Jenn, your recipes are awesome. This frittata was fantastic! Made it today for some guests for brunch and everyone loved it!
Very tasty recipe and not difficult at all. I liked the flavor of shallot and zucchini, plus I used extra sharp white cheddar. What’s not to like? Because I had only 1 zucchini on hand and this was breakfast for two seniors, I cut the recipe in half. If anyone else does this, I used an 8″ nonstick skillet and baked the frittata at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. It came out a bit soft in the middle but we liked that, kind of like an omelette should be. Another minute or two in the oven would have firmed it up. Also, I had fresh basil on hand and found that shredding and scattering it over the frittata just before serving made the dish even better. Thanks for the recipe and the technique.
Hi Jenn. I’m a big fan of your recipes and site and was looking for a frittata recipe. If I was going to switch up the vegetables and make it with spinach and mushrooms (and of course either cheddar or parmesan cheese) can I use olive oil instead of butter with this technique?
Sure Lainey, olive oil should work here. Enjoy!
Best frittata ever! I used one large shallot instead of two, and added a couple of scallions. Also, made it easier by using pre-made shredded cheddar cheese. Just delicious.
Another winner, Jenn. The eggs were perfect instead of rubbery and burnt the way frittatas made on the stovetop come out. This was like a quiche without the pie crust.
This is not only our go-to frittata, but our go-to frittata technique. Just made a cheddar, petite pea, and onion version with 8 eggs and half-and-half, in a 12″ fluted quiche pan. It is so delicious and much, much easier than starting it on the stove and finishing in the oven
Hi Jenn – would it be OK to prepare the mixture, refrigerate overnight and then bake the next morning? Thank you! Love your website.
Hi Mia, That would be fine. Glad you’re enjoying the recipes :).
Another winner from Jenn. The directions were perfect and the outcome delicious. We had this for dinner with a substantial salad and it was perfect.
Zucchini and cheese what’s not to like! Easy to make and my company loved it!
Easy and excellent frittata!
I have been making a lot of frittatas lately and this one is at the top of my and my husband’s list. It is so light and delicious and different from some of the heavier frittatas I’ve made. I serve it with a small side salad for dinner.
Delicious! Great technique to create a beautiful fluffy, creamy texture.
I have a 12 1/2 in. skillet so I used 8 eggs and 1/3 cup cream but it still seemed thinner than I would have liked. Next time I will just do 1 1/2 times the entire recipe. Should have done the math ahead of time and I would have realized my pan had an area 1.56 times a 10 inch. (Who said you don’t need geometry later in life?!)
Even my kids, who are self-proclaimed carnivores enjoyed this recipe and said I could make it any time.
Easy and so delicious! I love this website, especially the pictures, it makes it easy for newbie chefs! Thanks you, Jenn! Keep the easy recipes coming!
Can this be frozen?
Hi Alicia, With the amount of dairy this has, I think it’s better right out of the oven or refrigerated for up to about 3 days.
I LOVE this frittata and so does my family (especially my 3 year old)! Plus it always gets great reviews when I make it for guests. Another bonus is that it pairs well with several other breakfast or brunch items (meats, muffins or quick breads, fruit, etc) The recipe is perfect as is although the only difference when I make it is the size of the zucchini pieces. The wholes on my hand grater are small. I don’t believe this changes much of anything. Thanks Jen for another awesome recipe!
What temperature do recommend baking this frittata at? I got to the end of the recipe and realized there was no temperature to set my oven to! I’m new to cooking so this would be helpful! Going to try 300 based off reviews.
Hi Heather, the frittata should bake at 325 degrees. Sounds like maybe you already made it, so hope it turned out well for you!
I’m thinking this strata could be made with fresh spinach too. How much fresh spinach do you think would work in this recipe?
Hi Jenn, I’m not sure if you’re referring to this frittata or the spinach strata on the site?
I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! I had an abundance of zucchini from the garden and substituted scallions (also from the garden), and I just put them in the pan later in the process. I might add some fresh herbs, maybe basil next time. Goat cheese might be a good cheese to try too. Thanks for the great adaptable recipe!
Could gruyere cheese be substituted for the cheddar?
Yes Carol, gruyere would work nicely here!
Can you use skim milk instead of heavy cream in this recipe. ??
Bonnie, you could use skim milk here. The frittata just won’t taste as creamy.
Can this Zucchini and Cheddar Frittata be baked in muffin pans in the oven?
Yes Phyllis, I haven’t tried them this way, but I think you could do that. Assuming you’re using a regular size muffin tin, I’d start checking them for doneness after about 15 minutes.
Jennifer,
I am an accountant and we are knee deep in our busy season. I spend a portion of my Sundays off cooking for the coming week so that I can have decent healthy and satisfying meals while working the crazy hours to get through tax season. I made your Zucchini and Cheddar Frittata for my breakfasts for this week. I LOVE IT! It’s delicious and satisfying. I really enjoy the recipes you provide and the helpful hints and method guides are wonderful! Thank you so much for making these recipes available! Doreen
Another fantastic recipe! Followed the directions, not changing a thing, and it turned out perfectly…per usual!
Served for dinner this evening and we all agreed it was the creamiest fritatta we have eaten. It was easy to make and flavourful.
I want to cook this food for my son and he is 18 months old. I wonder if I should add 85g cheddar cheese to the frittata as cheddar cheese often contains high amount of sodium. I tried another receipe which used a lot of cheddar cheese and it turned out the food was very salty.
Hi Joschan, I would keep the quantity the same. However, you could reduce the salt in the recipe or substitute another cheese that has less sodium. Just be sure it’s a good melting cheese, like fontina, gruyere, etc. Hope that helps!
Made this tonight and was so easy and absolutely delicious! My husband and 11-month-old both gobbled this down happily. Definitely will make again– this would be great as a brunch item. So happy to have found this site and can’t wait to explore more.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe and the tips on technique. Baking the frittata at a low temperature makes all the difference in the world. Even with the correct egg-dairy ratio, my frittatas were still coming out spongy. From now on, no quiche or frittata gets baked above 325F. Your Spinach & Gruyere Quiche is wonderful too!
I made this as a delicious way to get my ailing mother to be able to eat something soft and get some good protein. Delicious it was! A huge hit, easy, and definitely will be making this one over and over again. Thank you for another awesome recipe.
I added some sauteed mushrooms and it was fabulous. Thank you, Jenn, for your always reliable recipes!
My whole family loved this – such amazing flavors! We will definitely be making this again. I wouldn’t change a thing!
What are nutritional values for the frittata? Thanks.
Hi Joan, The recipe has been updated w/ nutritional data. Sorry, I forgot to add it initially! Hope that helps 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Thank you!
My whole family enjoyed this meal. I made a double quantity which turned out fine. Also put some sliced tomato on top once the mixture had firmed up a bit. Another great recipe ?
This is excellent! I’ve often made frittatas and agree that they can be rather tough (though tasty). This version is truly tender and delicious. Will now change my technique!
So good! Perfect texture, very creamy and light, even with whole milk in place of cream. I will never use the typical frittata technique again; this is simple and so much better.
We’ve used several of your recipes and really enjoy them!
My husband has to be cow dairy free. I use a non-dairy stick as a substitute for the butter, and he can use a small amount of goat cheese, but I’m wondering if I could use coconut milk in the can since it is thicker, and richer than non-dairy milk in carton, or the aseptic carton.
Could you please advise?
Thank you!
Joanne Peterson
Hi Joanne, I don’t think the flavor of coconut milk would work well in this recipe. I would probably just omit the cream — it will still be delicious, just not as creamy.
I love to share recipes with my friend who lives in Germany but the problem is that she has to convert mine to metric & I have to convert hers to .. tsp, tbsp, cups, etc. I love that you have a “metric” conversion button. How easy is that. I have already sent her this recipe and i know she will smile to get it. This is such a help?. Thank you.
Looks great but could this be baked in another dish, like corning ware, or something as opposed to the pan? I’m sure my good Calphalon can be baked but it’s huge and it’d be easier to bake it in something else. Especially since this might be too thin a layer in my large pan. I think it’s 16 inches? Thank you! Looking forward to making this.
Hi Laura, Yes, any baking dish will work; just grease it with a little butter.