This vegetable frittata is packed with summer’s best produce – zucchini, tomatoes, and summer squash – and is such an easy, low-carb recipe you can make in only 20 minutes!
Frittatas are a favorite in our house. My kids devour them, even when they’re PACKED with vegetables.
After grilling a foil packet of summer veggies, I threw the leftovers in a frittata the next morning for breakfast and instantly fell in love. I knew I had to recreate the recipe – this time, without the hassle of grilling.
This vegetable frittata has all the best of summer produce, lightly infused with garlic and cooked to creamy and fluffy perfection. Iit’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and reheats beautifully for leftovers!
In this post, I’ll explain how to prep and cook the veggies, how to use the stovetop and the broiler to cook a frittata that’s creamy, NEVER dry, in record time, and how to make adjustments for picky eaters.
How to cook the vegetables
There are two tricks to cooking the zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes to have the best flavor and texture in this vegetable frittata. Here they are!
1. Infuse them with a whole clove of garlic
The first time I made this frittata, I used leftover grilled vegetables from a foil packet. I threw a whole smashed clove of garlic in the foil packet, which infused the flavor throughout but wasn’t overpoweringly garlicky.
I did something similar with the vegetables for this recipe. Start with diced onions and a whole, smashed clove of garlic. Then add the zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes. When they’re done cooking, remove the garlic. The flavor will be infused throughout but won’t overpower!
2. Cook the vegetables thoroughly so the frittata doesn’t get soggy
It’s important to cook the veggies very well so that almost all the liquid has evaporated from them. Otherwise, the frittata may be soggy and not hold together well.
When you sauté the veggies, season them with salt. This will help draw the moisture out of them.
Also, stir them only occasionally. This will give the moisture time to be drawn out and evaporate, leaving behind fully-cooked vegetables that will insure an intact frittata.
How to cook the vegetable frittata so it’s creamy, not dry
There’s nothing worse than a dry frittata. Over-cooked eggs are the stuff my nightmares are made of. Who wants to chew for hours on rubbery eggs?
OK perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic, but I have to share this super easy method to getting a perfectly creamy, fluffy frittata that’s NEVER dry.
The secret? Cook the eggs on the stovetop for a few minutes, then broil for a few minutes.
Once you add the eggs and cheese to the veggie mixture, use a wooden spoon to stir/scoot them around a bit, working from the outside in, like when making fluffy scrambled eggs. Cook them this way until they start to look cooked and beginning to solidify (see photo below):
THEN, move them to the oven to broil for 5-10 minutes, or until they’re cooked throughout. You can test to see if they’re done by shaking the skillet- if they stay put and don’t jiggle, the frittata is done cooking.
This method ensures that the eggs cook evenly, without overcooking the top or bottom. It also ensures that the whole thing cooks in only 10-15 minutes! This vegetable frittata recipe is SO quick and easy.
Making adjustments for picky eaters
Got a kid (or an adult) in your house who doesn’t like veggies? Don’t worry: I’ve got a trick.
I recommend omitting the tomatoes and grating the zucchini and summer squash, rather than dicing. This will ensure the veggies melt into every bite, with a texture that’s almost indiscernible from the eggs.
Other frittata recipes:
Other veggie-packed egg recipes:
- Olive Oil Scrambled Eggs with Feta and Tomatoes
- Bacon and Swiss Chard Quiche
- Crustless Ham and Zucchini Quiche
- The Best Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwich
- Sweet Potato, Corned Beef, and Cabbage Breakfast Bake
- Mushroom and Cheddar Omelettes
- 5-Minute Spinach and Cheddar Microwave Quiche in a Mug
- Crustless Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Quiche
- Asparagus, Egg, and Bacon Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette (from Taste and See)
Did you make this Summer Vegetable Frittata? Please comment below and Rate this Recipe
Summer Vegetable Frittata
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 clove garlic smashed
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 summer squash diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 6 eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk or half and half, heavy cream, other milk
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a 10-inch, heavy, oven-proof skillet, preferably well-seasoned cast iron.
- Add the onions and smashed clove of garlic and sauté until softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes (meanwhile, prep the other veggies).
- Add the zucchini, summer squash, and cherry tomatoes, along with a generous pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally but not too frequently, until veggies are softened and there is almost no liquid left at the bottom of the skillet (5-10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, beat the six eggs with the 3/4 cup milk and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Once the veggies are cooked, pour the egg and milk mixture into the skillet and add the 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Stir around to distribute the cheese. Allow the eggs to cook for about two minutes on the stovetop, scooting them from the outsides of the skillet into the center as they cook, until the eggs start to look more solid throughout but definitely aren't all the way cooked yet.
- Move the skillet to the oven and broil for 5-10 minutes, or until eggs are fully cooked and starting to brown slightly on top (if you shake the pan, they don't jiggle).
- Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes, then slice and serve sprinkled with fresh basil and some extra salt and pepper, if desired.
Notes
- Add bacon to make it more hearty: Cook up 4 strips of bacon in the skillet, remove and chop, and proceed with cooking, using two tablespoons of the bacon fat instead of the butter to cook the onions. Add the chopped bacon back into the skillet when you add the egg mixture.
- Money saving tip: Summer produce is cheaper in (you guessed it!) the summer, so if you make this off-season it may be more expensive (and less tasty).
- Time saving tip: You can cook the veggies in advance. Roast them, sauté them, or grill them up to 2 days in advance, and simply reheat in the butter before adding the egg mixture and cheese.
- For picky eaters: I recommend grating the zucchini and summer squash, and omitting the tomatoes, for picky kids who "don't like veggies." You won't even notice they're there!
- Make it paleo/whole30: use olive oil instead of butter, omit the cheese and milk, and add 2-4 more eggs.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Jacque McCarron and Arthur Veitch
My partner who is a better cook than me made this. It was delicious,
I would recommend it whole heartedly. Jacque
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!!