Spinach and Feta Frittata
A fluffy, golden Italian-style frittata packed with soft sweet onion, wilted spinach and pockets of tangy feta. It starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven in one skillet, so it's easy for brunch, lunch or a quick dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 27 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 47 min
- Makes
- 1 frittata (6 wedges)
Steps
Before you start
- Use a 10-inch (25 cm) ovenproof nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Check that the handle is oven-safe (no plastic) up to 400°F (200°C).
- Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) before you start cooking.
- Feta is salty, so the eggs are only lightly salted. Taste your feta first and cut the salt to 1/4 teaspoon if it's very briny.
- Take the eggs out of the fridge when you start prepping. Slightly less-cold eggs cook more evenly.
Preheat and prepOven 375°F / 190°C
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Dice the onion into 1/4-inch (6 mm) pieces, mince the garlic, crumble the feta and, if using, chop the dill.
- Make sure the spinach is completely dry.
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Ready when: Onion pieces are evenly small and the spinach leaves feel dry to the touch.
Tip: Wet spinach releases water into the eggs and makes the frittata watery, so dry it thoroughly.
Whisk the eggs
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper for about 30 seconds, until the yolks and whites are fully blended and the mixture is uniformly pale yellow with no streaks of white.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of egg white remain.
Tip: Whisk just until blended. Beating in a lot of air makes the frittata puff up and then collapse.
Soften the onion
- Heat the olive oil in the 10-inch (25 cm) ovenproof skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Add the onion and a small pinch of the salt from your fingers if you like.
- Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just beginning to turn pale gold at the edges.
Tip: If the onion browns quickly, lower the heat to medium-low. Dark, crisp onion tastes bitter in a delicate frittata.
Wilt spinach with garlic
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spinach in two or three handfuls, stirring and letting each batch collapse before adding the next.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes total.
- Spread the vegetables in an even layer across the pan.
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Ready when: Spinach is fully wilted, dark green, and no liquid pools in the bottom of the pan when you tilt it.
Tip: If there is liquid left, cook 1 more minute. Excess moisture is the main cause of a soggy frittata.
Add eggs and feta
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Scatter about three-quarters of the feta and the dill over the vegetables.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top and gently stir once or twice with a spatula to distribute the fillings.
- Sprinkle the remaining feta over the surface.
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Ready when: The egg should start to sizzle gently at the edges within a few seconds.
Tip: Pour slowly and don't keep stirring, or you will make scrambled eggs rather than a frittata.
Set the edges
- Cook undisturbed over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- As the edges set, use a spatula to gently pull them away from the pan and tilt it so runny egg flows into the gaps.
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Ready when: The edges are opaque and set about 1/2 inch (1 cm) in, while the center is still wet and jiggly.
Tip: Don't skip this step. Starting on the stovetop gives the bottom a light golden crust and helps the frittata cook evenly.
Bake until setOven 375°F / 190°C
- Transfer the skillet to the center rack of the 375°F (190°C) oven.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the frittata is puffed and the center no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan.
- The center should reach 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Puffed, lightly golden on top, center firm to a light touch, and 160°F (71°C) in the middle.
Tip: The skillet handle will be extremely hot. Slide a mitt or towel over it right away so no one grabs it by mistake.
Rest and loosen
- Using oven mitts, remove the skillet and set it on a heatproof surface.
- Let the frittata rest for 5 minutes so it firms up and slices cleanly.
- Run a silicone spatula around the edge to loosen it.
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Ready when: The surface has deflated slightly and the edges pull away from the pan.
Slice and serve
- Cut into 6 wedges and lift them out with a spatula, or slide the whole frittata onto a board first.
- Sprinkle with extra dill and serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Wedges hold their shape with a moist, tender, not runny, interior.
Tip: A nonstick pan releases easily. With cast iron, run the spatula under the bottom before lifting the first wedge.
Good to know
Tips
- Match the pan to the recipe. A 10-inch (25 cm) skillet gives a frittata about 1.5 inches (4 cm) thick that cooks evenly. A larger pan yields a thinner frittata that will bake faster and may dry out.
- Cook on gentle heat and don't overbake. Frittata keeps cooking from residual heat, so pull it as soon as the center is set and reads 160°F (71°C).
- Distribute the feta partly in the mix and partly on top for creamy pockets inside and a lightly browned top.
- Serve with a lemony arugula salad and crusty bread for a complete meal.
Make ahead
"Chop the onion and spinach and crumble the feta up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately. The whole frittata can be baked a day ahead, cooled, covered and chilled, then served cold or reheated."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool completely, wrap or cover in an airtight container and keep for up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap wedges individually and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, warm wedges on a baking sheet at 325°F (160°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or microwave a wedge at 50% power for 1 to 2 minutes until hot in the center."
Substitutions
- fresh baby spinach → 10 oz (280 g) thawed frozen chopped spinach. Squeeze it very dry in a clean towel, then stir into the cooked onion for about 1 minute just to heat through.
- feta cheese → 4 oz (113 g) crumbled goat cheese or 1 cup (100 g) grated Gruyère. Goat cheese is creamier and tangy. Gruyère is milder and nutty, so you may want an extra pinch of salt.
- whole milk → Half-and-half or heavy cream (richer), or unsweetened plain oat milk (dairy-free). Use the same volume of 1/2 cup (120 ml).
- yellow onion → 4 sliced scallions or 1 medium leek, white and light green parts. Cook scallions only 2 minutes. Leek should be sliced thin and cooked 5 to 6 minutes until soft.
