This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.
This broccolini, cheddar, and bacon frittata is a just-right take on a classic. It’s equally at home as a weeknight dinner and on a party buffet.
Why we love this recipe
A frittata is Monday food that brilliantly doubles as Saturday night or Sunday brunch food. It’s so:
- Quick
- Easy
- Fridge-staple friendly
that I’m often tempted to serve it as a weeknight family meal and call it a day.
But here’s the thing: WHAT an easy way to feed a crowd, too.
- Frittatas are equally good hot or at room temperature and can be made well in advance.
- Much like tacos, they kinda are the party.
- And with a few extra ingredients and literally 30 seconds, you can really make a broccolini, cheddar, and bacon frittata look like the party it is.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli, with long, crisp-tender stems and delicate florets. It’s mildly flavored and an absolute dream to cook with.
- I like to use very thick-cut bacon for a nice meaty texture. You can use whatever kind you like.
- Heavy cream adds a nice richness, but you can substitute whole milk or half and half if you like.
- The sharpest cheddar you can find will make the biggest impact, but use what you love.
How to make it
Here’s all you need to do to make a broccolini, cheddar, and bacon frittata. You can see all the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post. Get the full details in the recipe card below.
Cooking the frittata
- Beat the eggs and cream together in a large bowl.
- Cook the bacon to your liking. Then remove the bacon for a few minutes and drain all but about two tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
- Sauté the broccolini briefly in the bacon fat, then add a bit of water, cover, and steam until crisp-tender.
- Pour in the egg mixture and sprinkle on the cheese. Transfer the broccolini, cheddar, and bacon frittata to the oven to bake until puffed and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Dressing it up for a party
Optional but fun: add toppings to make your frittata even more beautiful and delicious.
- Microgreens of pretty much any variety are the dirtiest clean-eating trick in the book to garnish a wide variety of foods. We can’t get enough. They add both nutrition and an easy elegance.
- Pine nuts add a creamy crunch.
- Halved grape tomatoes add a burst of color and freshness. If you can find multicolored ones, all the better.
- A drizzle of balsamic glaze adds a hint of earthy sweetness and another layer of casual flair.
Expert tips and FAQs
There are two main differences. For a frittata, cooking begins on the stovetop and typically finishes in the oven. And unlike an omelet, the ingredients are distributed throughout the egg mixture, rather than folded into the center.
Any oven-safe pan with nonstick properties is fine. Some people like to use a cast-iron skillet. It’s also fine to use a high-quality nonstick pan.
With protein and veggies galore, this dish is a complete meal in itself. That said, it’s nice with a simple salad, a hunk of crusty bread, and a glass of wine.
For a party, cut it into smaller pieces and serve it alongside other favorites like deviled eggs, potato salad, and charred shishito peppers.
It’s ready as soon as it’s puffed in the center and doesn’t jiggle. (The puffiness will relax when you take it out of the oven.)
More great frittata recipes and resources
Here’s what else you need to know about this flexible food star:
- How to make one without a recipe
- Corn, cheddar, and spinach
- Broccoli and shiitakes
- Potato, shiitakes and garlic scapes
- Minis in a muffin tin
- Make it a sandwich
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
Broccolini Cheddar Bacon Frittata
Ingredients
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon
- 1 pound broccolini, cut into large bite-sized pieces
- 8 eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup broccoli sprouts or other microgreens
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, preferably of mixed size and color, halved
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- Balsamic glaze, for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F with a rack in the center.
- Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces and place in a 12-inch nonstick frying pan set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crisp-tender. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain and pour off all but about two tablespoons fat from pan.
- Add broccolini to pan and stir to coat with fat. Cook uncovered for a minute or two, until bright green. Add two tablespoons water to pan and cover. Cook until water is evaporated and broccolini is just tender, a few minutes.
- Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, pour in cream, and beat well with a fork. Pour egg mixture into pan. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Transfer pan to oven and bake until eggs are set, about 10 minutes.
- Cool slightly and then top with broccoli sprouts, tomato pieces, pine nuts, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut into wedges to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
