Bursting with flavour, this classic Italian asparagus frittata is the perfect spring recipe for a quick delicious meal!
Asparagus frittata is such a classic Italian recipe and one of the most loved, especially in springtime, when asparagus are in season. British asparagus season run from end of April until June, so it's the perfect time to make all things asparagus.
I adore frittatas, they're packed with vegetables and highly nutritious. Best of all, it's such a simple meal that can be whipped up in minutes, and you can easily serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
So it's time to share my quick recipe for an authentic Italian frittata with asparagus.
You can easily serve it as an appetizer cut into small squares, or as a main course in larger portions. You can even make frittata muffins, and bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes.
And the good news is, you can make it in advance and serve it the next day. Frittata is just as delicious served cold, making it a fantastic option for picnics and outdoor meals!
INGREDIENT TIPS
Italian frittata is one of those recipes you can whip up with the most basic ingredients. For this version, all you need is 4 simple ingredients:
- 6 free-range medium-large eggs
- Green asparagus
- Cheese
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Here below a few helpful tips to help you pick the right ingredients.
ASPARAGUS
Look for asparagus with firm, tight heads. Asparagus can have a woody stem near the base, which is normally cut off.
A simpler way to prepare the asparagus is to bend the stem near the bottom until it breaks. The asparagus will naturally break at the most appropriate place.
CHEESE
To make frittata the Italian way, add freshly-grated Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh ricotta (did you know it takes 30 min to make homemade ricotta?) into the mix.
Grana Padano and Pecorino cheese are two other excellent options.
A generous sprinkle of Pecorino goes a long way and gives it a nice kick of flavour, so don’t go overboard with it.
If you need to substitute ricotta, you can use goat cheese or feta cheese too.
There are lots of different options if you want to make a strictly vegetarian frittata (Parmesan is not vegetarian-friendly).
Grated Gruyere, mature cheddar or Swiss cheese are some great alternatives and will work just as great!
AROMATICS
Onion: optional, but it gives a nice sweet background flavour. You can use yellow onion, shallots, leek, or white onion.
Fresh herbs: feel free to add a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves, basil or chives, for a refreshing note.
Butter: I personally prefer to use extra-virgin olive oil only, but you can substitute half of the amount with butter for an extra layer of flavour.
EXTRA
Feel free to experiment, and add a few extra vegetables if you like – leek, mushrooms, potato, peas and courgettes all go very well with asparagus.
You may also throw in some crispy prosciutto or bacon bits if you feel like it.
THE BEST COOKING TECHNIQUE
There are three cooking techniques to make a frittata: cooking it on the stove then flip it halfway through cooking time, cooking it on the stove then broil it under the oven grill, and baking it in the oven.
If you want to make it the traditional Italian way, head over to my popular potato frittata recipe, where I explain in detail the cook and flip technique.
However, the easiest method is to start the cooking process on the stove, then move the frittata in the oven to finish it off under the grill.
Since we're going to broil the frittata right at the end, you'll need a cast-iron skillet or an oven-friendly skillet.
I use a Le Creuset 23-cm cast iron skillet and I truly love it. It's the perfect size for 4 people and is the perfect skillet for the part stove cooking, part oven grilling cooking technique.
HOW TO MAKE ASPARAGUS FRITTATA
Let me show you how simple and straight forward is to make this favourite Italian omelette recipe.
Step 1
Blanch the chopped asparagus in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and pat them dry.
Step 2
Heat an oven-friendly skillet over medium-low heat, add the onion (if using) and asparagus and saute for 5 minutes, until softened.
Step 3
In the meantime, beat the eggs and cheese in a large bowl, then season with a pinch of sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
Step 4
Distribute the asparagus so that they cover the bottom of the skillet evenly. Pour the eggs mixture over the vegetables, cover with a lid and cook over low-medium heat for 5 minutes.
Step 5
Remove the lid, transfer the skillet in the oven under the grill for 5 mins or until golden and cooked through. Cut into wedges and serve.
Once your frittata is ready, you can eat it straight away or store it in an airtight container.
It will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days. It's delicious both served hot or cold!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH FRITTATA?
There are tons of ways to serve frittata, from a simple green salad to roasted veggies, and even as a sandwich filling with a little arugula and sliced tomato.
Here are a few of my favourite sides that go super well with it:
- Italian Caprese Pasta Salad (Only 5 Ingredients!)
- Tuscan Panzanella Salad
- Bean and Quinoa Salad
- Sicilian Caponata - Aubergine Stew
- Easy Ratatouille Recipe
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram tag @thepetitecook!
Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!
Recipe
Asparagus Frittata
Ingredients
- 300 g green asparagus, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, minced (optional)
- 6 large free-range eggs
- 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese
- 4 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
- sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chives, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/360°F/gas 4.
- Blanch the chopped asparagus in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and pat them dry.
- Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in an oven-friendly skillet over medium-low heat, add the onion (if using) and asparagus and saute for 5 minutes, until slightly softened.
- In the meantime, beat the eggs with the Parmesan and ricotta cheese in a large bowl, then season with a generous pinch of sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
- Distribute the asparagus so that they cover the bottom of the skillet evenly. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, cover with a lid and cook over low-medium heat for 5 minutes. When the frittata is easily pulled off from the bottom but the surface is still jiggly, it is ready to go in the oven.
- Remove the lid, and sprinkle 1 extra tabslepoon of Parmesan on top and chives if you like. Transfer the skillet in the oven under the grill for 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Cut into wedges and serve.
Video
Notes
- You must use a 9-inch or a 10-inch oven-safe skillet to make this frittata. If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, saute the asparagus, then transfer the veggies to a 9 or 10-inch cake pan or baking dish, pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and bake. You may need to add 5-10 minutes to bake time.
- Frittatas can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature. They are safe to leave for max 2 hours at room temperature.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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