The Ultimate Meat Lovers’ Frittata is an easy egg recipe that’s great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anything in between! Eggs are whisked together with cream, then combined with the “big 3” breakfast meats: sausage, ham, and bacon to create a hearty, protein-filled entree for the biggest of appetites!
Topped with cheese and served with optional sour cream and green onions, this low carb, keto-friendly dish is the perfect way to say, “Good Morning!”
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What in the World is a Frittata?
Frittatas are sometimes called Italian omelets, but that’s only partly true. While frittatas do hail from Italy, they aren’t simply a cultural spin on the French-born omelet.
While frittatas and omelets are both egg dishes, frittatas contain cream, although milk is sometimes substituted. Both dishes feature cheese, vegetables, meats, or a combination. But frittatas incorporate these ingredients into the egg mixture, while omelets use them as a filling. The difference between the two is similar to an apple fritter versus an apple-filled donut. The fritter contains apple in the dough, while the filled donut has a center of apple filling.
Finally, the cooking processes of frittatas and omelets also set them apart. Omelets are made on the stovetop using an omelet pan or a skillet. Frittatas are partially cooked on the stovetop, but are finished in the oven or broiler. While there is no such thing as a frittata pan, most frittata-lovers use cast iron skillets to make this dish.
Why is Cast Iron Used?
The biggest reason that cast iron skillets are used to make frittatas is versatility. Cast iron can be used on the stove top or in the oven. I’ve even taken mine on camping trips to use over the campfire. But don’t put it in the microwave, or you’ll have a BIG disaster on your hands!
Another reason cast iron is favored is durability. It’s a beast! I have two of my great-grandmother’s cast iron skillets. Their manufacturer, Griswold, was in business from 1865 to 1957. By researching the logo, the heat ring, and other lettering on the pans, I discovered my inherited skillets are over 100 years old. Even so, they are as functional now as they were in my great-grandmother’s time!
That’s another reason why cast iron is used for frittatas. They get better over time. After a few months of use, they develop a natural non-stick coating, called seasoning. It makes these pans so easy to use!
But beware. Seasoning only happens if cast iron is cared for properly. America’s Test Kitchen has a helpful series of articles about caring for cast iron since it is a little different than caring for other pans. Once you adopt those habits, your cast iron will last a lifetime and beyond. Imagine how many frittatas could be made!
Why Should I Make Frittatas?
Regardless of whether you use cast iron or another stovetop-to-oven pan, you’ll find that frittatas are as versatile as the cookware they’re baked in. Frittatas can be served at any temperature, from fresh out of the oven to chilled. They travel well and are a great option if you need to make dishes ahead of time.
Frittatas can be made to suit a vegetarian, gluten-free or keto lifestyle by varying the ingredients. This makes it an ideal dish to serve at gatherings. Eggs are also a great source of nutrition, providing protein, vitamin B12, and natural vitamin D. These nutrients are important, especially in aging adults, so consuming egg dishes, like frittatas, is a great way to stay healthy.
Best of all, frittatas can even be frozen! Allow it to cool, then wrap it in Saran wrap and place in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. It’ll stay good in the freezer for up to three months. When you’d like to serve it, bake it from frozen on a baking sheet in a 275 degree oven. After about 20 minutes, it will be ready for you to enjoy!
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Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
Cook the meats in a large cast iron skillet (mine is 12 inches in diameter). This should be the same pan that you’ll use to cook the frittata.
Remove cooked meats from skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Set the cooked pieces of meat on paper towels to drain.
- Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper.
- If you do not have fat from cooking the meats in the skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in cast iron skillet. Pour egg mixture into skillet.
- Gently pour meats into egg mixture.
- Distribute shredded cheese evenly over the top of the frittata.
- I like to use the back of a spoon to gently press the ingredients into the egg mixture. You don’t really need to do this, but I like the cheese to be a part of the frittata, not just a topper.
- Cook the frittata over medium heat until the eggs begin to set around the edges. At that point, the oven will continue the frittata’s cooking process for you.
You’ll know the eggs are ready when you can slip a spatula between the edge of the skillet and your frittata and the eggs pull away from the pan. However the majority of the frittata will still be raw and jiggly.
- Bake the frittata in preheated oven for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Allow frittata to rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Frittata can be served hot or at room temperature. Serve with sour cream and green onions, if desired.
What Should I Pair With Frittata?
- For breakfast, try it with fruit salad, hash browns, or pastries like our Cinnamon Cream Cheese Puffs
- At lunchtime, enjoy your frittata with a hearty soup, like our Split Pea
- With side dishes like Cheesy Potato Casserole, Roasted Broccoli, or Summer Spaghetti Salad, dinner is delicious!
The Ultimate Meat Lovers’ Frittata
Course: Breakfast/Brunch, Keto-Friendly, Main Dishes8
servings15
minutes15
minutes30
minutesMeat Lovers’ Frittata is a quick egg recipe that’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anything in between!
Ingredients
1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
2 cups cooked bulk pork sausage
1 cup cooked, cubed ham
1 dozen eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
*2 tablespoons butter (*if fat from cooking meats is not available)
Sour cream (optional for serving)
Green onions, sliced (optional for serving)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
Cook the meats in a large cast iron skillet (mine is 12 inches in diameter). This should be the same pan that you’ll use to cook the frittata.
Remove cooked meats from skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Set meat on paper towels to drain. - Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper.
- If you do not have fat from cooking the meats in the skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in cast iron skillet. Pour egg mixture into skillet.
- Gently pour meats into egg mixture.
- Distribute shredded cheese evenly over the top of the frittata.
- Optional – Use the back of a spoon to gently press the ingredients into the egg mixture.
- Cook the frittata over medium heat until the eggs begin to set around the edges. At that point, the oven will continue the frittata’s cooking process for you.
The eggs are ready when a spatula can be slipped between the edge of the skillet and your frittata, and it pulls the eggs away from the pan. However the majority of the frittata will still be raw and jiggly. - Bake the frittata in preheated oven for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Allow frittata to rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Frittata can be served hot or at room temperature. Serve with sour cream and green onions, if desired.
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These look so good. I’ve never had a frittata, but think I need to give it a try!
Absolutely! They’re a great way to use up leftover meat and veggies.
Looks so yummy!
Thank you! I especially love it for breakfast if I have a busy day ahead. It keeps me chugging along!
Wow….if only I wasn’t vegan. hahaha Looks freaking amazing!
Ha ha ha! This is about as opposite of vegan as you can get, isn’t it? Thanks for popping in and checking it out in spite of that. I really appreciate your support!
What a great recipe!
Thanks, Barbara! If you give it a try, let us know what you think!
This looks delicious! I like that it is keto friendly.
Thank you! I am enjoying the challenge of finding and creating yummy keto-friendly dishes. I’m glad you found value in it!
This one looks delish. I love frittatas and make them often.
They’re a quick and easy way to use up leftovers in a way that doesn’t seem so … well … leftover-y!
Love frittatas and this looks so good. Cast iron is also very healthy to use for a good supplementation of iron.
Yes, you are exactly right! I am going to be writing more about cast iron in the near future.
Wow this looks amazing! Thanks for the recipe! We are definitely meat lovers.
I hope you enjoy it. If I don’t have ham on hand I use sliced mushrooms instead for a slightly different variation.
Sounds like a yummy frittata!
Thank you! It’s one of my favorites.
This sounds tasty! We will have to add it to the recipes to try list!
It’s so nice to find new recipes to try. I’m glad I could help!
We make fritatta’s often… with a cast iron skillet too! We try different combinations of veggies (usually whats in our fridge), but will occasionally throw in some bacon or chicken in as well. I love the versatility!
Yes, we do the same thing. Leftover veggies or meats get a new, glamorous life in a frittata!
I will probably use milk to try and make this because I don’t have cream readily available. I do, however, have my cast iron skillet.
The more fat in the milk, the better it will turn out. Good luck!
Great recipe and information about frittatas. Thanks for sharing.
I’m happy to share what I know with you, and I’m glad you found it useful!
My husband would love this! The more meat the better!
I’m a sucker for bacon myself!
This looks delicious! Breakfast is our favorite meal in our house so we would eat this all the time. So making this this weekend.
Us too! We do breakfast for dinner on a pretty regular basis.
Yum, I love frittatas!!! I’ll be trying this one!
They’re so easy, but they still sound fascinating and exotic.
Sounds delicious! I’m going to make this for my husband.
Thank you! I’ve noticed that an awful lot of husbands have been “liking” this one!
Love it! Keep the Keto recipes coming!!!
Thanks! I just started keto in January. Tt’s a bit of a game to try to convert my favorite “old” foods into keto equivalents.
This sounds really good and super easy to make.
It sure is, on both counts!