Can we take an informal poll today? How many of you all secretly or not-so-secretly love cold, gloomy winter days? On the contrary, how many of you are desperate for warm, sunny spring days?
I’m firmly in the sunshine camp and generally assume that everyone else is in my camp, but my friend Mara lives for gray days. I don’t get it. I really don’t.
So, which side are you on? Either way, we’re here in the tail end of winter. This is the season when I crave cheesy, carb-heavy warmth via comfort food.
My solution to surviving winter and fitting into my spring wardrobe when the time comes is not to deny myself what I want, but to pack as much veggies and greens into it as possible. They offer bulk and fiber, not to mention vitamins and extra flavors.
This frittata was inspired by standard broccoli-cheddar quiche recipes, but I skipped the crust and added spinach for a boost of winter greens. It’s warm, rich and filling, and would go fabulously with roasted breakfast potatoes, whole-grain toast or a simple green side salad.
Frittatas are always great for brunch, but they’re also an easy weeknight dinner option. I steamed the broccoli in the pan for this frittata, so it’s a true one-skillet meal. It might not boast a revolutionary flavor combination, but it’s delicious and easy, and satisfies my comfort-food cravings.
Just be sure to start with high-quality ingredients. Organic brown eggs, spinach and delicious, freshly-grated cheddar go a long way in making this frittata taste stellar. I bought all of those ingredients at ALDI and my total at checkout was remarkably low. I love finding cost-saving solutions for healthy food that don’t sacrifice quality, and shopping at ALDI is one of them.
You can read more about why I appreciate ALDI stores in my sweet potato tostadas recipe, and check out their great healthy-eating resources, including recipes—including this frittata recipe, as well as videos and cooking tips on their blog, Hello, Healthy.
Watch How to Make Broccoli, Cheddar and Spinach Frittata
Broccoli, Cheddar & Spinach Frittata
This spinach, broccoli and cheddar frittata recipe is a simple breakfast, brunch or dinner! It’s vegetarian and gluten free. Recipe yields 6 large or 8 more modest slices.
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic, ¼ teaspoon of the salt and about 5 twists of freshly ground black pepper until well blended. Then whisk in about half of the cheese, reserving the other half for later.
- In a 10-inch, well-seasoned cast iron skillet or oven-safe sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the broccoli and water to the pan, then cover it with a lid (or a baking sheet) and steam the mixture until the broccoli is brighter green and easily pierced by a fork, about 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover, and add the spinach and green onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach has wilted, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Arrange the mixture in an even layer across the skillet. Whisk the egg mixture one last time and pour it into the pan. Sprinkle the frittata with the remaining cheese. Put the pan in the oven and bake until you can shimmy the pan by the handle (careful, it’s hot!) and see that the middle is just barely set, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Once the frittata is done baking, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing it into 6 large or 8 smaller wedges. Serve immediately. Leftover frittata will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days. Enjoy chilled or gently reheat.
Notes
Make it dairy free: Use a neutral-flavored, unsweetened non-dairy milk and omit the cheese.
Change it up: For a classic broccoli-cheddar frittata, simply omit the spinach. Or, substitute your greens of choice—baby arugula and chard would work well.
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. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This post was created in partnership with ALDI and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
