There are two things I like to make when I am using up what I have left in the refrigerator: Soup, and Frittatas. You’ve got some broccoli, some greens, a bit of chicken left from dinner, and next thing you know, you’ve got a terrific Paleo meal that does not in any way feel like “leftovers.”

It’s very much like a crustless quiche without any cheese, or an omelette made in the shape of a pizza.

A frittata can be sliced up and kept for a couple of days in glass containers– and while it seems like a breakfast, it also makes a terrific brunch or lunch, especially when paired with a salad or extra veggies, or even some cubed and roasted sweet potatoes. Frittata slices are a fast brown-bag lunch item, too! You can warm the frittata slices quickly in a toaster oven to reheat (I like this one— I recommend reducing your use of a microwave, and toaster ovens make that simple to do).

Here’s my personal formula for the perfect frittata every time. You may need to adjust for your own pan, stove, and broiler, so watch carefully the first time you make yours.

  • Whatever veggies and greens you have– broccoli, zucchini, carrots, red pepper, asparagus, almost anything
  • Whatever high-quality, pasture-raised protein you have–chicken, turkey, cooked sausage, cooked bacon, and salmon are the best choices (optional if you do have plenty of veggies)
  • 9 pasture-raised eggs
  • High-heat-tolerant oil like avocado oil or coconut oil (refined to remove coconut fragrance)
  • Spices, salt, and pepper to your taste
  • 10-inch skillet with a lid that fits, that can safely go from stove top to oven/broiler
  1. Chop your veggies into bite-size pieces. If you have carrots, you’ll want to shred them.
  2. Crack all 9 eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk them together, blending well and whipping a bit of air into them.
  3. Add spices and herbs of your choice to the egg mixture. If you’re using salmon, perhaps some dill. If you’re using chicken, maybe some basil and thyme.  Add salt and pepper to taste, maybe 1/2 tsp. of salt for the whole mixture, as you wish.
  4. Use plenty of oil to prevent sticking. Warm your skillet on the stove over medium/medium-low heat.
  5. Also pre-heat your oven’s broiler at this time.
  6. If your veggies are raw, like onions, garlic, or carrots, spend 2-3 minutes cooking them in the oiled skillet before adding any pre-cooked vegetables. At this point I like to mound up the pan with fresh greens and put the lid on for 3 minutes to wilt them.
  7. Once the veggies are warm, any raw veggies are cooked, and any greens are wilted down, it’s time to add the egg mixture. Pour it in and stir extremely gently to combine the veggies and eggs.
  8. Turn the stove down to the lowest setting, and put on the lid. Cook for 7 minutes.
  9. As soon as your timer rings for the 7 minutes, take the lid off and move your skillet immediately to the broiler to finish cooking the top for 2 minutes, MAYBE 3 minutes, depending upon your broiler. Watch carefully! When the frittata is nicely browned, remove quickly and turn off the oven.
  10. Use a rubber scraper or spatula to loosen all of the edges of the frittata, then remove the entire thing to a large round plate. Slice your round frittata just like a pizza. I suggest 6 pieces as a great serving size. (For 6 pieces, each piece has 1. 5 eggs. If you have two pieces, you are eating 3 eggs.)