I think we can all agree that eggs are the most magical food ever. I mean…fried, scrambled, poached, boiled, baked, omeleted (is that a verb?), in sandwiches and salads, on bowls, cooked into pancakes and muffins and brownies and cookies and cakes, oh my! All while offering 13 vitamins and minerals, 6g of complete protein, healthy fats (including DHA), and carotenoids. You might say one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. I would.
Yep, eggs are pretty darn awesome, and the frittata is one of my all-time favorite ways to let them shine. Especially THIS FRITTATA, loaded with crisp bacon, all the best veggies, flavor-loaded sun-dried tomatoes, and as much smoky, melty cheese as your heart desires.
No holding back.
The Formula
This recipe is very similar to the Hawaiian Bacon Cheddar Veggie Frittata I recently posted. I don’t want to seem too repetitive, but there’s a reason for it: YOU NEED MORE FRITTATA IN YOUR LIFE. And this basic formula makes for the ultimate frittata of your dreams, every single time:
- sautéed veggies (including plenty of garlic of course)
- steamed baby potatoes
- an extra protein (like bacon or crab)
- herbs/spices
- whipped eggs
- cheese
The bacon cooks first, then the veggies go in and soak up every bit of browned goodness, just until crisp-tender. Then, so we don’t miss out on any flavor, nor waste any time or extra pans, all the yumminess bakes together right in the skillet for a fluffy, textured, hearty, flavor-loaded, melty frittata of love. And it’s out of the oven in just TEN MINUTES. Not kidding.
This recipe is meant to be versatile, so feel free to adapt it to what you have on-hand or get creative. Asparagus instead of bell pepper? Absolutely. White cheddar instead of smoked gouda? Go for it. Italian seasoning instead of herbs de Provence? Go for it. Extra cheese? Heck yes.
You get the point. The main thing is to keep in mind cooking times. For instance, root veggies need longer to cook (so I steam my baby potatoes a few minutes before adding them), while greens like spinach wilt in about half a second (so spinach is the last veggie I stir in).
Bacon Veggie Sun-dried Tomato Frittata
Soft eggs baked in a skillet with bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, tender potatoes, garlicky veggies, and plenty of cheese. Healthy, versatile, satisfying, and comforting, this frittata makes the perfect meal any time of day. Takes only 12 minutes to bake, and for one serving, you get HALF of the entire skillet!
Notes
*You can sub smoked gouda with mozzarella, fontina, white cheddar, provolone...
**Alternatively, try Italian seasoning or Hawaiian rub (Italian seasoning + dried garlic + paprika + sea salt + pepper)
***You can also boil the potatoes whole until just tender (about 15 minutes, depending on size); transfer to cutting board, then chop when cool.
Ingredients
- 148 g baby potatoes (about 1 cup chopped)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 1-1.5 oz smoked gouda, shredded*
- 1 tsp dried Herbs de provence**
- generous pinch sea salt
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 slices bacon (I use turkey bacon)
- 1-2 Tbsp chicken broth, white wine, or water
- 1/4 cup sliced yellow onion
- 4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
- 12g sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º.
- Chop baby potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place in a steamer basket over 1-2 inches boiling water in a saucepan; cover and steam about 11 minutes. Remove from heat. (They should be fork-tender, but can still be slightly firm.)***
- Meanwhile, crack eggs and whites into a large mixing bowl. Whisk just until the yolks and whites are blended. Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper.
- In a 10" nonstick skillet, cook {turkey} bacon over medium-low heat on each side until crisp; set aside. (If skillet is dry at this point or not using nonstick, add up to 1 tsp olive oil and swirl to coat.)
- Over medium heat, add onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and a splash of broth; stir to scrape up browned bits from pan. Sauté about 3 minutes, then stir in garlic and cook about 1 minute longer, or until peppers are crisp-tender. Add steamed diced potatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach; stir until spinach wilts. (If needed, add another 1/2 Tbsp broth or cover skillet 1-2 minutes to help spinach wilt.) Turn off heat.
- Tear bacon into small pieces and shred cheese, and sprinkle both evenly over veggies in the skillet. Finally, pour in whisked egg/herbs.
- Transfer entire skillet to oven and bake 10-12 minutes, or until eggs are set. Use a potholder to remove skillet from oven. Slice with a spatula. Makes 2 generous servings!
