Spinach Frittata (Italian)
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This Spinach Frittata (Italian) with fresh spinach is a go-to in our home for busy weeknights or lazy weekend brunches. It comes together in just over 30 minutes with simple ingredients—and it’s every bit as delicious as the classic version you’ll find in Italy. Wholesome, flavorful, and comforting!
We love Italian frittatas in all ways! Including this Ricotta and Pea Frittata Recipe.
Quick Look: Spinach Frittata (Italian)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 6 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian and Gluten-free
- Method: Oven-baked (start on the stovetop, finish in the oven)
- Technique: Sauté onions and spinach, then fold into eggs and ricotta. Pour into a buttered dish and bake until set and lightly golden.
- Flavor & Texture: Creamy, tender, and savory with a custardy interior and a lightly golden top.
Why You’ll Love This Italian Frittata!
A simple frittata makes a great brunch, lunch, or dinner dish. This Italian frittata recipe is packed with spinach, white onions, farm-fresh eggs, ricotta cheese, and fresh parmigiano cheese!
It’s basically a crustless quiche, which takes way less time to prepare and still provides the same delicious filling! The ricotta makes the spinach frittata extra soft and less “eggy” than your traditional frittata recipe.
Most of all, it transports easily, looks beautiful and is great to make ahead of time. If you love spinach, make sure to try Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip or Spinach Manicotti too.
Made With Amoré,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This flavorful frittata relies on a few key ingredients to create a simple, satisfying dish.
- Fresh spinach: I prefer using fresh spinach in this Italian frittata recipe. Frozen spinach will work but you will need to squeeze it very well.
- Parmigiano: This adds some nutty and savory flavors to the egg mixture. Don’t forget to sprinkle it on top before baking too.
- Eggs: This is a dish where EGGS shine! The better quality eggs the more tasty, custardy, and delicious your Italian frittata will taste.
- Ricotta Cheese: This adds a creamy element to the dish
- Breadcrumbs: The baking dish is dusted with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs to keep it from sticking to the sides of your pan. I prefer plain fine breadcrumbs rather than panko or seasoned breadcrumbs.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Swap out the spinach. When I was little, my Nonna Laura made sweet petite peas and onion often and would use any leftovers in a frittata the next day. You can do this with any other leftover sautéed veggies you have on hand, like sautéed zucchini and onion or ratatouille.
- Try it with mushrooms: Use the directions for the recipes in this recipe for polenta and mushrooms.
- Different cheese: Parmigiano is an Italian classic but you can easily swap it out for another hard cheese such as Pecorino Romano or Asiago.
- Muffin pan frittatas: Instead of making one frittata, you can use a muffin pan or oven-safe ramekins to make individual portions, similar to what you would use to make small creme caramel desserts.
How to Make Spinach Frittata (Italian)
This Italian Frittata with Spinach, Onion, and Ricotta is a creamy, savory, and effortlessly elegant dish that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- To get started, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, gather all your ingredients, and the round baking dish you plan to use. Grease your 9″ round tart or pie dish with butter and dust with bread crumbs. Make sure to cover the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Cook the onion in olive oil on medium-high heat until translucent and soft. Add the spinach, garlic, and homemade Italian seasoning to the pan.
My Pro Tip
You can use a cast iron pan or oven-safe skillet to cook everything in one dish. Start the Italian frittata on the stovetop and then finish it in the oven. In my family, we sauté the veggies first, let them cool slightly, then mix them with the eggs and bake in a tart or pie dish for a prettier presentation.
- Cook an additional 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove it from the heat to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Whip the eggs in a large mixing bowl until perfectly uniform and slightly foamy. You can do this by hand or with an electric mixer. Add the ricotta and mix again until well incorporated. Add the parmigiano and mix to combine.
- Add the spinach and onions to the egg and ricotta mixture.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle additional parmigiano on top. Bake your Italian frittata at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
Spinach Frittata (Italian) FAQs
Store your spinach frittata in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To freeze, let the frittata cool completely, then cut it into slices, and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw the frittata overnight in the fridge and warm until heated through.
The oven is your best option for reheating! Place the slices in a baking dish, cover loosely with foil, and warm at 325°F for 8–12 minutes. This keeps the texture tender and custardy. You can also reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or pop a slice in the microwave for 30–45 seconds—just note it may dry out a bit.
Absolutely! You can select the “2X” option in the recipe to automatically double all the ingredients. You can use a 9 x 13 rectangular baking dish or 2 ceramic pie plates for baking.
Yes, you can. Sauté your veggies and whisk the egg mixture ahead of time. Once cooled, combine everything, pour into your baking dish, and cover tightly. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before popping it in the oven.
A perfectly baked frittata should appear set in the center. This means it will be slightly puffed and give a gentle jiggle when you shake the pan. If you insert a knife or toothpick near the center, it should come out mostly clean with just a hint of custard clinging to it.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy your spinach frittata hot, at room temperature, or cold as leftovers. It’s great served for brunch with bomboloni and Italian fruit salad. It is also super versatile and hearty enough to be served on its own with a slice of homemade Italian ciabatta bread or no knead focaccia bread. Turn it into a lunch or light dinner with a large salad like this fennel and citrus salad or a farro salad.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Beat Eggs Well. This is a step you don’t want to miss or you won’t reach that unified creamy consistency you desire in this Italian frittata recipe. You don’t want to see striations of yolk or egg white. It should be a unified color and texture.
- Use Full Fat Dairy. Whole milk, ricotta, sour cream, yogurt, or crème fraîche are all great options. Anything less than a full-fat product will not have the desired outcome and texture. This is due to the added “junk’ that is added to make products “low-fat”.
- Do Not Use Fresh Veggies. Cook the veggies FIRST and separately. If you add raw vegetables, it will create a watery soupy mess when making this Italian frittata recipe.
- Do Not Over Bake! A frittata should have the consistency of an egg custard. If you bake your spinach frittata too long, it will taste like dry scrambled eggs- yuck!
More Egg Recipes
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Spinach Frittata
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups fresh spinach
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup parmigiano, plus more for topping
- 6 large eggs
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese, 200 grams
- salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon homemade Italian seasoning, optional
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 1 pat butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a 9″ round tart or pie dish with butter and dust with bread crumbs until bottom and sides of pan are evenly coated.
- In a medium skillet, on medium high heat, add olive oil and onion. Cook 5 minutes until translucent and soft.
- Add spinach, garlic, and optional homemade Italian seasoning to the pan. Cook an additional 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let cool about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime make the egg filling. In a large mixing bowl- whip the eggs, by hand or with an electric mixer, until perfectly uniform and slightly foamy. Add the ricotta and mix again until well incorporated. Add the parmigiano and mix to combine.
- Add the spinach and onions to the egg and ricotta mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle additional parmigiano if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
- Serve hot, room temperature, or cold as leftovers.
Notes
- Beat Eggs Well. This is a step you don’t want to miss or you won’t reach that unified creamy consistency you desire in this Italian frittata recipe. You don’t want to see striations of yolk or egg white. It should be a unified color and texture.
- Use Full Fat Dairy. Whole milk, ricotta, sour cream, yogurt, or crème fraîche are all great options. Anything less than a full-fat product will not have the desired outcome and texture. This is due to the added “junk’ that is added to make products “low-fat”.
- Do Not Use Fresh Veggies. Cook the veggies FIRST and separately. If you add raw vegetables, it will create a watery soupy mess when making this Italian frittata recipe.
- Do Not Over Bake! A frittata should have the consistency of an egg custard. If you bake your spinach frittata too long, it will taste like dry scrambled eggs- yuck!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A recipe we make often since it is filling and delicious!