Name: Green Eggs & No Ham (Asparagus-Zucchini Frittata)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 6 large eggs; 1 ounce frozen spinach (or substitute fresh); 2 ounces whole milk; 1 ounce Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, grated; 4 ounces asparagus, trimmed reserving ends (about 7 spears); 1 medium zucchini (about 3 ounces), sliced thinly (85g); 2 1/2 ounces white or yellow onion, sliced thinly; fresh rosemary, sage, and parsley (optional but recommended); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (more or less depending on your preference)s

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If you're looking for a healthy and delicious way to sneak more veggies into your breakfasts (or any meal), this green egg frittata recipe is the way to go! It's easy to make, super tasty, and looks pretty stunning on your table too. Fresh herbs, seasonal asparagus, zucchini, and fresh (or frozen) spinach give this frittata its gorgeous color (and layers of flavor). Grated Grana Padano cheese and sauteéd Borettane onions (the flat Italian ones) add just the right amount of sweet and buttery richness to balance out the flavors of the vegetables and help keep this brunch favorite in the lower calorie range.

perfectly pan-seared asparagus tips lying on a white plate with the spear tips to the left side

perfectly pan-searing zucchini rounds in a cast-iron skillet

a top down view of green frittata ingredients neatly laid out in a black cast-iron pan with the caramelized onions on the perimeter, 7 spears of asparagus arranged from left to right with gaps in between each spear that contain columns of zucchini running the length of the asparagus and 3 sage leaves in the very middle of the middle spears

green frittata with golden brown top on a white plate on a kitchen tea towel and grey linen table cloth

How to Create an Inspired Frittata in Your Own Kitchen

I LOVE a good frittata with all its freshly grated cheese, olive oil, seasonal veggies, and sometimes with a little ham and sprinkling of herbs. For this vegetarian frittata recipe, I highlighted the fresh baby zucchini and asparagus that were delivered in our latest "cassetta" (the crate of organic local fruits and veggies we get a couple of times a month). The baby zucchini had the flowers still intact, so I also made "Fiori di zucchina fritti" (fried zucchini flowers), but that's for another post. I wanted to up the anty on the veggies I incorporated, so I pulled out the little bit of frozen spinach I had left in the freezer which I knew would make this frittata SUPER GREEN, extra nutritious, and worthy of its name. At this point, I had only one decision left to make -- keep the recipe on the healthier side, or go all out and add as much grated cheese as would normally be added. Since we're getting close to summer and swimsuit season, I opted for the less-is-more approach and I'm glad I did because it still tastes great without the extra cheese (and calories). There are endless combinations of vegetables that can be used in this recipe. Allow your pantry and fridge (especially those veggies in the crisper that really need to be used up) to determine your next frittata. Frittatas are a great way to use up what you already have lying around your kitchen or in the fridge.

top down view of green frittata on a white plate resting on a linen tea towel with veggie and fruit print in muted sage greens and oranges

a bite of green frittata on a fork with closeup of green ingredients inside

What's a Frittata -- The Difference Between an Omelet + an Italian Frittata

A frittata is a classic Italian egg dish that might be best described as the Italian version of an open-face omelet. In its simplest form, the frittata is made up of a mixture of eggs, olive oil, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, or pecorino cheeses cooked in a skillet on the stovetop or oven (or a combination of both) and it's both usually on the thin side, yet deliciously substantial. In a frittata, any additional ingredients like veggies or meat typically get laid into the pan and the egg is poured over them whereas, in an omelet, the ingredients get placed on top of the mixture and the cooked egg is folded over itself. The frittata is cooked over low heat on the stovetop, OR it gets finished off under the broiler in the oven. It's not rich like quiche because it typically lacks the addition of any dairy and should never leave you feeling heavy. Frittatas are delicious and usually eaten for "secondi" (after pasta or another type of "primi" which is the first dish of a multicourse meal). This dish is typically eaten at room temperature which allows all of the flavors to meld together and makes it easy to prepare ahead of time. This is also one of the first recipes that Italian kiddos learn how to make because it's so simple. If you love omelets and egg dishes in general, we think you'll love this frittata (or your own inspired version of it!).

whole brown eggs in the paper holder, olive oil bottle, onion, zucchini, asparagus, milk, Grana padano cheese chunk, dried red chili, fresh sage, rosemary and parsley with black pepper and pink Himalayan salt on a cutting board

Italian Frittata Ingredients

Feel free to enjoy it the way the Italians do and at least double the amount of grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese. It'll increase the calories, but it tastes amazing. And if you're vegan, lose the dairy altogether and substitute oat milk and vegan cheese. This is a versatile dish that may even give you some street cred with your kiddos if they think The Hulk, Sam-I-Am, or Popeye gave you the recipe! Feel free to add in other favorite vegetables that your kiddos already love like thinly sliced carrot ribbons or red bell pepper for a hint of natural sweetness and additional color.

6 large eggs
1 ounce frozen spinach (or substitute fresh)
2 ounces whole milk
1 ounce Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, grated
4 ounces asparagus, trimmed reserving ends (about 7 spears)
1 medium zucchini (about 3 ounces), sliced thinly (85g)
2 ½ ounces white or yellow onion, sliced thinly
fresh rosemary, sage, and parsley (optional but recommended)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (more or less depending on your preference)s

pureed green mixture of spinach and grated cheese poured into the bowl of cracked eggs making a beautiful contrast of colors and textures

How to Make an Italian Frittata

Slice onions and zucchini. Slice the onions and zucchini and set aside.
Crack the eggs. Crack the eggs into a bowl and set aside.
Trim the asparagus. Clean and trim the tender ends off of the asparagus.
Blanch the asparagus and asparagus ends. In a medium pot of lightly salted boiling water, blanch the asparagus and end pieces for 1 minute until bright green and remove the end pieces to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Pan-sear the asparagus spears. Strain the spears and place them into a preheated skillet with a drizzle of olive oil, season with salt and black pepper and cook over medium-high heat until you start to see some browning on the bottoms. Remove the spears to a plate.
Blanch the spinach. In the same salted boiling water, blanch the spinach for about 1 minute and remove it to the same bowl of ice water with the asparagus ends.
Purée spinach + asparagus ends. Add the milk to the processor with blanched asparagus and spinach and process until it's bright green and smooth.
Sauté the onions + herbs. In the same skillet as used for the asparagus, add the onions, herbs a little olive oil, and salt to taste and saute over medium heat until the onions have slightly caramelized and the herbs are crispy, but not burnt.
Blend the eggs + veggie purée. Mix the green veggie puree with the eggs, add salt and black pepper to taste, and whisk vigorously to make the mixture light and fluffy. Add the grated cheese and whisk a bit more to incorporate the ingredients.
Sauté the zucchini. In a separate skillet preheated to medium-high heat, sauté the zucchini until nicely golden brown, season with salt, flip over and cook just a few minutes more.
Assemble + cook the frittata. Add all of the sautéed veggies and herbs to a cast-iron (or other non-stick) skillet and arrange them any way you prefer. Gently pour the egg mixture over the top of the preheated pan for about 8 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid, place a platter or large plate on top of the skillet so you can flip the frittata out onto the plate. Quickly slide the frittata back into the skillet with the browned top facing you, so that the other side can cook for about 8 more minutes without the lid, or until the egg mixture is cooked through. Serve on a platter or in the skillet and sprinkle a little extra cheese on top if you wish. Serve it with a fresh fruit salad, a side of ham or bacon, and Enjoy!

closeup of super bright green vine leaves looking so bright they almost appear to be fluorescent — super green ivy growing as a privacy fence

stainless steel sculpture of The Hulk Organ with a double keyboard built into his chest, stomach hip and thigh, and organ pipes coming out of his back, Jeff Koons exhibit, MoMA Museum NYC, NY — Jeff Koons stainless steel Hulk Organ sculpture, Whitney Museum, NYC, NY

a secret tree-lined garden and pathway in Italy with a disintegrating statue to the right of a topless woman looking off to the side with branches from a nearby tree with its green leaves covering her bottom half bikini area as if it were put there on purpose, but of course this is just art and nature at it’s finest — a sculpture found in a fairly secret garden

green and graffitied US postal service box in NYC, NY with a heart spray-painted on it and a flyer taped to it with pull-off phone numbers at the bottom for an apartment for rent — a random mailbox in my neighborhood, East Village, NYC

Popeye fist pumping in the air and holding real red roses sculpture at the Whitney Museum, NYC, NY (old location of the museum) — Popeye sculpture, Whitney Museum, NYC, NY (old location)

fresh Italian lime trees in Abruzzo Italy, closeup of 5-6 limes — lime trees in Abruzzo, Italy at an agriturismo

looking out of my friend's house in Perugia Italy through a window to the white gravel driveway landscaped with olive and fruit trees and the bluest of blue skies — a view out of my friend's window, Perugia, Italy

my feet in black leather Frye high tops with white shoe laces in black jeans on a set of stairs leading down to the water on the canal in Venice, Italy — Venice canal steps leading into the water

What are some other ways I can use this frittata recipe?

cut into small pieces and served as an appetizer
use it to make rolls or pinwheels out of (although you may want to substitute more zucchini for the asparagus in this recipe if you decide to do that because it folds better!)
on a sandwich with ham or turkey and tomatoes
diced into cubes and used as a salad topper (it's great this way and is sort of like a gluten-free "crouton")