My delightfully herbaceous kale and zucchini frittata is a fresh, healthy, and satisfying egg dish that’s perfect for kick-starting your morning. Loaded with nutrients and bursting with fragrance and flavor, this is a simple breakfast that packs a mighty punch!
How do you like your eggs in the morning? On toast, Huevos Rancheros style? Maybe you’re into scrambled eggs with pesto and sun-dried tomato? Or perhaps you’re a shakshuka fan. Honestly, me too!
Don’t get me wrong, I love all of these egg-cellent dishes. But today, I was craving something new for breakfast – a Kale Frittata. This delightfully fluffy Italian egg dish is hearty, creamy, and seriously versatile. Not to mention very straightforward to make!
My kale frittata is positively loaded with the good stuff. Zingy green onion, earthy kale, creamy zucchini, and aromatic basil combine to create a green medley that’ll set you up for the day. Plus, it tastes utterly divine!
Enjoy this morning marvel with some crusty bread, a salad, or even a dollop of yogurt. I love to make my frittata on a Sunday night so I have breakfast ready for the whole week. What’s more, it stores well and tastes equally delicious hot or cold!
Dreamy.
Ingredients for my Kale and Zucchini Frittata
Here’s the list of ingredients for my stunning kale frittata. You should be able to find them all in your local supermarket!
Olive Oil: To cook your greens! I use olive oil because I love the flavor it offers, but any other neutral oil will do if that’s what you have to hand.
Kale: This leafy green is a first-class superfood. It’s rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale loses some of its bitterness when cooked and takes on a luscious, savory depth.
Green Onion: Also known as scallion or spring onion. Cut the white base and the top of your onions off and just use the best parts! Green onions have a milder taste than their traditional red or white cousins. So, the flavor balances nicely with your other veg.
Basil: Use fresh basil if you can. These magic leaves are loaded with earthy, peppery fragrance. Basil will bring a kick to your breakfast and smells fabulous, too!
Zucchini: Shredded zucchini keeps things moist and does a lot of the heavy lifting for the texture and composition. Plus, it essentially acts as hidden veggies if you’re feeding this to kiddos!
Salt: No recipe is complete without a pinch of the good stuff. I use kosher salt, but sea salt or rock salt works just as well!
Eggs: It’d be a sad frittata without eggs! Beat the eggs well to properly mix the yolk and whites to ensure a consistent structure throughout your dish.
Cheese: I use jack cheese or cheddar for gentle sharpness. Cheese brings more flavor to your kale and zucchini masterpiece. But it also crisps up wonderfully to give your frittata an appetizing, golden top.
Recipe Customizations
- If kale isn’t your thing, I’ve made this recipe with spinach or chard before. Chop up your leaves in the same way you would the kale. You can leave baby spinach intact as it’ll wither down in the pan.
- Why not experiment with different cheeses? I’ve gone with jack cheese or cheddar as I’m not a huge fan of strong cheeses, but any grated variety will do the trick. Try feta or goat’s cheese for a Mediterranean twist! Or, forego the cheese entirely to make this recipe dairy-free.
- If you’re health-conscious and looking for a higher-protein, lower-fat alternative, make this recipe using egg whites rather than whole eggs. You may find the texture of your kale frittata is less creamy and more airy, but it tastes just as good!
Tips for the perfect frittata
- You can use a regular box grater to shred your zucchini, but I find a food processor saves me a lot of time and arm ache! Slice your zucchini into smaller chunks and feed it in a bit at a time to get a nice, even texture.
- If your kale frittata sticks to the pan when you try to remove it, your pan likely isn’t hot enough.
What Does It Taste Like?
Ooh, it’s fresh.
The kale and zucchini intertwine beautifully, lacing your frittata with rich, buttery, nutty goodness. There’s a peppery kick from the basil, and a wonderful creaminess from those beaten eggs.
Imagine breakfast at sunrise on the Italian Riviera and you’re not far off!
How to Make Kale and Zucchini Frittata
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Shred the zucchini and place the strands in a fine strainer. Place it over the sink, and squeeze it with your hands until most of the water has come out. There’s no need to get it all, but try your best to extract as much as you can – it’ll help give your frittata a creamy, even texture.
You’ll need a 10-12 inch oven-safe skillet. Heat your olive oil over medium heat, then add the kale and stir until it just starts to soften. Then, cover the skillet for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the kale to cook down.
Remove the cover, add your green onion and basil, and saute for a further couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it all to completely cool to room temperature.
Beat all your eggs in a mixing bowl until you have a uniform consistency, then stir in the shredded and drained zucchini, salt, and cheese. Add in your green onion and basil, and thoroughly mix everything to incorporate all that veg into the eggs.
Pour the mixture back into your skillet, place the skillet in the oven, and bake for fifteen to eighteen minutes. Give the pan a gentle shake to check when it’s done: It’s ready when the middle no longer jiggles!
Though I’ve intended it as a breakfast recipe, you can truthfully enjoy this dish at any time of day. Why not stick it between some bread for a lunchtime sandwich? Or pair a slice with potatoes and a helping of roasted root vegetables for a hearty dinner!
It’ll keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days, and it’s ready to enjoy hot or cold. Simply stick it in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees to reheat.
Wholesome, healthy, and easy to make, this recipe is an absolute winner that you can enjoy year-round. Let me know in the comments how you found making it!
Enjoyed starting the day with my kale and zucchini frittata? Try out some of my other breakfast ideas!
More Breakfast Recipes:
- Sausage and Egg Cottage Cheese Breakfast Casserole
- Oatmeal Blueberry Pancakes
- Chicken and Spinach Egg Cups
- Belgian Waffles
- Easy Spanish Omelette
Enjoy this high-protein, fiber-packed breakfast!
Zucchini and Kale Frittata
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves or chopped chard or spinach/chard/kale leaves
- 5 stalks green onion chopped
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 cups zucchini shredded (1 large or 2 small zucchinis)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup jack cheese or cheddar
Instructions
- Shred the zucchini and place it in a fine strainer. Placing the strainer on top of a bowl or over the sink, use your hands to squeeze the water out of the zucchini. It’s okay if you don’t squeeze all of the water out, but try to get the majority of it. Set shredded zucchini aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat olive oil in a 10 to 12” cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet to medium.
- Add spinach (or chard/kale leaves) and stir until greens begins to soften. Cover the skillet to allow greens to cook and soften, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the green onion and chopped basil and sauté another minute or two. Remove from heat and allow the greens to cool completely.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the shredded zucchini, salt, and cheese. Pour in the green mixture and mix everything well.
- Pour the egg and veggie mixture into the same skillet you were using to sauté the greens, making sure the mixture is evenly distributed.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cooked all the way through.
Nutrition
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I got this recipe from http://www.macrofare.com after paying $33. Are you aware of them selling this frittata recipe?
Ugh how frustrating… I’ll get in touch with them. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
How did I miss this post? I love a good frittata (we’ve been making them a lot recently) you should see my back office (theres a lot of weeds!) thanks for another great recipe lady!
This is the perfect end of summer meal — beautiful photos!
This is perfect breakfast for dinner food! Love it!
Yum Basil is a great addition to the humble frittata! Loving the kale recipes 🙂
I love this post! Your comparison to the front and back store is freaking hysterical. And I definitely need a swear jar and this frittata in my life!
Mmmmm that frittata looks good! My basil plant is dwindling and only has a handful of good sized leaves on it. I have been trying to think of ways to use them up quick! This looks so tasty! I love frittatas because you can do without the hassle of a crust. 🙂
Oh, my gosh. It’s like either Stephie or I could have written this about our workspace. I’m beginning to think that you and Stephie are twins separated at birth or something. It’s starting to get freaky. And, you don’t want either of us helping with that cleaning thing. We would just make a bigger disaster area. On another note, I love me a frittata, so this is getting pinned, and made.
Yup, we must be family! I have a feeling if the three of us got together to “clean” we’d end up with a nuclear bomb-like explosion….but the way I see it, things need to get worse before they get better, so I still think you should come over 😉
Are you kidding? Cleaning is why we have dudes around. They have to be useful for something….right? 😉
Love all the green goodness in this!
PS: You had me at beer and pizza. see ya soon. 😉
Love the addition of basil! I’ve been making pesto by the boat loads as soon as I lay my hands on it–I need to remind myself to reserve some for other uses!
This is so pretty and so my kind of food!! I love basil with everything and zucchini and kale are always good add ins!! Looks awesome!