Ratatouille Frittata

April 05, 2018

My brain is a couple months ahead and I’m so ready for summer, so I’m going to break out a couple summer vegetable recipes now instead of waiting. I just can’t wait any longer. I need summer freshness. Thankfully we live in a day and age when we can get produce pretty much all year long. So while this Ratatouille Frittata might be less expensive and a little more tasty in July or August when these vegetables are actually in season, it’s also kind of a life saver at the end of winter when spring is trying furiously to break through and you’re just totally over it.

I love the rich and complex flavors of ratatouille and have wanted to combine them with a frittata for a while. I did have to do things a little differently to bring these two dishes together into one, so I would say this is more like a ratatouille inspired frittata. Ratatouille is usually vegetables stewed down in a pot until they’re soft, complex, and delicious, but all that moisture spells disaster for a frittata. So, I roasted my vegetables in the oven to produce a drier end product, while still achieving a sweet and complex flavor, then transferred them to a skillet to finish off like a traditional frittata. I also added a little Parmesan on top because I love Parm, but you can substitute another cheese (mozz or feta would be awesome), or leave it off if that fits your dietary needs.

This vegetable filled ratatouille inspired frittata is an awesome dish for brunch, but is also a great lunch option for those who follow a low carb diet or are simply trying to work more vegetables into their daily menu. You can serve it with a slice of crusty bread, or with a cup of hot soup and maybe a small simple salad on the side.

Ratatouille Frittata

Ratatouille Frittata combines the rich and complex flavors of ratatouille with the ease of an egg frittata. Great for low carb dieters or using up that summer bumper crop!

1 eggplant ($1.29)
1 zucchini ($0.69)
1 yellow onion ($0.45)
1 pint grape tomatoes ($1.99)
1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
pinch crushed red pepper ($0.02)
pinch salt and pepper ($0.05)
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided ($0.39)
2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
6 large eggs ($1.62)
1/4 cup milk ($0.09)
1 oz. Parmesan ($0.47)

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Dice the eggplant and zucchini into 1-inch pieces. Slice the onion into 1/2-inch strips. Place the eggplant, zucchini, onion, and grape tomatoes (whole) onto a large baking sheet.
Sprinkle the basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper over the vegetables. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of the olive oil over top, then toss the vegetables until they are coated in oil and spices.
Roast the vegetables for 50 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so, or until they are wilted and browned on the edges, and all the grape tomatoes have burst.
When the vegetables are almost finished roasting, add the last tablespoon of olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes, or just until it is soft and fragrant. Make sure to spread the oil up the sides of the skillet to help prevent the eggs from sticking.
Add the roasted vegetables to the skillet with the garlic and stir to combine. Briefly whisk the eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a separate bowl, then pour them over top of the vegetables in the skillet. Finally, top the eggs and vegetables with shredded Parmesan.
Transfer the hot skillet to the oven (still at 400ºF) and bake the dish for about 30 minutes, or until the eggs have puffed slightly and are golden brown around the edges. The total baking time will vary slightly depending on the type of cookware and the temperature of the contents before they go in the oven.
Once the frittata has baked, remove it from the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes, slice it into eight pieces, and serve.

Step by Step Photos

These are the vegetables that I used for my “ratatouille” portion of my frittata. One eggplant, one zucchini, one onion, and one pint of grape tomatoes. Usually there is a bell pepper in the mix, too, but I needed to make sure the vegetables would actually fit in my skillet, so that one didn’t make the cut. If I had a smaller eggplant, I would have included a bell pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Dice the eggplant and zucchini into 1-inch pieces. Slice the onion into 1/2-inch strips, and leave the tomatoes whole. Place them on a large baking sheet and add 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over top, then toss the vegetables until they are coated.

Roast the vegetables for about 50 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so. You want the end product to be soft and browned on the edges, and hopefully all of the grape tomatoes will have burst and wilted. But while the vegetables are roasting…

Whisk together six large eggs, 1/4 cup milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set those aside.

When the vegetables are almost done roasting, add the last tablespoon of olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet (this is a 10″ Lodge skillet). Heat over medium and once hot add 2 minced cloves of garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, or just until it’s soft and fragrant. Make sure to get some of that oil up the sides of the skillet to help keep the eggs from sticking once they’re added.

Add the roasted vegetables to the skillet with the garlic and stir to combine.

Pour the whisked eggs over top and sprinkle a little Parmesan on top. The skillet should still be hot at this point, if it’s not, you may need to bake for a few minutes more.

Transfer the skillet to the still hot oven (400ºF) and bake the frittata for about 30 minutes or until it’s slightly puffed and browned on top. The total baking time can vary a little bit depending on the type of cookware used and the temperature of the dish before it goes into the oven.