Chef notes
Frittatas are a great way to make a quick, hearty and satisfying weekend breakfast (or brunch. Or lunch!) To make a frittata, quickly scramble eggs in a skillet, then finish them in the oven to cook up and form a pie-like dish. You can flavor them as simply or intricately as you want. Some recipes add ham and cheese, while others are packed with fiber-rich leafy greens. I love this simple recipe that incorporates one of autumn’s most popular ingredients — butternut squash.
Butternut squash is so sweet and comforting, so it’s perfect in this frittata. Other varieties like honeynut and delicata are delicious alternatives, and you don’t even need to peel the delicata! Cut the squash into thin slices, then give them a quick turn in a skillet along with thick wedges of red onion or halved shallots. Sautéeing the squash and onions help bring out even more of their natural sweetness. The goal is to cook the vegetables most of the way before they are mixed with the eggs and baked. They will continue to cook when they go in the oven, but you’ll do the bulk of the work on the stovetop.
From there, you can add the eggs (which are flavored with a bit of lemon zest) and a few handfuls of baby spinach to the same skillet and cook just until they begin to scramble. Nestle the squash and onions back into the eggs and add the final touch — a generous amount of garlic-herb cheese spread. This adds a punch of flavor that will leave you wanting more. Slice this frittata into wedges, serve it alongside a lightly dressed green salad and enjoy.
Technique Tip: The trick to making sure eggs don’t stick to your pan? Preheat it and make sure that it gets hot. Hold your palm an inch or two above the skillet. If you can’t hold it there for more than a few seconds, you’re good to go.
Swap Option: Herbed goat cheese can be used instead of garlic-herb cheese spread.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces butternut squash
- 1 small red onion
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup packed baby spinach
- 3 ounces garlic-herb cheese spread, such as Boursin
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 450 F. Peel, halve, and seed butternut squash and cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices. Peel onion and cut through the root into 1-inch wedges.
2.Heat oil in a medium-sized, nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Working in batches, cook squash and onion wedges in a single layer, flipping once, until golden brown and crisp-tender (a knife should slip in and out with a little resistance), 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3.Reduce heat to medium-low. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, lemon zest, salt and pepper; stir in spinach. Add the egg mixture to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until large curds form and the edges just begin to set, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Nestle the squash and onions into the egg mixture, then dollop the cheese spread over the top. Transfer to the oven and cook until the eggs are set and the top is browned in places, about 10 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.
