Dinner Tonight: Kale, Onion and Cheddar Frittata Recipe

By
Blake Royer
Blake Royer is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Blake Royer is a former chef, food blogger, and food writer who contributed recipe ideas and Chicago-based content to Serious Eats from the website’s earliest days.
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Updated March 07, 2019

I am going to start cooking more frittatas—they are quite affable about taking whatever leftovers you throw at them, without complaining. Meat, cheese, vegetables, the egg will wrap it all in its creamy self. With luck, it will taste fine warm or even at room temperature the next day. It's like a quiche with no bother about making a crust, or an omelet with no flipping.

This particular recipe comes from Orangette, which I found by kicking around the Internet while looking for what to do with some lacinato kale—also known as black tuscan kale, cavolo nero, dinosaur kale—which was getting droopy in my fridge. Lacinato is a darker, less woody version of the leafy green monster, but you can use regular kale with similar results. Though I'm used to steaming it, this recipe eschews moisture for long, low cooking, which allows deep caramelization and flavor to develop while the kale maintains some crunch. It was a nice contrast to sharp cheddar and the soft eggs, though I definitely cooked my frittata a bit too long, so it lacked creaminess. Overcooking is easy to do, so watch out.

Kale, Onion and Cheddar Frittata

Recipe Details

Dinner Tonight: Kale, Onion and Cheddar Frittata Recipe

Cook 35 mins
Total 35 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 small red onion, halved and sliced into half moons

  • 4 to 5 ounces lacinato kale, sliced crosswise into ribbons

  • 5 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  • Salt

Directions

  1. Over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch, broiler-safe skillet (not non-stick), heat the olive oil and add the onion, cooking until softened but not browned. Add the kale, an additional tablespoon of olive oil, and a couple pinches of salt. Stir until the kale begins to wilt, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

  2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs well with a fork, then beat in the shredded cheese and a pinch of salt.

  3. When the kale mixture is tender and caramelized, remove from the skillet and let cool slightly, then whisk into the egg mixture. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil to the pan, and pour the mixture back into the skillet over low heat, spreading out the kale evenly. Cook over low heat until the top just barely begins to set. In the meantime, preheat your broiler.

  4. Cook for 30-60 seconds under the broiler, until the top is gently browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
331Calories
28gFat
6gCarbs
16gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories331
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g35%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Cholesterol 261mg87%
Sodium 570mg25%
Total Carbohydrate 6g2%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 13mg66%
Calcium 264mg20%
Iron 2mg9%
Potassium 220mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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