Ham and Cheese Frittata
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When your family wants fluffy eggs for breakfast, make a ham and cheese frittata! It’s like a crustless quiche, but made on the stove. A delicious breakfast, brunch, or dinner!
Eggs are really versatile, so at my house, we eat a lot of them. My family usually asks for scrambled or fried eggs for breakfast, and either egg salad or hard boiled eggs for lunch.
But eggs for dinner is a family favorite, too, especially in a fluffy ham and cheese frittata.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This was really delicious. Can’t wait to make this again switching up some of the ingredients. This was a perfect way to use up some leftover ham!
–Ann
Why This Recipe is a Family Favorite
This ham and cheese frittata recipe is easy to make and super budget friendly. Best of all, it’s a fantastic way to repurpose leftover ham into a healthy, complete meal.
Unlike quiche, frittatas are crustless, so they’re lower in carbs, and gluten-free friendly.
Some frittata recipes have you partially cook the dish in a skillet on the stove, then finish it in the oven. My ham and cheese frittata is much easier to make, because no oven is required!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making the best ham frittata! I tested this recipe countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Don’t use uncooked mix-ins! The secret to a good frittata is properly cooking the vegetables. Raw spinach and mushrooms have a lot of water in them. Sautéing them first releases the moisture, preventing the frittata from being soggy or watery.
- Avoid overbeating the eggs. Whisk the egg mixture just until combined. Overbeaten eggs can cause the frittata to be spongy.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Cooked Ham: As long as it’s cooked or smoked, it doesn’t matter what type of ham you use. If you want to use canned ham, you’ll first need to use paper towels to pat it dry very well.
Whole milk gives the frittata a rich flavor and custardy consistency. For a more indulgent dish, use half & half or heavy cream. If you want a dairy-free option, use coconut milk or coconut cream.
Cheddar Cheese. Feel free to substitute with Swiss or gruyere cheese. I recommend grating the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese usually contains anti-caking additives, so it doesn’t melt as nicely as freshly grated cheese.
👉 You will also need a medium-sized non stick skillet (about 10 inches in diameter) with a lid.
How to Make a Ham and Cheese Frittata
This is just a summary of the steps. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full instructions! ⬇️
Jump to RecipeBefore you start cooking, do all the prep work. Dice the ham into bite sized pieces, slice the mushrooms, roughly chop the spinach, and dice the onion. Grate the cheese, and set everything to the side for now.
- Make the egg mixture. Whisk the eggs, milk, and seasoning together in a bowl. Mix to combine, but don’t overbeat or the frittata will have a spongy texture.
- Sauté the vegetables and ham over medium heat. Start with the onions and mushrooms, then add the ham and spinach after a couple of minutes.
- Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. The secret to a perfectly cooked, fluffy frittata is to use a spatula to pull the cooked eggs away from the side of the pan. This allows the liquid mixture underneath to cook.
- Keep doing this, rotating your way around the skillet, until the egg mixture is too thick to naturally fill in the spaces anymore. Then, reduce the heat, sprinkle on the cheese, and cover the pan. Let the frittata cook until the middle is no longer jiggly.
To test it, give the pan a little shake to see how jiggly and wet the middle of the frittata is. You can always finish the frittata under the broiler for a few minutes if you’re in a hurry!
And that’s it! Let the frittata cool slightly, then it should easily slide out of the pan onto a cutting board. Slice and serve right away with a side of air fryer potatoes, peach pancakes, or some toast.
Frittata Recipe FAQs
The most common reason for a watery frittata is using add-ins that aren’t cooked first. This is especially true with vegetables like spinach and mushrooms, which release a lot of water as they cook.
Technically, you can make a frittata without using milk. However, the protein in milk, half & half, or cream gives the frittata a fluffy consistency and rich flavor
Storing and Freezing
- Refrigerator: Allow the frittata to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, per USDA.
- Freezer: Once the frittata is completely cool, transfer the slices to an airtight bag or container. A cooked frittata can be safely frozen for up to 3 months, per USDA. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight (not on the counter), then heat in the microwave or air fryer and enjoy!
To reheat in a microwave: Set a slice of the ham and cheese frittata on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for about 1 minute, just until it heats through.
To reheat leftovers in an air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Carefully set a slice of frittata in the basket, close the basket, and air fry for 3-4 minutes.
After you make this recipe, please give it a star rating below and comment to let me know how it went!
Ham and Cheese Frittata
Equipment
- 1 10-inch non-stick skillet
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ small onion 3 tablespoons diced
- 2 ounces fresh mushrooms ¾ cup sliced
- 15 leaves baby spinach ¾ cup roughly chopped
- 4 ounces ham ¾ cup diced
- 6 eggs
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 oz. cheddar cheese ⅔ cup grated
Instructions
- Dice the onion, slice the mushrooms and roughly chop the spinach. Dice the ham.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the milk, salt, and pepper. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened slightly. Add the diced ham and spinach, then continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the cooked ingredients.
- Pour the whisked eggs into the skillet. Use a spatula to gently pull the eggs away from the edges of the pan as the frittata cooks, allowing uncooked eggs to fill in the spaces. Continue doing this until the eggs cook enough that no liquid remains.Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the frittata.
- Cover the skillet with its lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the frittata cooks completely and is no longer wet or jiggly in the center.OR, For a golden brown top, you can finish cooking the frittata under an oven broiler for a minute or two, but watch it carefully, especially if your broiler is strong.
- Allow the frittata to cool slightly, then carefully slide it out of the pan onto a serving platter. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired, then slice and serve.
This was really delicious. I wasn’t sure when to add the grated cheese so I added it once the egg mixture took an initial set. Any wait to make this again switching up some of the ingredients. This was a perfect way to use up some leftover ham from Easter dinner!
Hi Ann! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I just adjusted the recipe text to make it clearer. 🙂 -Laura
I really love how you put your recipe along with the steps in one easy-to-follow space! Makes it so easy to actually follow the recipe without having to jump back and forth!