While there are many recipes out there that can be considered ‘underrated’ we feel that frittatas are one of the best-underrated meals out there.
Filling, cheap, and usually easy to make, these are great dishes that would probably go down well, if more people were aware of these baked delights.
Well, that’s what we would be saying if frittatas had not been picked up and made famous by a certain celebrity chef!
Ina Garten has practically made a career out of turning recipes that next to no one has heard of, and making them into overnight success stories, whether that’s as the host of Barefoot Contessa, or in one of her many cookbooks.
The result is that frittatas are now some of the most popular meals to make online, with tons of recipes, both directly copying and inspired by Garten’s version, being found out there, with mixed results.
In this, however, we’ll just be looking at the best of the best!
So, with a ton of frittata recipes that we’re going to cover, it pays to know what we’ll be comparing them to.
So, we’re excited to share with you the frittata recipe that spawned a thousand others!
In Garten’s original potato and basil frittata, you’ll find a main meal item that has pretty much everything that you could want in a dish like this. It’s incredibly filling, with plenty of potatoes being used.
It’s a great source of protein, thanks to the many eggs that go into it. And, of course, it’s delicious, on account of the amazing other ingredients that go into it!
This is a recipe that is also perfect for family and friend gatherings, with Ina Garten’s recipe feeding up to 8 servings, so everyone gets a taste of this amazing dish.
An amazing benchmark, and one that a lot of recipes have to live up to in this list!
Well, if this first recipe is anything to go by, we’re going small for this next one!
These frittatas, rather than being cooked as a single large item, are cooked and baked in smaller, cupcake-sized tins, perfect for divvying up your frittata mix evenly!
There’s something very rustic about frittatas that we just can’t help but love. Maybe it’s the somewhat thrown-together aspect of the ingredients that still come together to make something delicious.
However, we assure you that there is nothing accidental about the amazing taste of this recipe!
From the fresh spinach to the hearty helping of cheese, to the prosciutto cheese that you’ll be using to help bind these ingredients together (along with a few eggs for good measure), this is a dish that is surprisingly easy to make and follow, once you’ve got a grasp of the basics.
Just make sure that you have some olive oil spare for lining the cooking tray with. You don’t want your frittatas to stick and tear as you take them out, do you?
So, the versions of this frittata dish that we’ve covered so far are all perfect dishes to have handy for big meals, especially if you’re hosting a couple of vegetarians around your table too.
However, if you’re looking for a frittata dish with a little more meat to it, then you’ll love this next recipe.
Not only is this bacon frittata inspired by an Ina Garten recipe, but it’s written by the chef of the hour herself too, so you know it’s going to be good!
The inclusion of some fresh bacon changes a ton about the flavor palette. Not only is this meal now meatier, but it’s quite a bit saltier too, bringing out a lot of flavor in the other ingredients that you’ll be adding.
The potatoes, basil, and cheese certainly benefit from it!
However, aside from the bacon, you’ll find that this recipe is very familiar, with virtually all of the same ingredients besides the inclusion of our favorite pork product out there.
Learning this recipe will be a cinch if you’ve tried the other ones so far!
Of course, not everyone is clambering to get more meat in their diet. Quite a lot of people are trying to find meals that can help get it out!
If that sounds like you, and you’re trying to go or stay on a vegetarian diet, then this simple, yet incredibly delicious recipe is going to be what you’re looking for!
With a surprisingly small recipe list, you’ll probably be able to find most of the ingredients for this one in your local supermarket or grocery store (although the cheeses might be a little trickier).
If you’re struggling to find ricotta cheese for this dish, we recommend using cottage cheese instead. Its similar texture will be just right for this dish, even if it changes the flavor slightly.
Of course, when it comes to an ideal topping, you can make pretty much anything. Grate on some extra mozzarella, or toss on a little salad for some added greens.
There’s plenty of creativity to be found in a good, simple recipe like this!
Speaking of simple and easy recipes to try out, this is the perfect dish to try your hand with if you find yourself lacking confidence in the kitchen!
One of the biggest challenges that can often stop people from trying new recipes is that they feel overwhelmed to try them out for themselves.
After, if you feel like you’re going to waste your time for over an hour cooking something that is ruined at the end, why take that chance?
Well, we’re here to tell you that that little voice in the back of your head doesn’t know what they’re talking about, especially with an easy frittata recipe like this!
With an ingredients list of ingredients that you’ll be able to find near you, and the steps are broken down into easy-to-understand phases, this is a recipe that anyone can try their hand at.
Plus, with a cooking time of around 40 to 45 minutes at most, this is a dish that won’t take a long time to make either.
So, you can either take it nice and slowly or test yourself with how fast you can cook!
Plus, with a spicy frittata like this, you’ll have a recipe under your belt to wow everyone with!
As you’ve probably started to spot by now, vegetables are a core ingredient when it comes to making a good frittata.
However, frittatas are also a great way of getting more vegetables into your diet in general, full stop!
If you don’t believe us, you’ll just have to try out this veggie-filled frittata for yourself, and see what we’re talking about!
As you can see, from the recipe’s ingredient list, there are a ton of different veggies that you can load into this dish.
From the zucchini to the bell peppers, onions, and scallions, there are plenty of vitamin-rich fillings for this dish.
Ironically, the only vegetable that isn’t in this dish are potatoes, which have been subbed out for a mix of zucchini and onions, adding some of that bulking and texture to them.
However, don’t let that stop you from preparing this dish with potatoes in mind. Just make sure that they have been partially cooked before you add them when you would add the zucchini.
(And make sure that you’re using a bigger dish to fit it all in. As you’ll no doubt learn, potatoes are the ultimate food when it comes to bulking out the size and calorie content of a dish.
Then again, that’s probably why we love them so much here!
Staying with the veggie-filled frittatas for a little longer, we have this next dish, once again inspired by the recipe that Ina Garten laid out for us.
You can usually tell based on the types of cheese that they ask for. Gruyère cheese worked very well in Ina Garten’s recipe (see also “Best Ina Garten Mac And Cheese Recipes“), and as a result, many recent dishes by inspired chefs have followed in her footstep.
You’ll probably have started to notice that a lot of the recipes that lean in on the veggies as a filling and ingredient are lighter on potatoes.
(By which we mean, they don’t use them at all!)
This is generally due to their calorie-heavy content.
As we mentioned earlier, potatoes are heavy on carbs (it’s one of the reasons that they’re often so filling), so they’re not always the best for people that are looking to diet and stay healthy, hence why there are so many veggies in this dish.
Don’t worry, though. This recipe is just as filling and delicious as any other Ina Garten-inspired frittata that we’ve covered here!
Final Notes
So, from all of those recipes, you have your work cut out for you if you want to decide on just one Ina Garten frittata dish.
So, why not try a few out, and let us know which is your favorite? Get out there, grab your taters and eggs, and get cooking!
Frittata’s have long been a reliable mealtime staple across Europe and Latin America. Thanks to Ina Garten, and the 8 recipes below, you can enjoy them too!
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
I hope you'll join me in exploring WomenChefs.org and discovering your next favorite recipe. Let's embrace culinary diversity and try something new together!
