Do you ever have one of those weeks where you just need a hug? One of those when nothing goes exactly right, and then on top of it all your beloved food processor breaks unexpectedly. If you, like me, have had a helluva week, I extend a big ole internet bear hug to you.
There’s nothing more homely and comforting than a simple breakfast frittata made with whatever you have on hand. My dad would lovingly refer to this recipe as “big breakfast” which was never ever followed by lunch. A Breakfast Casserole was for special occasions only, and my step mom was always the one making them. They were always made with crunchy cereal toppings or ritz crackers, like any good casserole should be! This recipe is perfect for a clean-out-the-fridge weekend breakfast. Reach in the back of the fridge for those pickled onions or an old bell pepper. Maybe some jalapeños and some wilty greens. You can throw it all in here.
My frittata has bell pepper, cheese, onion, and of course potatoes. As long as your frittata contains eggs, milk, cheese, and potatoes, everything else is flexible! Whatever cheese you have will work. This recipe is like a little shout to the Tortilla Espanola, which years ago I made and failed. The thinly sliced potatoes didn’t hold enough flavor for me, so I decided dicing them would be excellent for a frittata! They’re more like traditional breakfast potatoes dumped into the mix. Do you have some freezer hashbrowns? I bet those would work too!
Let’s get started on this frittata!
First, crack your eggs into a big mixing bowl and add in the milk, 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Whisk it all together and then add in 1 1/2 cups of cheese and stir together.
Boil your diced potatoes for about five minutes until fork tender and then drain. Then you’ll cook up some diced bacon, reserving on a paper towel lined plate. Then saute your bell pepper, onion and potatoes together in a pan until the onions are translucent. Let this mixture cool for about five minutes.
Add the potato mixture and bacon to the eggs and stir together. Pour into a buttered 9×14 dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
Look at that lovely crisp top!
This is a simple breakfast for a crowd or it’s a great way to prep for the week ahead. You can eat it before work cold or hot! It’s so versatile! See the full recipe below.
What are your favorite weekend breakfasts?
- 1 tbsp butter
- 8 eggs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups diced russet potatoes (about 2 large or 3 small potatoes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 strips raw bacon, diced (optional)
- Butter a 9x14 dish. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, crack all the eggs and add milk, 1 tsp of the salt, and black pepper. Whisk together one minute. Add 1½ cups of the cheese and mix. Set aside.
- In a small pot, add about 4 cups of water and bring to a boil (or about enough to cover the potatoes). Add the diced potatoes once boiling and boil until just fork tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large nonstick pan add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the bacon if you're using bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp. Drain the grease into a jar and reserve the bacon on a paper towel lined plate. Wipe out the pan and add a bit more olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and the boiled potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of salt over the mixture and saute for about 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent and the potatoes are a bit browned. They won't be dark, just a bit of color. Set aside to cool.
- Add the cooled potato mixture and the bacon, if using, to the egg mixture. Stir together and pour into the prepared baking dish. Cover with the remaining cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.
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