Ham & Potato Frittata

Started on the stove and finished in the oven, a frittata is like a thinner, crustless quiche. With a lot of similar ingredients, the milk and eggs here act more as a binder than a custardy center. Make this ham and potato frittata anytime you like with a diced-up ham steak or use up holiday leftovers as I did here with my peach and bourbon glazed ham.

I love a good quiche for using leftovers, especially my Thanksgiving leftovers quiche, but sometimes a frittata is just easier to deal with. Without a crust, this frittata is like making an omelet without trying to flip it and just tossing it in the oven to finish.

Ham – As mentioned, I like to make this as a way to use up left over ham. If you don’t have any though, just get a ham steak and cube that up (or some bacon) anytime you’d like to make this.

Vegetables – I use a mixture of onion (yellow, white, or sweet), green onion, garlic, and obviously a potato since it’s in the name. Yukon gold or Russet works here, so use what you have. Other options could include things like shallot, leek, celery, bell pepper, spinach, kale, mushrooms, etc.

Eggs – Frittatas tend to use a lot of eggs. Think of it as making an omelet that’s 10-12-inches in diameter and an inch or so thick. It’s a lot of eggs but feeds multiple people.

Milk – Like my quiche recipes, I tend to go with half-and-half for frittatas. While regular milk or heavy cream could work, half-and-half is less expensive and a good middle ground on fat content. Unlike quiche, your egg to dairy ratio is much higher as well, so you only need a ¼ cup here.

Cheese – I used cheddar cheese here since it was what I had and is a classic choice. Any decent melty cheese works here though, so use what you have or what you love. Options like gruyere, gouda, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, mozzarella, provolone, Swiss, etc. are all great.

Seasoning & Herbs – I keep things simple here with just salt and pepper and season in layers as I cook. You could also add things like garlic or onion powder, ground mustard or some Dijon mustard, or paprika. For herbs I added some fresh parsley and thyme, but you can omit or use a lesser amount of dried herbs instead.

Prep & Cook Filling

Start by getting all your ingredients in order. Peel and chop the potato into ½-inch pieces, slice or dice the onion, chop the green onion and separate light and dark green pieces, mince the garlic, chop the ham into small cubes, and shred the cheese.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and half-and-half until fully combined. Add the dark green part of the green onions, the chopped parsley and thyme, about ½ the salt and pepper, and whisk again until thoroughly mixed. Finally, stir in about 1 cup of shredded cheddar and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180° C.

Starting on the stove in a 12-inch skillet or other oven-safe pan, melt the butter and add the oil over medium-high heat. Season the potato and onion with some salt and pepper and sauté until mostly cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Once the onions are translucent and the potatoes are mostly cooked, add the ham and light parts of the green onion. Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking and tossing for about 2-3 minutes longer. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, for about 1 more minute.

Cook Frittata

Now spread the ingredients in the pan into an even layer, give the egg mixture a quick stir, and pour it over the ingredients in the skillet/pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the bottom starts to set.

Top the frittata with the rest of the cheese and transfer the whole dish to the oven. Let it bake for 10-14 minutes, until fully set and cooked on top. It should be lightly browned and just barely jiggle in the center.

Remove it from the oven and let it cool and finish setting in the skillet for a few minutes. When ready to serve, it should slide right out of the pan. Slice and serve while still hot or warm.

Protein – If you don’t have ham leftovers, you could use a ham steak or use something besides ham altogether. Bacon, breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, pulled pork, chicken, beef, etc. all work well here, just chop into bite-sized pieces.

Vegetables – You can swap or add or combine plenty of various vegetables in a frittata. The general rule of thumb is to keep them at roughly ¼ cup of chopped, cooked vegetables per egg. Some leafy greens cook down a lot, like spinach, kale, and arugula and can be added on top of heartier vegetables like potatoes.

Other good options include broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, bell peppers, jalapenos, mushrooms, leeks, etc. Just be certain to cook them down and chop them into bite-sized pieces before using them.

Cheese – Any decent melty cheese works here, so use what you have or what you love. Options like gruyere, gouda, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, mozzarella, provolone, Swiss, etc. are all great. Use a single cheese or a combination, just keep the total amount to around 2 cups shredded or less.

❄️ How to Store Frittata

Once cooled completely, you can store any frittata leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Leftover can be enjoyed cold, straight from the fridge, or reheated in a microwave or a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

If you need longer storage, or made extra for another time, ham and potato frittata can also be frozen. You can freeze a whole frittata or individual slices by placing them on a sheet tray and freeze for 1-2 hours. Remove from the sheet tray and wrap in plastic wrap and again in foil or place in freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze up to 2-3 months.

Thaw frozen frittata overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above or serve cold.