Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata: One Easy Recipe for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner

You don’t have to be a professional chef to cook a great meal. You can create a tasty, nutritious dish that will fill you up, impress that special someone, make your family smile and surprise yourself. Now here’s the dish (along with the recipe) that can be made for breakfast, lunch, dinner and that in-between time that you want a snack.

A frittata is a traditional Italian dish made primarily of eggs, but it can be combined with various meats, vegetables, and cheeses, all cooked together on the stovetop, then plated in a single dish and finished in the oven. Similar ratios of eggs to other foods can be used interchangeably, so you can make a frittata with any combination of ingredients at any time.

It doesn’t rely on complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or that in-between hour when you’re not sure what you’re hungry for, this is the perfect meal or snack. Keep reading to learn more about the dish, get tips and tricks, and for a full recipe for the dish provided by Jenna and Nora Rice from their new cookbook, The Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook.

Why a Frittata?

A frittata is an Italian-style egg dish similar to a quiche or omelet. It’s easy to cook, filling, packed with protein, and adaptable, and serving it tells everyone (including yourself) that it was made with intention. You didn’t just throw something together. You cooked something special.

Best of all, while most meals demand attention from start to finish, this one gives you space. Once you put it into the oven, you’re free to pour a drink, set the table or even do nothing at all, waiting for deliciousness.

Why Frittata is a Great Choice

A good frittata is all about balance. You want something hearty but not heavy; flavorful but not complicated. This one delivers:

• Protein-packed from eggs and cheese
• Fresh and nutritious with asparagus and spinach
• Rich but not overwhelming with the addition of chèvre
• A great meal to be served morning, afternoon, or night

It’s also one-pan if you’re using a cast-iron skillet, which means less cleanup and more time living with intention.

When to Make It

• Breakfast: Filled with protein, add toast, and there is breakfast
• Lunch: Pair it with a simple salad, and you’re set
• Dinner: Add roasted potatoes and enjoy the evening
• Hosting: Slice it up, serve it warm or room temp, and show people that you are the ultimate host

Pro Tips Before You Start

• Use a cast-iron skillet if you have one. It goes from stovetop to oven seamlessly
• Don’t overcook the eggs. A slightly soft center makes the frittata flavorful every time
• Let it rest for a few minutes after baking. It firms up and slices cleaner
• Goat cheese can be strong, so distribute it evenly for balanced bites

What to do to make this recipe perfect

A frittata isn’t complicated, but it does require a little bit of patience. Onions need time to soften. Asparagus needs just enough heat to lose its bite without turning dull. Eggs need to set, not dry out. While cheddar is a good choice since most people love it, think outside the box. Goat cheese, the best cheese of the month, brings a tang that cuts through everything else.

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata

Servings: 6–8
Recipe Credit: The Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1–2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 5 ounces spinach
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 9 eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces chèvre (goat cheese)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F

2. Melt the butter in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic together for a few minutes until they begin to turn translucent. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

3. Break the ends off the asparagus and cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces.

4. Add the asparagus and sauté for another 5 minutes until the asparagus is cooked.

5. Set aside 1 handful of raw spinach for the top, then add in the remaining spinach and cook until wilted.

6. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheddar cheese.

7. Whisk together the eggs, milk, black pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.

8. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables.

9. Top with a handful of raw spinach and crumbled chèvre.

10. Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes

Put This in Your Arsenal

This is one of those recipes that upgrades your menu. It’s easy enough to prepare for a weekday meal, impressive for guests, and versatile enough that you won’t get bored with it. Think of it as part of the formula to a perfect date; simple effort, good food, and the kind of meal that shows you actually planned it. Learn it once, and you’ve got a go-to meal for almost any situation.

About The Authors

Jenna and Nora Rice have deep roots in Vermont. growing up on a farm in the Connecticut River Valley, both sisters discovered their passion for farming at a young age, working with dairy cattle and helping their parents in the garden as early as 5 years old.

After finishing school, Jenna stayed in Vermont, where she settled on a 5 acre homestead and began a successful career in photography and creative marketing, working with Vermont food and beverage brands to elevate their stories through creative marketing.

Nora attended culinary school in England before working in restaurants all over the world, from Ireland’s only Michilin starred pub, to an Italian Agrotourismo and a caterer in New Zealand, before returning stateside to open her own catering company, Roaming Roots Kitchen.

It was once the two sisters found themselves reunited in Vermont once again that the idea for farm to table was born. Combining Nora’s culinary skills, Jenna’s photography and design abilities, and a shared love for local food, the pair developed, tested and photographed recipes for Vermont Farm to Table, using only locally grown and produced ingredients to create dozens of delicious and unique foods, bringing a sense of place and flavor of Vermont to readers with each recipe.