Italian Asparagus Frittata (Easy Asparagus and Eggs)

This easy Italian Asparagus Frittata recipe with ricotta cheese is light, fluffy and incredibly flavorful! It’s a delicious and quick, make-ahead breakfast, brunch or anytime dish that can be made with either fresh or already cooked, leftover asparagus. Read on for more!

Frittatas are essential the Italian version of a crustless quiche–an Italian omelet if you will.

An easy egg-based dish with any number of ingredients that generally include cheese and some type of cooked vegetable and meat. Frittatas are made classically with a two-step process of sautéing base ingredients and eggs on the stove, then baking in the oven to finish.

This easy frittata recipe with asparagus, onions, garlic, ricotta and pecorino cheeses is one I love to make year-round but especially in spring when asparagus is available locally. Another spring favorite is this ham and cheese frittata.

And, this recipe is just as delicious with either fresh (raw) asparagus or leftover, steamed, grilled or roasted asparagus.

I love that frittatas are so versatile and work for any meal! Pair it with some crusty bread or roasted potatoes for breakfast, brothy soup for lunch and/or panzanella or a light spinach salad for a light dinner and call it a complete meal. Or, turn it into a sandwich for on-the-go. It’s often served at room temperature, which makes it super convenient as well. Mangia bene!

Ingredients

⁠To make this easy asparagus and egg frittata recipe, we’ll need:

Asparagus: Asparagus has an earthy and slightly grassy taste with a hint of sweetness. One of the star green veggies of spring, it’s actually available year-round, albeit not necessarily locally. Choose smooth, rich green asparagus stalks that stand up straight and are firm to the touch. Avoid stalks that are limp, soft or wilted.
Eggs: The base of the frittata! Use large eggs.
Onions and Garlic: Aromatics to flavor the eggs and asparagus. You can substitute the yellow onions with either green onions (both green and white pats) or chives if you prefer. Both of these will take less time to cook.
Cheese: I used both sharp and salty Pecorino Romano cheese and creamy, rich ricotta cheese in this asparagus and egg recipe–both of which complement the earthy, grassy flavor and crisp texture of asparagus.
Milk: Milk lightens the frittata a bit and makes it less dense. I use whole milk, but you can use half-and-half if you’d like it more rich.
Olive Oil: I used extra virgin olive oil to sauté the onions, garlic and asparagus. Butter is a great substitute.

Prep and gather all ingredients. Cut the asparagus spears into 1” pieces. Beat the eggs. Chop the onions and garlic. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350°F.
- PRO-TIP: If the asparagus spears are particularly thick, I suggest peeling a layer off with a vegetable peeler so that they will tenderize well.

Whisk the eggs, milk, grated cheese salt and pepper in a bowl until well-combined. Set aside.

Preppd ingredients for Italian asparagus frittata on cutting board.

Whisking the egg mixture in a glass bowl.

Heat the olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 3 to 5 minutes or so until beginning to soften and caramelize, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the chopped asparagus pieces, chopped garlic and water. Cover and cook another 2 to 3 minutes or so until the asparagus is tender but still a bit crisp. Uncover and cook until all the liquid has evaporated.

Sautéing chopped asparagus pieces and garlic with onions in cast iron pan.

Turn the heat to low. Give the egg mixture one more stir then pour it in and spread out the ingredients evenly.

Then, add the ricotta cheese to the eggs in 4 to 5 large dollops, followed by the reserved asparagus spears.

Pouring egg mixture into cast iron pan with sautéd vegetables.

Spreading out the ingrdients in pan with a wooden utensil.

Carefully transfer the pan to the middle rack of a 350°F preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and the eggs are set and have pulled away a bit from the sides.
- PRO-TIP: Feel free to test with a toothpick or thin skewer (like a cake) if you’re unsure it’s done.

Asparagus and eggs topped off in pan with 5 asparagus spears ready to be baked.

Finished Italian asparagus frittata just out of the oven.

Serve the frittata immediately in the pan, or let it cool 5 to 10 minutes and use a plate to turn it over/out if you’re confident in its non-stickiness.That’s it!
PRO-TIP: The frittata will rise a bit while cooking and may drop a bit once settled. This is normal.

Beautiful asparagus and egg frittata still in cast iron pan on cutting board with a stack of toast and a plate of tomatoes and sliced avocado.

Comfort Food Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Overhead view of Italian asparagus frittata turned out onto a dish with one sliced removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you select good asparagus?

Choose smooth asparagus stalks that stand up straight and are firm to the touch. Avoid stalks that are limp, soft or wilted.

Also, the asparagus tip should be closed, compact and tight and its bottom still juicy. If the top is flowering open or the bottom is dry, the asparagus is likely passed its prime.

The asparagus should be a rich green color that softly fades to white at the bottom of the spear. Dull looking asparagus spears have likely passed their freshness.

What’s the best pan to use to make frittatas?

I used a seasoned 8-inch cast iron skillet to make this frittata, but any non-stick, oven safe skillet or frying pan can be used. It’s most convenient and easiest to sauté the ingredients and bake the frittata in the same pan.

If you prefer to not sauté the ingredients, you can just bake everything together in a small baking dish, which would be very much like a crustless quiche technique. Just be sure to rub the bottoms and sides of the baking dish with butter or oil first.

What’s the difference between a frittata, a quiche and an omelette?

They’re very similar and are all egg-based dishes.

A quiche (with French origins) is made with a crust, whereas an Italian frittata is crustless. Also, a quiche is made with more of a rich egg custard containing heavy cream or half-and-half, unlike a lighter frittata that is generally made with just a little milk in addition to the eggs. Also, a frittata is generally a two-step process–starting the dish on the stove and finishing it in the oven.

An omelet is a scrambled egg-based dish that’s cooked quickly over a high heat on the stovetop, then served immediately while hot. Frittatas are usually prepared in advance and served at room temperature.

What Could Go Wrong?

How Do I Prevent a Watery Frittata?

A watery frittata is most likely due to excess liquid in the base ingredients (usually the vegetables). To prevent this, just be sure to gently heat/cook the veggies and all base ingredients until they are dry before adding the eggs.

It could also be due to too much milk or liquid being added to the eggs. Be sure to stick to the amounts in the recipe below.

Recipe Variations

This Asparagus and Egg Frittata recipe is a basic technique that can be used for most any type of frittata that you’d like to make.

Frittatas are classically a quick two-step process. Sauté the base ingredients and add eggs on the stove, then transfer pan to the oven to finish. But you can make the frittata 100% on the stove if you prefer. After you add and mix the beaten eggs with the base ingredients, just turn the heat to low and cover it until done.

Likewise, if you are starting with already cooked asparagus and prefer to not sauté the onions and garlic, you can just bake everything together in a small baking dish. This would be very much like a crustless quiche technique. Just be sure to rub the bottoms and sides of the baking dish with butter or oil first.

As for ingredients, feel free to customize this Italian asparagus frittata to your liking! Frittatas are a great way to use up lots of types of leftovers in your fridge. Here are some ideas:

Add some ham, crispy prosciutto or bacon or cooked breakfast or Italian sausage.
Add more veggies–just make sure they’re all cooked and not watery. Mushrooms, peppers and spinach and zucchini are favorites.
Mix in some sautéed or roasted potatoes.
Add fresh chopped herbs–either mixed in with the eggs or on top as a garnish (or both). Dill, basil, parsley, thyme and oregano would all be great here. I don’t suggest dried herbs for this dish.

ITALIAN ASPARAGUS FRITTATA TOP TIPS

Pan: I used an 8” seasoned cast iron pan to make this frittata, but any non-stick, oven-able pan can be used. It’s most convenient and easiest to sauté the ingredients and bake the frittata in the same pan.
Asparagus: This Italian Asparagus Frittata recipe is perfect with lightly chopped leftover sautéed or roasted asparagus. Add the garlic to the pan along with the onions. Once they are tender and lightly browned, turn the heat to low, add the cooked asparagus, followed by the egg mixture and continue with the recipe as written.
Cheese Substitutions: I used both pecorino and ricotta cheeses here, but lots of other cheeses will work as well. Some other great options are fontina, mozzarella, dill Havarti, gouda, brie, Monterey or pepper jack and gruyere. Grated parmesan cheese can be used in place of the pecorino.
Leftovers: Store cooled, frittata leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 325° until heated through.

I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!

If you’ve tried this Italian Asparagus and Egg Frittata recipe, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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