Frittata with Ham and Asparagus
This Frittata with Ham and Asparagus is the perfect Spring meal! Ready in just 20 minutes and full of 23 grams of protein. AND you can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. See, like I said… perfection!
I originally shared this recipe on April 5, 2012. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
If it were up to my kids, they would eat granola bars, yogurt and fruit for 100% of their daily calories. Don’t get me wrong, they are great eaters. Neither is particularly picky, knock on wood. They just like their sweets and their easy carbs. So I feel like I have to strategize every day to make sure they are also getting vegetables, calcium, healthy fats and protein.
More specifically, I try to make sure I give them some sort of protein at every meal. That’s why I am so grateful for the carton of organic local eggs we get in our CSA most weeks.
EGG NUTRITION
Beyond protein, eggs are a good source of vitamins A and D. Not only that, they have Vitamin B, lutein and zeaxanthin. [Those are antioxidants that are good for their little eyes.]
If I make eggs for my kid’s for breakfast,I know we’re off on the right foot in the morning. If we have cereal or toast for breakfast instead, I know it’s an option to include eggs elsewhere in our daily menu.
Like hard-boiled in a lunchbox, or a frittata for dinner. For myself, I love the fact that a whole egg is only 70 calories. And a white (which is pure protein) is only 15 calories, so I eat them for breakfast several days a week.
My family happily gobbled it up for dinner, and I loved the left-overs for breakfast.
More Asparagus Recipes
- Turn on the grill for Grilled Asparagus or try my Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise or Pesto.
- This One Pot Chicken and Rice with Spring Veggies is bursting with asparagus and peas.
- This Sesame Roasted Asparagus Salad elevates basic roasted asparagus with the addition of Asian Sesame Dressing.
- This Roasted Asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad is a vegetarian entree salad to try this spring.
- This Shaved Asparagus Salad with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts is made with raw asparagus cut into ribbons with a veggie peeler.
- This Asparagus Panzanella with a Poached Egg on top is another spring brunch entree to consider.
- Find more asparagus recipe ideas here and please check out my guide to asparagus.
Thanks so much for reading! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review!
Happy Cooking!
~Katie
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Frittata with Ham and Asparagus
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Frittata with Ham and Asparagus is the perfect Spring meal! Ready in just 20 minutes, only 297 calories per serving, chocked full of 23 grams of protein and super kid friendly. AND you can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. See, like I said… perfection!
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large leek, diced and washed (see tip*)
- ½ bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup diced smoked ham
- 6 large eggs
- pinch ground pepper, preferably white pepper
- Pinch nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- ¾ cup shredded Gouda or sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek, asparagus and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until bright green and just starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a bowl and stir in ham. Was and dry skillet.
- Beat the eggs in a medium bowl with the pepper and nutmeg. Return the skillet to medium-low heat and add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and swirl the pan to coat with oil. Gently pour in the eggs and let cook, gently scraping the egg with a silicone spatula. Fold the cooked part of the egg back and allow runny egg to flow onto the surface of the hot skillet just until the egg starts to set up into a solid mass, 2 to 3 minutes. [The egg will still be runny on top, but continuing to stir would cause it to break into pieces at this point.] Spread the asparagus mixture over the eggs and continue cooking until the sides of the egg can be pulled back from the skillet with the spatula, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over the frittata. Lift an edge of the egg back and drizzle 2 tablespoons water between the egg and skillet, cover the skillet and cook until the egg is set up on top and the cheese is melted, 4 to 5 minutes.
Notes
Tip* To Clean a Leek: Cut off dark outer greens leaving just the white and light green part. Slice lengthwise, and then slice into strips crosswise. Tansfer to a bowl of cold water and swish around to get all the dirt out from between the layers. The dirt will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Lift the clean leek out leaving the sand at the bottom of the bowl. Lay out on a towel to dry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 frittata
- Calories: 297
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 639
- Fat: 21
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 23
One of our go to meals especially in the summer! Love the ham and asparagus together!
★★★★★
We eat eggs a lot at this time of year too. I always pick them up at the farmers’ market or farm stand. They’re such a convenient source of protein.
I love this frittata! It is easy enough to whip up on a whim and elegant enough to serve at a special brunch. Delicious!
★★★★★
I totally agree. And my family loved them too!
This is such a delicious day starter!! I loved it!
★★★★★
Glad you tried it for breakfast. Yay!
Needed a quick and easy dinner for tonight and this was perfect!! We’ll have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
★★★★★
Sounds great!
This really is a delicious breakfast. But honestly we eat it for lunch and dinner too!
★★★★★
That’s so awesome!
I’m sitting here right now trying to figure out what to make for breakfast and really wishing I had this delicious frittata in my oven right now! I love a 20 minute meal that is loaded with eggs and cheese and asapragus!
Your frittata is beautiful and perfectly spring-y! We too serve up eggs for at least one meal a day! I’ve started buying them in bulk!
I love this it sounds so delicious! So fresh and a great way to get your vitamins. And I love asparagus.
You are making me miss our CSA! It hasn’t quite started up for the spring / summer.
I LOVE a frittata for a quick and easy dinner. And spring flavors a just perfect for them.
We have frittatas for dinner all the time. And the “girls” that lay our farm eggs are rocking right now. We don’t have chickens but our good friend does and keeps us in beautiful yellow-yolk eggs. ( I know you won’t mind if I just leave out the ham. ;-))
Fritattas are one of my favorite easy meals! Love this version!
I agree with you completely on starting the day with eggs. My boys are high school age and I feel good about giving them a good, healthy source of protein for breakfast! This frittata is the perfect start to the day…or to eat for dinner. 🙂
Pinned! And I have all these ingredients. Yay. Can’t wait to try this one.
Oh I’m like your kids – I could definitely just eat yogurt, granola, fruit, etc. all day long. It’s a struggle for me with protein as well. I definitely need to try this frittata! Looks so fresh (and easy!). And just gimme all the asparagus RN!
What a combo of flavors