This easy 30-minute one-pan Sausage Frittata has only 6 ingredients and is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even a simple meal! Make it ahead and share with the crowd at brunch parties, potlucks, and picnics. It refrigerates and freezes beautifully - great for meal prep! Make it once; eat it for days! It's gluten-free, keto, low-carb, and packed with protein and veggies!
Why you'll love sausage frittata
- Flexible recipe. You can easily customize the frittata using all kinds of veggies, meats, and cheese. For example, I used Jimmy Dean's breakfast sausage (hot or regular), and this recipe would also be great with Italian sausage, chicken, or turkey sausage. I used spinach and mushrooms. Other veggies that will go well here are broccoli, asparagus, or kale. I used cheddar cheese, you can also use pepper jack or Gruyere. The combinations are endless!
- 30-minute one-pan meal with only 6 ingredients! First, you will cook the sausage and the veggies in the same pan (I recommend using a 10-inch or 12-inch cast iron skillet), and then you will bake the frittata in the same pan in the oven. The whole process takes 30 minutes from start to finish. The cleanup is a breeze!
- It's a well-balanced breakfast that has everything: protein (eggs, cheese, and sausage) and vegetables (mushrooms and spinach). All you need is a sweet breakfast treat to go with it: check out this blueberry lemon bread with lemon glaze or super simple Dutch baby pancake with strawberries and blueberries.
What is frittata?
Frittata is an Italian dish showcasing eggs, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. It's very similar to a crustless quiche but with a denser texture. It's usually made in a cast iron skillet. It's most popular as breakfast or brunch, even though it can be served any time of day, for lunch or dinner.
What's the difference between a frittata and an omelette?
Even though both are similar, there are several key differences:
- First, for the frittata, the eggs are beaten longer than for a regular omelette to create a fluffier and lighter texture.
- Second, the additional ingredients (such as vegetables and meats) are combined with the beaten egg mixture while the eggs are still raw.
- Third, usually, frittata is baked in the oven, or at least finished in the oven. While the omelette is almost always made entirely on the stovetop.
The ingredients
- Eggs. This is a rather large frittata made in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, so I used 8 eggs.
- Heavy cream is whisked together with eggs. You can also use half-and-half or whole milk.
- Sausage. I used 16 0z of Jimmy Dean's hot breakfast sausage. It adds so much flavor and spice. But it's very spicy! So if you don't like things spicy, use a regular, savory breakfast sausage, or 50% hot / 50% mild.
- Spinach. I used 5 oz fresh spinach, which I cooked down; you can use frozen (thawed and drained of any water).
- Mushrooms. I used 8 oz of baby Bella mushrooms. You can also use full-grown portobello's or crimini.
- Cheddar cheese adds a ton of flavor as well as a rich yellow color to the frittata. I used sharp Cheddar for the most intense flavor. You can also use pepper jack or Gruyere.
How to make sausage frittata
Here are step-by-step photos and an overview of the instructions. Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete recipe (including the amounts of ingredients!).
1) Preheat oven to 375 F. In a 10-inch or 12-inch cast iron skillet, cook the sausage on medium heat until completely cooked.
2) Remove cooked sausage from the skillet, and cook sliced mushrooms with olive oil, seasoned with salt.
3) Add spinach and cook it quickly with the mushrooms until it wilts.
4) Whisk the eggs and heavy cream together in a large bowl until fluffy. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the cooked sausage, spinach, and mushrooms in a cast iron skillet.
5) Top with shredded Cheddar cheese and sink some of the cheese.
6) Bake for 15 or 20 minutes until the frittata is no longer wobbly in the center. Using oven mittens, transfer the skillet with frittata to a wire rack and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Best pan to use for frittata
- Cast-iron skillet is the perfect pan for making sweet potato frittata. It's heavy-bottomed, conducts heat evenly, and creates an evenly baked frittata. You can use a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet. I used a 12-inch skillet which made this frittata a little bit on a thinner side. I think a 10-inch would've been a better choice, but both sizes work!
- Any oven-safe, high-sided round skillet or baking dish of similar diameter would also work.
- 9x13 rectangular baking pan. Assemble the frittata ingredients into the greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Use a 12-cup muffin pan. To turn this sausage frittata into muffins, fill the muffin pan ⅔ of the way and bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.
What kind of sausage to use?
- Breakfast sausage. I used Jimmy Dean's hot breakfast sausage. You can use any crumbled breakfast sausage (milder in flavor), such as regular or sage. Or, even better, use 50% hot and 50% regular.
- Italian sausage, whether hot, mild, or sweet, would work well in a frittata.
- Chicken or turkey sausage is another great option.
- Plant-based Italian sausage can be used to make the frittata meatless.
What veggies can you add?
- Leafy greens include spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or collard greens.
- Other green vegetables, such as broccoli or asparagus would be delicious in a sausage frittata.
- Potatoes. Add roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, yams, or regular potatoes. Crunchy hash browns would be a delicious addition, too!
Can you use milk instead of heavy cream?
- What is heavy cream? Heavy cream is the milk with a high fat content (usually between 35% - 40 %). It is also known as heavy whipping cream.
- Substitutes. I used ¾ cup of heavy cream here. You can use the same amount of half-and-half (which has approximately 18% fat content) instead. You can even use whole milk, but reduce the amount to ½ cup.
How to make it meatless?
- Omit the sausage altogether and keep it meatless with just mushrooms and spinach.
- Use plant-based sausage, such as the Beyond Meat brand.
- Another option is to add even more mushrooms, such as full-grown portobellos. Cook chopped portobellos with minced garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, paprika, and olive oil. Portobello mushrooms have a deep, rich, "meaty" flavor that works well as a meat substitute.
How do you know when frittata is done?
Bake it in the oven at 375 F for about 15 or 20 minutes until it's no longer visibly liquid or wobbly in the center. Do not overbake. Remove it from the oven immediately, as it will continue cooking in the residual heat once it's out of the oven.
Storage and reheating tips
- Fridge. Cool and slice sausage frittata into portions. Store the slices refrigerated in an air-tight container or freezer bag for up to 7 days.
- Freezer. Freeze the slices in an air-tight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- How to reheat: Reheat in the microwave oven for about 1 minute. This should be enough; otherwise, reheat longer in 30-second increments.
- Perfect for making ahead. This is a great recipe for meal prep as it keeps well refrigerated and frozen. It thaws well and reheats well.
Other frittata recipes
More breakfast recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Bread with Lemon Glaze
- Southwestern Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Eggs
- Strawberry Blueberry Cake
- Breakfast Egg Muffins with Bacon and Spinach
- Dutch Baby Pancake with Honey-Lemon Strawberries, Blueberries, and Pecans
- Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns and Broccoli
Sausage Frittata with Spinach and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 16 oz crumbled breakfast sausage (I used Jimmy Dean's)
- 8 oz mushrooms (baby Bella or crimini)
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- 8 eggs
- ยพ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a 10-inch or 12-inch cast iron skillet, cook the sausage, crumbling it, on medium heat on the stovetop for several minutes until it is cooked through. Drain any grease. Remove the cooked sausage from the skillet to a bowl.
- Add sliced mushrooms to the same skillet, sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper, and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes until they release juices and soften.
- Add spinach to the skillet with mushrooms and cook until it wilts.
- Add back cooked sausage.
- Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream in the same bowl until fluffy.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the cooked sausage, spinach, and mushrooms. Top with shredded Cheddar cheese, sinking some of it.
- Bake for 15 or 20 minutes until the frittata is no longer wobbly in the center.
- Using oven mittens, transfer the skillet with frittata to a wire rack and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- For reference, helpful step-by-step photos are provided above the recipe card - scroll up to see them.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Sausage. I used Jimmy Dean's breakfast sausage. You can use regular or hot. Hot can be too spicy, so if you want a moderate amount of heat, you might want to use 50% hot and 50% regular. Spicy or mild Italian sausage would work, too.
- Other veggies besides spinach include Swiss chard, collard greens, kale, broccoli, or asparagus.
- Heavy cream or milk? I used ยพ cup of heavy cream here. You can use half-and-half instead. You can even use milk, but reduce the amount to ยฝ cup.
- Make it meatless! Omit the sausage or replace it with plant-based sausage. Or, simply double the amount of mushrooms.
What pans can you use?
- A 10-inch or 12-inch cast-iron skillet is the best choice. It's heavy-bottomed and conducts heat evenly.
- Any oven-safe, high-sided round skillet or baking dish of similar diameter would also work.
- 9x13 rectangular baking pan. Assemble the frittata ingredients in the greased pan and bake for about 15 or 20 minutes.
- Use a 12-cup muffin pan and turn the frittata into breakfast muffins! Fill the muffin pan ⅔ of the way and bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Diana Provenzano
Delicious! I made this for brunch yesterday and itโs a hit!
Julia
So happy to hear that, Diana! ๐
Brenda Hedrick
My husband's comment was "If a recipe has Sausage, Spinach, and Mushrooms in the title it's got to be good"! I made this for Sunday brunch. There is only the two of us so I cut the recipe in half and then again in half. I cooked it just as the recipe indicated. Loved the flavors. It was savory, cheesy, and delightful. We definitely rated it 5* and it's going in the rotation for Sunday brunch in the future.
Julia
Wow, Brenda, thank you for your wonderful review, glad you loved the combination of flavors!.
Beverly
Made this for breakfast it was so delish!! Thanks Julia!! Awesome recipe
Julia
Thanks for being the first one to try this recipe, Beverly! ๐ So glad you enjoyed it!! ๐