Courgette and Ricotta Frittata
This simple summer or early autumn courgette and ricotta frittata is packed with sliced courgettes (zucchini), creamy ricotta and fresh basil and mint. It’s finished with a savoury Parmesan-style crust and can be on the table within twenty minutes. Serve with a green salad and tomato sauce or chutney for a deliciously unfussy lunch.
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Normally we manage to grow more courgettes than we know what to do with. But this year’s heatwaves resulted in us not getting a single one. Nevertheless, this recipe is a great way to use seasonal courgettes. It’s particularly useful when the garden is producing them faster than you can eat them. And because the courgettes are the star rather than an afterthought, it makes a meaningful dent in any glut – should you be so lucky as to have one.
Dive Right In
- Why This Courgette and Ricotta Frittata Recipe Works
- Easy Courgette and Ricotta Frittata
- Ingredients, Additions And Substitutions
- How To Make A Courgette and Ricotta Frittata
- Top Tips For Making Delicious Frittata
- Other Courgette Recipes You Might Like
- Keep In Touch
- Pin It
- The Recipe
Why This Courgette and Ricotta Frittata Recipe Works
- Packed with courgettes – There’s a generous amount of thinly sliced courgette, so this isn’t an egg dish with a few token vegetables. Frying them first concentrates their flavour and gives them a lovely soft texture.
- Ricotta makes it creamy – Beating ricotta into the eggs, rather than scattering it on top, gives the frittata a softer, creamier texture than a standard egg frittata.
- Fresh herbs add brightness – Basil, mint and garlic chives bring freshness and stop all those courgettes and eggs from making the frittata feel heavy or bland.
- Savoury cheesy topping – Parmesan-style vegetarian cheese both adds flavour to the egg mixture and creates that lovely savoury crust when the frittata goes under the grill (broiler).
- Quick but properly satisfying – It can be on the table in around 20 minutes, but because it’s packed with courgettes and ricotta, it feels like a substantial meal rather than a last-minute omelette.
Easy Courgette and Ricotta Frittata
Because this courgette and ricotta frittata is so quick and easy to make, it’s perfect fare for lunch or even a simple supper. But as you can serve it at room temperature as well as warm, it’s ideal for meal prep and works well for both picnics and in sandwiches.
I discovered the mint and egg combination a few years ago and it’s somehow rather surprising. But it works incredibly well. It’s now my favourite herb to use in omelettes. You can see I’ve used it in this springtime asparagus frittata recipe too.
I’ve also used courgettes in this vegetable frittata, but it’s quite a different recipe from my courgette and ricotta one.
Ingredients, Additions and Substitutions
This frittata is one of those lovely late summer meals that needs only a few simple ingredients. You might even grow some of them yourself. Most need no explanation, but I’ve noted a few that do.
Courgettes (Zucchini)
You can use any type of courgette you like, but small young ones are best for this recipe. They’re generally more tender, have better flavour and fewer seeds. If you have larger ones, just halve or even quarter them before slicing.
Cheese
A vegetarian parmesan-style cheese is ideal for vegetarians. If this isn’t an issue, just use Parmesan, which contains rennet and is therefore not vegetarian. This is the cheese that really adds flavour and helps to give a nice golden crust to the frittata.
Fresh Herbs
Basil and mint work wonders in this courgette frittata, giving much of the flavour. You only need a few sprigs of each, but err on the side of generosity.
I also use garlic chives, but forgot to add them to the above image. They add subtle notes of garlic as well as general freshness. If you don’t have any or can’t get hold of them, use chives instead. Or just leave them out.
It’s an easy recipe to adapt though; if you have other herbs growing, use those instead. Thyme, oregano, marjoram and parsley work well and are all used in traditional Italian cooking.
How To Make Courgette and Ricotta Frittata
With just a few simple ingredients, it really doesn’t take long to make this courgette and ricotta frittata. You just need to fry the courgettes, add the egg mixture to the pan then pop under the grill (broiler) for a few minutes.
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for cooking times, measurements and quantities of ingredients used.
Step 1. Prepare Veg
Peel the onion then cut in half. Slice it then dice the slices so that you end up with a fairly finely chopped onion.
Top and tail the courgettes then slice them as thinly as you can into rounds. If your courgettes are medium sized rather than small, then halve them before slicing.
Step 2. Fry Veg
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or skillet, over a low to medium heat. The pan needs to be ovenproof as it will go under the grill (broiler) later. I use a cast iron skillet (affiliate link), which is excellent for this job.
Fry the onions gently in the olive oil until translucent.
Turn up the heat a little, add a pinch of salt followed by the courgette slices. Fry, stirring occasionally for five minutes or until the courgettes are soft, but not watery.
Step 3. Beat Eggs
Whilst the courgettes are frying, break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Add the ricotta, final pinch of salt and black pepper.
Beat with a fork until the eggs are well combined and the ricotta is mostly broken up, but with some small lumps remaining.
Using scissors, snip the chives into the bowl, keeping them nice and small. Finely chop the mint and basil then add to the bowl.
Lastly, finely grate half of the cheese into the bowl. A microplane (affiliate link) is ideal for this. Give another quick beat with the fork to make sure everything is well mixed.
Step 4. Cook Eggs
Set the grill (broiler) to high, but not the highest heat.
Pour the egg mixture over the courgettes. Tilt the pan, so that the eggs are evenly distributed. Turn down the heat slightly and cook until the eggs are almost, but not quite, set on top.
As soon as the eggs are ready, finely grate the remaining cheese over the frittata, then take the pan off the hob and place it under the grill (broiler).
Top Tip – You can double the quantity to serve four as a main meal or six as a starter or picnic item. But as the frittata will be thicker, you will need to either use a larger pan or cook it for a few minutes longer, both on the stove top and under the grill (broiler).
Leave it to cook for two to three minutes or until the frittata is puffed up, completely set and crisp and golden around the edges. It will deflate when you take it out though, so don’t be disappointed.
Let the frittata stand for five minutes, then cut into halves or wedges and serve straight away whilst warm or later at room temperature.
Top Tips For Making Delicious Frittata
Although this courgette and ricotta frittata is really easy to make, I have a few tips for ensuring a most delicious result. You’ll also find a few serving suggestions and storage tips.
Slice the courgettes thinly and evenly. This helps them cook quickly and consistently and means you can fit plenty into the frittata without ending up with large, watery chunks.
Give the courgettes time to fry before adding the eggs. You’re not merely trying to soften them here. Frying them with the onion allows some of their moisture to cook away and concentrates their flavour, which helps prevent a watery frittata.
It’s important not to overcook the eggs. Take the frittata off the hob before the centre has completely set. Popping it under the grill (broiler) will continue cooking the eggs, leaving them succulent rather than dry or even rubbery.
If you don’t have a grill (broiler), you can finish the frittata in the pan. Slide it onto a plate, place another plate on top and carefully invert it. Then slide the frittata back into the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, until the underside is golden and the eggs are cooked through.
Courgette and ricotta frittata is delicious served with a spicy tomato sauce or chutney and salad leaves. It’s also good tucked into a sandwich. For a more substantial meal, serve it with air-fried or sautéed potatoes.
Keeps in the fridge for three days. Place cooked frittata slices in an airtight container and remove from the fridge half an hour before eating so that they’re not stone cold.
Other Courgette Recipes You Might Like
- Chocolate courgette cake
- Courgette chickpea pancakes with mango cucumber salsa
- Courgette corn soup with vegan pesto
- Courgettes with baked beans & salsa verde
- Miso muffins with kale, carrot & courgette
- Spring vegetable medley
And if these aren’t enough to inspire you, take a look at All The Courgette Recipes You Will Ever Need.
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Courgette and Ricotta Frittata. PIN IT.
Courgette and Ricotta Frittata
Equipment
- cast iron skillet (25 cm, 10") (affiliate link) optional
- microplane (affiliate link) optional
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion (or a large shallot) – finely chopped
- 2 small courgettes (zucchini) (about 250g) – thinly sliced
- 4 medium eggs or 3 large ones
- 125 g ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp vegetarian Parmesan style cheese finely grated
- 2 sprigs mint chopped
- 4 sprigs basil chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic chives (or swap for onion chives) – finely snipped
- 2 pinch sea or rock salt
- good grinding of black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or skillet over a low to medium heat. The pan needs to be ovenproof as it will go under the grill (broiler) later. I use a cast iron skillet, which is excellent for this job.1 tbsp olive oil
- Fry the onions gently in the olive oil until translucent, about 3 minutes.1 small onion
- Turn up the heat a little add a pinch of salt followed by the courgette slices. Fry, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until the courgettes are soft.2 small courgettes (zucchini), 1 pinch sea or rock salt
- Whilst the courgettes are frying, break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Add the final pinch of salt and black pepper then beat with a fork until well combined.4 medium eggs, good grinding of black pepper, 1 pinch sea or rock salt
- Beat in the ricotta so it’s mostly broken up, but with some small lumps remaining.125 g ricotta cheese
- Finally stir in the chopped herbs and 1 tbsp of the Parmesan-style cheese.2 sprigs mint, 4 sprigs basil, 1 tbsp garlic chives, 1 tbsp vegetarian Parmesan style cheese
- Pour the egg mixture over the courgettes. Tilt the pan, so that the eggs are evenly distributed. Turn down the heat slightly and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the eggs are more or less set.
- Meanwhile, put the grill (broiler) on high, but not the highest heat – 220℃ (425℉, Gas 7) is about right.1 tbsp vegetarian Parmesan style cheese
- Scatter the remaining tablespoon of cheese over the frittata, then take the pan off the hob and place it under the grill. Leave it to cook for two to three minutes or until the frittata is puffed up, completely set and crisp and golden around the edges. It will deflate when you take it out though, so don't be disappointed.
- Let the frittata stand for 5 minutes, then cut into halves or wedges and serve either warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
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