Vegetarian Frittata with Corn and Tomatoes

This Vegetarian Frittata Recipe features sweet corn and tomatoes with a bit of sharp cheddar for an easy and healthy meal the whole family will love. Naturally low-carb and gluten-free, this healthy vegetarian frittata is perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or make-ahead meals! 

In our home, we've made a frittata for dinner practically every Thursday evening for the past 17 years. It started as an omelet night, but as the omelettes got bigger and loaded with more veggies and more difficult to flip, it dawned on me one day to make a frittata instead and we've never turned back.

To be honest, if I was ever on Master Chef or any of those cooking competitions, the omelet episode is the one where I'd go home. My technique is so far from traditional (particularly because wet, undercooked eggs squig me out) and so flawed that Gordon Ramsay would 100% throw the entire plate into the garbage can (why do they always throw the plates out? such a waste!) in a horrified rage.

A frittata challenge on the other hand? I'd bring it.

I'd bring all the heat and all the pain and wow those grumpy judges with my bonkers delicious vegetarian frittata. And that is what I'm going to teach you how to make today: a Vegetarian Frittata with Corn, Tomatoes, and Cheddar.

Looking for more? Check out this list of 20 Vegetarian Breakfast recipes!

What's in this vegetarian frittata recipe?

This here vegetarian frittata is all about the corn! Fresh, sweet corn is in season right now and I'm trying to eat as much of it as possible while the going's good. And since corn and tomatoes are best friends, it made sense to put them together in this recipe.

We've got a support crew in the way of sharp cheddar, red onion, and a bit of parsley. They're the wingmen in this corn and tomato frittata romance, and we're not mad about it.

Also, eggs. Duh. You can't make a frittata without breaking a few eggs... that's how the saying goes, right? In this particular frittata recipe I used a bit of whole milk to thin out the eggs and make the whole situation a bit more custardy, because corn + custard = a literal slice of heaven in my mouth.

How do you make a vegetarian frittata?

Easy peasy, my friends. Grab yourself an oven-proof skillet and let's get started!

First, you sauté the red onions in a bit of olive oil to soften 'em up. Then, the corn goes in. I like to crank the heat and get a bit of a char on the corn if it's fresh off the cob.

Once that's looking good, the tomatoes join the party. While they're getting to know the corn a bit better, take the time to whisk your eggs together with a bit of milk, and let's season that situation up with a bit of salt and pepper, some fresh parsley, and a bit of cheese.

The eggy custard gets poured over the corn and tomatoes, and I like to use a spatula to move things around just a bit and bring some of the vegetables up to the surface. Keep the pan on the heat for a few minutes more to get the bottom set up, and then we're heading into the oven for the big finish.

I like to bake, then broil my frittatas. Usually I pre-heat the oven so it's nice and hot when the frittata goes in, and then after a few minutes I flip it over to the broil setting to get the top all nice and brown.

And that's it! Your frittata is done did!

Tips for making a killer vegetarian frittata:

• Do I need to have a cast-iron skillet to make a frittata? Nope! I love cast iron, but you can use any oven-proof skillet or frying pan.
• Don't burn your hand! When you take the skillet out of the oven, wrap a tea towel around the handle so if some idiot comes along and grabs it (I'm totally that idiot) they won't burn the hell out of their hand.
• Help, I don't have an oven-proof frying pan! Don't worry, you can still totally make this! Simply sauté the onions, corn, and tomatoes on the stovetop, and then transfer to a greased baking dish. Pour the eggs over top, bake in the oven, and you're good to go.
• How do I know if my frying pan is oven-proof? Generally, if the handle is oven-proof (i.e., not plastic) the pan can go into the oven. I've definitely used non oven-proof pans before with this Macgyver trick where you wrap the plastic handle with tinfoil before it goes into the oven, and you know what? IT TOTALLY WORKS.
• Can I use frozen corn in place of fresh? Yep! Corn season is fleeting but frittata season is forever. Frozen works just fine.
• Can I make this frittata in advance? Yup! Frittatas are great served hot, room temperature, or cold, so they're a great make-ahead meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And yes! Frittata makes an incredible packed lunch.
• Can I make this frittata dairy free? Yes you can. Just leave out the milk and the cheese.
• Can I make this frittata recipe vegan? No. This recipe requires eggs and that's just how it is. But for a great vegan frittata recipe, check out this one from Connoisseurus Veg.
• What is that delicious looking green sauce in the photos? That, my friends, is the most bonkers delicious Chimichurri sauce from Sustainable Cooks. Make it. Bathe in it. You are welcome.

Hey Nutrition Lady, what's the deal with eggs?

Glad you asked, friends. We took a deep dive into eggs as a superfood in this post, so that's where to head if you want to learn more. But here's a quick summary!

Eggs are a natural, nutrient-rich whole food and an amazing source of high quality protein. In fact, many public health authorities use eggs as the reference standard against which protein qualities are evaluated. Eggs contain all 8 B-vitamins, along with folic acid.

Vitamin B12 and choline are particularly abundant in eggs. Eggs are also a very good source of selenium and iodine.

But what about cholesterol? Well, several large-scale studies conducted recently have suggested that the cholesterol content of eggs in relation to heart disease may be less of a concern than previously thought. Interestingly, a relationship between egg intake and an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol has also been observed.

Is one part of an egg better than the other? As it turns out, the nutrients found in an egg are distributed fairly evenly between the white and the yolk. The white has more protein, magnesium, potassium, and B3, whereas the yolk has more omega-3 fatty acids, folate, choline, B12, and fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K. So eat 'em up, and eat 'em whole!

Other tasty egg recipes you might enjoy:

Roasted Vegetable Frittata
Smoky Asparagus Quiche
Spicy Cauliflower Frittata
Swiss Chard and Gruyere Strata
Baked Eggs with Spinach and Ricotta
Broccoli Tart with Brown Rice Crust

This recipe was originally published August 29, 2011. It was retested, rephotographed, and updated on August 21, 2018. Last updated July 25, 2020.