Roasted Pumpkin Frittata with Kale and Goat's Cheese

This Roasted Pumpkin Frittata is the perfect easy recipe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Made with kale and goat's cheese it's a perfect veggie-loaded make-ahead meal.

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If you asked me for a list of recipes that I think everyone should know how to make, a simple frittata would be right at the top of the list. 

So simple. So versatile. So tasty. 

Why a frittata? It's one of those recipes that works for any meal of the day. They're great eaten warm, cold, or at room temperature, which makes them perfect for make-ahead meals or batch cooking. 

Frittatas are also a blank canvass for whatever you've got on hand, and great for using up leftovers whether it's a batch of roasted vegetables that need eating or some greens that are slightly past their prime. 

Once you've got the technique down, you don't even really need a recipe to make a great frittata. Having said that, you could try my Vegetarian Frittata with Corn and Tomatoes or my Roasted Vegetable Frittata Recipe, both of which are worthy and delicious.

Today I'm going to introduce you to another frittata recipe, and a seasonal favourite at that: Roasted Pumpkin Frittata with Kale and Goat's Cheese.

What goes in a pumpkin frittata?

The ingredients list is short and sweet! Here's what you need:

• Eggs --> Pretty fundamental for a frittata.
• Pumpkin --> I used these Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin Slices. 
• Kale --> I prefer Tuscan / lacinato kale, but curly is fine too.
• Goat's cheese --> A nice log of chevre or some feta will do.
• Onion --> For some of that flavour base.
• Olive oil --> For cooking and whatnot. 
• Milk --> Optional, if you prefer a looser custard. 

If you don't happen to have leftover roasted pumpkin on hand, it's easy enough to prepare some. The beauty of Hokkaido pumpkin is that you don't have to peel it (you can eat the skin) but feel free to use butternut squash or another winter squash instead. 

Equipment:

All you really need here is a nice heavy-bottomed frying pan that can go from the stovetop into the oven. I used my favourite cast iron skillet (<-- Amazon link) but I will often call a non-stick pan into action for making frittatas as well. 

How to make a frittata:

Step 1: Start by pre-heating your oven. Then set your skillet on the stove on medium-high heat. 

Sauté the onion in a bit of olive oil to soften ’em up. Then, the kale goes in and gets pan-fried until wilted down a bit. 

Step 2: Once the kale and onions are softened, scatter chunks of roasted pumpkin over the top, followed by crumbled goat cheese. 

Step 3: Whisk the eggs together with milk (if using) and salt and pepper. Pour the egg custard over the vegetables in the pan and give it a shake to distribute. 

Step 4: 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.

You'll know the frittata is finished when it's puffed and golden and only slightly jiggly in the middle.

Step 5: Remove from the oven, and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. 

TIPS FOR MAKING A KILLER PUMPKIN 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 and kale on the stovetop, and then transfer to a greased baking dish like I do in this Roasted Vegetable Frittata. 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 another kind of squash? Yep! Butternut squash, acorn squash, or delicata squash would be great.
• 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.

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 recipes you might enjoy:

Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwich with Spinach and Feta
Smoky Asparagus Quiche
Ricotta and Spinach Egg Bake
Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole with Swiss Chard and Gruyere
Broccoli Tart with Brown Rice Crust

This recipe was originally published October 26, 2010. It was retested, rephotographed, and updated on October 14, 2020. Please enjoy this photo from 2010: