Zucchini & Basil Frittata
⏲ ~31 min total · prep 13 · cook 18 · 4 servings
Breakfast⏱ 30 min total🔥 4.0g net carbs⚡ ≈559 kcal/serving~10% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1 lb zucchini (2 medium), quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, divided
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 350°F.
- Toss the zucchini half-moons with 1/4 tsp of the salt and let them sit 10 minutes; blot the surfaces dry so the zucchini browns instead of steams.
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high until it thins and flows easily across the pan, then add the zucchini in one layer and cook 5 to 6 minutes, turning once or twice, until spotty brown; stir in the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
- Whisk the eggs with the Parmesan, pepper, and remaining salt, pour them over the zucchini, and scatter in half the basil.
- Dollop the ricotta by spoonfuls across the surface, shake the pan to settle everything, and let it sit undisturbed on the heat 2 minutes, until the outer edge turns matte and set.
- Move the skillet to the oven and bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the middle puffs and no longer sloshes, with just a slight wobble in the center 2 inches.
- Rest 5 minutes in the pan — carryover heat finishes the middle — then cut into wedges and scatter the remaining basil on top.
Why this recipe works
- Salting the zucchini Ten minutes with salt pulls water out of the zucchini so it browns in the pan instead of steaming, and the bake finishes without a watery layer.
- Cast iron, stove to oven The same skillet browns the zucchini and bakes the frittata, so the browned flavor never leaves the pan the eggs cook in.
- Basil twice Half the torn basil bakes into the eggs and half goes on fresh at the end, so the herb reads cooked and bright in the same wedge.
Tips for making this recipe well
Blot, then brown
After the 10-minute salt, press the zucchini surfaces with a towel. Wet zucchini steams; dry zucchini takes on the brown spots that make this dish.
Garlic goes late
Stir the sliced garlic in for only the last 30 seconds of browning. Thin slices burn fast, and burned garlic turns bitter across a whole frittata.
Set the ring first
Let the pan sit undisturbed 2 minutes until the outer edge turns matte. That set ring is what lets the middle stay tender through the oven bake.
Trust the wobble
Pull it when the center 2 inches still wobble slightly. The cast iron keeps cooking during the 5-minute rest, and the middle sets without drying.
Serving suggestions
Cut it into wedges and scatter the reserved basil over the top while warm; it serves hot or at room temperature, which makes it a quiet workhorse for brunch or a light supper. A wedge lands at 4 net carbs, and sliced tomato with salt alongside is all the company it needs. Left alone, the pan empties itself by dinner.
Storage and meal prep
Leftover wedges keep 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the refrigerator and taste good cold, since the dish holds up at room temperature anyway. Reheat gently in a covered skillet or a low oven so the eggs warm through without drying. Freezing holds for 2 to 3 months, but the zucchini softens further after thawing; most batches are gone long before that matters.
Variations worth trying
- Swap the herb Fresh mint or parsley replaces the basil; both stand up well to zucchini.
- Add feta A quarter cup of crumbled feta scattered with the ricotta dollops turns the wedge saltier.
- Two squashes Half zucchini, half yellow squash browns the same way and looks good on the plate.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to salt the zucchini?
The 10-minute salt is what keeps the frittata from going watery. Zucchini holds a lot of water, and this step draws out enough to change how it browns.
Can I use a regular skillet?
It has to be oven-safe to finish the bake, and cast iron is the easiest bet for even browning. A well-seasoned carbon-steel pan works too.
How do I stop the garlic from burning?
Add it for the last 30 seconds only, as the recipe does. Sliced garlic runs from fragrant to bitter quickly over medium-high heat.
Why does the middle still wobble?
A slight wobble in the center 2 inches is the doneness cue; residual heat in the cast iron finishes it during the rest. Wait for a completely still center and the eggs will already be dry.
Can I add meat to this?
Yes. Cooked crumbled sausage or diced ham scattered with the zucchini works with the same egg base and the same bake time.
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