Frittata makes a delicious lunch dish, served with a salad and jacket potato. It is similar to an omelet but more eggs are used making the frittata much thicker. It can be cooked either on the stovetop or in the oven and can have any mixture of fillings.
Pick your favorites, or choose bacon, tomato, spinach, and Swiss cheese. A delicious vegetarian frittata could include feta, mushrooms, pumpkin, zucchini, and red bell pepper. You could add potatoes to make a more substantial frittata or make a breakfast frittata with sausage, bacon, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
Serve with hash browns and baked beans. However, what if you make too big a frittata and there is plenty left over? Can you freeze the leftovers? The simple answer is yes, and in this article, we will tell you how to freeze frittata and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze Frittata
1. Cook and cool down the frittata.
Transfer the frittata to a cold pan to speed up the cooling down process. You don’t want to leave the frittata out at room temperature for over two hours as, after this time, bacteria can start to develop. You also don’t want to put it in the freezer while it is still warm as it will bring up the temperature and other food may start to defrost. When this food refreezes, it may spoil.
2. Portion out the frittata.
If you have a lot of frittata to freeze, it is a good idea to divide it into portions so that you only defrost as much as you need and don’t end up having to throw some away.
3. Wrap each piece in cling film.
Wrap the pieces in two layers of cling film so that they are airtight. If air gets in, freezer burn may occur, and the taste and texture of your frittata will deteriorate.
4. Put the pieces of frittata in a freezer bag.
Squeeze out all the air from the bag to prevent freezer burn. Alternatively, you can put the pieces of frittata in an airtight container. This might be better as it will prevent the frittata from getting squashed in the freezer. Put a label on the bag or container with the date you put it in the freezer.
5. Freeze.
How To Freeze Egg Frittata Muffins
Egg frittata muffins are a delicious breakfast treat. They’re made by whisking up eggs with a little milk and adding any other ingredients that you want such as tomatoes, onions, cheese, mushrooms, or spinach. Then, all you do is put them in a muffin tin, bake and they’re ready to eat. However, can you make a batch of them and freeze some? The simple answer is yes. Just follow these instructions:
1. Cool down the muffins.
Take the muffins out of the tin so that they cool down quickly. You don’t want them to sit at room temperature for longer than two hours otherwise bacteria may start to form, and you could get a stomach upset when you eat them.
2. Put the egg frittata muffins in an airtight container.
Put the egg frittata muffins in the container in a single layer. If you have more, put a sheet of greaseproof paper on top of them and put another layer of muffins on top of this. Continue doing this until you have used up all the muffins. You will then be able to remove a layer at a time as the layers won’t stick together. Once you have done this, put a label on the container with the date so that you don’t keep the muffins in the freezer for longer than they should.
3. Freeze.
Tips For Freezing Frittata
- Wrap the frittata pieces securely so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Make sure that you squeeze out all the air from the freezer bag for the same reason.
- Expect that the flavors of the frittata will become less strong with freezing.
- If you fill your frittata with vegetables high in water, expect your frittata to be a bit soggy when it is defrosted. Vegetables that may cause this include zucchini, asparagus, and tomatoes.
For How Long Can You Freeze Frittata?
You can keep your frittata in the freezer for up to three months. After this time, the texture and taste will start to deteriorate even though it will still be safe to eat. In reality, the earlier you defrost it the better it will be.
How Do You Defrost Frittata?
If you plan to eat the frittata cold, the best way to defrost it is in the fridge for around 12 hours. This helps it to retain taste and texture. If, however, you want to eat it hot, you can take the frittata out of the freezer and put it straight in the oven on a baking tray. Reheat it on a hot heat of around 400 F for 20 minutes. Don’t reheat the frittata in the microwave. It might be quicker but it will ruin the texture of the frittata. It will end up soggy and will lose flavor.
Can You Refreeze Frittata?
It isn’t unsafe to refreeze your frittata but the texture will most probably be ruined. Frittata is delicate and the thawing process can affect the texture even after the first freeze so if you freeze it again, the texture will be compromised to a greater extent.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Frittata?
The answer to this is a little obscure. Sometimes frittata freezes well, other times it doesn’t. It can all depend on the ingredients you use. If you add vegetables with high water content, they may make the frittata soggy. If you put in vegetables with little water, such as potatoes or peppers, you should end up with a nice frittata. Just don’t refreeze any leftover frittata as that will ruin the texture.
However, freezing can dilute strong flavors so if you add such vegetables as asparagus and broccoli (see also Freezing Tenderstem Broccoli), don’t expect the frittata to taste quite the same. You will have to add extra salt and pepper otherwise it could have little taste.
A frozen and defrosted frittata is a nice weekday lunch but if you want to serve one to guests, you would be better off cooking one fresh. They aren’t that difficult to make so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing frittata but in case you still have questions, we have answered a few here.
If you wrap your frittata in foil and put it in an airtight container, it will last in the fridge for three to four days.
Yes, you can, and you can freeze it in the same way as freezing frittata.
Spanish omelet is very similar to frittata so you can freeze it in the same way.