Adding cottage cheese to a frittata is a delicious way to pack it with creamy flavor and extra protein! This Swiss chard frittata with cottage cheese is simple to make and can use whichever greens, alliums, and herbs are in season.
I know cottage cheese has been a "trend" in recent years, but I feel like it's finally just getting the spotlight it's always deserved. I grew up eating a lot of cottage cheese-in lasagna, as a snack with fresh peaches, and scooped into salads. So coming up with other uses for it as an adult?? Love it.
One of those uses lately has been in frittatas, which are one of my favorite family-friendly, easy meals to make for breakfast and even dinner. Where I usually add Greek yogurt to my frittata base (like in my cheesy kale and potato frittata), I've been loving cottage cheese instead for its creaminess and cheesiness.
Not to mention frittatas are one of those flexible meals where you can use up any produce or leftovers. That makes them perfect for eating seasonally, since you can adapt them based on what's in your garden, CSA, farmers market haul, or grocery store. For me, using up CSA greens is a big one, and I've been loving my giant chard leaves lately. But feel free to adapt this with what greens you have that need using up!
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Frittatas As a Way to Reduce Waste
As mentioned, frittatas are the perfect way to use up produce or other leftovers in your fridge to reduce waste! In spring I actually developed this recipe with ramps, but later in August I added in fresh sweet corn (still with chard in both).
Greens cook down nicely, so add in the spinach, kale, or other greens haunting your crisper. And don't feel like you have to stop at produce! I've been known to add leftover grains, pasta, meat, and roasted veggies because almost anything goes with eggs and cheese. Do you have ideas for what you might add to yours? Comment below!
Step-By-Step Overview: Chard Frittata
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and whisk eggs together with cottage cheese in a bowl. Set aside.
- Step 2: Sauté Swiss chard and allium of choice (ramps used here in spring, but greens onions or other onions are perfect in any season), until soft and fragrant.
- Step 3: Pour in the egg mixture and gently stir to make sure veggies are distributed evenly. Cook until edges start to darken, and sprinkle shredded gruyere on top.
- Step 4: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10-14 minutes, until the center is no longer jiggly. Let it cool slightly, cut into slices, and serve!
Serving Recommendations
If you're making this chard and cottage cheese frittata for breakfast or brunch, it's great with sourdough toast, English muffins, or bagels. For a bigger brunch spread, some muffins or Instant Pot steel cut oats could be fun on the side, or even some simple dressed greens.
For dinner, I love serving it with something that feels heartier and seasonal. That could also mean dressed greens with good bread, a quick blended tomato basil gazpacho in summer, creamy cucumber salad, or a grain salad if I made some in advance (wheat berry salad, etc.). If low effort is your goal, dressed greens and good sourdough bread with butter-maybe even a side of fresh seasonal fruit-are always a hit at our house.
Other Ways to Use Up Greens
Did you make this chard & cottage cheese frittata recipe? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!
Print📖 Recipe
Chard Frittata with Cottage Cheese & Gruyere
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A frittata recipe with cottage cheese, Swiss chard, and Gruyere for a simple breakfast or dinner. Made in one pan and can be adapted with whatever greens are in season!
Ingredients
- 9 large eggs
- ½ cup cottage cheese (whole milk preferred)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large stalks Swiss chard, chopped (stems, too)
- 3 ramps or green onions, thinly sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped chives
- ¾ cup Gruyere, shredded
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Whisk the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl and set aside. If the cottage cheese chunks bother you, feel free to blend the mixture, but I find they melt nicely into the frittata once baked.
- Preheat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Slightly turn the heat down, add the chard and ramps or green onions, and sauté until wilted down, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top of the veggies, then immediately sprinkle chives and Gruyere on top. Give the mixture a gentle stir to evenly distribute ingredients-but quickly! Before those eggs start cooking. Then let it sit untouched until the outer edges start to lighten in color and look more solid (about 5 minutes).
- Transfer the entire skillet to the oven and bake the rest for 10-14 minutes. The frittata is done when it's puffed up with no wet parts on top. Don't forget your oven mitts when taking it out! Allow it to cool in the skillet for 5-10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
Notes
Helpful tools: A salad spinner is great for cleaning chard or other greens! Also, a cast iron skillet or oven-safe skillet is necessary for transferring from stove to oven.
Storage: Store leftover frittatas in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. I usually reheat in the oven or microwave.
Avoid overcooked frittatas. Ovens vary, so I recommend checking your frittata at about 10 minutes of baking. If it's completely solid/no jiggling in the center of the frittata, and it feels bouncy yet sturdy when you give it a gently poke, it can come out of the oven and finish cooking as it cools. If it still looks jiggly and wet, check again in a couple minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ frittata
- Calories: 326
- Sugar: 1.8 g
- Sodium: 762.5 mg
- Fat: 23.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.1 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 24.9 g
- Cholesterol: 450.2 mg
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