Eggs make a quick and easy weeknight meal. Add a few simple ingredients and whip up this easy, comforting Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Frittata. Smoked cheddar brings this vegetarian comfort meal to whole other level!
The extra step of roasting the cauliflower is key to not only bringing out the flavour but also drying out the cauliflower. That way you aren't adding in extra moisture as you would if using boiled or steamed. However, if you prefer to steam or boil the cauliflower that works too! Just make sure to dry it well before adding it to the egg mixture.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For a full list of ingredients see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower - Feel free to substitute with broccoli or any other leftover cooked vegetables you want to use up. You will need approximately 4 cups of chopped veggies.
- Leeks - Leeks add a subtle, sweet onion flavour but you can also substitute with sliced or diced white or sweet onion. Use one medium sized onion.
- Eggs
- Full fat yogurt - Low or no-fat yogurt will produce a watery texture. You can also substitute with sour cream or heavy cream.
- Smoked Cheddar - The smokiness adds extra depth of flavour to this frittata but feel free to use any type of cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
- Mozzarella - I used 2 types of cheese here to add more interest to the frittata. The cheddar adds flavour and the mozzarella provides gooiness. If you prefer to use only one type of cheese I would omit the mozzarella and use all cheddar. Or if you want to use all Mozzarella and have some parmesan cheese on hand, ¼ cup grated parm will add extra sharpness.
- Fresh thyme - If you don't have fresh thyme, omit the sprigs during the roasting process and use ½ teaspoon dried in the egg mixture. You can also omit the thyme altogether or add other fresh herbs to the eggs such as parsley.
For the cauliflower
Breaking down a head of cauliflower can be a bit messy. But it's really quite simple. Give yourself lots of space and get to it! Cut it in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Starting from the top of each quarter, cut the core away from the florets. Pull apart the florets and cut into smaller pieces.
Place the florets on a baking tray. You can use an ungreased tray or line it with parchment for easier clean up. Drizzle cauliflower with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Remove enough leaves from the thyme sprigs to produce about 1 teaspoon of chopped thyme that will be added in later. Lay the remaining thyme sprigs on top. This will infuse flavour into the cauliflower as it roasts.
For the leeks
While the cauliflower is roasting you can start working on the other ingredients. Leeks are a lovely, mild, sweet onion. They become very buttery when cooked. You can, of course, substitute a diced white or vidalia onion and cook a little longer, until they are nice and soft. The dark green parts of the leeks are tough so they are cut off and discarded. This can seem like a waste but if you like to make your own stocks, you can keep them in the freezer until ready to use.
Leeks can be very sandy and sometimes hard to rinse clean. For a really good wash place the sliced leeks in a bowl and cover them with a generous amount of cold water. Then slosh around with your hand and leave to sit for one to two minutes. This allows the dirt, which is heavier, settle to the bottom while the leeks float to the top. Scoop them out with your hand or a slotted spoon and into a colander to drain. I use this same washing method with sandy lettuces too. Works like a charm!
If you don't have a cast iron skillet don't sweat it. Use a large non-stick skillet that is 12 inches in diameter. My pan is 2 ½ inches deep but, as you can see in the photo above, there is still room so you could go with 1 ½ inches deep.
The cheese
This recipe uses a combination of smoked cheddar and regular mozzarella. The smokiness of the cheddar is a perfect compliment to the nutty cauliflower and sweet leeks. If you can't find smoked cheddar you can substitute with a a combination of old cheddar and smoked mozzarella and change the amounts to equal parts. You can play around with the cheese as much as you like in this recipe and substitute with just about any kind. I particularly like the smoky flavour with the cauliflower and leeks and the mozzarella adds gooeyness - which we all need more of in our lives right?
If the frittata looks a bit pale after baking you can put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown. Serve it warm or at room temperature. Add a salad and you have an easy and delicious meatless meal! It's also fantastic as leftovers for lunch or dinner.
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Frittata
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 leeks
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup full fat yogurt, or sour cream
- 1 ½ cups grated smoked cheddar (150 g/5 oz)
- ½ cup grated mozzarella (50 g/2 oz)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F
- Cut cauliflower into quarters, lengthwise, and remove core. Cut into small pieces and place on baking tray.
- Drizzle with 2 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to mix.
- Remove enough thyme leaves from stems to produce about 1 teaspoon of chopped thyme, set aside. Place remaining sprigs over cauliflower.
- Roast for 15 minutes, stirring half way through. Remove from oven and discard thyme sprigs. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- While cauliflower is roasting prepare the leeks.
- Remove the dark green ends of leeks, keeping only the white and light green parts. Cut off the root end. Slice in half lengthwise then slice across into approximately ½ cm (¼") slices.
- Place in large bowl and fill with cold water. Agitate leeks with your hand to release any dirt. Let stand in water for 1-2 minutes. Lift leeks from bowl and into a colander to drain.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute leeks for approximately 5 minutes or until soft. Leave in pan but remove from heat and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
- Grate both cheeses and mix together in a bowl.
- In a large bowl whisk together eggs, yogurt, salt and pepper. Add approximately ¾ of the cheese mixture and stir
- When cauliflower is done, add to skillet with leeks. Mix in chopped thyme. Pour over the egg mixture and stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until set in the center. If desired, broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Mary Muir says
Just finished making this for supper tonight. It smells delicious and I had to have a taste. I’m going to have trouble sharing it’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted. Thank you once again Andrea.
Andrea says
How wonderful Mary! So happy you enjoyed it!!
Debra Fine says
This fabulous frittata was my very first @mypocketkitchen recipe and, two years later, it’s still my very favourite and the one I return to again and again. Thanks Andrea for creating and sharing this delicious dish.
Andrea says
This one still remains one of my favourites as well! So happy you are enjoying it Debra and thanks for commenting.
Anita says
Excellent tasting fritatta. The addition of smoked cheddar is genius. Also using roasted cauliflower gives it more substance and the portion size is more than adequate. This is my first time making one of your recipes and I will definitely make this one again. Can’t wait to try some other ones.
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Anita! Hope you enjoy many more recipes!
Kimberly Reed says
OH MY GOSH....this is seriously the best Frittata I have ever made and I will not be a stranger to it! it is amazing. it checks all the boxes for flavor, consistency, satisfaction. it is def a keeper!!!!! (I only wish I had a 'letter' option for printing but can only get part of it due to a 'legal' setting on the recipe...first world problems...:)
Andrea says
Hi Kimberly! I'm so happy you enjoyed the frittata. It's one of my faves too! I'm not sure what's happening with the printing issue. I don't have any legal settings for printing so not sure what's happening there. Hope you can figure it out.
Debra says
This is the first MPK recipe I ever made and there has been no turning back. If I could give it a 10 star rating I would.
Corinne says
Hi Andrea, I LOVE this frittata recipe! I could eat it every day for the rest of my life and NEVER get sick of it! Thank you!
Andrea says
You are very welcome! I'm so happy you are enjoying it!
Andrea says
I'm so happy you are enjoying the frittata! Thanks for commenting!
Joan Dow says
Andrea, this was so much better than I ever imagined it could be. I am not a fan of thyme but I always try a recipe as written the first time so added it but next time I would leave it out, just personal preference, but it was still delicious. My 16 year old niece and I are going shopping this weekend for the ingredients so I can teach her how to make it. I did freeze half because I am the only one eating it so hoping it's just as good once thawed. Thanks for another great recipe!!!
Andrea says
Hi Joan! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! That's the great thing about frittata, you can switch things up to suit your own taste! It freezes well. Just defrost first before reheating. 👌😀
Lynn Bobd says
I made this recipe for supper served with a green salad. It was very tasty and my husband loved it too.
Andrea says
Hi Lynn! So happy you both enjoyed it!
Jenny says
Wonderful for dinner. So fluffy and delicious!
Andrea says
Thanks for commenting! So happy you enjoyed it! 💃
Ruth FGitzgerald says
Hi Andrea I’m LOVING all your recipes. I was prepping today to make the Frittata that you showed on Gina’s site with roasted tomatoes & bacon. I have the tomatoes ready for the oven but can no longer find that recipe. I’m sure the Roasted Cauliflower Leek Frittata will be amazing however I have the ingredients for the other one. Is there any way I could get that recipe again please?
Andrea says
Hi Ruth!
If you still have access to the group the recipe can be found there by doing a search. I have that one ready to post in a couple of weeks on my website but in the meantime you can use the same egg mixture found with this recipe as your base. Hope that helps!
Judy says
Absolutely delicious! I made this for breakfast in a casserole dish and cut into squares to be able to freeze any extras!
Kim says
How much dried thyme would you suggest if fresh isn't available?
Andrea says
Hi Kim!
1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon will be enough. Hope you enjoy it!
Kim Lawrence says
Deliciousness 🙂 The smoked cheddar added depth to the flavour. Will definitely make again!!