[Gluten-Free] Spring Green Frittata

Okay let's just get this out of the way right now. This recipe has SPAGHETTI and EGGS together. Did I lose you? Are you still there? Whew, good. I know these two ingredients aren't necessarily known for being combined, but trust me, this dish is positively delicious. Think of it this way... if a bowl of delicious spaghetti and marinara sauce decided to become friends with a perfectly seasoned omelet, then my Spring Green Frittata would be their coming out party.

The unlikely duo of spaghetti and eggs started making an appearance in my home about four years ago. Looking back on it, the combination was bound to happen since I always seem to have the ingredients on hand and when I get hungry, well... all bets are off! But really, this dish came out of a need for greens. Right around this time, I decided to make a new rule in our house: One green at every meal. It seems like common sense to do, but it turns out, we were seriously neglecting the green side of the produce section.

Satisfying the new rule was easy on nights when I could strategically plan out a nice dinner. Roasted asparagus with lemon zest, roasted Brussels sprouts and thyme, garlicky kale sauté... Oh I had it going on. But on that crazy day when all I could do was frantically search through my pantry and fridge (yes, I have those days too), I wasn't too keen on the green rule. So I created this dish for those busy nights when I didn't have the ingredients or extra time to roast a green or make a side salad to meet my green quota. Yup, you guessed it. There's a whole lot of spinach in this dish. A whole bag to be exact! 

So if you think I'm crazy for putting spaghetti, eggs, and spinach together... okay, it does sound crazy. But it's crazy delicious. And that's the best kind.

[Gluten-Free] Spring Green Frittata

This frittata is the ultimate one-pan meal. It’s loaded with plump sun-dried tomatoes, perfectly wilted spinach, and the delicious surprise of pasta marinara. It’s great right out of the oven, but my favorite is chilled the next day!

Makes 4-5 servings

7 large eggs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (about 7), either packed in olive oil or soaked in 
       boiling water until soft (about 10 minutes)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (5 ounce) bag of baby spinach leaves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons red wine
2 cups cooked gluten-free spaghetti (4 ounces dry pasta)

¾ cup marinara sauce

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup chopped parsley

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs. Set bowl aside. In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook until onions are soft, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Then add the garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant (about 1 minute), add half of the spinach leaves with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Once the leaves begin to wilt, add the other half of spinach leaves. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and the black pepper. Once all the spinach leaves are wilted, add the wine and stir. Then, add the spaghetti and sauce. Stir constantly for about a minute until everything is evenly combined. (Tongs help!) 

Pour eggs evenly over the pasta mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered until eggs are set on edges but not in the middle, about 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat broiler (on high).

Once edges are set, sprinkle the top of the frittata with Parmesan cheese and place under broiler. Cook until browned on top and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Let the frittata sit for 5 minutes before cutting. Top with parsley before serving. Enjoy!

Lauren Marie’s Tip:
This is a great dish for leftover pasta. But if I’m making the pasta fresh, I like to break the spaghetti in half before cooking. That way I get the perfect size pasta in each bite!

recipe courtesy: laurenmarieglutenfree.com