Leftover Spaghetti Frittata
Leftover Spaghetti Frittata

You know what I’m terrible at? Measuring pasta. I can never get it right. I always cook way too much or way too little. I know they have little spaghetti measuring gadgets, but my problem goes way beyond just one style of pasta. Penne, macaroni, angel hairโ€”I’m horrible at estimating all of it.

Since cooking too little pasta is mega annoying (because by the time you realize it’s too little, you’ve already dumped the boiling water and have to boil another potโ€”ugh), I like to err on the side of cooking too much. Which means there is a pretty constant supply of leftover pasta stashed in my fridge.

Spaghetti

Sometimes I’ll just heat it up with a little sauce or pesto and call it good, but I also like to repurpose the pasta into something new and excitingโ€”like this leftover spaghetti frittata.

Leftover Spaghetti Frittata

If we have spaghetti for dinner, it’s a pretty safe bet we’re eating this frittata for breakfast the next day. I like it best with spaghetti, but it will work with whatever pasta you have kicking around. In the summer (or in fall, when we’re lucky enough to not have had a frost yet), I’ll use fresh, Italian herbsโ€”parsley, oregano, and basilโ€”and fresh tomatoes. During the winter months, I’ll pull out my dried herbs and use some sundried tomatoes. Both ways are absolutely delicious! The great joy of a frittata is that you can pretty much throw in whatever you have in the kitchen, and it almost always turns out spectacular. It’s a great dishย if you want to try to get into more of seasonal cookingโ€”use what you have.

Frittatas are also a great option for lunches. Make up a frittata on the weekend, cut it into small slices, and pack it into containers for healthy easy lunches throughout the week. I happily eat leftover frittata cold or at room temp (but you can also nuke it if you’d rather enjoy it warm).

Leftover Spaghetti FrittataI always make frittatas in my old, well-seasoned cast iron skillet. I absolutely love cooking in cast iron because it holds heat so evenly, it transfers seamlessly from the stovetop to the oven, and it also helps increase the iron levels of the food that is cooked in it. If I was told I could only use one pan for the rest of my life, I’d pick my cast iron skillet!

Enjoy!

 

Leftover Spaghetti Frittata

Leftover Spaghetti Frittata

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Have some pasta kicking around your fridge from last night's dinner? Use it to make this Italian-flavored leftover spaghetti frittata.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups cooked pasta
  • 2 tablespoons fresh, minced oregano (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh, minced parsley (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh, minced basil (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Heat the olive oil over medium-high in a medium-sized oven-proof skillet. Add in the fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, onion, and garlic. Cook until onion and garlic are fragrant and tender, about five minutes. Add in the tomato and cook until some of the water is released, about 2 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk, eggs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until light and frothy.
  3. Add the leftover pasta to the tomato mixture, and stir until evenly distributed. Spread the mixture evenly along the bottom of the skillet.
  4. Pour the egg mixture over top of the spaghetti mixture—do not stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the edges of the frittata are solid, but the top is still liquidy, about 5 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle top with herbs, and place frittata in the oven to finish setting up. Frittata is done with the top is no longer liquid and it begins to brown. Remove from oven, and let cool for five minutes before slicing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 373Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 196mgSodium: 507mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 18g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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7 Comments

  1. I made the whole frittata in the oven starting with the olive oil and spices. Then I added the other ingredients per recipe.. After adding the egg mixture, I let the frittata cook in the 425 degree oven until mostly set but still runny about 5 minutes. Then I brought down the heat to 375 degrees and put a lid on the cast iron skillet for an additional 5 minutes

  2. I take the cooked spaghetti and fry it in butter til its almost dry. I sometimes just add a ketchup (don’t say ugh until you’ve tried it) and fry it in butter. Some people like a poached egg on top of it.

    1. I’ve tried it. Ugh !
      I will not say what I think of people who put ketchup on their spaghetti. It’s not fit to print.

  3. I recently made this frittata with about 1 1/2 cups leftover spaghetti and 5 eggs. My oven only heats up to 350, so I softened veggies then mixed everything into a pie plate and cooked it for 35 minutes. Turned out great! I love the flexibility of ease of these!

  4. Have you tried Tahdig or Stuck-Pot Rice? It’s my new favorite way to use up leftover spaghetti. I combined a number of different ideas from recipes I googled. Partially cook some rice. Stir some yogurt and curry or other spices into your spaghetti. Heat oil in your cast iron pan. Pat spaghetti mixture into it and brown a bit without stirring. Top with rice and some water. Cover tightly and cook until done. Turn out onto plate with crust on top. Pictures show using potatoes or bread instead but I haven’t tried those as I always have leftover spaghetti.

    Best pictures here. http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.ca/2010/01/the-art-of-making-persian-tah-dig.html
    Best instructions here. http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/tahdig

  5. My husband is the same way with measuring pasta, or he uses the whole damn box (there are only two of us!). Going to try this next time!

  6. Of course cooking too much pasta is necessary, one needs that special carb bowl of buttered pasta and shaved parm, yum! The idea of a frittata is great, need to try. Thanks for idea, also I so enjoyed our coffee date ๐Ÿ™‚ nice catching up with a new mom. Us older moms love to hear how you do it now. Continued good wishes for happy healthy family. xo