Pizza Frittata (Paleo, Whole30)

This Pizza Frittata is a fun, easy way to start the day. Your favorite pizza toppings are mixed with eggs and baked until they become a light, fluffy baked omelette. Plus there are so many ways to customize it.

And this is gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, keto, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.

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Why this recipe works

A frittata is the Italian way of making an omelette: baking eggs and other ingredients together until set, like an egg cake or pie. “Frittata” is roughly derived from the Italian word for “fried,” referring to any kind of eggs cooked in a frying pan.

You can use almost any vegetables and proteins you like – see my Smoked Salmon Breakfast Frittata for a completely different flavor profile. But for this one, I thought it would be fun to make the frittata into something like a breakfast pizza.

So I start by cooking Italian sausage, then onions, peppers and olives. Meanwhile, I mix eggs with tomato paste (instead of pizza sauce, which would be too runny), nutritional yeast (a dairy-free way to add a cheesy, umami-filled flavor), and traditional pizza seasonings like garlic and oregano.

I pour the egg mixture into the pan with the sausage and vegetables, let it cook for a bit on the stove to set the bottom, and then finish baking it in the oven until it puffs up and is cooked through. Then I simply let it rest for a bit in the pan, slice and serve.

I learned from testing the recipe that if you add pepperoni slices before baking, the egg underneath the pepperoni won’t bake, remaining undercooked and runny. So instead I cook the pepperoni separately, drain it on paper towels and add it on top of the frittata once it’s done baking.

But of course, you can use or omit whatever toppings you like. Use any color bell pepper or none at all, cook mushrooms before the onions, use any leftover cooked/roasted vegetables like broccoli or potatoes, omit the meat to make it vegetarian, etc.

Serve it for breakfast, brunch or lunch with toast, a green salad or just as is. And leftovers keep well in the fridge, too.

What you need

Ingredients:

• ¼ pound Italian sausage – You can use up to ½ pound if you want it really meaty, but then you should cut back on some of the other ingredients, like the onion or pepper.
• 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil – You just need a little bit to cook the vegetables.
• ½ medium onion, peeled and diced – This adds a savory foundation, but you can omit it if you don’t want it or don’t have it.
• 1 small bell pepper, any color, cored and diced – I like any color with this frittata. Just keep in mind green is not sweet at all, then red is slightly sweet, orange is sweeter and yellow is the sweetest.
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1 (2.25 oz. can) sliced black olives – Add these only if you like olives with your pizza, obviously.
• 8 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste – This adds the tomato flavor you’d get from a pizza sauce. Using actual pizza sauce/tomato sauce would make the eggs too runny.
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast – This adds a subtle cheesy flavor while keeping the frittata dairy-free.
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano – A must for that traditional pizza flavor.
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder – Ditto.
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes – I like the bit of heat these add but you can use more or less depending on your taste.
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper – Adds to the savory flavor.
• 1 oz. pepperoni – This depends on the type of pepperoni you use. I use 4 slices of Applegate Farms pepperoni and cut each slice into 4 pieces.

Equipment:

• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife
• measuring spoons
• a medium skillet (10″), oven-proof, with a lid
• another medium skillet, if using pepperoni
• cooking tongs, if using pepperoni
• a slotted spoon
• a small bowl
• a large mixing bowl
• a whisk
• a heat-proof spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
• a spatula (the kind for flipping, not stirring)
• a plate
• paper towels
• a thin knife

How to make a Pizza Frittata

Step 1: Heat the oven to 350° F.

Step 2: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until it’s cooked through (no more visible pink), about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a small bowl.

Step 3: Add the oil to the pan, still over medium heat. Add the onions and pepper, plus ¼ teaspoon salt, and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and the onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes.

Step 4: While the sausage and then the vegetables are cooking, in a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs, tomato paste, nutritional yeast, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. At first the tomato paste will break up into little bits but keep whisking until fully combined, with the eggs mixture becoming red.

Step 5: Stir the olives and sausage into the peppers and onions, then pour in the egg mixture. Use your spatula to scoot any ingredients around in case they clump up together.

Step 6: Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and let cook, undisturbed, until slightly set on the bottom, about 2 minutes.

Step 7: Remove the lid and carefully slide the pan, uncovered, into the oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes. The top might puff up but it should look dry and cooked.

Step 8: If using pepperoni, add the pepperoni to a cold, dry medium skillet and place over medium heat. Cook until just barely becoming crisp, about 10 minutes total, flipping each piece once halfway through. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

Step 9: Remove the frittata from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes (but longer is fine). Run a thin knife around the edge of the frittata to make sure it’s loose, then use a spatula to slide the frittata onto a cutting board to slice into wedges. Add the pepperoni slices, if using, and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Other recipes you might like:

1. Smoked Salmon Breakfast Frittata (Paleo, Whole30)
2. Paleo Pizza Casserole (Whole30)
3. Sheet Pan Breakfast Hash with Salami (Paleo, Whole30)
4. Italian Egg Bake (Paleo, Whole30)