If you’re looking for an easy breakfast or brunch recipe to impress your guests, look no further than this Smoked Salmon Frittata. Filled with flavorful smoked salmon, creamy goat cheese, and sweet, butter-sautéed leeks, this simple but elegant dish is sure to please. Great for spring or summer entertaining!
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Why You’ll Love this Smoked Salmon Frittata
Frittatas are a versatile menu addition that can be served at virtually any time of day from breakfast to dinner. Here’s why we love this recipe.
- Easy and Convenient. Especially when entertaining! Unlike an omelette, this frittata requires no flipping in the pan. After adding the egg mixture to the skillet, the frittata is finished in the oven, so you can easily tend to other dishes while it cooks.
- Impressive. With its puffed edges, creamy pockets of goat cheese, and feathery wisps of dill, Smoked Salmon Frittata makes a beautiful presentation.
- Versatile Serving. While we like it best served warm out of the oven, this frittata can also be served at room temperature, giving you some versatility for entertaining.
- Unique. It’s a delicious and different way to incorporate salmon into a breakfast or brunch menu.
Looking for more great brunch recipes? Check out my Croissant French Toast Bake with Berries, Mimosa Mocktail, and Monte Cristo Sandwich.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Smoked Salmon. I like to use meaty, hot smoked salmon for this recipe. It has a firmer texture and smokier flavor than cold smoked salmon, closer to a baked fillet. (Check out The Real Difference Between Hot Smoked Salmon and Cold Smoked Salmon from Mashed to learn more.) Use a fork to flake hot smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces.
- Eggs. Since eggs are the star of the show in a frittata, I love to use local, farm-fresh brown eggs whenever possible. They have especially flavorful, orange-hued yolks.
- Heavy Cream. Adds richness to the egg mixture, for a creamy-textured frittata that doesn’t dry out as it cooks. If needed, you can substitute half and half or whole milk, but I don’t recommend using reduced-fat dairy. Cream is best here.
- Leeks. Sliced leeks add a mild, sweet oniony flavor to the frittata that complements the salmon and herbs well. Be sure to clean the leeks well to remove any grit hiding between the layers.
- Unsalted Butter. For buttering the pan and sautéing the leeks.
- Fresh Dill. I love using fresh herbs to add brightness to a frittata, and dill pairs classically with both salmon and eggs. I use a tablespoon of chopped dill in this recipe so that the flavor doesn’t overpower.
- Goat Cheese. Creamy pockets of melted crumbled goat cheese add a decadent texture and pops of tangy flavor throughout the baked frittata. (This recipe uses a little less than half of a 10-ounce log of goat cheese. Try using the extras in my Roasted Cauliflower Souffles or Bacon and Goat Cheese Popovers!)
- Salt and Pepper. Hot smoked salmon can vary in saltiness. If your salmon is very salty, consider reducing the added salt in the recipe accordingly.
Choosing Your Frittata Pan
To make this Smoked Salmon Frittata, you’ll need a 10-inch frying pan or skillet. For the optimal thickness of the baked and puffed frittata, I find that 10-inch pans are best for recipes that use 10 eggs. (Similarly, I use a 12-inch skillet for 12 egg frittatas.) If you substitute a 12-inch pan for this recipe, your frittata will still taste great, but it will be thinner in height.
Choose a skillet that is both nonstick and oven-safe. Some of my favorite options are:
- Enameled cast iron pans, such as the Staub 10-inch Fry Pan {affiliate link}, pictured.
- Stainless clad pans made with PFOA-free nonstick coating, such as the Made In Cookware 10″ Non Stick Frying Pan or All-Clad D5 10″ Stainless Steel Fry Pan {affiliate links}.
- Hard Anodized nonstick pans, such as the GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard Anodized 10″ Frying Pan Skillet {affiliate link}.
How to Make a Smoked Salmon Frittata
I cook this frittata using a 2-stage process, starting it on the stove, and finishing it in the oven. Here’s how I make it.
Step 1. Melt the butter in your chosen skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add the leeks, salt, and pepper, and cook until they’re softened and just starting to brown. This will take 5-8 minutes, depending on your pan.
Step 2. While the leeks are cooking, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream in a large bowl. Gently stir in dill, salmon, and half of the goat cheese.
Step 3. When the leeks are cooked, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Use a fork to evenly distribute the pieces of salmon across the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, without stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the edges of the frittata start to set. Sprinkle the remaining goat cheese across the egg mixture.
Step 4. Transfer the pan to a preheated 350 degree F oven to finish cooking. The frittata is finished when it’s puffed and the center is just set. This will take 18-25 minutes, depending on your oven and pan.
Step 5. Remove the frittata from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving. We like to serve it with a simply dressed salad and toasted artisan bread.
Tips for Making the Perfect Frittata
- Use full-fat dairy. Reduced fat or fat-free dairy will make the egg mixture watery. Full-fat dairy gives the frittata a creamy, luscious texture.
- Don’t over-beat the eggs and cream. Adding too much air into the egg mixture can create a dry frittata. Whisk them until they’re combined.
- Avoid over-baking. When a frittata is overcooked, the eggs become dry and spongy. How to avoid this? Judge the frittata by the texture of its center to decide when it take it out of the oven.
When the frittata is ready, the center will be just set. Gently shake the pan. The mixture shouldn’t be liquidy, but it should appear soft and custardy. The eggs will continue to cook a bit out of the oven as the frittata rests in the hot pan.
Recipe FAQ’s
Q. Can I make this recipe dairy free?
A. I have not tested this recipe with alternate milks or dairy free goat cheese. If you are going to make the substitution, be sure to use an unsweetened milk alternative (such as almond).
In place of butter, I recommend Miyoko’s European-Style Cultured Vegan Butter. While I haven’t tested it in this recipe specifically, I’ve used it often in my kitchen with excellent results.
Q. Can I substitute cold-smoked salmon or lox?
A. While I prefer the texture of hot smoked salmon when heated, you can substitute cold smoked salmon or lox. Instead of flaking the salmon, I recommend roughly chopping slices of cold smoked salmon, or cutting it into strips. Again, the saltiness of lox can vary quite a bit, so adjust the amount of salt added to the recipe, if needed.
Q. Can I use onions instead of leeks?
A. Yes, you can substitute chopped yellow onions or sliced shallots for the leeks in this frittata.
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📖 Recipe
Smoked Salmon Frittata with Goat Cheese and Leeks
Ingredients
- 2 large leeks , white and light green parts only (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 large eggs
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill , chopped
- 6 ounces hot smoked salmon , cut or flaked into bite-sized pieces
- 4 ounces goat cheese , crumbled
- Diamond kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the middle position.
- Rinse leeks. Slice each in half lengthwise and then into ¼-inch half-rounds. Place in a bowl of cold water and swish them around, separating the layers to remove any grit. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then gently remove the leeks from the bowl with a slotted spoon to a colander. The grit will have fallen to the bottom of the bowl – discard. Rinse the leeks a final time and pat dry.
- Heat butter in a 10-inch nonstick, oven-safe skillet until foaming subsides. Add leeks, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until leeks have softened and are just starting to brown, about 5-8 minutes.
- While the leeks are cooking, whisk together eggs and heavy cream in a large bowl. Gently stir in salmon, dill, and half of the goat cheese.
- Reduce heat to medium and pour the egg mixture over the softened leeks. Use a fork or spatula to evenly distribute the salmon, but don't stir the mixture in the pan. Cook just until the sides of the frittata begin to set, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle the remaining goat cheese over the top of the eggs. Bake for 18-25 minutes, until the frittata has puffed and the center is just set. It should appear soft and custardy in the center, not liquidy (undercooked) or dry (overcooked).**
- Let the frittata stand for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.
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