With puffed edges, creamy pockets of goat cheese, and fragrant wisps of fresh dill, this Smoked Salmon Frittata is a standout for breakfast or brunch. It’s filled with rich smoked salmon and sweet, butter-sautéed leeks—simple to make, yet elegant enough to impress.
Before You Start Cooking
- For this recipe, you’ll need a 10-inch frying pan or oven-safe skillet. The frittata cooks on the stovetop and finishes in the oven—no flipping required.
- This frittata uses hot-smoked salmon, which is meatier with a smokier flavor than cold-smoked salmon (like lox). Look for it packaged in the refrigerated seafood section at most grocery stores.
- While we like it best served warm, this frittata can also be served at room temperature, making it a flexible dish for spring or summer entertaining.
How to Make a Smoked Salmon Frittata
Ingredient Prep
Salmon: Use a fork to flake a 6-ounce fillet of hot-smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces.
Goat Cheese: Crumble goat cheese into small chunks from a log. Tubs of pre-crumbled goat cheese tend to be drier and less creamy. If you buy an 8- or 10-ounce log, save the extra for recipes like Roasted Cauliflower Souffles or Bacon and Goat Cheese Popovers.
Dill: Finely chop a small handful of fresh dill fronds—the feathery, fragrant tops of the plant.
Leeks need a thorough cleaning to remove grit hidden between the layers. Here’s how to prep them:
- Trim and Slice: Cut off the dark green tops and root ends. (Save the tops for homemade stock, if you like.) Slice the white and light green parts in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/4-inch half-moons.
- Soak and Swish: Place the slices in a bowl of cold water. Gently separate the layers and swish them around to loosen any dirt. Let sit for a few minutes for the sediment to sink to the bottom of the bowl.
- Rinse and Dry: Lift the leeks out of the water with your hands or a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Rinse again under running water and pat dry with a clean towel.
Choosing Your Frittata Pan
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 an oven-safe, nonstick skillet, such as those with a nontoxic nonstick coating, ceramic cookware, or well-seasoned cast iron.
Cook the Frittata
Step 1: Sauté the Leeks
Melt unsalted butter in your skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they’re softened and just beginning to brown—about 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your pan.
Step 2: Mix the Eggs
While the leeks cook, whisk eggs and heavy cream together in a large bowl until they’re just combined. I like to lightly beat the eggs before adding the cream to avoid overmixing.
Gently stir the prepped dill, salmon, and half of the crumbled goat cheese into the egg mixture.
Tip: For the best flavor, use farm-fresh eggs if you can. Their yolks tend to be richer than storebought.
Step 3: Start the Frittata on the Stovetop
Once the leeks are ready, pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Use a fork to distribute the salmon pieces evenly across the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook without stirring for about 3 minutes, until the edges begin to set. Sprinkle the remaining goat cheese over the top.
Step 4: Transfer to the Oven
Move the skillet to a preheated 350°F oven and bake until the frittata is puffed and the center is set, 18 to 25 minutes, depending on your pan and 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 set as the frittata rests in the hot pan.
Step 5: Rest and Serve
Let the frittata rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into wedges. We like to serve it with a lightly dressed green salad and toasted artisan bread.
Substitutions
- Heavy Cream: For a lighter frittata, you can use half-and-half or whole milk in place of heavy cream, but the cream will give you the best texture. (I haven’t tested non-dairy alternatives.)
- Salmon: I prefer the texture of hot-smoked salmon when heated, but cold-smoked salmon or lox will also work. Instead of flaking, roughly chop or slice lox into strips.
- Goat Cheese: Try using Feta (creamy French Feta is particularly delicious here) or Garlic and Herb Boursin.
- Leeks: Yellow onion, scallions, or shallots make good substitutes. Use what you have on hand.
- Herbs: Dill is classic with salmon and eggs, but you can also swap in other fresh herbs like parsley, chives, or tarragon.
Top Tips for Making the Perfect Smoked Salmon 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 just until they’re combined.
- 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.
- Avoid overbaking. When a frittata is overcooked, the eggs become dry and spongy. How to avoid this? Judge the frittata by the texture of its center, as outlined above, to decide when to take it out of the oven.
More Brunch Recipes
Craving More? Check out my full collection of Brunch recipes.
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 Crystal kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position.
- Rinse leeks. Slice each in half lengthwise and then into 1/4-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, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 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.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
You may also like:
Editor’s Note: This recipe was first published on Striped Spatula in March 2023. We have since updated the post to address reader questions.
