Rachael Ray's Spanakopita Frittata Is Our New Favorite Meal-Prep Breakfast
In addition to being a whiz at making the most of $40 a Day and dreaming up thousands of 30-Minute Meals, Rachael Ray has a knack for combining two things we'd never dream of "working" into one shockingly delicious package. Case in point: Thanksgiving lasagna, pasta-stuffed peppers, pizza crust charcuterie…and now she's back with a mash-up meal that we can't wait to whip up as a make-ahead breakfast. Introducing: spanakopita frittata, or what Ray has cleverly deemed "Spanakopita-tata."
Demonstrated this week on a new episode of the Rachael Ray Show, this Mediterranean diet-friendly dish features the flavors of spanakopita—a savory Greek pie featuring spinach and feta cheese—all mixed into a low-fuss egg frittata. (ICYMI, the Mediterranean diet was once again voted the best diet of 2021, although we'd make this healthy dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner regardless of that news!)
To make the Spanakopita-tata yourself, start by defrosting and squeezing dry a package of frozen spinach. Ray shared a wise trick about how to choose the best skillet for the next step: "One egg per inch of pan is the formula I use, so an 8-inch yields 2 to 3 portions, a 12-inch yields 5 to 6 portions," she says.
We'll be prepping this for grab-and-go breakfasts all week, so we're planning to grab a 12-inch skillet (like this Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet; $47.95, Amazon). Use that to sauté up some chopped onion and garlic, and once that's tender, stir in the spinach, some salt, crushed red pepper, fresh lemon juice and Ray's leafy green signature secret ingredient: freshly grated nutmeg.
In a large bowl, if you're following the big-batch recipe, whisk up 12 eggs and season then with salt and black pepper. Stir in 1 ounce of feta cheese per egg, so 12 ounces, "then to give this stability and really make it firm up for me, I'm adding about a half cup of toasted breadcrumbs," Ray explains, along with a teaspoon of dried oregano.
Pour in the egg mixture and carefully mix the ingredients with a spatula. Pop this in a 375˚F oven for about 20 minutes . With 5 to 7 minutes remaining in the cook time, Ray suggests adding lightly crushed potato chips for a phyllo dough-like crunch, but if you're planning to prep ahead, simply pack these separately to garnish once you reheat your slice (or skip them all together).
But you won't want to skip this relish, which is designed to spoon on top after baking. Simply stir together chopped cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, EVOO, fresh lemon juice, salt and black pepper, and store in a separate container until after you warm up your piece. Voila: Spinach and feta frittata for every day of the week!
If you're feeling inspired to go Greek, too, snag Ray's Spanakopita-tata recipe here, or for a classic, whip up our Greek Spanakopita as a dinner side tonight.