Bacon Cheddar & Broccoli Frittata

Italian frittata was something I was first introduced to, way back when I developed a gluten intolerance.

As a crustless quiche, it let me be able to *basically* enjoy one of my favourite breakfast options, without having to mess around with a crust... and any of the work and risk that came from dealing with crusts!

When it comes to camping, though... a homemade frittata is ALSO the perfect way to get a healthy breakfast in. You’ve got your eggs, usually some meat - bacon, in this recipe - some veggies, cheese - it’s a great way to start the day!

This simple frittata recipe was developed to be cooked over a grill or campfire.

It’s basically a non-baked frittata: You cook up your bacon and veggies, then layer in some cheese and eggs. Let that cook up a bit, then remove it from the heat and let it keep cooking... then bam - breakfast is ready!

I specified filling ingredients here, but consider it a versatile recipe that you can play around with.

As long as you keep the volumes pretty similar, you can swap out the veggies, change the cheese used.... you can even crumble up some breakfast sausage and use that instead of bacon!

Also consider: As much as I tend to consider egg dishes a breakfast thing, it really is a good meal for any time of day. Just a nice, simple, and tasty way to get some extra protein in.

Anyway, let’s look at what you’ll need for this recipe:

Ingredients

This easy frittata recipe uses really simple ingredients, you won’t have any trouble finding everything you need, in any grocery store.

As usual, I have a few ingredient notes for you:

Bacon

I generally use regular bacon in this frittata recipe, as I use the bacon fat to grease the cast iron pan before actually assembling the frittata. Flavourful AND efficient!

If you want to use chicken bacon or turkey bacon, you can - you’ll just need to use some oil with it. I add a drizzle of olive oil when cooking the bacon, and skip the draining step.

Then, just add a little more oil if needed right before assembling the frittata, so the egg doesn’t stick.

Large Eggs

This frittata recipe was developed for whole eggs - 8 large eggs.

You can use 7 if you’re using extra large eggs, or 14-16 egg whites, if you’re looking to skip the yolks.

Milk

You can use any kind of milk you want in this recipe. We tend to use Unsweetened Almond Milk, as that’s what we use for protein shakes, coffee, etc.

Full-fat dairy - like whole milk or heavy cream - will give you a richer flavour and mouthfeel, but even 2% milk will work just fine!

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

We use cheddar cheese, as it goes really well with the broccoli and bacon.

Generally speaking, we go for the old cheddar / sharp cheddar for more of a bite, but medium cheddar or mild cheddar work well also.

When we can get shredded smoked cheddar, though - that’s a real treat! It works SO well with the bacon.

Broccoli

We use fresh broccoli, chopped into really small pieces.

If you use want to use frozen broccoli, you’ll generally want to thaw it a little and cut it up smaller, as those pieces tend to be pretty big.

Also, be sure to fully thaw it, drain it well, and cook it till all excess liquid is gone - frozen veggies can make a frittata too wet, if you’re not careful!

Not into broccoli? Try chopped asparagus, spinach, etc!

Chopped Onion

We’ll use whatever onion we happen to have on hand, and have made this with both red onion, yellow onion, and - in a pinch - green onions.

Green onions are more like fresh herbs than onions, in terms of how I add them to this recipe, though. If using green onion, skip the onion step with the bacon.

Once your broccoli is cooked almost as far as you’d like it, add your sliced green onions and cook for another minute or two, before proceeding.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Ground Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Salt

... I just really don’t have anything to add, as far as those last few ingredients go.

How to Make Campfire Frittata

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a visual walk through:

Prepare the Fire & Ingredients

Get a medium fire going or get your charcoal on the go. You can cook your campfire frittata over a charcoal grill, a BBQ, or on a grill plate over a campfire.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Cook your chopped bacon in a 9" or 10" well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, until almost crispy.

Add the onions, continue cooking until the onions are soft and translucent, and any liquid from the onions has cooked off, leaving just bacon fat.

Pour off any excess fat into a heat proof vessel, leaving about 1 tablespoon of it in the pan of onions and bacon.

Cook the Frittata Over the Campfire

Add about 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat back to the large skillet, stirring well to coat the pan under the bacon and broccoli. (Use 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, if you didn’t have enough drippings).

Spread the bacon and broccoli mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan, then pour about ½ the egg mixture over top.

Sprinkle with all but a handful or so of the cheese, then top with the remaining egg mixture.

Scatter the remaining cheese over the frittata, and cover the pan with a lid. (If you don’t have a lid for your skillet, cover tightly with aluminum foil).

Reduce your heat source to low, if you can.

When we’re cooking over charcoal, we’ll close the side dampers. When cooking over fire, you can spread your wood out a bit to kill the flames a bit, and when cooking over a grill, you can use a cooler side / set your pan on a higher rack.

Either way, set your covered pan over the lowered heat, and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the eggs are almost - but not quite - set in the center of the frittata.

For best results, do NOT overcook it. It’s better to have a lower fire / longer cooking time, than to risk burning the frittata before it cooks.

Remove from heat and allow to sit - still covered - for another 5 minutes or so, until the eggs are cooked through from the residual heat.

Slice into 4 individual slices, serve hot!

Leftovers

Once cooled to room temperature, leftover frittata can be transferred to an airtight container (or individually wrapped in plastic wrap) and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Best served reheated.

More Camping Breakfast Recipes

Looking for some more easy - and tasty - camping breakfast ideas? I've got you covered:

Apple Fritter Bread Pudding
Apple Fritter French Toast
Banana Protein Pancakes
Campfire Banana Bread
Campfire Breakfast Skillet
Coffee over a Campfire
Gingerbread Protein Pancake Mix
Hobo Eggs
Homemade Camping Pancake Mix
Pumpkin Protein Pancake Mix
Traditional Bannock

Also be sure to check out our other Camping Recipes, including Camping Desserts, Camping Snacks, Make-Ahead Camping Mix Recipes, and a ton of delicious Camping Main Dish Recipes!