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Rainbow Chard, Onion, and Cheese Frittata

Name: Rainbow Chard, Onion, and Cheese Frittata
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch (625 gram / 1 1/4 lb) rainbow chard; 6 large egg, lightly beaten; 6 tablespoon water/vegetable stock; 28 gram / 1 oz grated Parmesan; 2 teaspoon salt, divided; 1 teaspoon ground pepper, divided; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon fish sauce/soy sauce; 4 tablespoon olive oil, divided; 1 medium onion, thinly sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced

Last updated: Jun 23, 2020 — Published: Jun 23, 2020 — By: Anita — 6 comments

Serve this lovely frittata for your Sunday brunch or as an entree for an easy dinner. Use colorful rainbow chard, or regular Swiss chard, with onion and Parmesan cheese.

Rainbow chard, onion, and cheese frittata.

Rainbow chard is one of the prettiest vegetables. It is also very nutritious. The stems are bitter but they fade away once cooked. The leaves can be eaten raw in a salad if you wish. And it may be hard to believe, but Swiss chard (and the rainbow variety) is related to beet. You will notice that the stems smell like a beet. :)

My favorite way to prepare rainbow chard and Swiss chard (the non-colorful variety) is by turning them into a lovely frittata. This rainbow chard, onion, and cheese frittata is easy to put together, delicious, and you will only need one oven-proof frying pan/cast-iron skillet.

Ingredients for rainbow chard, onion, and cheese frittata: rainbow chard, eggs, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic (not shown), olive oil, water/stock (not shown), fish sauce, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.

Ingredients for the frittata

This recipe needs rainbow chard, eggs, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, olive oil, water/stock, fish sauce/soy sauce, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.

You can substitute rainbow chard with regular Swiss chard.

It is best if you can buy a block of Parmesan cheese from the freezer section and grate it yourself as this usually has a higher quality compared to the bottled grated Parmesan sold in pantry aisle.

If you don’t have Parmesan cheese at home, you can also use Romano, Asiago, or Manchego.

Prep the rainbow chard and the egg mixture

Rainbow chard

First, wash, drain, and pat dry the rainbow chards. Then use a sharp knife to separate the leaves from the stems.

Cut the leaves into thin strips. Dice the stems into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside the leaves and the stems separately in two different bowls.

Egg mixture

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, water/stock, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, smoked paprika, fish sauce/soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

Step-by-step to cook the frittata

Preheat oven to 175 Celsius/350 Fahrenheit.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or another oven-proof frying pan) over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add rainbow chard stems, garlic, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of pepper into the skillet. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add rainbow chard leaves and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Pour the egg mixture over the sautéd vegetables. Cook until the edges are set, about 4-5 minutes.

Transfer the skillet into the preheated oven. Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until the frittata is fully set.

Tips: You can also use a 10.5 inch cast iron pan, but you may need to increase the baking time in the oven for the frittata to fully set.

Bake rainbow chard, onion, and cheese frittata in the preheated oven until the eggs are fully set.

Storing leftover frittata

Once the frittata is slightly cool, cut it into wedges and serve immediately.

If you have any leftover, wait until the frittata is completely cool before storing them in an airtight container. It should keep well for several days in the fridge.

Let chilled frittata return to room temperature before serving. Or you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to warm it up.