frittata

American  

[fri-tah-tuh, freet-tah-tah] / frɪˈtɑ tə, fritˈtɑ tɑ /

noun

Italian Cooking.

plural

frittatas,

plural

frittate

1. an omelet resembling a large pancake and containing vegetables, seasonings, and often ricotta, Parmesan, or other cheese.

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frittata British  

/ frɪˈtɑːtə /

noun

1. an Italian dish made with eggs and chopped vegetables or meat, resembling a flat thick omelette

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Etymology

Origin of frittata

1930–35; < Italian: omelet, equivalent to fritt ( o ) fried ( see frit) + -ata -ade ¹

Explanation

A frittata is an egg dish that's usually made with meat, cheese, and vegetables. You can think of a frittata as an Italian omelette. The origin of the word frittata is the Italian friggere, "fried," and in Italy it was once a common way to describe any egg dish cooked in butter or oil in a pan. Some chefs describe frittatas as "open-faced omelettes," since omelettes are eggs folded around a savory filling, while a frittata's ingredients are incorporated into the egg mixture. Next time you have a bunch of eggs and some cheese and peppers, you should try making a frittata.

Example Sentences

My favorites: the spinach frittata and maple bacon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

She makes pasta, crudités, focaccia, frittata and baked fish, and along with advice on how to make guests feel extra special, she shows viewers how to arrange flowers and make DIY bath salts.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2025

Finish the frittata in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2024

If I go to Sqirl, I really like the sorrel pesto rice bowl, or the frittata thing they do is beautiful.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2024

She put an omelet in front of him, with toast grilled on the stove with olive oil, or semolina pancakes, or a frittata with peppers and mushrooms.

From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead