Slow cooker Mexican fiesta breakfast or brunch frittata {vegetarian, gluten-free}

Don't adjust your computer screen: the farm-fresh eggs I used to make this slow cooker Mexican fiesta frittata have a definite orange glow to them. Delivered straight from my friend Kathy's chicken coop, these might be the very best eggs on the planet, but even if you're using less-than-orange eggs, you will love this egg frittata recipe. I've been wanting to try making an egg dish in the slow cooker ever since I saw a recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen. The frittata was so easy in the slow cooker, and if your oven is in use for something else this would be a great way to cook eggs. I still prefer the oven method, which produces a puffier frittata with a bit of a crust, but in the slow cooker, the flavors have more time to penetrate the egg mixture, and that's pretty great. For this Mexican fiesta frittata, I wanted a little bit of a kick, so I used canned chopped chile peppers. If I were serving this for supper, I'd add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or ground chipotle pepper (or both!), for even more zing.

Slow cooker Mexican fiesta breakfast or brunch frittata

From the pantry, you'll need: eggs, shredded or grated cheese, onion, Mexican oregano, canned chile peppers.

Inspired by several slow cooker frittata recipes on Kalyn's Kitchen. Serves 6.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 small onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed), diced
1 4-oz can fire-roasted green chile peppers, drained
1 tsp Mexican oregano
9 large eggs
2 tsp skim milk
8 oz shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
Optional toppings: chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, scallions, salsa fresca

Directions

Spray a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. (I made this in my Ninja cooker, but you can use any slow cooker; just be sure to spray well if the cooker insert is not a nonstick one.)

Set the cooker to LOW, and add the onion, bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, canned chiles, and Mexican oregano. Stir, and let the mixture heat up while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a large (8-cup) measuring cup or mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and skim milk, until the whites and yolks are thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the grated cheese, and season with black pepper.

Pour the egg mixture into the slow cooker, and use a rubber spatula to gently bring some of the colorful vegetable mixture to the surface.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours (depending on how hot your cooker is, and whether it's a 5- or 6-quart). Check after 2-1/2 hours, using a toothpick inserted in the center to see if the eggs are set; the frittata should be completely set, and beginning to pull away from the sides of the slow cooker.

Cut into individual portions, and top each with chopped avocado, salsa, scallions or cilantro (or all!).

Serve hot or at room temperature. (Can be made ahead; let cool completely, and refrigerate.)

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More frittatas that would be perfect for brunch or supper:
Herb and ricotta frittata
Zucchini, goat cheese and basil frittata
Potato, onion and blue cheese frittata
Frittata with broccoli and garden herbs
Asparagus frittata for two

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Artichoke leek frittata, from Simply Recipes
Kale frittata, from David Lebovitz
Caramelized cauliflower frittata, from The Amateur Gourmet
Slow cooker frittata with artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, and feta, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Sweet potato crusted spinach frittata, from The Nourishing Gourmet

Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this blog when you start your shopping here.

Slow cooker Mexican fiesta breakfast or brunch frittata

From the pantry, you'll need: eggs, shredded or grated cheese, onion, Mexican oregano, canned chile peppers.

Inspired by several slow cooker frittata recipes on Kalyn's Kitchen. Serves 6.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 small onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed), diced
1 4-oz can fire-roasted green chile peppers, drained
1 tsp Mexican oregano
9 large eggs
2 tsp skim milk
8 oz shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
Optional toppings: chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, scallions, salsa fresca

Directions

Spray a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. (I made this in my Ninja cooker, but you can use any slow cooker; just be sure to spray well if the cooker insert is not a nonstick one.)

Set the cooker to LOW, and add the onion, bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, canned chiles, and Mexican oregano. Stir, and let the mixture heat up while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a large (8-cup) measuring cup or mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and skim milk, until the whites and yolks are thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the grated cheese, and season with black pepper.

Pour the egg mixture into the slow cooker, and use a rubber spatula to gently bring some of the colorful vegetable mixture to the surface.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours (depending on how hot your cooker is, and whether it's a 5- or 6-quart). Check after 2-1/2 hours, using a toothpick inserted in the center to see if the eggs are set; the frittata should be completely set, and beginning to pull away from the sides of the slow cooker.

Cut into individual portions, and top each with chopped avocado, salsa, scallions or cilantro (or all!).

Serve hot or at room temperature. (Can be made ahead; let cool completely, and refrigerate.)

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More frittatas that would be perfect for brunch or supper:
Herb and ricotta frittata
Zucchini, goat cheese and basil frittata
Potato, onion and blue cheese frittata
Frittata with broccoli and garden herbs
Asparagus frittata for two

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Artichoke leek frittata, from Simply Recipes
Kale frittata, from David Lebovitz
Caramelized cauliflower frittata, from The Amateur Gourmet
Slow cooker frittata with artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, and feta, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Sweet potato crusted spinach frittata, from The Nourishing Gourmet

Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this blog when you start your shopping here.

Comments

This sounds delicious; I'm so glad you tried an egg dish in the slow cooker!

Kalyn, you were the inspiration for my slow cooker egg experiments. I made a few different versions, and this was the one I liked best.

Well, I will have to try eggs in the slow cooker. It's a great idea for a Sunday supper, put together in mid-afternoon.

TW, it would be great for Sunday supper, and the leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for several days so you can have breakfast for work during the week, too.