Chickpea Frittata with Lots of Greens

A savory vehicle for green vegetables.

Chickpea frittata with lots of greens

When my husband and I were first married, frittata was our go-to weeknight dinner. It was easy, delicious, versatile, and full of good nutrition. Of course, it was the traditional egg-based kind. I really missed it after I moved away from animal products.

Recently though, I’ve worked out this chickpea-flour version. It’s halfway between two other chickpea recipes I love, socca (a French chickpea pancake) and these vegan “egg” muffins from one of my favorite blogs, The Hidden Veggies. 

Just like my old egg version, this forgiving formula accepts all my aging vegetables with grace and good taste. For this version of the recipe, I used a bunch of kale that I’d blanched and squeezed the excess water out of earlier in the week.

I have also subbed:

• Leftover sauteed garlicky greens

• Thinly sliced raw cabbage 

• A diced green pepper and half a bunch of chopped asparagus 

• Roasted mushrooms

• Frozen spinach (thawed, excess water squeezed out)

As long as your vegetables equal roughly 1 ½ to 2 cups, you should be able to vary this recipe in an almost unlimited number of ways. Next up, I’m going to try potatoes, a mainstay of the frittatas of my youth!

Before we get into the recipe, I want to thank you for being a founding Cruciferous subscriber. It means a lot to me to you’ve invited me into your inbox, and I hope my recipes, recommendations, and ideas can make your food life happier. 

If you have specific recipes, ingredients, topics, or techniques you want me to explore in this space, please comment or reply and let me know.

In the words of Fraiser Crane: I’m listening!

---

Chickpea Frittata with Hearty Greens

Makes 8 wedges, serves 4-8

1 ½ cups chickpea flour (200 grams)

1 ½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups cooked or blanched greens (kale, Swiss chard, spinach), chopped

½ large onion, sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet in the oven, and preheat the oven (with the skillet inside it) to 450℉.

While the oven is heating, in a large bowl combine the chickpea flour, water, salt, greens, onions, and garlic. Stir until everything is well combined. 

When preheated, carefully take the skillet out of the oven and place it on a heat-proof trivet or pot holder. Carefully add the olive oil to the skillet, swirling to coat. Carefully add the chickpea flour mixture to the skillet as evenly as possible, smoothing the top with a spatula or spoon. (I say “carefully” three times here because the skillet is screaming hot.)

Place the hot skillet on the lowest rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the skillet (for even cooking) and reduce the oven heat to 375℉. Bake for another 20 minutes until set firm and brown on the bottom.

Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the skillet with a fish or other thin spatula to a wire rack until it cools completely. Cut into wedges.

This is wonderful hot out of the oven, but I usually make it on Sunday for convenient breakfasts or lunches during the week.

One wedge with a generous salad or a pile of simply cooked asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower makes a delightful, satisfying, vegetable-packed lunch.