Frittata vs Quiche

Both frittatas and quiches are perfect for brunch. The basic recipes are versatile enough to allow you to really get creative with your flavors, or to keep them simple yet tasty.

While frittatas and quiches have enough in common for people to sometimes get them confused, there are a few important factors that set them apart from each other.

What is a Quiche?

A quiche is a luxurious dish that combines egg with cream and cheese, plus extras such as meat and veggies, which are then baked in a flaky pastry shell. In simpler terms, a quiche is actually an unsweetened custard mixed with a savory pie!

Quiches have been enjoyed for centuries, and while their origins are considered to be French, there are records of quiche being consumed in Italy as early as the 13th century!

The popular French quiche that many people know and love is the traditional Quiche Lorraine, which is a delicious combination of eggs, cream and pork fat. Modern cooks tend to use cheese and bacon instead.

What is a Frittata?

Some people consider the frittata to be the Italian version of an open-faced omelette, whereas other would describe it as a hybrid of a quiche and an omelette. Similar to quiches, frittatas generally feature cream, cheeses, vegetables and meats. The difference is that they are cooked in a skillet.

The Differences Between Quiche and Frittata

Now you’ve had a quick overview of quiche and frittata, you may be able to recognize some of the differences between the two.

To summarize, the three main differences are :

• the crust (or lack of one)
• egg-to-cream ratio (or other dairy product)
• the way in which they are cooked

A quiche is baked slowly in a savory pie crust until golden and flaky, whereas a frittata does not have a crust and cooks much more quickly.

The stability provided by the crust allows quiche to be made with a larger volume of dairy (generally cream or milk). In terms of ratios, a quiche usually calls for approximately ½ cup dairy to one large egg.

Frittatas, on the other hand, use significantly less dairy. The type of dairy tends to vary and may include sour cream, heavy cream or creme fraiche. Most frittata recipes recommend a ratio of no more than ¼ cup dairy to 6 eggs.

Quiches are baked in a pie dish, whereas frittatas are generally cooked in a skillet on the stove and then sometimes transferred to a grill to finish setting the eggs.

Both quiches and frittatas can be frozen - cooked quiches and frittatas can be frozen for up to 2-3 months in an airtight container. An unbaked quiche can be frozen for up to one month.

One of the best ways to see the differences between quiche and frittata is to try them for yourself!

Here are some ideas:

• Spring Vegetable Quiche
• Pioneer Woman Quiche
• Spinach, Leek & Potato Frittata

Tip: Learn how to cook frozen quiche.