Campfire Frittata in a Cast Iron Skillet
A cast iron frittata is the perfect camping breakfast recipe to feed the entire family.
Once you know the basic process for cooking a frittata over the campfire, there are so many delicious ways to customize this healthy camping breakfast. Plus, it serves 6 (or even 8) people which makes feeding the entire crew a camping egg breakfast easier than ever!
How to Cook A Frittata While camping
Frittatas are commonly started over a stovetop and then placed in the oven to cook the eggs throughout. When camping, it’s entirely possible to still create a delicious, fully cooked frittata by following a couple of cooking tricks.
Cook it Over Campfire Embers or Charcoal Briquets
Using a cast iron skillet and cooking over charcoal is the best way to control the heat source for even cooking. However, you can also use the coals and embers from a fire that has died down.
Place the skillet on top of the charcoal or embers to saute the vegetables. Then, after adding the egg mixture and cheese, cover the skillet with a cast iron lid and place 8-10 pieces of charcoal on top.
If you do not have a cast iron lid, you can use 2-3 layers of aluminum foil and place about 6 charcoal embers on top. Just be sure to move the coals around every couple of minutes so they don’t burn one single spot. (Foil can’t disperse the heat nearly as well as a cast iron lid which is why you need to add this step if using foil.)
Cook it Over a Camp Stove
It is more challenging to get an even cook on your frittata by using this method, but it still is possible in a pinch.
Place your camp stove on medium heat and saute the vegetables. While sautéing the vegetables, heat up your cast iron lid on the other burner of your camp stove.
After sautéing the vegetables, lower the heat to medium low. Add the egg mixture and cheese to the skillet. Then, use an oven mitt or lid lifter to gently place the hot lid on top of the skillet. This heat in the lid will help to cook the top of the frittata.
While cooking, move the skillet to different areas above the flame every couple of minutes. This helps the heat source, which is quite concentrated on a camping stove, to evenly cook the eggs.
Ingredients in Cast Iron Skillet Frittata
- Eggs: This recipe uses 10 large eggs. To avoid the prep at your campsite, you can easily whisk the eggs with the milk before your trip and store in a plastic bottle or ziplock bag.
- Milk: Milk with a higher fat content will give a little more creaminess than low-fat milk. However, any type of milk will work in this frittata recipe. Or, add in sour cream, plain yogurt, or even cottage cheese for a creamy frittata texture.
- Cheeses: Cheddar cheese pairs perfectly with the broccoli in this recipe. However, there are many other vegetable and cheese variations that pair well together. Jump ahead to see other vegetable and cheese frittata variations.
- Vegetables: It’s best to sauté firmer vegetables until tender before adding the eggs. (Soft vegetables like spinach and tomatoes do not need to be sautéed before adding eggs.) Steaming the broccoli by adding a lid speeds up the cooking process. There are so many other vegetable combinations that are delicious in frittatas. Check them out below!
- Spices: Salt and black pepper are the perfect, simple spices to add flavor to this campfire frittata.
a note from Jenny
Skillet frittatas are my favorite way to prepare eggs when camping because everyone can be fed at once.
My kids love broccoli, so this is the variation we always make. I sure do wish they’d eat the others, because they are all SO delicious. But it’s just not worth making it if I’m the only one who will eat it!
Looking for other camping breakfast ideas? Here are all of my camping breakfast recipes in one place. Or, use a pie iron and cook this egg, hashbrown and bacon hobo pie right over the campfire.
How to make Campfire Frittata
In this section you’ll find a step by step tutorial of how to make this recipe with photos. The full recipe with exact measurements, steps and a printable card can be found at the bottom of the post.
1. Prepare the coals
For the most regulated heat, use charcoal briquets for cooking the frittata. Place 2-3 pieces of wadded up newspaper in the bottom of the chimney. Then, place 20 pieces of charcoal into the top section of the charcoal chimney.
Light the newspaper and let the charcoal ignite and burn (about 15 minutes). The pieces of charcoal are ready when you see white ash around the edges of the charcoal.
2. Prepare the vegetables and eggs
Dice the onions, garlic, green onions and broccoli. Set aside until the coals are ready.
Whisk together eight eggs with a third of a cup of whole milk or half and half. Whish only until the egg white and yolks are blended together. Do not over whisk.
3. Sauté vegetables
Arrange 5-8 pieces of charcoal in the fire ring and place the cast iron skillet on top.
Add the onions, garlic and broccoli to the skillet and cook until tender. To speed up the cooking of the broccoli, cover the skillet for a few minutes to keep the heat and steam inside.
4. Add eggs and cheese
Once the vegetables are tender, add the whisked egg mixture, green onions and the cheese to the skillet and stir to incorporate.
5. Cook the frittata using the charcoal briquets
Keep the skillet on top of the coals, but also place the lid on top and add 12-15 pieces of charcoal to the top of the lid. This will cook the frittata from both the bottom and the top, acting like an oven would if you were cooking it at home.
Leave the lid on and cook for about 15 minutes until the eggs are set and cooked through.
*Cooking times are approximate and based on the average temperature of each piece of charcoal. Be sure to check your frittata after 8-10 minutes.
5. Enjoy!
Use a lid lifter or a hot pad to remove the hot lid. Your frittata should be cooked all the way through on top. There shouldn’t be liquid in the middle and it shouldn’t slosh in the middle when shook back and forth.
Variations to This Campfire Frittata
For each of these frittata variations, use about two cups of vegetables and 1 cup of cheese. I add onions and garlic to all of these variations, but you can omit or add based on your group’s preferences.
- Spinach, cherry tomatoes & mozzarella cheese
- Sundried tomatoes, olives & feta cheese
- Bell peppers, grated carrot & goat cheese
- Zucchini, cherry tomatoes & gruyere cheese
- Baby Bella mushrooms, kale & parmesan cheese
- Broccoli, green onions & cheddar (combination in this recipe)
Campfire Frittata in Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 10 large eggs
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 3 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare 20 pieces of charcoal in a charcoal chimney (or reserve coals from the campfire) and let burn until they are white around the edges.
- Diced onions, garlic, green onions and broccoli (or other veggies of your choice). Set aside.
- Whisk together eggs and whole milk. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place 5-8 coals underneath your cast iron skillet and heat oil (or butter) in the skillet.
- Add the onions and broccoli to the skillet and sauté until tender. (Cover with the lid to speed up the cooking time of the broccoli.) Add garlic and green onions and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Spray skillet with cooking spray (or use a paper towel to add oil to the sides of the skillet). Pour egg mixture into the skillet and fold in cheddar cheese.
- Cover with cast iron lid and arrange 12-15 coals on the top of the skillet.
- Allow to cook for approximately 10-15 minutes. It is fully cooked when there is no more liquid egg mixture in the center of the frittata.