Leftover pasta is a common occurrence in my home, whether it be the remains from my go-to penne vodka or the surplus shells from 30-minute mac and cheese. And because I am quite open with my love for all things carbohydrate (shout-out to the soft pretzel twists), not an ounce of leftover pasta—or leftover anything, really—goes to waste around here. So pasta, meet frittata.
I know what you’re thinking, “Does the taste factor of said frittata come anywhere close to the fun factor of pronouncing ‘pasta frittata’?” And the answer is a resounding YES. Just imagine a classic frittata and swap the starchy spuds for last night’s leftovers. Toss in assorted odds and ends from the veggie drawer, sprinkle on the few remaining shreds from the bag of cheese, and folks, we’ve got a complete meal covering not one, not two, but three food groups.
Ready to transform last night’s leftovers into today’s main event? Raid your fridge and pantry for this 20-minute meal that’s guaranteed to please palates of all ages.
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes and a weekly newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced vegetables, such as tomatoes or peppers
- 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- 4 ounces leftover pasta (See Kelly’s Note)
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Set the bowl aside.
- Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté them until translucent then add vegetables and cook them, stirring occasionally, until they're softened slightly. Add the spinach and pasta and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour the eggs into the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the mixture, lifting up the egg so that the uncooked egg flows underneath until the eggs are almost fully set. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and continue cooking until the eggs are fully set. Uncover the pan and turn off the heat. Sprinkle the cheese atop the frittata then cover the pan again for 1 minute (off the heat) until the cheese is melted.
- Use a rubber spatula to loosen the frittata from the pan then slide it onto a serving dish. Slice into wedges and serve.
Kelly's Note:
- Any type of pasta will work in this recipe, so feel free to use spaghetti, penne, ziti or any other variety.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Really good. Used combination of tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and pepper. Used 5 oz of cooked spaghetti. Put under broiler at end to finish cooking and then added cheese. Very good!
YUM! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Amy!
This was excellent & soooo easy. Left over penne pasta in the fridge, sliced red & green peppers, chopped onions and spinach in the freezer. Quick grating of the cheese – I added minced garlic, dried red pepper flakes for a bit of heat and voila!
So great on a night when you don’t want to be bothered spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
Served it with fresh tomatoes, sprinkling of hot sauce and a glass of red wine – joyous!!
Perfection! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Ann-Pugh!
Made this for dinner tonight with leftover spaghetti. My husband and I loved it! Such a brilliant idea for how to spruce up leftovers!
How much is 4oz of cooked pasta? 1/2 cup by dry measurement, or is it supposed to be weighed?
Hi Colet – The amount of dry pasta you will need to yield 4 ounces of cooked pasta varies depending on the shape of the pasta you intend to use. Here is a useful chart: https://www.barilla.com/en-us/help/measuring-pasta Hopefully that helps!
This is my kind of dinner! So delicious!
Thanks, Lori!
Such a great idea! I always have a batch of cooked pasta (and a bunch of random things) in the fridge and this is a perfect, quick meal! Awesome!
Great idea to use pasta. This frittata looks delicious:)