The 2 Factors To Think About When Deciding On A Frittata Pan

When learning how to make a frittata, the goal is a round, fluffy omelet-like disc that is browned on the outside and moist on the inside, with no mangled or underdone parts. Following the frittata golden ratio of eggs and dairy and learning how to tell when your frittata is done can certainly help, but the cooking vessel is equally as important. To make things easy on yourself, grab a pan that is both nonstick and oven-safe.

This Italian dish always starts off cooked in a skillet on the stove; it's then either flipped over to finish cooking in the pan, or transferred to the oven and baked until set. Both of these approaches require a skillet with nonstick qualities — there's nothing worse than prying stubbornly stuck eggs off a pan, especially for a dish that's supposed to look pretty. As for the oven-safe part, while there are steps you can take to avoid a frittata-flipping disaster, a pan that can go right from the burner to the oven rack lets you skip the flip, making for a less stressful breakfast.

With these factors in mind, a seasoned cast-iron skillet is a top choice for your frittata. These prized pieces of cookware can handle high temperatures on the stove or in the oven and retain heat effectively, giving the eggs a nicely browned outside. And once you learn how to season a cast iron pan, you won't have to worry about your precious creation sticking to the surface. 

If you don't own a cast iron skillet, you might wonder if coated nonstick pans could work for a frittata. While they'll do the trick for recipes cooked entirely on the stove, coated pans are only safe to use up to certain temperatures in the oven, and excessive heat could damage the finish and cause it to release harsh fumes. Do research on your pan to find out if it's oven-safe and up to what temperature. Another downside is that nonstick coatings can't withstand the extra step for a perfectly golden brown frittata: cranking the broiler up high.

On the other hand, stainless steel skillets are usually oven-safe, but eggs are notoriously prone to sticking to this material. To mitigate potential issues, pay extra attention to one of the cooking tips for the absolute best frittata and preheat the skillet well. Once it's hot enough, water dripped onto the surface should instantly vaporize. You can also add more fat to the pan before pouring in the egg mixture, just for extra insurance.

There's another sneaky factor to consider when making frittatas: Some pans may have bodies made of oven-safe materials, but their handles or other parts are not. The ideal frittata pan should not have any plastic, wood, or silicone parts. Once you have a safe, efficient vessel on your hands, you can make frittata recipes you'll want over and over again with delicious, reliable results every time.