I love a good frittata at any time. But this one with walnuts and kale is especially substantial and fab for a meat-free dinner where you won’t be missing the meat (my Irishman didn’t). It’s also good for lunches the next day.

And I love that it’s a complete meal on its own. No need to add a sauce or side salad.

Just make sure the tray you use to cook it is a similar size to mine. Or if it’s smaller, expect the cooking time to be longer. And for a larger tray it will cook more quickly – it’s all about the surface area / depth of the mixture.

enough for: 2
takes: 30 minutes
1 bunch kale, sliced
6 eggs
small bunch chives chopped
2 tablespoon cream
100g (3.5oz) roasted walnuts
1 pack goats cheese (about 100g / 3.5oz), sliced

1. Turn your oven on to 200C (400F). Heat a big glug of oil in a medium saucepan on a medium high heat. Add sliced kale and a splash of water. Cook covered, stirring every now and then until kale is wilted down. About 5 minutes.

2. Mix eggs, chives, cream and a big pinch of salt in a bowl. Line a small baking dish (about 22cm x 28cm / 8.5in x 11 in dimensions) lined with baking paper. Or a round 28cm (11in) spring form pan will also work.

3. When the kale is cooked, spread it over the base of your baking dish. Pour over the egg mixture. Scatter over walnuts and slices of goats cheese.

4. Bake frittata for 12-14 minutes or until the egg is set and the cheese has browned a little. Serve hot or at room temp.

WINE MATCH: A crisp Sauvignon blanc.

Variations & Substitutions

short on time – use pre-cooked greens or defrosted frozen spinach or other greens. Squeeze greens to remove extra moisture and expect to add another 5 minutes to the cooking time. Or skip the greens and serve with baby spinach leaves on the side (the frittata may not take as long to cook so check after 10 minutes).

vegan / egg-free – try these buddha bowls instead.

more substantial (carb lovers) / family-friendly – serve with hot buttered toast or warm pita bread. Or add some cooked sweet potato or potato or pasta as well as or instead of the kale.

more substantial (low carb) – more walnuts, more cheese or more eggs.

Low FODMAP – don’t use the stems from the kale.

different greens – any leafy green will work. Or any other cooked veg.

nut-free – replace walnuts with roast sweet potato (or other root veg) or cooked legumes (chickpeas would be my first choice) or cooked pasta.

dairy-free – skip the goats cheese and serve with pesto, tahini lemon sauce or hummus drizzled over.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

kale – will keep for a few weeks in a plastic bag in the fridge. Or for longer if cooked as per the recipe. Can be frozen.

eggs – will keep in the fridge for weeks or use for another meal.

chives – best to use for another meal.

cream – unopened cartons will generally keep in the fridge for a few weeks. If you need to store for longer, just pop in the freezer in a sealed container. Or freeze in icecube trays so you can easily defrost just what you need.

roasted walnuts – keep them in the pantry.

goats cheese – if unopened it usually has a shelf life of a few weeks in the fridge. If it is opened, will only keep for a few days so use for another meal or freeze.

Prepare Ahead

You can but the nuts will lose their crunch over time and it’s difficult to reheat without over cooking the eggs. But if you’re happy to eat it cold or at room temp, just cook as per the recipe. Will keep in the fridge for a week. Don’t freeze. Serve cold or at room temp.