Spinach Frittata with Sweet Potato Hash Crust

This spinach frittata recipe stands out for its caramelized sweet potato crust! This is a one-skillet vegetarian recipe for breakfast, brunch or dinner.

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spinach frittata with sweet potato crust
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This spinach frittata recipe belongs on your favorite restaurant’s brunch menu! It features tender eggs mixed with baby spinach, goat cheese (or feta), and green onion. The “crust” is made of small cubes of sweet potatoes, cooked until caramelized in the same skillet. They form a delicious sweet-and-savory base layer that complements the other flavors beautifully.

You can serve this memorable recipe for breakfast or brunch, of course, but it’s also lovely for lunch or dinner and makes great leftovers. It requires basic cooking skills and equipment (you’ll need a cutting board, knife, mixing bowl and a skillet).

I first shared this recipe from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook in 2012, and I’m sharing it again today with better photos and a few light tweaks. I hope it earns a spot on your list of favorite recipes!

An Ode to Frittatas

Frittatas are a kitchen standby once you know how to make them. As long as you have eggs, a splash of milk and some vegetables, you can whip up a pretty satisfying meal without much prep or cooking time.

This recipe relies on the traditional cook-on-the-stove-and-finish-in-the-oven method. The trick is to watch for the visual cues for doneness. Overcooked frittatas can taste rubbery, but this recipe includes all the details you’ll need to get it right.

I’m also a fan of this oven-only method for frittatas, but the stove-to-oven method is key to this recipe. It helps the sweet potatoes develop a lovely golden crust on the bottom.

Find more of my frittata recipes here.

Recipe Tips & Options

You’ll find the full recipe at the bottom of the post. Here are my notes:

  • Buy a medium sweet potato (about 12 ounces). Too much sweet potato overwhelms the dish with sweetness.
  • Milk options include 2% or whole milk, or unsweetened plain almond or cashew milk.
  • Substitute grated cheddar cheese if you don’t like goat cheese or feta.
  • If you don’t have a cast iron or stainless steel skillet, assemble it in a 9-inch square baking dish, starting with the cooked sweet potato. One commenter said it took 18 minutes to bake this way.
  • You’ll have some leftover spinach, which you can use to make a generous half-batch of Spinach Salad.

Serving Suggestions

This vegetarian and gluten-free dish is satisfying and balanced on its own. Serve it with crusty whole grain toast and fruit, if you’d like. Here are some more complementary brunch options for a true feast:

Please let me know how your frittata turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.

spinach frittata slice
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Spinach Frittata with Sweet Potato Hash Crust

  • Author: Kathryne Taylor
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 slices
  • Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 22 reviews

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This spinach frittata recipe stands out for its caramelized sweet potato crust. Don’t limit this vegetarian recipe to breakfast or brunch; it’s a filling one-skillet meal that makes for great leftovers. This frittata yields 6 medium slices of frittata (as shown), or 4 large or 8 small.

Ingredients

  • 8 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¾ teaspoon fine salt, divided
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium sweet potato (12 ounces or so), peeled and chopped into ¼-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups baby spinach (give it a few chops with a knife if you’d like)
  • 4 ounces goat cheese or feta, crumbled
  • Optional, for serving: Fresh cilantro leaves, hot sauce (I recommend Cholula), toasted whole-grain bread

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and about ten twists of black pepper. For some spice, add a couple of dashes of hot sauce.
  2. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into ¼-inch cubes. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet or oven-proof skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then sprinkle with the cumin and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook the sweet potatoes, stirring occasionally, until they’re cooked through and browning on the edges, about 10 to 15 minutes (reduce the heat if the potatoes start burning and add another splash of olive oil if they start sticking). 
  3. Sprinkle the green onions on top of the potatoes, then the spinach. Cover the pan with a lid or cookie sheet, and cook until the spinach wilts, a minute or two.
  4. Turn the heat down to low. Whisk the eggs one last time and pour them over the spinach. Crumble the goat cheese with a fork over the top of the frittata. Put the pan in the oven and bake until you can shake the pan (wear oven mitts!) and see that the middle is barely set, about 11 to 14 minutes. 
  5. Let the frittata cool for a few minutes before slicing it. Sprinkle with pepper and cilantro. Serve with hot sauce on the side. Toasted whole grain bread is a good idea, too.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook by Sara Forte.

2025 recipe edits: I edited this recipe for clarity, reduced the sweet potatoes from two to one, and edited the cooking time accordingly.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. Asako

    YUM!

    I made a 1 person portion (1/4 recipe) in an itty bitty frypan I have, and it cooked through a LOT quicker than expected!!! Word of warning to all :-)

    My partner had a bite and gave it a big a-okay for next time (he had a meat dish for dinner).

    It was delicious though!

    1. Kate

      Great! I’m glad it didn’t cook too fast, it sounds like it came out just right.

  2. Matt

    Just made this and it came out perfectly! I added shallot & garlic to the sweet potatoes, and an extra egg + tbsp of milk because I only had a 12-inch skillet. So delicious. Thanks!

    1. Kate

      Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Matt!

  3. Sue Bofinger

    Scrumptious! I have yet to make any of your recipes and be disappointed! Love veggies! Gave my daughter your cookbook for Christmas and borrowed it back to make your soups! YUM!
    Quiche is a wonderful meal any time of the day! Thanks!

    1. Kate

      Scrumptious, I love that! Thanks for sharing. I’m so happy you enjoy the recipes. :)

  4. Jordan Horowitz

    This was outrageous!! I had a large bowl of leftover mashed sweet potatoes in the fridge. So I gave this a try and browned the mashed sweet potatoes, after mixing in the cumin, in some olive oil (not stirring it much) as the base. Then proceeded with the recipe. The layers looked great and the flavors also came through layered.

    We always try to “eat the rainbow” and this frittata covered it all. And Cholula is our go-to hot sauce. I agree it’s perfect with this particular dish.

    I’m sorry I didn’t take a pic, but it was consumed too quickly haha! Next time I’ll be sure to take one–there definitely will be a next time.

    1. Kate

      Thank you for sharing! Outrageous is a great way to put this for sure. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and review, Jordan!

  5. Sehar

    I made this for brunch this weekend and it was fantastic! I used feta in place of the goat cheese and added some sundried tomatoes that I had on hand. It’s quite elegant to look at, too, and gives the appearance that one has slaved away in the kitchen preparing it (which I let everyone believe). Many thanks for the delicious recipe, Kate!

    1. Kate

      That sounds wonderful, Sehar! Thanks so much for sharing.

  6. Jaimee

    Hi, would I be able to substitute cashew milk instead of cow’s milk in this recipe?

    1. Kate

      Sure, that should be ok. Although, full fat dairy works best.

  7. Linda

    Made this tonight for dinner as I had all of the ingredients on hand. It is good but needs a little kick. I would add 4-5 splashes of a hot sauce and, for the non-vegetarians in the group, a browned turkey sausage or some other kind of sausage added would enhance the flavor. Using a cast iron skillet seems to speed up the cooking process so keep an eye on the oven.

  8. Jane

    Made it today and it was very excellent, so easy and so tasty. I halved the recipe but next time I won’t so I can have leftovers for lunch another day. Had a leftover baked sweet potato in my fridge so used it, worked out quite well.

  9. Laurel

    This frittata was fantastic! I made it with feta instead of goat cheese because it was what I had. Worked out well. Thanks Kate!

    1. Kate

      I’m glad you loved it! I appreciate your review, Laurel.

  10. Lynn I Chapman

    Love this dish. I ended up adding mushrooms and using feta cheese instead. I also didn’t have any milk so my cooking time was much faster…

  11. Nanda Ewell

    Do you think you could sub basil for the spinach?

    1. Kate

      You can try it. Let me know what you think, Nanda!

  12. Donna

    I followed the recipe except that I only used 6 eggs and instead of green onion I diced a red onion and cooked it with the sweet potatoes. The result was delicious!

  13. Ann

    This was sooooo good. I roasted the diced sweet potatoes because I didn’t want to risk them sticking in the pan. I used red onion because I didn’t have scallions. I added a big pinch of Aleppo pepper for a bit of a kick. Yum. Your recipes never disappoint!

  14. Debra L Brecese

    I’m wondering how leftover can be reheated with this dish. It sounds delicious but 2 of us can’t eat it all in one meal. Suggestions?

    1. Cookie and Kate

      Hi Debra, I reheat it in my cast iron skillet on the stovetop so the crust stays crispy.

  15. Jo

    This looks amazing – would love to add it to the lunch-prep rotation. How long does it last in the fridge?

    1. Cookie and Kate

      Hi Jo, this will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I like to reheat in my cast iron skillet for the best texture on the hash crust.