Instant Pot Frittata Breakfast Casserole is crazy delicious and loaded with healthy veggies. This tasty pressure cooker breakfast is easy to make and an excellent make-ahead option as well. We adore it!
Welcome to the hardest to name recipe of my entire existence.
In a fit of indecision and minor foodie identity crisis, I went ahead and labeled this veggie-flecked deliciousness a frittata.
I contemplated calling it a crustless quiche but is that not the biggest oxymoron ever? Quiche by definition is allllll about the crust! And of course this bad boy has all the makings of an epic omelet, but with no flipping or folding needed. Alas, this pressure cooker breakfast came out round, fluffy, and frittata-like so gosh darn it, let’s make a frittata!
Frittata is more fun to say anyways.
“Frittata!” “Ooooh say it again!” “Frittata. Frittata. Frit-ta-ta!”
Name that movie and you’re my hero.
Whatever you call this Instant Pot breakfast situation, I’m certain that OMG YUM is going to follow it because holy cow it’s AMAZING!
In just a few short weeks I’ve managed to make this tasty frittata at least four times already, and totally see it becoming a weekly tradition around here.
I’ve teamed up with the folks at Nellie’s Free Range Eggs to become a brand ambassador for their tasty free range eggs and share this brunch-worthy egg recipe today!
I’m excited to join their flock of families, farmers, and hens and share some crazy delicious breakfast, brunch, and brinner recipes with y’all this year! Their tasty Certified Humane® eggs come from small family farms with ample room, shelter, and no cages whatsoever. They have ready access to the outdoors and fresh grass. I’m so crazy impressed with this company and their dedication to the Humane Farm Animal Care Program.
Stay tuned to see what we cook up together next!
Instant Pot Frittata Breakfast Casserole
This crazy flavorful Instant Pot frittata is loaded with healthy goodness. I kept things vegetarian and added bell peppers, onion, spinach, and cheese with a little cheesy chive action happening on top for good measure. You can even top it with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt if you’re a fan!
You’ll spend maybe 10-15 minutes chopping, whisking, and sautéing then simply pour it in a bowl, toss it in the Instant Pot and LEAVE THE KITCHEN! No babysitting a pan on the stove or waiting ages for it to bake in the oven. I can set it and forget it and then finish getting myself and my daughter ready for work/school while a hot and delicious breakfast basically cooks itself. It can even be made in advance and warmed up the following morning!
Instant Pot Frittata Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 Large Nellie’s Free Range Eggs
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- ⅓ cup minced yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped spinach
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp oil
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- ½ cup grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup water
TOOLS NEEDED
- Instant Pot (I use the 6QT duo)
- Wire trivet/rack with handles (the one that came with the IP is great!)
- 1.5 quart round baking dish (also works with a 7 x 3-inch cake pan)
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS – choose your favorites!
- grated cheese
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- fresh chives or scallions
- chopped tomatoes or salsa
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Spray your 7×3 dish/pan very well with cooking spray (avocado oil spray is my favorite). You can also rub the entire pan with butter if you prefer – just make sure to make that bad boy stick proof or you’ll be eating scrambled eggs for breakfast instead, lol! Cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of the dish for extra easy removal. <– I do this and love it!
- Crack eggs into a large bowl, chop your veggies, and measure out all your ingredients.
- Use an egg beater or whisk to whip your eggs until yolks and whites are fully incorporated. Next whisk in heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper and add your cheese. Set aside.
- Turn your Instant Pot on to sauté function and heat 1 tsp oil. Sauté onion and pepper until tender, adding garlic and spinach at the very end. Cook for an additional 30-60 seconds then scoop out the mixture and add to your prepared baking dish. Turn IP off.
- Give the insert a quick rinse on the inside to remove any stubborn veggie bits left behind, then return to your IP and add 1 cup water. Top with a handled trivet (I use the one my IP came with – super convenient and it has handles!) and, if yours does not have handles, feel free to make a makeshift handle/sling with folded aluminum foil.
- Whisk again to mix, then pour egg mixture into your baking dish. Place on top of trivet and lock the lid.
- Set to 6 minutes high pressure and make sure vent is in the sealed position.
- Once it beeps, allow a natural pressure release for 10-12 minutes before unlocking the lid.
- Open the lid, patting the top of the frittata dry with a paper towel as needed. Run a knife along the side to release, allow to cool slightly (it will shrink away from the sides as it cools), then turn it over onto a plate or serve it straight from the bowl by cutting and removing slices with a pie server.
- If desired, you can add toppings like I did! I love my frittata topped with an extra sprinkle of cheese!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this scrumptious Instant Pot Frittata Breakfast Casserole, let me know! Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation!
Can I double this instant pot breakfast for two?
Kind of! The PIP (pot-in-pot) method of cooking in the instant pot is great because it prevents accidental sticking and burning and has crazy easy clean up. The only down side is that you can’t make a jumbo batch of anything due to the size constraints of the 6-quart pressure cooker. I ran a few test batches of this Instant Pot frittata and successfully made a larger version of this breakfast that yields 4-6 servings; basically 4 large slices or 6 smaller slices to pair with fresh fruit and hash browns.
Instant Pot deep-dish breakfast casserole recipe
Whether you call it a breakfast casserole, frittata or quiche, this garden veggie breakfast is going to rock your morning! Feel free to make this a day in advance for easy peasy breakfast that tastes amazing warmed up on a busy morning. You’ll use the same 1.5 quart round baking dish as the frittata recipe above.
ingredients
- 9 large Nellie’s Free Range Eggs
- 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
- 3/4-1 cup chopped spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus extra to taste
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup water
instructions
Follow steps in the recipe card above. Cook time will be 30 minutes high pressure. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before flipping the valve to vent. Release any remaining pressure and, once pressure valve has dropped, remove the lid. See recipe card for detailed instructions.
This Instant Pot Frittata Breakfast Casserole recipe post is sponsored by Nellie’s Free Range Eggs as part of a delicious ongoing partnership! Stay tuned for more egg-cellent recipes to rock your breakfast game!
We love banana egg pancakes.. just 2 eggs per super ripe banana mixed and made similar to traditional pancakes. Could I make a large batch and cook in the instapot like your Frittata? Any tips on times to try?
Ooh banana egg pancakes are so good! I’m not sure about cooking them in the IP but let me know if you get a chance to experiment!
Man, that was delicious! I also added some mushrooms since I love them. The juice of the veggies at the bottom of the bowl, once the frittata was removed from dish, was also really good. I almost screwed it up thinking the timer (I don’t use the IP very much:) was like a microwave timer (min/sec) but after 30 min I figured it out lol. Can’t wait to make it again Jenn.
Sounds delicious and I’m planning on making this as part of my Christmas morning breakfast. I’m just wondering if you think a 6” x 3” pan will suffice when making the recipe that calls for 9 eggs? Thank you in advance for your help 🙂
Hi Amber! I’m be a day late in responding (I have been off spending time with family) – did you work out which pan to use? I actually gave the larger version it’s own recipe post here: Instant Pot Breakfast Casserole if you ever need it. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year too! xoxo
Hi! This looks amazing, would I be able to make this with just egg whites? Thanks.
Hi Reshma! It would require a bit of testing to get the ratios/volume/cook times sorted out so I would have to do some testing to know for sure. Unable to as my kitchen is in storage at the moment but for sure let me know if you get a chance to experiment!
Is it possible to simply cook this recipe in the instant pot pan rather than using a pan within the instant pot?? I don’t have the correct size of pan, but I really would love to try this recipe. Any suggestions??
Hi Heather! I have seen people make similar breakfast casseroles in the stainless steel insert itself and run into a lot of issues so I wouldn’t know exactly how to get around those issues without a several additional rounds of testing. Those “straight in the instant pot” egg casserole recipes usually have dozens of comments of sticking/burning or undercooked eggs so I’ve stuck with pans thus far.
I don’t have a trivet that goes in my instant pot it’s just the insert that comes with it and you cook in. Can I do the frittata in the insert with no pan or trivet?
Hi Ginger! I have seen people make casseroles in the stainless steel insert itself and run into a lot of issues so I wouldn’t know exactly how to get around those without a few more rounds of testing.
What else can I use to cook it in inside of the IP?
I am using it for the first time and 😬
Hi Heather! So excited for the start of your Instant Pot adventures! If you don’t have a similar dish to the one I’ve listed/linked here then the cook times and such will vary. Glass containers cook a little differently as do metal, porcelain, etc… A few readers have used glass pyrex in the same dimensions as listed but found it took longer to cook, for instance. I’ll list some of my favorite starter recipes below if you’re looking for more IP recipes to try!
Instant Pot Tomato Soup
Instant Pot Deviled Eggs with 3 tasty filling options!
Instant Pot Ramen Bowls
Not sure what’s happening but mine is still really liquid like despite being on for the suggested time twice 😬 any thoughts???
Eek! Happy to help troubleshoot, Caroline! If the recipe measurements were followed as written then it could be two possible things. What size/type of baking container did you use? Sometimes what the container is made of can influence cook time. Also, is the valve on the lid completely sealed in the correct position and is the inner ring as well perfectly sealed? I had an issue with my seal a few weeks ago and it completely didn’t cook my recipe bc of it. Keep me posted – I should be around most of the day. xo
I have a dairy allergy. I have dairy free cheese, is there anything I can replace the heavy cream with?
Hi Chris! Cartons of chilled almond milk or coconut milk work great as a cream replacer in frittatas and quiche! Blue Diamond’s Unsweetened Almond Coconut Milk is a fav of mine.
I don’t own an instant pot yet — can’t afford it right now either. How would you suggest cooking this in an oven?
Hi Brenda! You’ll simply cook it up just like you would a traditional crustless quiche or frittata. You’ll want to sauté the veggies first then bake in a greased 9-in. pie plate or quiche-sized baking dish at 350° for approx. 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. I usually check mine at the 35 minute mark just in case and go from there. For more tips you can also check out my traditional quiche recipe too. Hope this helps! xoxo
I would like to make this. My question is can i use a 7×2 in springform pan and do I need to cover the pan with foil like I would do for egg bite molds.
Hi Judy! You can use a springform, but what happens sometimes is the egg mixture can leak through a teeny bit. To help prevent this I’ll usually wrap the bottom and top in foil. Hope that helps! Sometimes there’s still a few spoonfuls of leakage depending how tightly fastened the springform gets. xoxo
I am new to my Instant Pot but I may try to make a version of this for this weekend. I was basically looking for a fritatta that was eggs, bacon and cheese with maybe one veggie, so I havent’t quite found what I was searching for.
If I do make this, I will come back and let you know how it turned out.
I am really new to Instant Pot cooking. But have used it almost every day for a week. I ended up taking back my 6-quart and buying the 8-quart as what was recommended by several. Paid less than $10 more with Kohls than Target and I got aa extra $15 coupon from Kohls, which I used to buy more accessories for it! Now I am reading most recipes are made for the 6-quart size. What adjustments are necessary when using the larger size Instant Pot? Thanks for any information you can provide.
Hi Darlene! Welcome to the awesome world of Instant Pot cooking. It’s such a handy appliance! Since I use a 6 quart at home and do now own an 8 quart, I cannot speak from experience or offer an exact time different between the two, but this Instant Pot Cooking Differences post has so much information including tips on elevation and time adjustment estimates from 6 to 8 quart. I’d for sure check it out!
Just wanted to say THANK YOU!! I made this three times over the holidays for different company and it was a huge hit with everyone! Really appreciate having a low stress breakfast option.
Ohmygosh thank you Natalie! Love that it was a low stress option for breakfast for ya and that you’ve made it multiple times too! day = made
How much is a serving? I notice it says it makes 2 servings so I just cut the frittata in half?
Hi Kaitlyn! My husband and I cut the frittata in in half so each portion was shaped kind of like an omelette. You could also cut into 4 smaller portions if desired, like cutting a pie.
Has anyone tried with the silicone egg bite molds as bites instead of a frittata? Any advice on cooking time for that? I used a spring form pan (Didn’t even realize that’s what it was til reading the comments!)the first time, it came out yummy but definitely made a mess!
Hi Kat! This recipe would probably be enough to make 2 trays worth of egg bites (with about 6-7 bites per silicone tray). Is that the size egg bite mold you have? From what I’ve read about egg bites (I am hoping I get some of the molds for Christmas!) you want to set the IP to manual then adjust the time to 8 minutes at low pressure for one tray and if making two trays, increase the cooking time to 10 minutes. After the IP beeps allow 5 minutes natural pressure release before releasing the vent/pressure. The egg mold goes on the handled trivet/rack and is covered by foil and the water is placed at the bottom of the IP insert below the trivet. There are a few sites that have guides on timing for different molds so it will just depend on which one you’re using and how many. Hope this helps! xoxo
Frustrating because 6 minutes is NOT enough time. I’d increase to 8 next time and 10 min release. Also, it’s so annoying that people review this recipe without even making it.
I’ve gotten a lot of IG tags and messages from readers loving the recipe and the timing working quite well (for me it’s 7 minutes to come to pressure, 6 min active cook time, and 10-12 minutes natural pressure release as noted in the recipe) so I am happy to help troubleshoot Jenny! May I ask what size Instant Pot you used? Was it underdone after doing 6 minutes on HIGH with the specified timing to release pressure? So sorry for your frustrations and here if you need assistance. xo
Let me start off by saying, the end result was very good! However, it was quite a journey to get there, for me. I really struggled with getting the pie pan into the instant pot without spilling & I actually had to trash my first mix after dropping it into the water at the bottom of the pot. I used the trivet that came with the IP and still am unsure why this was so difficult for me. I made a make-shift aluminum handle for extra grip. Set IP for recommended time and allowed a NR for 12 minutes but the egg was still undercooked. Cooked again (6 min HP then 5 min NR) and still not cooked. Gave up and finished it off in the oven. Taste came out great, just not sure where I went wrong. Any suggestions?
Hi Faith! Oh goodness that must have been so frustrating to spill it that first time – I legit cry whenever I drop something (especially a cheesecake once… man that hurt but it’s kind of funny now!)
As for the time not being sufficient, this could be a couple of things so I’d love to help troubleshoot! What size IP did you use? Did you add any extra ingredients or make any swaps? Was the recipe made as directed or doubled? More ingredients added will add to the cook time, for instance my larger breakfast casserole is set to high for 30 minutes because of it’s thickness. The container used to cook the eggs can also affect cook time, what type of bakeware did the frittata go into? Keep me posted! xoxo
This looks amazing! My husband can’t eat bell peppers. What would be the best substitute that has a comparable cool time?
Thanks Whitney! So for veggies you could just add a little extra onion and spinach or mince some fresh broccoli florets so they’re chopped up super small and use those in place of the peppers. Chopped asparagus would may work as well!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Healthy, easy and a beautiful presentation on the plate. Thanks for developing and sharing this recipe…and to all who shared their experience using it! We in the midst of a home renovation and my little instapot is getting a work out while our kitchen is under construction. I have missed making Sunday morning frittatas and am delighted to learn that I can make one in Instapot!
I hope you adore it as much as we do Polly! xoxo
can light cream and less cheese be used to lighted up the calories?
Yes absolutely Stacy!
Oh my, this was delicious! My husband thought it was wonderful, too. I served it with fried sliced baby potatoes/onions and sliced tomatoes, both from the garden. Now we’re stuffed! Thank you for such an easy, yummy recipe!
Becky, how long did you cook this?
Can I make 2 individual quiches in my stacked steamer pans? Would the timing change?
Hi Anette! I’m not sure as I don’t have any steamer pans to test it with. If you get a chance to experiment on times LMK – I’d love to know if it works! xoxo
I wasn’t brave enough to try it, but used the recommended sized dish. As we were eating it for dinner I added some andouille sausage, and so it needed another 7 minutes. It was absolutely delicious! Thanks for this recipe!
Haha I keep wanting to order those stackable pans too but I’m like, how on Earth do I time things without testing 5 more times? lol! I’m so glad y’all enjoyed it Anette – love the addition of the andouille!
What if I dont use natural vent but vent out the pressure myself with quick vent? Will the food not be cooked enough?
It’s a risk that it will indeed not have cooked through, as the natural release gives it an extra 10 minutes of time to finish cooking, but you can always cook longer if you release the pressure early and it’s not done. I tested this one quite a few times and this was the formula that gave me the best, most reliable results. Hope you get a chance to try it! xo
Can you substitute evaporated milk for cream
Hi Joti! I haven’t tried the swap but it may work. Let me know if you give it a try!
Question on the timing for the deep dish — 30 minutes at high pressure seems like forever in an IP. The original size has 6 minutes, and 30 minutes at high is more than is used for big hunks of meat like roasts. Are you sure that the doubled recipe needs 5x the cooking time?
Hi Pam! I know it does indeed seem like forever compared to other pressure cooker recipes, but I’ve tested this one 7+ times now and for some reason any shorter with the cook time and it will be undercooked in the center. There’s a chance it’ll be done in 25 (I think I had one batch work at that time frame) but I stuck with 30 since it seemed to consistently work great for that particular recipe. I’m guessing it’s something to do with the dish’s new height/thickness and the deep dish corningware in my 6QT IP.
THE QUOTE IS FROM THE LION KING!!!! Okay, now that I’ve got that out of the way, I have a question: do you think you could make this in only the instant pot? I have the smallest version and it definitely won’t fit a baking dish. I know the presentation wouldn’t end up as perfect, but do you think it would work? Thanks in advance! Love this recipe!
Lion King FTW! Hey Leeza! So the the Instant Pot typically needs 1 cup of pure liquid (usually water) to do all it’s steamy pressure cooking magic but if you add additional liquid to the egg mixture the result going to be a really watery flavorless mess, eek! I’ve seen some recipes call for just taking the frittata/quiche mixture and putting it right in that IP inner pot and they’re usually followed by tons of comments complaining that it stuck to the bottom and burned – I def don’t want that to happen to you! I think in this case the oven would be best for the casserole? Thoughts?
Hi Jenn – I made this with some modifications I thought I’d let you know about. I am a “one dish whenever possible” kind of person so I used a 7″ Anchor Hocking (my fave glass company because their products are all made in the USA – the main plant is in Lancaster, Ohio – near my hometown) storage bowl. Because I hate raw egg all over, or to clean up even cooked egg from a dish, I lined the entire thing with parchment paper. I put chopped onions, diced ham (don’t cringe…just might be other omnivores like me searching for IP fritatta), mushrooms and some cheese in it then cracked 4 eggs right on top with pepper and tobasco sauce (my husband is low salt), stirred it all together and cooked per your instructions. Topped with salsa it was delicious!!! The only raw egg thing I had at the end was the fork!
One thing I would change in mine is that being lazy I wanted to see how the onions did not sauteed. Yeah, they need a little sauteing. But the mushrooms and ham were FINE. The heat while cooking the egg was more than enough to do them well…and I would recommend sauteing for any peppers. But mushrooms and diced ham would not need sauteing.
My way I only had that one fork with raw egg and zero clean up in the bowl. It might not be worth all the parchment paper and I may try spraying the bowl then just lining the bottom because the IP cooks so differently, I’m not sure one would have any glommed on egg after cooking.
Those are my inputs. Thanks for this recipe…and I also highly recommend people making a sling with aluminum foil to lift this out onto a towel so you can then carry it with the towel to where you need. Sorry to ramble on here!!
But it might be worth a side note in your article, or trying your own experience to see about mixing the eggs right in the cooking vessel. I HATE raw egg in my sink or dishwasher!!
This sounds so yummy! Do you think that I could use an instant pot springform pan for this?
Hi Brandi! Ok so I’ve totally tried this and what happened with mine is that some of the egg mixture snuck out of the bottom of the springform but I was able to tightly wrap the outside with foil so I didn’t lose too much.
Thanks so much! That’s what I was worried about. I will try the foil!
I’m on Weight Watchers, so I made these modifications; I subbed evaporated fat free milk for the heavy cream, and 75% reduced fat white cheddar for the regular cheese. I sautéed the veggies in a small nonstick skillet, misted with olive oil spray, so I omitted the 1 tsp. of olive oil. This was FABULOUS and very filling! I ran my modified ingredient list through the WW recipe builder, and for two servings it calculated to 3 Freestyle Points. Definitely a keeper I will make and enjoy many times more!
Ahhh yay! Thank you Elaine! Super stoked you enjoyed the recipe and I’m loving that you were able to tweak it to fit your lifestyle and come up with just 3 Freestyle Points per serving, awesome!
Looks delicious! Just making sure I do not manually pressure release the instantpot. The instructions state *Once it beeps, allow a natural pressure release for 10-12 minutes before unlocking the lid.* so do I release the pressure myself?
Hi Maryjane! So excited you’ll be trying the recipe! Ok so the IP is going to beep when it’s finished and then will naturally start decreasing it’s pressure all on it’s own. You’ll let it do this for 10-12 minutes and then manually flip the vent away from sealing to venting to release any remaining pressure. Sometimes there will be some, sometimes it will already have released. LMK if this helps! xoxo
What if I use a whole red bell pepper and a green bell pepper?
Hey Christina! 1/4 cup diced bell pepper is typically about 1/4-1/3 of a whole bell pepper so the ratio would be a little out of hand lol! It would mostly be a bell pepper casserole with a little egg sprinkled in between. You could try this recipe here: Instant Pot Breakfast Casserole and use one whole bell pepper easily if you’d like to use a whole one up without having leftover pieces. xo
Movie reference = Lion King!
This recipe looks amazingly good. Definitely going to give it a try.
Yesssss! Lion King for the win! Thanks Chris – so excited for you to try the recipe! xo
Hi
What kind of pot do you use that fits inside the IP?
Hi Stacie! I use a CorningWare 1.5 quart round baking dish that has lasted me though so many IP uses! A 7 x 3 inch cake pan could also work for this recipe.
This recipe looks amazing–thank you for sharing it! I was wondering if the heavy cream was an absolute necessity? My husband has difficulty digesting dairy, so I’d love to minimize the dairy for this. Thank you in advance!
Hi Clara! The heavy cream gives the eggs a luscious texture, but if you’re limiting dairy you can for sure try using your favorite almond milk or even coconut milk for the frittata! The latter will give the frittata a light coconut flavor while the almond milk shouldn’t alter the taste at all. xoxo
Wonderful, inviting and vibrant ! Thank you !
I’ve just begun cooking with my Instant Pot and was thrilled to find this recipe – it’s so delicious! I love using my Instant Pot for breakfasts and hadn’t done so until I found your recipe – thank you!
I am in love with my Instant Pot and U cannot wait to try this!
This frittata is so beautiful! And I’m glad to know I have yet another use for my Instant Pot now 🙂
Thank you Jill! It’s for sure an IP perk to be able to whip this up in there with all the other tasty options!
I love using my instant pot and this sounds fabulous that we can make frittata in IP too. Loved the detailed recipe.
Thanks Sonal! I love that I can make breakfast so many different ways in the Instant Pot!
I need to try making a frittata in the instant pot, this one looks so good!
It’s so crazy easy! I just whipped up another one b/c the craving totally hit! lol
Wow! In the instant pot? Game changer! Now I think I’m gonna make frittata for lunch! lol craving it now!
Thanks Camila! You totally should! <3