Smokey sausage, fluffy eggs and lemony greens make for a great way to start the day. This Chouriço Frittata with Lemony Arugula is a crowd pleaser and a favorite in the Fraser household. It’s bold in flavor, hearty in veggies and at the same time light. This meal is going to fill the bellies for a productive day without putting you in a pancake and maple syrup food coma. Don’t get me wrong, we love those food comas but when you need to be sharp as a tack and keep the engines going for a long productive day, this Chouriço Frittata with Lemony Arugula has you covered!
The grocery list.
Pantry staples:
- Olive oil— Olive oil is my go-to for any kind of cooking, it adds a burst of grassy-tomato flavor as well as a bump in nutrients.
- Kosher salt— Adding the salt to the zucchini helps turn their flavor from a 2 to a 10!
- Lemon juice— The perfect hint of acid to dress the greens and bring brightness to this dish.
Fresh ingredients:
- Chouriço— Chouriço can be tricky to find but this link offers the ability to purchase online. I grew up in a predominantly Portuguese area of Massachusetts and the options were endless. Chouriço is available in links and ground and either can be used in this recipe.
- Zucchini — Our fridge is always stocked with zucchini. It’s so versatile and I find myself adding it into so many recipes because it simply takes on the flavor of whatever you’re making. We’re always trying to tuck more greens in where we can!
- Eggs — well you simply cannot have a frittata without the eggs! There is no possible substitution here and we wouldn’t want it either, eggs are the best!
- Heavy cream– Substitutions for heavy cream would be regular whole milk as well as a non dairy option if you prefer but the heavy cream (or whole milk) is what give the frittata it’s FLUFF.
- Sharp cheddar– The cheese options are always endless and substitutions are always at the direction of the home chef. Sharp cheddar, in my opinion, is the best option here because it doesn’t overpower in flavor yet gives all the luscious cheesiness that makes this frittata so dayummm good.
- Shallot– If you don’t have shallots on hand, feel free to swap for red onions sliced thin. I love both the garlicy notes and subtle sharpness of shallots that compliment the garlicy notes in the Chouriço.
- Arugula– These tender and peppery greens are both hearty and light. Arugula can handle the being lightly dressed without wilting. These greens really bring freshness to the bold flavors present in the frittata from the smoky sausage.
What is Chouriço?
Chouriço is a smoky Portuguese sausage made with pork, paprika, garlic, black pepper, salt. While similar to Spanish chorizo, the main difference between the two is the amount of paprika used in the recipe. It’s said that 20% of Spanish chorizo’s weight is in paprika whereas Portuguese chouriço gets its pop of red color from paprika but the ratios are far less. The other main difference is the use of Portuguese red wine in chouriço to round out and balance the flavors. My family name, Moniz, is Portuguese and my family originated from São Miguel Island in the Portuguese Azores. I grew up in Fall River, MA which is a predominately Azorean- Portuguese community. While I don’t have many deep-rooted Portuguese recipes in my index, I keep particular ingredients, like chouriço, around for nostalgia.
Looking for more breakfast ideas?
Here are a few to try:
BLACKBERRY CHEESECAKE OAT BARS
Lastly, if you make this Chouriço Frittata with Lemony Arugula recipe, be sure to leave a comment! Above all, I love to hear from ya’ll and do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of your dayyyummm good recreations is my favorite!
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Ingredients
- 1 Chouriço** link, sliced
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- 1 zucchini sliced
- 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 10 eggs
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 shallot, sliced thin
- 1 cup arugula
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the Traeger Grill (or oven) to 375°F.
- Heat a large cast iron (11-12") over medium heat. Add the sliced Chouriço links to the cast iron and cook, toss occasionally to lightly char for 2-3 minutes. Remove the Chouriço from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the cast iron along with the zucchini. Cook the zucchini for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Return the Chouriço from the pan and remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl whisk the eggs and heavy cream. Add a pinch of kosher salt and whisk again. Pour the egg mixture into the cast iron over the charred Chouriço and browned zucchini. Top the frittata with the shredded cheese and lastly with the sliced shallots.
- Place the cast iron into the preheated grill (or oven) and bake 40-50 minutes or until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Toss the arugula with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and pinch of salt. Serve Fritatta topped with dressed greens.
- Serve the frittata with dressed greens.
Notes
**Chouriço is a garlicy, smokey, spicy Portuguese sausage. Mexican and Spanish Chorizos are similar but also vastly differ in flavors. They all seem the same but are not interchangeable. The one commonality between Portuguese Chouriço and Spanish Chorizo is their deep red color from the dried, smoked red peppers (paprika).
Nutrition Information: Serves 6 / 321 cals / 25g F / 6g C / 21g P
Ingredients
- 1 Chouriço** link, sliced
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- 1 zucchini sliced
- 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 10 eggs
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 shallot, sliced thin
- 1 cup arugula
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the Traeger Grill (or oven) to 375°F.
- Heat a large cast iron (11-12") over medium heat. Add the sliced Chouriço links to the cast iron and cook, toss occasionally to lightly char for 2-3 minutes. Remove the Chouriço from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the cast iron along with the zucchini. Cook the zucchini for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Return the Chouriço from the pan and remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl whisk the eggs and heavy cream. Add a pinch of kosher salt and whisk again. Pour the egg mixture into the cast iron over the charred Chouriço and browned zucchini. Top the frittata with the shredded cheese and lastly with the sliced shallots.
- Place the cast iron into the preheated grill (or oven) and bake 40-50 minutes or until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Toss the arugula with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and pinch of salt. Serve Fritatta topped with dressed greens.
- Serve the frittata with dressed greens.
Notes
**Chouriço is a garlicy, smokey, spicy Portuguese sausage. Mexican and Spanish Chorizos are similar but also vastly differ in flavors. They all seem the same but are not interchangeable. The one commonality between Portuguese Chouriço and Spanish Chorizo is their deep red color from the dried, smoked red peppers (paprika).
Nutrition Information: Serves 6 / 321 cals / 25g F / 6g C / 21g P