The Difference Between A Frittata, A Quiche, And A Strata

Frittatas, quiches, and strata are dishes that combine eggs and dairy with a variety of fillings. They are versatile dishes that can be served hot or at room temperature for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a light dinner.

One common thing with these dishes is that they all share eggs as the main ingredient. However, one big difference between them is in how they’re prepared and cooked. Keep reading to learn more about their differences.

WHAT IS A FRITTATA?

Frittatas originated from the Italians. It can be described as a cross between an omelet and a crustless quiche. However, they take less time to make than quiche or strata. The dish is traditionally made by beating eggs with dairy together with ingredients like vegetables, meats, and cheeses. The mixture is then poured into a skillet, slowly heated, usually without flipping, and then placed in the oven to finish cooking and brown the top.

The frittata shares some ingredients in common with quiche and strata, but it resembles an omelet because it is cooked in a skillet on a cooktop with similar ingredients. The difference is that a frittata’s ingredients are all mixed together before it enters the pan, while omelet fillings are added after the eggs start cooking. The dish is finished by folding half of the omelet over the fillings.

WHAT IS A QUICHE?

Quiche is like a savory tart or pie, and we have the French to thank for it. Its preparation also includes eggs, dairy, and other fillings, but it typically contains fewer eggs and more cream or milk than a frittata. This higher liquid-to-egg ratio leads to a more creamy custard texture, which is baked into a flaky crust.

Quiche Lorraine is a well-known version of the dish and contains bacon, caramelized onions, and Swiss or gruyere cheese in addition to eggs and cream or creme fraiche.

WHAT IS A STRATA?

A strata is an egg-based casserole, or savory bread pudding, prepared via baking in the oven. Strata is an American creation and is usually made by layering day-old cubed or sliced bread with veggies, meats and cheeses and topped with an egg and milk mixture.

The strata is usually refrigerated for an hour, or even overnight so that the bread can marinade in the egg mixture before baking.

IS FRITTATA THE SAME AS CRUSTLESS QUICHE?

No, but the difference between them is about more than just the crust. A frittata is partially cooked in a skillet on the cooktop and then finished in the oven. It also has a lower egg-to-dairy ratio making it more similar to an open-faced omelet than a pie.

On the other hand, Quiche has a creamier, custard-like texture due to more dairy and is cooked entirely in the oven.