Cheesy Pancetta Frittata with Corn and Leeks

Versatile pancetta frittata recipe featuring leeks, corn, and fontina cheese—cheesy and delicious. Perfect for dinner, breakfast, or brunch!

I can’t say enough about the versatile frittata—any busy cook’s MVP. Trying to eat more vegetables? Frittata got you. Your kid just walked in the door and told you she’s now a vegetarian? Frittata got you.

You’ve got under 30 minutes to make dinner and are staring down a fridge full of leftovers? Frittata got you. See? It’s a winner. And this Cheesy Pancetta, Corn, and Leek Frittata takes top marks.  

Basic frittata ingredients:

• eggs
• onion/leeks/shallot
• veggies
• cheese
• bacon/pancetta/sausage/cooked cubed or shredded chicken

In this recipe, I'm using leeks, pancetta, corn, and fontina cheese, but once you get the basic technique down, you can change up those ingredients to suit whatever you have on hand.

Don't have fontina cheese? Check out this article for some great fontina cheese substitutes.

How Do You Make a Pancetta Frittata?

Here's how you do it. Crack 7 eggs into a bowl, whisk thoroughly, and stir in ½ cup of cubed cheese. Then turn to the fillings.

Using a 10-inch nonstick, oven-safe skillet, cook 2 ounces of diced pancetta over medium heat, until starting to brown (about 5 minutes). Then add 1-2 sliced leeks and sauté.

Cook until the pancetta is browned and crispy, and the leeks are softened, about 5-8 minutes. I like them more on the caramelized side, but you do you.

Add the kernels from 1 ear of corn (about ¾ cup), and cook for another minute or so. Then give the egg and cheese mixture a stir and pour it into the pan. Spread the filling around so it’s evenly distributed through the eggs.

Continue to cook the frittata for 4-5 minutes, while you preheat the broiler on high. As it cooks, slowly lift the edges of the frittata with your spatula, tip the pan, and let the uncooked egg mixture pool underneath.

Do that a few times in different spots. Watch the heat because you don’t want the bottom of your frittata to burn. 

When the bottom is totally set, and the egg mixture on top is about halfway cooked, you’re ready to put it under the broiler. Note: it’s ok for the top to still look raw. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese. 

Then slide your pan onto the top rack of the oven, several inches from the broiler, and broil for 2-3 minutes. The frittata will puff up pleasingly and be lightly browned.

You may want to open the oven and turn your pan around after a minute to make sure it browns evenly. 

Then take it out, and let it rest for a few minutes. It will continue to cook in the pan as it sits. Then give it a quick hard shake and slide it out onto a cutting board. Slice and eat!

Leftovers can be wrapped up, kept in the fridge for a few days, and nibbled on as you like, cold or warmed up. Slices also freeze beautifully, and you will totally thank yourself one day when there is nothing for dinner and the thought of eating cereal makes you want to cry.  

Other Delicious Frittata and Quiche Recipes

If you love this Pancetta Frittata recipe and want to try more like this, check out some of my other favorite egg-based recipes:

Or, for a different spin on breakfast, how about trying my French Crepes with Eggs and Cheddar, my Spinach Bacon Egg Cups or my Croissant Breakfast Sandwich.