Excellent egg recipes worth a crack
Egg-cellent ideas
French toast-style bacon crumpets
For a salty, crispy, savoury breakfast, you can't go wrong with French toast-style crumpets. Just as you would with French toast, the crumpets are dunked into an egg mixture and fried. Parmesan, bacon and black pepper amp up the flavour.
Masala omelette
We highly recommend that even if you're cooking for one, still make two omelettes – one to enjoy now and the other to enjoy in a sandwich the following day. Spiced with green chilli, this easy breakfast will be your new go-to. Don't use fancy bread either – the white bread makes it what it is.
Sweet potato shakshuka
Shakshuka is a dish traditionally from northern Africa, of poached eggs, tomato sauce and spices. This recipe adds sweet potato to the flavour combination which works well to soak up the eggs, and mature Cheddar gives a lovely rich saltiness.
Eggs Benedict
This recipe for a brunch favourite has a nifty trick up its sleeve – a cheat's hollandaise that's pretty much foolproof. Just add poached eggs, ham and a toasted English muffin for a wholly satisfying breakfast.
Green baked eggs
A twist on a traditional tomato shakshuka, these baked eggs are freshened up with green spring vegetables. Chilli and feta add heat and saltiness. It's great for a healthy start to the day.
Corn fritters with smoked salmon and poached eggs
If you can't find fresh corn, canned will also work perfectly for these moreish fritters. Our recipe suggests pairing them with smoked salmon but you could switch it up with bacon too. The oozy poached eggs are a must though.
Get the recipe for corn fritters with smoked salmon and poached eggs here
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Egg and pancetta parcels
Serve breakfast favourites bacon, cheese and eggs in a new way. These pancetta parcels contain wilted spinach, goats' cheese and an egg. Serve with crusty sourdough and brunch is all wrapped up.
Turkish eggs
Poached eggs with yogurt and paprika-spiked butter are the easier, lazier cousin of shakshuka and we couldn’t be more on board. Don't forget the charred bread for dunking.
Smoked haddock kedgeree
Kedgeree is an Anglo-Indian dish which contains rice spiced with ginger, chillies, turmeric and coriander, and delicately poached and flaked haddock. Usually it's topped with hard-boiled eggs but give poached or fried a go – you can burst the yolk and mix it into the rice.
Eggs en cocotte
This luxurious recipe with leeks, smoked haddock and double cream is an indulgent dish. It's pretty easy to make but looks (and tastes) impressive.
One-pan rösti with eggs and chorizo
Bring some Mediterranean flavours to the table via a crispy potato rösti with chorizo, baked eggs and smoked paprika. Serve straight from the pan and let everyone tuck in.
Aubergine shakshuka
It’s spicy, it’s rich and absolutely delicious. Laced with garlic and cumin, shakshuka is the perfect crowd-pleaser for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We recommend mopping up with warm pitta or toasted sourdough.
One-pan fry-up
Fried eggs in a British fry-up are very hard to beat. This recipe is the classic breakfast but cooked in one pan, making washing-up a breeze. It features all the favourites (bacon, mushrooms, sausages and tomatoes) with the eggs bringing it all together – make sure you have crusty bread to mop everything up.
Masala frittata
Take a classic dish – the Italian frittata – and load it up with wonderful spice. Cumin seeds and turmeric are earthy and fragrant, and a touch of chilli powder and fresh green chillies gives the dish a lovely heat. Grate Cheddar into the mix and this is a satisfying brunch or midweek dinner.
Smoked salmon frittata
This frittata recipe keeps things simple. The smoked salmon gives a great texture and richness of flavour. Dill is a classic pairing for the fish and works brilliantly with eggs too. Serve for brunch or a light lunch.
Sweet potato, feta and red onion frittata
What is wonderful about a frittata is that you can incorporate your favourite flavours and ingredients. Try this recipe which combines sweet potato with caramelised red onions and is balanced with creamy, salty feta. The flavours are brightened with fresh herbs and it's just as great cold as when it’s hot.
Get the recipe for sweet potato, feta and red onion frittata here
Devilled eggs with tahini and za’atar
Devilled eggs might be considered retro but we think you can't go wrong with a classic. Here, the canapé has been given a twist. The rich, creamy filling is a combination of yolks, nutty tahini, earthy za'atar and bright lemon juice. They're garnished with chives and baby mustard leaves (but don't worry if you can't find them).
Get the recipe for devilled eggs with tahini and za’atar here
Spicy salmon quiche
Cream cheese pastry is the key to this delicious dish. It balances the spicy filling of hot smoked salmon, eggs, chilli flakes and horseradish perfectly. The key to achieving a silky smooth texture? Beat the cream and eggs until they foam. And be careful not to over-bake.
Salade Niçoise
Salade Niçoise really sums up summer in the south of France: fresh, vibrant and full of colour. It's important to use the best-quality ingredients you can, like good tuna, ripe tomatoes and ideally olives in oil, not brine.
Feta, spinach and caramelised onion omelette
Ready in just 20 minutes, this vegetarian omelette is the best kind of chuck-it-all-in recipe. Sticky, caramelised onions, spinach and tangy feta are made for each other.
Courgette, broad bean and pea quiches
One of the best ways to eat your greens, these individual quiches are packed with fresh broad beans, peas and courgettes. They're great in summer when the vegetables are in season but you can also make the recipe with frozen beans and peas.
Get the recipe for courgette, broad bean and pea quiche here
Stir-fried runner beans with Thai holy basil
This is a vegetarian take on a classic Thai chilli and holy basil stir-fry with minced meat. We think the best part is undoubtedly the crispy fried egg on top. It's pure comfort food.
Get the recipe for stir-fried runner beans with Thai holy basil here
Niçoise bake
Fancy a Niçoise salad but in need of something more hearty? This is for you. Potatoes, anchovies, tomatoes, green beans, tuna, hard-boiled eggs and olives are baked with a garlicky dressing and topped with shavings of Parmesan.
Pad Thai carbonara
Mix it up with this unusual take on a classic pasta and a traditional noodle dish. Eggs and fried bacon are tossed through spaghetti which make it a whole lot like carbonara, but sweet soy sauce, soybean paste and fish sauce incorporate Thai flavours.
Egg fried rice
Once you've nailed this simple egg fried rice recipe, you won't go back to takeout. You can include whatever extra ingredients you like but we think this version with wok-fried, succulent prawns and sweet, crunchy cabbage is a winner.
Baked sweet potatoes with spicy sausage
Spicy sausages and sweet fried onion are mixed with cheese and coriander before being topped and baked with an egg, in a sweet potato. It's the perfect all-in-one dinner and best of all, simple to make.
Pea, Parma Ham and feta quiche
A quiche is an excellent all-rounder, great for lunch, a quick dinner and of course at a picnic. It's just as wonderful warm or cold. The saltiness of Parma Ham and feta in this recipe pairs so well with the sweetness of peas and pea shoots, making it a balanced and delicious meal.
Broccoli and herbs quiche
This recipe is a revelation for those who can’t have dairy (almond milk replaces cows' milk or cream). Incredibly creamy and rich, it combines broccoli rabe, which is like broccoli but slightly bitter, with fresh herbs like parsley, coriander and dill. Don’t be afraid to add other greens to really pack in the nutrients.
Spaghetti carbonara
Everyone should have this recipe in their repertoire as it's so easy and delicious. Made in 15 minutes, the guanciale (if you're being traditional; use bacon if not) is lightly browned to add salt and texture. The eggs create a rich and tasty sauce, along with the pecorino.
Ham and egg linguine
A perfect pasta dish to use up leftover cooked ham with parsley and thinly sliced salad onions. Burst the yolk of the poached egg and mix in to make a sauce. You could make a vegetarian version with fried halloumi slices instead of the meat.
Egg and coconut curry
While you won't often find an egg curry on the menu at an Indian restaurant, the dish is a popular choice for cooking at home. This version combines coconut milk, turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala. It only takes 15 minutes to prep and you can make the ginger and garlic paste ahead of time (you can often find it ready-made in shops to save even more time).
Sweet potato rösti with poached eggs
Crispy sweet potato cakes and zingy guacamole are a perfect match, and make a complete meal when topped with a poached egg. The rösti are straightforward to make, but save time by grating the sweet potato in a food processor.
Get the recipe for sweet potato rösti with poached eggs here
Îles flottantes
Îles flottantes, or floating islands in English, is named for the way the French dessert looks. It makes full use of eggs – yolks are used in the custard and whites are used for the meringues which float on top. It's the perfect pudding to impress your guests.
Lemon meringue pie tart
Crisp almond pastry, lemon custard and a huge Italian meringue dome. This is certainly a wow-factor dessert. It's well worth investing in a cook's blowtorch to get that fabulous burnished exterior on the meringue.
Ice cream meringue cake
A showstopper dessert that's surprisingly easy to make. Shop-bought vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet are layered between crisp meringue discs. Whipped cream and raspberries are the metaphorical cherry on top. It's decadent, light and fruity all at the same time.
Strawberry pavlova cake
Meringue is the ultimate egg dessert and this wonderful cake uses five egg whites. It takes a little bit of time, but you can make the meringue discs a few days in advance. The layers are sandwiched with a yogurt, honey and icing sugar mix which makes the cake slightly lighter than if cream was used. Add in any favourite berries to create a truly spectacular centrepiece.
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