Tomato and Goat Cheese Baked Eggs

Baked eggs are one of my favorite breakfasts.  In the past, I’ve posted recipes for eggs en cocotte with pancetta and romaine, baked eggs with spicy butter beans and potatoes, and tomato and spinach baked eggs, but I make them quite frequently.  This take on baked eggs was particularly successful – the bite of the goat cheese and slightly sweet, slightly acidic flavors of the cherry tomatoes worked beautifully with the creamy eggs.   Baked eggs are great for both their versatility and their hands-off ease.  Simply put all the ingredients in a bowl, throw them in the oven, and set a kitchen timer.  Then, you get to enjoy a breakfast that is so delicious that it feels decadent but is quite healthy and balanced.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Baked Eggs

2 eggs

Half dozen cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbs. goat cheese, crumbled

2 tbs. 1% milk

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Dried parsley, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.

Spray an oven-safe bowl with non-stick cooking spray.  Add crumbled goat cheese to the bottom of the bowl.  Place tomatoes on top of the goat cheese.  Carefully crack the eggs into the bowl.  Pour milk over the eggs.  Season with crushed red pepper flakes, dried parsley, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Place bowl in the oven and bake 15-18 minutes until desired consistency.   I baked these about 16-17 minutes and the yolks were just set.  Serve with a few slices of toast for dipping (I used whole wheat and it was divine).

Tomato and Spinach Baked Eggs

This dish was incredibly flavorful and incredibly healthy.  It had the perfect combination of acid from the tomato and balsamic, creaminess from the avocado and eggs, and bite from the spinach.  It was also quite filling, thanks to the bread and the protein from the eggs.  I love to bake eggs because they always have the creamiest, fluffiest whites.

Tomato and Spinach Baked Eggs

1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted

1 tbs. olive oil

4-5 cups spinach

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 avocado, mashed with fork

1/2 cup canned crushed basil and herb tomatoes

2 eggs

2 tbs. gouda cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400º.

Heat olive oil in a medium non-stick pan.  Add spinach and season with crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.  Sauté 5-6 minutes until wilted.

Place toast in bottom of a bowl.  Top with smashed avocado.  Add crushed tomatoes and spinach.  Use a spoon to create depressions in the spinach.  Carefully crack eggs into depressions.  Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  Top with shredded cheese.

Bake 18-20 minutes until egg whites are set and yolks are cooked to desired consistency.

Eggs en Cocotte with Pancetta and Romaine

An egg en cocotte is an egg cooked individually in cream or butter in a small ramekin.  In this version, I did without the cream and substituted the butter for drippings from the cooked pancetta.  It was a little tough to get a picture that did this delicious breakfast justice, since I cooked it in oven-proof coffee mugs rather than ramekins.  This breakfast was filling, rich, and decadent and was just as easy as your standard fried-egg and bacon to make.

Eggs en Cocotte with Pancetta and Romaine

Adapted from Bon Appetit

2  free range, farm fresh brown eggs

2 oz. pancetta, diced

4-5 cups fresh romaine lettuce, rinsed and ribs removed

Freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

Preheat oven to 400º.

In large skillet, sauté pancetta 5-8 minutes until crisp.  Remove meat from the skillet and place on paper towel to drain.  Use a pastry brush to brush the insides of your vessels with some of the pancetta fat from the skillet.

Add romaine to the heated skillet and toss to coat with pancetta fat.  Season with freshly cracked black pepper.  Sauté 4-5 minutes until wilted almost completely.

Add half of romaine to each of your two serving vessels.  Top with half of pancetta in each serving vessel.  Using a spoon, create a small depression in each of the vessels.

Carefully crack an egg into each depression.  Place serving vessels in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until whites are set.  I cooked mine for 15 minutes and they were slightly runny, which was perfect for us.  Remove from oven and top with dried parsley.

Serve with a slice of whole wheat toast.