Versatile Eggs

There really isn’t a more versatile ingredient to always have on hand in the refrigerator than eggs. Eggs help us start our days off right and give our baked goods moisture and structure. They’re also inexpensive, full of protein, and a lifesaver at dinner when you need to throw a quick meal together.

But eggs at dinner can be just more than just scrambled eggs; they can truly be the star! Whether they’re stirred into soups, baked with veggies or lentils, or fried on top of polenta or greens, here are 30 delicious ways to eat eggs for dinner tonight.

EASY EGG CURRY

Tender eggs are smothered in a super rich curry sauce with a tomato and coconut base. The recipe shows you how to cook a tasty curry using minimal ingredients, making it a perfect dish for a busy weekday dinner.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 425kcal

INGREDIENTS:

6 large Eggs

1 tablespoon butter (or vegetable oil)

1 white onion , minced

4 cloves garlic , minced

1 tablespoon ginger , minced

4 tablespoons curry powder (or 3 tablespoons for a less spicy dish) (*Footnote 1)

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 can (14 oz / 400g) tomatoes , diced

1 can (14 oz / 400g) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari sauce for gluten-free)

Salt to taste

Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil the egg

To boil the eggs, heat a pot of water (enough to cover all the eggs, but not including the eggs yeover high heat until boiling. Turn to low heat. Carefully place the eggs into the pot using a ladle, to prevent the shells from cracking. Boil 6 minutes for runny yolks, 8 minutes for medium soft-boiled, or 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. While cooking the eggs, prepare an ice bath by combining ice and tap water in a big bowl. Once the eggs are cooked, immediately transfer them to the ice bath to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. If you don’t have ice on hand, simply run cool tap water over the eggs for a couple minutes until they cool down. If you plan to serve the curry as soon as the sauce is done, peel the eggs and set them aside. If you’re making the curry ahead and serving it later, store the eggs in the fridge for up to 4 days and peel them when you’re ready to serve.

Cook the curry

Add butter or oil to a 4-quart / 3.78-liter dutch oven (or a medium-sized nonstick skilleand heat over medium heat until hot. Add onions. Cook and stir until soft and lightly golden, 8 minutes or so. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook and stir for 1 minute to release the fragrance.

Add the curry powder, cumin powder, and ground black pepper. Stir and cook to mix well, 1 minute or so. Add the canned tomatoes and coconut milk. Stir and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock or vegetable stock and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Turn to medium-low heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the curry thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt if necessary. Turn off heat and remove the pot from the stove. Add the eggs when you’re ready to serve, especially for the runny yolk / soft boiled eggs, so they stay soft.

Serve hot over steamed rice garnished with cilantro (if desireas a main dish.

Notes

* I used packaged curry powder mix in this recipe. The mild Madras curry powder will work well, too.

* Boiled Egg Tip: Once the eggs have cooked, immediately place them in a ice water bath to stop them from cooking and maintain your perfect texture. Eggs cooked between 12-14 minutes are perfect for all hard boiled eggs recipes, such as my egg salad, avocado egg salad, classic potato salad and deviled eggs. For soft boiled eggs, I love a good 6 1/2 minute egg, but my parents prefer 7 minute eggs. It’s all just personal preference, so find the time that works best for you.

Shakshuka (Egg Poached In Sauce)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 170kcal

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin

1/4 white or yellow onion diced

2 tsp minced garlic

28 oz crushed tomatoes from a can

1 tbsp Coconut Aminos

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 eggs chopped fresh parsley or basil

INSTRUCTIONS

On the stove saute your diced onion in olive oil on medium heat until the onion softens and becomes translucent (about 3 to 5 minutes). Add the garlic. Stir frequently for about 2 minutes until garlic has a nice golden garlic. (You don’t want it to burn so watch it.) All other ingredients except the eggs and fresh herbs can now join your onion and garlic in the pan. Stir so the seasonings are all fully mixed into your crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat. Taste the sauce. Add more salt or pepper if that’s your preference.Create 4 wells (holes) in the sauce. Crack one egg into each well.

Reduce heat to mediumlow. Cover. Let the eggs poach in the tomato sauce until white are set but yolks are still runny. This can take 8 to 12 minutes. (10 minutes is the sweet spot for me but it varies depending on the stove, pan, and how securely the cover sits on the pan.) Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or basil over your eggs and sauce. Spoon the egg and sauce over toast, potatoes, or veggies for a filling meal!

Spicy White Bean Eggs

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cook Time:35 minutes

Total Time:45 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 231kcal

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp avocado or olive oil

1 small sweet onion thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika pinch cinnamon

1 can whole peeled tomatoes pureed in a blender

2 tbsp chopped parsley divided

2 cups cooked white beans or 1 can, drained and rinsed

6 whole eggs cracked into individual small bowls sea or kosher salt to taste cracked black pepper to taste

1/4 shredded parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a 12” skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil, and heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and saute, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the red pepper flakes, oregano, cinnamon, and paprika to the onions and garlic. Stir to coat the onions in the spices and sauté until the spices are toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Add the pureed tomatoes, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir to combine and simmer 10 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Add the white beans, stir to combine, and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Make a well in the tomato sauce using the back of a wooden spoon. Gently an egg into the well, pouring as much of the whites first as possible. Spoon some of the sauce over the whites to partially bury them. Repeat with the remaining eggs, then season each egg with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium. Simmer until the whites are set, but the yolks are still runny, 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the dish with the remaining tablespoon of parsley, and garnish with shredded parmesan cheese.

Pot Egg Biryani

This flavorful egg biryani is absolutely delicious and easy to make: you can cook the eggs and rice together all in one pot!

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup basmati rice, soaked 15 minutes (highly recommend this brand)

2 tablespoons oil or ghee

Whole Spices:

5 cardamom pods

4 whole cloves

2 bay leaf

½ cinnamon stick

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 tomato, diced

Ground Spices:

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne, adjust to taste

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 cup water

6 eggs

Cilantro leaves, chopped

Mint leaves, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak the basmati rice in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside. Press the sauté button and add the oil to the pot. Allow it a minute to heat up, then add the whole spices and stir. Once the cumin seeds brown, add the onions. Stir-fry for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown.Add the garlic, ginger, ground spices and stir, then add the tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until it softens a bit. Add rice and water to the pot, then place a steamer basket into the pot (on top of the rice). Place the eggs in the steamer basket. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. Quick release pressure. from the pot. Place the eggs into a bowl of ice cold water for 5 minutes. Peel the eggs. Optional step: at this point, you can fry the eggs in a pan on the stovetop to give the eggs a bit more flavor and color. To do this, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the eggs and sprinkle a pinch of paprika, cayenne, turmeric and salt on the eggs. Place the peeled eggs back into the cooked rice and mix well. Garnish with cilantro, mint and ghee-coated cashews and raisins if using.

Notes

To make the optional ghee-coated cashews and raisins, melt 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan over low-medium heat on the stovetop. Add ⅓ cup of halved cashews and 2 tablespoons of golden raisins to the pan and stir-fry until the cashews begin to turn golden. You can also scramble an egg and add it to the rice for more protein/egg flavor if you’d like! I would do this in a separate pan and then add it to the rice at the end. Most Indians grow up knowing to eat around the whole spices once a dish is served, however if you or your guests are not used to this, you can remove them prior to serving.

I absolutely love this brand of basmati rice – it is very different (in my opinion) than other brands of basmati rice.