Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Hi friends. I’m sorry I disappeared again—I realized it was maybe a little ambitious of me to say I’d post a recipe every day. These times are unprecedented so, of course my schedule was bound to get wonky and I’d fall behind. If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll notice that I’ve been way more active there—posting photos of dishes I’ve cooked and baked, oftentimes accompanied by a recipe. Like this baked egg dish.

Barely set eggs nestled into a spicy, chunky tomato sauce, topped with fresh herbs and creamy (or melty!) cheese. All mopped up with some good hearty bread. Bonus points if you’ve got a nice bottle of red to wash it down. It’s one of my all-time favorite go-to meals thanks to, drum roll please, store-bought pasta sauce. You take something that, at times, can be a bit basic and bland and “doctor it up” with sautéed onions, garlic, a splash of wine, etc. You could sauté up some peppers or zucchini along with the onion if you’d like, and throw in fresh herbs (like basil or parsley) and other spices (like fennel, thyme, or oregano etc) too.

Once you’ve got your sauce all set, it’s ready for the eggs, but why stop there? You can add beans or chickpeas, roasted veggies, kale or other greens, ham, prosciutto, or even cooked sausage. Use whatever you have at home to bulk it up (the other night, that meant cannellini beans and roasted broccoli). Add your eggs and then pop it into the oven to finish cooking. Top with cheese (or don’t) and more herbs. All in all, it takes less than 20 minutes to put together and is a great way to make use of leftovers and pantry items. Easy peasy, right?

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

serves 2 to 3 

olive oil
1 small onion
kosher salt
3 to 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
splash of red wine (optional) 
one 24 oz jar pasta sauce 
⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
¼ cup basil, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
1 c beans or chickpeas (optional)
½ to 1 c roasted vegetable or a few handfuls chopped greens like kale or chard (optional)
4 to 5 eggs
freshly ground black pepper
feta, chevre, or mozzarella cheese, to top (optional) 

Preheat oven to 400F. In a 10 in ovensafe skillet, heat enough oil to cover bottom of pan over medium heat. Add onion and pinch kosher salt and cook until onion begins to soften and turn translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Pour in red wine, if using, and deglaze the pan. Cook until liquid evaporates.

Then pour in ¾ (or more, but i like to start here) of the pasta sauce. Bring to a simmer. Taste and add a bit of sugar if its too acidic. Stir in herbs, then any add-ins such as beans, roasted vegetables, chopped greens, or even cooked sausage or prosciutto/ham. Bring to a simmer again.

Working with one egg at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl. Make a divot with your spoon or spatula in the sauce and pour your egg into it. Repeat with remaining eggs. Season each egg with salt and pepper. If using fresh mozzarella or another melty cheese, add it now. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until egg whites are set. They’ll be white on top, but jiggly when you shake the pan — they’ll continue to cook out of the oven. 

Garnish with herbs and feta or chèvre, if using. Serve with hearty chunks of good bread. Enjoy!