Pesto Baked Eggs

With only four ingredients, these Pesto Baked Eggs (shirred eggs) are a simple way to pack a ton of flavor into a small dish. Loaded with pesto, feta, and a splash of cream, these baked eggs are an easy breakfast that is suited to individual servings. Serve alone or with a slice of crusty bread.

Tell us about baked eggs

Baked or shirred eggs are a simple meal in which eggs are cracked into a flat-bottom dish and cooked in the oven. Shirred eggs were named after the dish it was originally cooked in, called a shirrer. We love that you can make more than one so that everyone gets their own little meal.

Pesto sauce makes the solid bed for those cracked eggs. All the flavor comes from the pesto and if you use store-bought pesto, then this is the easiest breakfast or lunch ever!

What you'll need

You only need a handful of ingredients. Each ramekin will serve one, so grab as many as you need if you are feeding a crowd.

• Pesto sauce. Homemade or store-bought. Choose your favorite pesto (basil, spinach etc.).
• Feta cheese. We like to buy blocks of feta and crumble it myself. Much better flavor!
• Half and half or heavy cream: Keeps the eggs creamy.
• Eggs
• Salt and pepper. For seasoning.
• Oil or butter for greasing the ramekins. We use cooking spray.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make pesto baked eggs

This one-dish meal is easy to make. Start by pre-heating your oven to 375℉ then follow the steps below. Full instructions in the recipe card.

Step 1. Butter or spray a ramekin with oil. Spread pesto sauce on the bottom of the dish.

Step 2. Add crumbled feta on top of the pesto.

Step 3. Add cream or half and half over the pesto and feta.

Step 4. Crack two eggs directly over the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the dishes in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny (or cook longer for set yolks).

Expert tips

• Use a shallow baking dish. A shallow baking dish (such as a ramekin) works best. We usually use a 5-inch, 8-ounce crème brûlée dish or an oval 8-ounce au gratin dish.
• Place the filled ramekins on a baking sheet. It will make your life easier when moving them in and out of the oven.
• Start checking at 10 minutes. Everyone likes their eggs cooked differently, so if you like a runny yolk, start checking at 10 minutes. Regardless of how you like your yolks cooked, the whites should be set (they will continue to cook slightly and firm up once removed from the oven).
• Put a lid on it. If you prefer runny yolks, cover the eggs immediately after removing them from the oven. The trapped steam will gently finish cooking the whites without overcooking the yolks.

Serve it with

We love to serve these baked eggs with toasted bread, but any type will do. Try serving them with our smoked Gouda and chive scones to help sop up all the yolky goodness. And don't forget the potatoesbacon or sausage!

Try topping the eggs with red pepper flakes, chili oil, Tobasco, or Sriracha sauce.

Keeping leftovers

These are best eaten right away, but you can gently rewarm them in a low oven for a few minutes or microwave them for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Kitchen questions

What can we use to make baked eggs?

A shallow, flat-bottomed dish works best. You can use a ramekin, a small ceramic or casserole dish, a 5-inch skillet, or a cocotte. Whichever you choose, be sure it can hold 8 ounces of liquid.

If you love eggs, then we've got you covered!

Ingredients

Makes 2

• 2 tbsp pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 3-4 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tbsp heavy cream or half and half
• 4 large eggs
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
• cooking spray or butter for greasing
• crushed red pepper, or hot sauce for serving, optional

Equipment

• small baking dishes (8 ounces / 1 cup capacity, about 5–6 inches wide; ramekin or shallow dish)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃). Grease 2 ramekins with butter or cooking spray.

2. Divide the pesto, feta, and cream between the ramekins.

3. Crack 2 eggs into each ramekin. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cook at 375℉ (190℃) for 12-15 minutes, or until the whites are set, and the egg is still runny. If you like your yolk more set, add a few more minutes of cooking time. Serve immediately with toasted bread and a drizzle of hot sauce, if desired.

Kitchen notes

• Place the filled ramekins on a baking sheet. It will make your life easier when moving them in and out of the oven.
• Start checking at 10 minutes. Everyone likes their eggs cooked differently, so if you like a runny yolk, start checking at 10 minutes. Regardless of how you like your yolks cooked, the whites should be set (they will continue to cook slightly and firm up once removed from the oven).
• Put a lid on it. If you prefer runny yolks, cover the eggs immediately after removing them from the oven. The trapped steam will gently finish cooking the whites without overcooking the yolks.