American
Eggs in a Basket
A slice of bread with the center punched out becomes a frame for a fried egg. The white sets inside the hole and the yolk cooks through so the egg is fully done.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The bread is the pan for the egg, so the white cannot run all over the skillet.
- A cover lets the top of the egg set without burning the toast underneath.
- The yolk is cooked until firm and 160°F, not left raw in the center.
- The cut-out rounds toast in the same butter and become the side.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Cut a round from the center of each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter or a small glass, about 2 1/2 inches across. Save the rounds.
- 2
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread slices and the rounds.
- 3
Toast about 2 minutes, until the undersides are golden. Flip everything. Add the remaining butter.
- 4
Crack one of the eggs into each hole. Sprinkle the eggs with the salt, pepper, and paprika.
- 5
Cover the skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are fully set and the yolks are firm, not liquid.
- 6
Check a yolk with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 160°F. If it is lower, cover and cook another minute.
- 7
Sprinkle the cheddar and chives over the eggs. Cover 30 seconds, just until the cheddar melts.
- 8
Move to plates with the toasted rounds. The bread frame should be crisp, not pale and soft.
Pro tips
- If you want a softer yolk, use pasteurized eggs and stop when the white is set. The default here is a firm 160°F yolk.
- A lid that actually fits the skillet is what sets the top. Without it, the bottom scorches first.
- Work in two batches if the slices crowd the pan. Crowding steams the bread.
Easy substitutions
- sandwich bread
- sourdough slices of a similar thickness
- cheddar cheese
- shredded Swiss
- chives
- sliced green onions
Storage and reheating
Storage
Best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 2 days.
Reheating
Warm in a covered skillet over medium-low until the egg is hot again, about 3 minutes. A microwave makes the toast chewy, so use it only for 20 seconds if you must.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 254
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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