Morning food calls for morning lighting. Not the prettiest, but it’s oddly comforting.
If you’re not familiar with egg in a basket (or egg in a hole, or one of many other names,) it’s simply pan-fried bread with the center removed, and replaced with an egg. If you’re thinking “pan-fried bread and a fried egg? that sounds great!”, you’d be right. Not only is it simple and tasty, but it’s fast to put together, cheap, and decently nutritious as well.
The only ingredients you need to make egg in a basket are bread, eggs, and either oil or butter. Salt and pepper are encouraged of course, but I wouldn’t say those are necessary – especially if you’re generous with oil/butter.
One thing to consider before making this is how you’ll tackle the “basket”, aka the bread. Some people will tear out the center and eat it like that, which is fine. However, I prefer a method with more precision in the form of a spatula. I cut a square out of the center using a spatula, and then fry those squares as additional toasts.
I always cook these in a basic, large, nonstick skillet. If you happen to have a nonstick griddle, that would be ideal for this. Otherwise, you’ll be cooking – at most – 3 at a time. Not an issue if you’re only making 2 or 3, but if you’re feeding a family, things will be more long-winded. Think pancakes, but with more eggs.
You’ll also want to use medium-low heat here. I’ve tried expediting the process with medium heat, but the outside egg would burn without cooking the interior.
I also recommend being generous with the oil/butter. Holding back won’t ruin them, but they’re much better with a hefty pat of butter. It makes them more flavorful, they cook more evenly, and the browning is better and more consistent.
If you like this how-to for egg in a basket, consider checking out my how-to for mashed potatoes. If you’d like something a bit more involved, you can check out my recipe for sloppy joes.
Ingredients
Slices of sandwich bread, as needed
Large eggs, as needed
Butter or oil, as needed
Preparation
Heat a generous amount* of butter or oil in a large nonstick** skillet over medium-low heat.
Remove the center from a piece of bread. Once the pan is hot, add the bread and crack a large egg into the center of the bread.
Fry for 2-4 minutes per side until the bread is golden brown and the egg is cooked through. Can be served plain or with a condiment like salsa.
Notes
* Generous is vague, so I’ll attempt to clarify. You don’t want to be braising the bread, but you’ll want more fat than you’d get from a nonstick spray. You could also butter each side before cooking, but that may get a bit messy.
** You don’t need to use nonstick, but I highly recommend it. The cast iron crowd would probably say it’s fine as well; maybe give that a go if yours is well-seasoned.
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