Must-Try Egg Ideas for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner
If you are fond of eggs, you will love these egg ideas for any meal. There are so many different ways to cook eggs. In fact, you could eat an egg dish every day of the week and never get burned out.
Here’s a glimpse of what you can do with eggs to highlight any meal.
Different Egg Ideas for Any Meal
The list of what you can do with eggs is never ending. Just go into a restaurant that caters to breakfasts. You will find so many choices ranging from traditional favorites to delectable omelettes.
For sure, it’s nice to eat out once in a while, but otherwise you can easily prepare your own eggs at home. In fact, get a little creative and try something really different that you’ve never had before. After all, you do have a lot of choices to choose from.
Common Egg Dishes
The traditional style for cooking eggs is:
- Scrambled
- Fried (includes sunny-side-up, over-easy and over-hard)
- Poached
- Boiled (includes soft and hard)
Then you have your specialty-type eggs. Here are a few of the most popular ones:
- Eggs Benedict
- Quiche
- Soufflé
And last but not least are the omelettes. The most popular styles are:
- Plain
- Cheese
- Denver
- French
Another Spin on Egg Ideas
Besides the list above, there are delicious and easy egg casseroles for any occasion. Plus, there are many variations you can apply to all of these egg dishes to bring on a whole new dish. For example, adding different types of vegetables and herbs. The list goes on and on.
Conveniently, you will find scores of online recipes for making any of the egg dishes mentioned above. But for now, we’re going to touch on simple ways to cook eggs that you can make right away. One thing to keep in mind, eggs are very user-friendly and can be easily adapted to your preference. Popular Everyday Egg Ideas
Scrambled eggs are just that. The yolk and whites are whisked together before pouring into a pan to cook. But did you know there are two types of scrambled eggs—hard and soft.
Hard scrambled eggs, probably the most common, are cooked quickly in a greased pan at medium to high heat. It’s important to keep the eggs moving by stirring and folding. The eggs are ready when there is no visible liquid in the pan. The result is a firm, dryer scramble.
Soft scrambled eggs, on the other hand, are cooked slowly over low heat. You want to stir occasionally so as to mix the cooked eggs on the bottom with the still runny eggs on top. Eventually all the gaps will be filled in and the eggs will form into puffy curds. The result is fluffy, creamy eggs.
Fried Eggs
As shown in the list above, there is more than one way to fry an egg. The most common styles are sunny-side-up, over-easy, and over-hard. Of course, you can throw an over-medium in the mix if you’re in the middle of the two. The end result depends on how cooked the yolk is.
Sunny-side-up and over-easy eggs are similar in that they both have a runny yolk. The cooking method, however, is somewhat different. Sunny-side-up eggs are cooked in grease in a frying pan on one side only. You can see the runny yolk after cooking.
Over-easy eggs are cooked the same way except for they are turned over and cooked briefly on the other side as well. The top of the yolk is cooked just slightly resulting in a silky look.
As you may have guessed, over-hard eggs are a twin to over-easy but cooked longer so the yolk is firmer. Likewise, over-medium would be cooked somewhere in the middle depending on your preference.
Poached Eggs
If you’re looking for a light yet fulfilling breakfast, a poached egg will do the trick. Poaching is a cooking technique that involves heating food submerged in a liquid.
A poached egg is cooked outside of its shell in simmering (not boiling) water. Basically, the egg white separates from the egg and gently surrounds itself around the yolk. The white part cooks until just firm but the yolk remains beautifully runny with a twinge of thickness.
Cooking a poached egg can be tricky, but when cooked right, it makes for an impeccable presentation. Plus, poached eggs on a buttery piece of toast are absolutely delicious. A great way to start your day or if you’re looking for a light dinner poached eggs are perfect.
Boiled Eggs
The classic boiled egg ranges from softly boiled to medium boiled to a hard-set boiled egg. Typically, a soft-boiled egg can be eaten on a piece of toast or served in an egg cup. That’s about the most appealing thing you can do with soft-boiled eggs.
The hard-boiled egg, on the other hand, takes us to a whole new level. Some traditional classics are deviled eggs, old-fashioned potato egg salad, and don’t forget egg salad sandwiches which are always a favorite lunch. Or if you’re looking for a great snack, you can just eat them plain with a little salt and pepper.
Hard-boiled eggs are a great addition to a salad. They take a plain noodle soup over the top. Not to mention creamed eggs on toast. For sure, you will never lack for meal ideas with eggs that are hard boiled. o
Fancy Egg Ideas
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is believed to have gotten its notoriety in New York City, though it has become a favorite nation-wide. The authentic version consists of a split buttered English muffin with both sides topped with a slice of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and then smothered with a silky, smooth hollandaise sauce. Yum!
There are many variations to making Eggs Benedict but there’s no arguing the hollandaise sauce is what makes this dish so appealing and delicious.
If making eggs benedict at home sounds intimidating, look for a simple recipe with step-by-step instructions. I think you will discover it’s not as hard as you may think, and it is so worth the effort.
Quiche
Having originated from France, a quiche is basically egg custard with the addition of cheese, meat, or vegetables baked in a pastry crust. Rightfully, you could call it an egg pie. It can be served hot or cold or at room temperature.
The custard quiche filling consists of milk, cream, and eggs and the add-ins can be pretty much whatever you choose.
You may be familiar with a popular quiche dish called Quiche Lorraine which consists of bacon and cheese.
There are many different variations for quiche. If looking for a recipe it would be best to specify which kind of quiche you want to make. For example, vegetable, cheese, or a specific meat or a combination of fillings and flavor.
Soufflé
Another specialty egg dish originating from France is the soufflé. It is made from egg yolks and beaten egg whites which are gently folded together before putting in the oven to bake. While being baked it puffs up and the result is a light, fluffy dish.
There are numerous types of soufflé dishes you can make. Typical ingredients include ham, spinach, or mushrooms. Moreso, you can choose a dessert-type variation, such as chocolate or fruit. Spices, herbs and extracts can also be added for more flavor.
A soufflé isn’t something you quickly whip up and bake. It does need to be made with precision and requires a little extra attention.
Many people shy away from creating a soufflé dish after hearing stories about the dreaded rise and fall. But the soufflé is a unique delicacy and well worth learning to create.
Most Popular Omelette Variations
One thing you can say about the omelette is that it’s incredibly versatile. From the classic ham and cheese omelette to a more sophisticated version, there’s pretty much an omelette choice for everyone. Adding onions, green peppers, and mushrooms is a great way to get in your vegetables for the day.
Contrary to what a lot of people think, they are not that hard to make. The trick to cooking a perfect omelette is to cook the eggs quickly but gently. You don’t want to stir the eggs, or you will end up with scrambled eggs.
There are different techniques for cooking an omelette, but here is a quick summation.
- Heat a pan over medium heat adding butter or olive oil to coat.
- Add a couple seasoned whisked eggs to the pan.
- Tilt the pan so that the eggs cover the entire area of the pan. Do not stir.
- While tilting, lift the edges with a spatula so that the uncooked egg goes underneath.
- Add fillings of your choice when you don’t see any raw egg on top (cheese, meat, vegetables, olives, etc.)
- Fold the omelette in half or into thirds and slide it onto a plate.
Meal Ideas with Egg Omelettes
A plain omelette is as described above except with no added fillings. Some people do like it that way. The same goes for a cheese omelette except with cheese added. An omelette is very versatile which means you won’t find a recipe for every conceivable variation. Feel free to build your own creation based on your preferences.
Denver Omelette
A Denver omelette, on the other hand, ramps it up. This particular omelette is filled with onions, bell peppers, ham and cheese. Often times you will find this omelette featured on the breakfast menu of many restaurants. In some cases, it may be referred to as a Western omelette, which is basically the same thing.
The cooking process for the Denver omelette is essentially the same as that for the plain and cheese. The one exception would be to sauté the onions, peppers, and ham separately before adding to the omelette.
French Omelette
A classic French omelette consists of—well just eggs. But it’s all about the looks. The outside is smooth as silk with a pale-yellow color throughout. The delicate inside has the consistency of soft, creamy scrambled eggs. While these eggs may sound plain, they are anything but.
Cooking the eggs is easy. Getting the result you want—not so much. Cook the eggs quickly by shaking the pan. Then roll it into a cylinder shape rather than folding. While this sounds simple, it takes attention to detail to achieve the perfect results. The perfect French omelette is soft, silky, and tender on the outside while staying moist on the inside. No brown spots allowed here.
The French omelette can only be described as an exceptional delicacy created with just a few eggs.
Are Eggs Good for You?
Eggs are not only good to eat for breakfast, they’re also a perfect choice for a healthy, nutritious dinner as well. That’s because eggs are filled with protein and good fats. In fact, eggs contain a portion of almost every vitamin and mineral that your body needs. How good is that? And, if you’re weight conscious, just one large egg weighs in at only 77 calories.
Are Eggs Bad for Cholesterol?
Many years ago, egg consumption was considered to be a risk factor for heart disease due to its cholesterol content. In fact, many people stopped eating eggs altogether even though they were accustomed to eating at least one egg per day. Some who did continue to eat eggs only ate the white part as it was the yolk that contained the cholesterol.
Today, limiting eggs from one’s diet is considered unjustified. As explained by the Harvard Medical School most of the cholesterol in our bodies does not come from the foods we eat. Instead, it is in response to our liver making cholesterol from eating too much saturated and trans-fat. It is concluded that you would have to eat an excessive quantity of eggs for it to have a significant effect on your cholesterol level.