Of all the parts of a balanced breakfast, none is as versatile and delicious as the egg. They're wonderful fried or scrambled, of course, but that’s just the start. Sandwiches, omelettes, and more—check out our favorite breakfast egg recipes.
Simple fried eggs are a diner classic. We cook ours in plenty of butter—the key to cooking a perfect sunny side up egg is to baste the top with the melted butter, effectively cooking it from both sides at once. Chef Jim Christiansen, of Heyday restaurant in Minneapolis, serves fried eggs with a lavish North Country spread of hazelnuts, chantarelles, green garlic, and blackberries.
While some people crave a runny fried egg, others prefer fluffy scrambled eggs. We cook them slowly over low heat while constantly stirring. It takes a little time, but you're rewarded with decadently creamy eggs. To take the luxury to the next level, infuse the beaten eggs with black truffles overnight before cooking. For a Mexican scrambled eggs variation, cook your eggs over higher heat with red tomatoes, white onions, and green jalapeños (the colors of the Mexican flag).
An elegant breakfast sandwich is the perfect brunch centerpiece. For something easy, a simple omelette pairs well with ham and lemon curd on brioche. If you want to go all out, serve homemade biscuits with crispy pancetta, collards, marbleized eggs, and an espresso aioli. For an extra-rich open-faced sandwich, try a croque tartine parisienne—ham, bechamel, melted cheese, and a fried egg.
Never run out of breakfast options with our collection of breakfast egg recipes.
New Orleans Brennan's Eggs Hussarde
This take on eggs Benedict incorporates a rich red wine sauce. Get the recipe for Brennan’s Eggs Hussarde »
Biscuits with Pancetta, Collard Greens, Marbleized Eggs, and Espresso Aïoli
Biscuits with Pancetta, Collard Greens, Marbleized Eggs, and Espresso Aïoli
In any other city but New Orleans you might order eggs Sardou and receive a dish of poached eggs served over artichoke hearts nestled in a bed of creamed spinach. But the original eggs Sardou has far more pizzazz, with anchovies tucked in between the egg and artichoke, and a thick hollandaise sauce blanketing the entire dish, scattered with handfuls of minced black truffle, parsley, and ham and served with elegant fried asparagus spears. It has been served in this manner at the French Quarter restaurant Antoine’s since 1908, when it was invented there to celebrate its namesake, the famed French dramatist Victorien Sardou, upon his visit to the Crescent City—a place where, thankfully, such classic extravagance still thrives. Get the recipe for Eggs Sardou »
Egg-Topped Ham and Cheese Sandwich (Croque Tartine Parisienne)
A fried egg crowns a decadent sandwich of ham enrobed in bechamel and melted cheese from Oklahoma City’s Ludivine restaurant.
Kay 'n Dave's Huevos Rancheros
The recipe for this take on the classic Mexican egg, bean, and tortilla dish comes from chef Alejo Grijalva of Brentwood, California’s Kay ‘n Dave’s restaurant. Get the recipe for Kay ‘n Dave’s Huevos Rancheros »
Ham, Cheese, Egg, and Lemon Sandwiches
Lemon curd and goat cheese lends this breakfast sandwich a pleasing tanginess. Get the recipe for Ham, Cheese, Egg, and Lemon Sandwiches »
Butter-Basted Eggs
Crispy-bottomed fried eggs make an ideal breakfast. Get the recipe for Butter-Basted Eggs »
Gashouse Eggs
More common names for this easy breakfast recipe are eggs in a pocket, one-eyed jack, and baby in the hole. If you prefer your egg over easy rather than sunny side up, crack it into the hole in the bread right after you put the bread into the skillet.
Pan-Fried Chorizo Burgers with Avocado, Fried Eggs and Spicy Mayo
A riff on a breakfast plate, these burgers get a wonderfully spicy flavor from an even mix of ground beef and chorizo. Get the recipe for Pan-Fried Chorizo Burgers with Avocado, Fried Eggs and Spicy Mayo »
Perfect Scrambled Eggs
Creamy-soft scrambled eggs require slow cooking over low heat. Drier ones call for a hot skillet, less stirring, and quicker cooking. The version explained here employs the slow-and-low approach, with butter, chives, and heavy cream added just before the eggs are done.
Eggs Baked with Smoked Salmon (Oeufs en Cocotte au Saumon Fumé)
Eggs mixed with cream are poached over a bed of smoked salmon in this simple yet elegant breakfast dish from chef Wolfgang Puck.
Chicken and Egg Club Sandwich
A toasted poppy seed bagel is piled high with crisp greens, oven-dried tomatoes, roasted chicken, bacon, a fried egg, and homemade buttermilk dressing for a decadent spin on the traditional club sandwich. Get the recipe for Chicken and Egg Club Sandwich »
Mexican-Style Scrambled Eggs (Huevos a la Mexicana)
This quick breakfast dish is made a la Mexicana with red tomatoes, white onion, and green jalapeño, ingredients that mirror the colors of the Mexican flag.
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