These baked eggs nestled in crusts made of shredded potatoes are a fun change from the usual egg breakfast. I love how it showcases the eggs in its crunchy potato basket, and it’s a real crowd-pleaser, too. The ingredients are simple and so is the method. The result is a fun and delicious breakfast or brunch dish that’s easy to love.
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The crust looks extremely fancy, but it is made of just two ingredients: Shredded potatoes and butter. You can even use thawed frozen hash brown potatoes (just be sure to buy the kind that are just potatoes or potatoes and dextrose).
Eggs are still the star of the show here, offering a perfectly runny yolk that contrasts beautifully with the crispiness of the crust. Layered over a savory mixture of onions, heavy cream, and freshly grated parmesan cheese, the eggs really shine.
Ingredients You Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make these baked eggs in potato crusts. They’re simple and easy to find, adding to the appeal of this dish.
- Shredded potatoes: Look for starchy varieties like Russets or Yukon Golds for the best texture.
- Melted butter: Helps bind the potatoes and gives them a golden color.
- Unsalted butter: For cooking the onions, allowing you to control the saltiness of your dish.
- Onion: Adds a mild, sweet flavor that complements the eggs and cream.
- Heavy cream: Makes the filling lush and rich. A lighter alternative like half-and-half works if you prefer.
- Salt and pepper: Essential for seasoning. Always taste as you go!
- Parmesan cheese: Provides a salty, umami kick. Freshly grated works best.
- Large eggs: The quality of your eggs will shine here, so choose the best available, whether they are farm fresh or store-bought.
How to Make It
Ready to put it all together? Follow these steps to create delicious potato baskets filled with baked eggs.
- Begin by preheating your oven and preparing your ramekins with a quick spray of cooking oil.
- Tackle the crust by mixing your shredded potatoes with melted butter, then molding them into the ramekins.
- Bake the crusts until golden and crispy, then let your oven cool down a bit.
- For the filling, sauté onions until golden, stir in the cream, and let it thicken before adding cheese and seasonings.
- Assemble by spooning your creamy onion mixture into each crust, then carefully cracking an egg on top.
- Finish off with a final bake until the eggs are just set but still gloriously runny.
What to Serve with It
This dish is delicious as is, but as far as I’m concerned, you can never go wrong topping a savory brunch dish with a drizzle of hollandaise sauce. A light arugula salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice makes a nice light counterpoint. Or pair them with sautéed spinach or chard. Toast or crusty bread is great for dunking into the runny yolks. A side of bacon cooked in the oven is another great option.
More Baked Egg Ideas
You’ll find recipes for baked eggs from lots of different cuisines. Combining them with complementary ingredients like cream, cheese, sausage, and bacon is one way to give them a unique spin. Baking them in different types of crust is another. Here are a few specific dishes that use this technique, each offering a different take on this versatile cooking method.
Instead of a potato crust, you can bake eggs on a bed of sautéed spinach and mushrooms. Eggs en Cocotte is a French dish in which eggs are baked in ramekins, usually with cheese and other ingredients like goat cheese and asparagus. Or you can make tomato-basil baked eggs by layering sliced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves before topping with eggs and baking.
Tortillas also make a great crust for baked eggs. Create cups using small tortillas in a muffin tin. Par-bake them to make them crispy, and then fill them with cooked chorizo, eggs, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Quiche is a version of baked eggs but the eggs are whisked rather than being left whole. You can make mini quiches hash browns to form mini crusts.
Eggs Baked in a Crunchy Potato Crust
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded potatoes
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- For the filling
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 medium onion halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450º Fahrenheit and spray 4 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray.
- To make the crusts, place the shredded potatoes in a clean dishtowel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible (this can be done in a few batches, if necessary). Toss with the melted butter. Divide the potato mixture evenly among the four prepared ramekins and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust with an even thickness. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until beginning to brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 400º Fahrenheit.
- To make the filling, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add ¼ cup of the cream. Continue to cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes more, until the cream begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Spoon the sauce into the prepared crusts, dividing equally.
- Break one egg into each ramekin, on top of the onion-cream mixture. Season each with more salt and pepper, as desired, then drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of cream, dividing equally. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the white has set but the yoke is still runny.
- Carefully remove the crusts from the ramekins and serve immediately.
What a great way to make baked eggs special! This seems like a great brunch dish for mother’s day—or any day!