Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe

Egg in a Basket is a simple, yet delicious breakfast dish that you can have on the table in less than 10 minutes. A variation of the classic British dish – toad in the hole – this recipe features just toast and a runny fried egg.

Table of Contents

Egg in a Basket Recipe

Toad in a Hole, Egg in a Hole, Hole in One, Eggs in a Nest, Frog Eyes, One-Eyed Jack—whatever you call these, they are a treat.

Frog eyes are a simple skillet egg recipe. If you want to make several eggs in a hole at once, try using an electric gridle. My husband eats three or four of these at a time, so I typically prefer the electric gridle. He’s a hard-working farmer who needs the nourishment to sustain him through the day.

The butter and olive oil together toasts the bread to a delicious golden brown, and the toasted middle piece is perfect for dipping in the runny egg.

Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (3)

Toad in a Hole

My husband and I started eating these toad in hole eggs when we first got married. He saw someone make them on tv, and he was bound and determined to make them himself. We’ve been eating them ever sense; although we most often call them frog eyes.

The little crispy center is perfect to dip in the runny egg. My girls don’t like their eggs runny, so I just go ahead and cook until the center is set. It’s the same except for the fried egg in the center instead of the runny egg.

This easy egg dish can be made for dinner for a quick weeknight meal. Sometimes we want our eggs a bit fancier, so we make our Baked Eggs and Asparagus dish.

If the kids turn their noses up at runny eggs, go ahead and break the yolks. If they still complain, fix them scrambled eggs in the microwave while making yourself this dish. Here are directions from Beyer Beware.

Runny Egg in Toast

Frog eyes is Kevin’s favorite breakfast and we started making it together when we were first married. Growing up, we only ate eggs over hard or scrambled at our house. This is the recipe that turned me on to runny eggs, and I didn’t know what I was missing!

We call this recipe Toad in the Hole in our house but when I went to share it on the blog, I realized it’s more of an Egg in a Basket! A classic Toad in the Hole breakfast features sausage baked within a Yorkshire pudding but many call a sunny side egg cooked within a piece of toast by the same name.

Have some fun with the shape of the hole in the bread by using different shaped cookie cutters like a heart or a flower. Don’t have cookie cutters? Use a drinking glass to make the hole.

What do I need to Make Eggs in a Basket?

Ingredient List for Egg in a Basket

Bread (your favorite type–white, wheat, rye, etc.)

Eggs

Butter and/or Olive Oil

Salt and Black Pepper

How to Make Eggs in a Basket on a Griddle or in a Skillet

Instructions:

  1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet or on a griddle over medium to high heat.
  2. Cut a hole in the middle of a piece of bread and butter the inner piece of bread on both sides and place in skillet.
  3. Place the outer piece of bread in the skillet and crack an egg in the middle.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Cook until bottom of bread is browned and flip. Cook for another 30 seconds or until the egg is cooked to your desired amount.

Full recipe steps and ingredient amounts for eggs in a hole is found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (9)

Best Breakfast Recipes

Oven Pancake Casserole

Easy Swedish Oatmeal Pancakes

Cheesy Egg Casserole

Baked Oatmeal

Make-Ahead Ham and Cheese Quiche

Note: We use referral links to products we use and think you might enjoy too.

Linking up to Weekend Potluck!

Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (16)

Print Recipe

Egg in a Basket - Toad in a Hole Recipe

Egg in a Basket is a simple, yet delicious breakfast dish that you can have on the table in less than 10 minutes. A variation of the classic British dish - toad in the hole - this one features just toast and a runny fried egg.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy egg recipe, egg in a basket, egg in a hole, frog eyes, runny eggs, skillet egg recipe, toad in the hole

Servings: 4

Calories: 195kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 eggs or however many you want to make
  • 4 slices bread or however many you want to make
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat griddle or skillet over medium/high heat.

  • Add butter and olive oil; heat until butter is melted, and it starts to sizzle.

    Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (17)

  • Use a cookie cutter (glass or mason jar band works too) to cut a hole in the bread.

    Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (18)

  • Put the outer bread pieces on the griddle. Crack an egg in the center, ensuring the yolk doesn't break. Butter the bread cirlces and add to the griddle. Season with salt and pepper.

    Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (19)

  • Cook for approximately 1 minute or until bottom of bread gets toasted.

    Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (20)

  • Before flipping, you can drizzle the top with additional olive oil if desired.

  • Flip and cook for 30 seconds to a minute of until the desired doneness.

    Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (21)

  • To eat, dip the toasted bread circles into the runny eggs.

    Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (22)

Notes

  • If you're making several of these, consider using an electric gridle.
  • I love the combination of butter and olive oil but you can stick to using one or the other.
  • If you want a sunny side up egg instead of an over easy egg, toast one side of the bread in the oil, flip and then add the egg and let it cook to your preference.
  • Have an abundance of eggs? Try Sausage and Egg Casserole or Ham and Cheese Quiche.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

Egg in a Basket Breakfast Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

What is the Iggy in the basket? ›

The dish consists of a slice of bread with an egg in the middle, fried with butter or oil. It is commonly prepared by cutting a circular or square hole in the center of a piece of bread, which may be buttered. The bread is fried in a pan with butter, margarine, cooking oil, or other fat.

Where did egg in a basket originate? ›

A bit of history & pop culture

Eater did a relatively deep dive into the dish a couple of years ago, citing that the first noted recipe for the dish was recorded in Fannie Farmer's "Boston Cooking School Cookbook" in the 1890s.

What is another name for egg in a hole? ›

But whether you call it "basket eggs," "eggs with a hat," "bird-in-the-nest," or "toad-in-the-hole," this easy and satisfying dish has a long history of delighting kids, and kids at heart.

Is egg in a basket the same as toad in a hole? ›

Egg in a hole (also known as Toad in a Basket or Egg in a Basket) is an easy breakfast classic made with pan-fried bread and an egg, and is ready in minutes!

Why are they called Iggys? ›

Their name is in reference to the breed's popularity in Renaissance Italy. Iggys are the smallest of the sighthounds and were originally bred as companion dogs that could hunt small game. Italian Greyhounds demand attention and can become possessive of their owners.

What type of dog is Honey the Iggy? ›

Italian greyhounds ⚫️👄⚫️

What is a fried egg in the middle of toast called? ›

While you'd rarely find people tinkering with the name eggs Benedict, what to call a fried-egg-in-toast remains in flux today. It's earned a slew of monikers, from the strange to the provocative: bird's nest, egg-in-a-basket, the Popeye, the one-eyed jack, and in a confusing twist to Brits, a toad-in-a-hole.

What is it called when you fry an egg in toast? ›

Egg in the hole makes a delicious breakfast! A runny yolk egg cooked in the center of a piece of toast and eaten with a fork is a great way to enjoy an egg in a slightly different way.

Where in the Bible does it say eggs in one basket? ›

2 Give thou (thy) parts (to) seven, and also (to) eight, (that is, do not put all thy eggs in one basket); for thou knowest not, what evil shall come [up]on (the) earth.

What is a slang word for eggs? ›

Bum nut noun: an egg.

What is the white bit in an egg called? ›

The egg white is known as the albumen, which comes from albus, the Latin word for “white.” Four alternating layers of thick and thin albumen contain approximately 40 different proteins, the main components of the egg white in addition to water.

What do you call an egg with a chick in it? ›

November 22, 2022. Fertile eggs are those that contain both ova and sperm, and will develop into a baby chick if incubated.

Which part of the egg has tiny holes to let in air? ›

The shell is porous and the large end contains more pores than the small end of the egg. (There are about 7,000 pores in a chicken eggshell.) This permits the transfer of gases through the shell. Carbon dioxide and moisture are given off through the pores and are replaced by atmospheric gases, including oxygen.

What is a tadpole egg? ›

These eggs float on the water in ponds, lakes, and rivers, and look like a large mass of jelly. These eggs are known as frogspawn and will hatch into tadpoles.

What is the meaning of bullseye egg? ›

In central and northern India's English-speaking middle classes and mid-level restaurants, "single-fried" refers to sunny side up (also known as a "bullseye") and "double-fried" to over hard.

What does Iggy stand for Italian greyhound? ›

Some owners have built little area shelters to protect their pets from rain. This keeps the house protected from iggy (affectionate, short term for Italian Greyhound) accidents. If the grass is wet in the morning, the sidewalk will do for an IG. They are creatures of comfort.

Is Iggy short for Italian Greyhound? ›

These lively dogs form strong emotional bonds and have earned the nickname of 'velcro dogs' because they like to be near their owners. They have a great deal of energy but are also couch potatoes when they're indoors. Historically favoured by kings and queens, Italian Greyhounds are affectionately known as 'Iggys'.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kerri Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 5658

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kerri Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1992-10-31

Address: Suite 878 3699 Chantelle Roads, Colebury, NC 68599

Phone: +6111989609516

Job: Chief Farming Manager

Hobby: Mycology, Stone skipping, Dowsing, Whittling, Taxidermy, Sand art, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.