When the sun is out on the weekend—and you’re anything like us—you wake up with brunch on the brain.
With the summer months comes an abundance of gorgeous veggies, so why not take advantage of the bounty and fix yourself (and your best pals) a delicious, elegant, and deceptively simple dish?
This eggcelent bake covers all the brunch bases: eggs, potatoes, and veggies. If you or your guests are fans of breakfast meats—crisp bacon, crumbled sausage, ham, or even smoked salmon and lox—don’t hesitate to throw it in, too! Fully cook a ½ cup of your favorite protein, let it cool, and add it to your egg mixture. Serve the egg bakes alongside a lightly dressed salad with a slice of toasted rustic bread and salted butter for a stunning meal. And of course, you can’t forget the mimosas.
We teamed up with our friend Sarah Adler from Simply Real Health to bring you these darling, personalized egg bakes that your guests are sure to love. We love the idea of individualized presentations, and your guests will feel like they stepped into their favorite brunch time restaurant. Serve the egg bakes on a gorgeous tablescape atop your best dinnerware set and you’ll be sure to impress even the most opinionated diners.
Egg, Potato + Vegetable Mini Bakes
(Serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
- 10 eggs, preferably organic and cage-free
- 6 baby potatoes of any color, cut into quarters
- 1 red (or orange/yellow) bell pepper, medium dice
- 1 head chard, kale, or spinach (or all three!), chopped
- 1 onion, medium dice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped herbs of your choice (chives, basil, cilantro, or parsley), 1 tablespoon reserved
- ½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese or cheese of your choice (optional)
- ½ cup fully cooked protein of your choice (optional)
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Bring 2 to 3 cups of water to boil in a large pot. Season the water generously with salt.
- Add the potatoes to the boiling water. Cook them for 10-12 minutes until they are about 80% done. Poke a potato piece with a knife or skewer, and if there’s still a little give in the middle, they’re done. Drain the potato pieces and set aside to cool.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add butter and/or olive oil. Add garlic and onions and sauté until they’re soft, but not too brown.
- Add the diced bell peppers and continue to sauté.
- When all the vegetables are mostly cooked, season with salt and pepper. Transfer the veggies to a bowl to a bowl to cool, and return the pan to the stove. Reheat the pan back to medium heat.
- Grease the cups with butter and add the par-cooked potato pieces to the bottom. Distribute the sauteéd vegetables evenly in the cups. If using a protein, add it evenly to the cups now as well.
- Add the chard, spinach, or kale to the hot pan and cook until wilted. Distribute the greens evenly throughout the cups.
- Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add the herbs.
- Pour the egg mixture into the baking cups ¾ of the way full.
- Add a dollop of ricotta or sprinkle the cheese of your choice on the top of each cup. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the egg is no longer gooey. If you want a delicious brown crust on top, finish the egg bakes under the broiler for 3-5 minutes while watching closely.
- Garnish with remaining herbs, freshly cracked black pepper, and enjoy!
Egg bakes are so wonderfully adaptable. An “everything but the kitchen sink” sort of dish, you can add whatever veggies, cheeses, and proteins you have left over in your fridge to the mixture and you’re sure to have a winner. Have a couple pie crusts hanging out in the freezer? Throw the egg mixture in the crust and bake for a perfect quiche.
What are some of your favorite brunch time staples? Tell us all about them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!