Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my pesto and eggs recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
How To Make Pesto Eggs
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
I recommend a 12 inch cast iron skillet to fit all 4 eggs. Some people don’t like cast iron for cooking eggs and nonstick is definitely fine, but with the pesto I don’t have any issues with sticking — and I love the even heating. You can probably make it work with a 10-inch skillet, too, but they’ll be more crowded. You can adjust the amount of pesto. My recommended ratio is 2 tablespoons of pesto per egg, but you can cut that in half if you want to lighten it up. Cut the tomatoes small, so that they soften fast. I prefer to remove the seeds, but you can leave them in if you want the sauce to be… well, more saucy. Be careful not to overheat. The pesto can turn brown and bitter if the heat is too high, plus the egg whites can become rubbery, so be gentle. For a variation, flip the eggs or add cheese. I made the eggs sunny-side up this time, but I’ve also made this recipe by flipping like an over easy egg. The pesto eggs are not as pretty that way, but they taste amazing with the pesto enveloping the eggs on both sides. It’s also yummy to flip and then sprinkle with mozzarella, goat cheese, or feta, and let it melt. Wondering about storage? I usually have a separate section for this, but let’s be honest, fried eggs taste best fresh — and these only take minutes to cook. You can certainly make the pesto ahead of time, though!
Potatoes – For a heartier meal, serve them over roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes to soak up the golden runny yolk. Toast – Top your favorite toasted bread (I usually go for 90-second bread to make it quick) with the pesto fried eggs. Sometimes I even add slices of avocado underneath the egg. Bacon – Pop some bacon in the oven, or for a lighter option, try my oven turkey bacon. Brunch – For a brunch-like vibe, pair these pesto eggs with a light arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette, fresh fruit (or my fruit salad if you want to get fancy), or a yogurt bowl (try one with my coconut milk yogurt, granola, and fresh berries).
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Tips: See the details in the post above! I’ve got tips for the kind of skillet to use, adjusting the pesto amount, ensuring that your eggs turn out perfectly cooked, and even a couple variations. Storage: Pesto eggs taste best fresh, so I don’t recommend storing or freezing them. Sorry!
Nutrition info does not include the optional extra basil for garnish. Even though I’m back in Florida where — let’s be real — summer never ends, the produce does change with the seasons. And while I love foods from each season each in their own way (fall is also really great), nothing beats summer produce. So, I’m trying to hold onto summer for just a little longer. If you’re doing the same, or if you’re seeing this at other times of year but have a jar of pesto in your fridge or a homemade stash in your freezer, I hope you’ll make these pesto eggs with me. You won’t regret it!
