Pesto Eggs
on Oct 19, 2021, Updated Nov 14, 2025
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Pesto Eggs 🍳 are my lazy girl breakfast when I want something cozy and flavorful without the early morning fuss. I warm a spoon 🥄 of pesto in the pan, crack in a few eggs, and let the pesto do all the work. They only take 15 minutes to cook which makes them perfect for busy mornings. The best part? Each serving gives you around 19 grams of protein, so you’re getting a strong 💪 start to the day. Serve with your favorite latte ☕️ or a bowl of fresh fruit for a simple breakfast that feels special.
Key Takeaways
- Pesto Eggs are a quick, flavorful breakfast that takes only 15 minutes to prepare and packs 19 grams of protein per serving.
- This recipe combines simple ingredients like pesto, eggs, and rich ricotta for a creamy, savory taste with a crunchy texture.
- You can easily customize Pesto Eggs by using different flavored pestos, swapping eggs for tofu, or trying various types of bread.
- Serve Pesto Eggs with sides like fresh salads, roasted vegetables, or a tasty coffee to elevate your breakfast experience.
- For perfect results, add pesto to a cold pan to prevent the olive oil from burning.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Pesto Eggs
This Pesto Eggs recipe is all about simple ingredients coming together in a mind-blowing 🤯, big-on-flavor way. Bright, herby pesto coats the eggs, giving each bite a rich, savory taste. Ricotta adds a soft, creamy contrast, and a sprinkle of oregano adds a hint of freshness. Toasted, sprouted bread 🍞 lends a little texture, so every bite hits a perfect balance of creamy, savory, and crunchy 😋. You can keep it classic or switch up the pesto for sun-dried tomato or avocado to change the flavor profile effortlessly.
Ingredients
🌿 Pesto: Whether you’re team homemade or store-bought, choose one that has good olive oil and real basil.
🥚 Eggs: Crack your eggs straight into the pan and cook to your preferred doneness – a little shorter for over medium or longer for well-done.
🍞 Bread: I love the taste and texture of Ezekiel bread with this recipe. It pairs beautifully with the savory and bright flavor of the pesto.
🧀 Ricotta: This is totally optional, but adds a creamy texture to the toast. For a high protein option, you could swap for cottage cheese.
🧂 Salt and oregano: Sprinkle your eggs with salt and oregano for a balanced taste that will keep you craving more.
Nonna’s Tip 🌿
Add your pesto to a cold pan set to medium-low heat to prevent the olive oil base from burning.
Variations and Substitutions for Pesto Eggs
- Instead of homemade Basil Walnut Pesto, feel free to use a store-bought version, or even a different flavor such as sun-dried tomato or arugula pesto.
- Substitute eggs with tofu for a vegetarian option.
- Instead of dry oregano, try using fresh 🌿 herbs like thyme, rosemary, or basil.
- Opt for 🍞 whole-grain bread, sourdough, or artisan bread for a more nutrient-dense meal. Alternatively, English muffins, 🥯 bagels, or croissants are all delicious.
- Swap ricotta with avocado 🥑, whipped feta, or cottage cheese for a high protein option.
Similar Recipes
Best Served With
- A fresh green salad such as my Simple Green Salad 🥗.
- Some roasted seasonal vegetables such as asparagus, zucchini or Roasted Baby Eggplant 🍆.
- Fresh fruit such as sliced avocado, berries, or 🍊 orange slices.
- A fun cup of coffee ☕️ like this viral Banana Milk Latte.
Common Questions
I love using sprouted or Ezekiel bread, but you can use your favorite, such as sourdough or No Knead Bread.
Instead of ricotta, you can use cottage cheese or other creamy cheeses – like cream cheese or goat cheese – as a substitute.
Of course! I have a great homemade Basil Walnut Pesto recipe that you can make ahead and store. However, for quick and easy meal prep, feel free to pick up your favorite store-bought brand.
You can adjust the cooking time by monitoring the eggs closely and checking the desired doneness of the yolks. Cook for shorter or longer periods accordingly.
You can garnish with ingredients like sliced avocado, roasted nuts, chili flakes, or even a drizzle of chili oil for a different flavor and texture.
This is a quick dish best served fresh. You can make the pesto ahead of time, however the toast and eggs are best prepared just before serving.
Pesto Eggs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 2 large eggs
- salt and dry oregano, to taste
- 2 slices bread, I used Ezekiel
- ricotta , optional
Instructions
- Add your pesto to a cold pan on medium heat. Start on medium-low heat because pesto is olive oil based and olive oil burns on high heat.
- Let your pesto heat up a touch and gently crack two eggs. Sprinkle salt and dry oregano on top and let it cook for 1-2 minutes until the egg-white starts to form.
- Place the lid on and cook covered for the remainder of the time so that the yolk cooks as well (you can reduce the heat to low if you need to). Mine took 2 more minutes.
- How cooked or runny you want the yolk will be up to you, so you can keep opening the lid to check on it. Toast your favorite bread, spread some fresh ricotta on top, then add your egg.
- Garnish with any fresh and finely chopped herbs of choice, and enjoy!
Nonna’s Notes
- Pesto flavors: Instead of homemade Basil Walnut Pesto, feel free to use a store-bought version, or even a different flavor such as sun-dried tomato or arugula pesto.
- Vegetarian swap: Substitute eggs with tofu for a vegetarian option.
- Herbs: Instead of dry oregano, try using fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or basil.
- Breads: Opt for whole-grain bread, sourdough, or artisan bread for a more nutrient-dense meal. Alternatively, English muffins, bagels, or croissants are all delicious.
- Cheeses: Swap ricotta with avocado, whipped feta, or cottage cheese for a high protein option.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
LOVE pesto, but I never thought to eat it on eggs! And with the ricotta on the toast…WONDERFUL! This will definitely be added into my breakfast rotation! Thanks for the amazing recipe!