Ten recipes with eggs for when the carton is the most reliable thing in the fridge: fried rice, shakshuka, frittata, fritters, breakfast tacos and more.
Eggs are the one ingredient most kitchens are never quite out of. Half a carton can be dinner, a packed lunch or a proper weekend breakfast, as long as you know what to put with them.
This guide starts with dinner, because that's when eggs tend to save the night, then moves through breakfast and lunch. If you already know what's sitting next to the eggs, the narrower guides go further: eggs and rice, eggs and cheese, eggs and bread, eggs and potatoes, eggs and spinach, bacon and eggs, avocado and eggs or zucchini and eggs.
01
RecipeTin Eats15 min2 servingsWeeknightStart with Fried Rice from RecipeTin Eats if there's cooked rice in the fridge. Eggs and leftover rice are the foundation, and anything else you add, like a rasher of bacon, frozen peas or half an onion, just makes it better.
Day-old rice fries better than fresh, so this is the one to remember the night after a curry or stir fry.
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02RecipeTin Eats30 min2 servingsOne panWhen there's a tin of tomatoes in the pantry, make Shakshuka (Middle Eastern Baked Eggs) from RecipeTin Eats for eggs gently cooked in a spiced tomato sauce, all in one pan.
Put crusty bread on the table to mop up the sauce. A handful of spinach or a stray capsicum can go in with the tomatoes.
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03
The Cookie Rookie30 min6 servingsUse-it-upFor a frittata that clears out the fridge, try BLT Skillet Frittata from The Cookie Rookie which turns the flavours of a BLT into an egg dinner.
Frittatas are forgiving. Once you've made one, swap in whatever cooked veg or cheese needs using up.
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04RecipeTin Eats27 min6 servingsWeeknightIf a zucchini is going soft in the crisper, make Crispy Zucchini Fritters from RecipeTin Eats where eggs bind grated zucchini into golden patties.
Squeeze the grated zucchini well before mixing; it's the difference between crisp and soggy. They're good hot for dinner and still good cold in a lunchbox.
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05For something lighter, there's Nicoise Salad from Well Plated with boiled eggs, potatoes and greens on one big plate.
Boil a few extra eggs while you're at it. They keep in the fridge for a few days and make quick lunches later in the week.
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06For breakfast, start with Cottage Cheese Eggs from Well Plated which stirs cottage cheese through the eggs for a creamier, more filling plate.
At around seven minutes it fits into a weekday morning, and it's a good way to finish a tub of cottage cheese.
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07When there are tortillas left over from taco night, make Breakfast Tacos from Well Plated with scrambled eggs wrapped in warm tortillas.
Add whatever's around: grated cheese, salsa, avocado or leftover roast veg.
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08RecipeTin Eats35 min4 servingsMake-aheadTo get ahead for the week, bake Bacon & Egg Breakfast Muffins from RecipeTin Eats which turn bacon and eggs into something you can eat with one hand.
A batch on Sunday covers a few rushed mornings.
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09The Cookie Rookie5 min2 servingsLunchFor lunch, mash together Avocado Egg Salad from The Cookie Rookie where boiled eggs and ripe avocado become a filling for toast or wraps.
It's the best use for an avocado that's a day from too soft. Make it close to eating so the avocado stays green.
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10The Cookie Rookie30 min12 servingsEntertainingAnd if people are coming over, make Loaded Deviled Eggs with Bacon from The Cookie Rookie for a platter that tends to disappear first.
A dozen hard-boiled eggs goes a long way here, which makes it one of the cheaper things you can put out for a crowd.
Open in PantryPalEggs go with nearly everything, so the useful question is what's next to them. Tell PantryPal what's in your fridge and it will find recipes that use the eggs and the rest.
