And in France, they whip the whites to make an île flottante, or “floating island,” a classic French dessert of meringue poached gently in warm milk. Our version has a modern twist: We cook them in the Instant Pot for a meringue that’s firm enough to slice like a cake, then use the pressure cooker to make an orange liqueur–spiked version of our Instant Pot dulce de leche.
The following are some of our favorite egg dishes, inspired by our travels, from fresh takes on your morning scramble to a surprisingly refreshing cocktail (trust me on this).
Greek yogurt makes scrambles extra velvety
If you’re looking for an easy way to improve the texture of your scramble, reach in the fridge and grab the tub of Greek yogurt. Inspired by a breakfast Christopher Kimball had in Antakya, this easy egg dish is luxurious without being fussy. “The star,” he wrote, “was yoğurtlu yumurta, eggs scrambled with a salty yogurt. I stopped into the kitchen and watched one of the cooks start with oil and a lot of yogurt. He then whisked in two eggs in a nonstick pan over high heat. Done. And delicious.” Our version, made with salted Greek yogurt and fruity Aleppo pepper, serves four as written, but you can scale it down for one or two if needed. Just make sure to fully whisk in the yogurt so no streaks remain for the best texture and light, tangy flavor.
Some of our other favorite twists on the standard scramble are this Turkish menemen with spicy tomatoes and capers, these 10-minute, umami-packed Chinese Stir-Fried Eggs with Tomatoes (and a tiny bit of ketchup!), and our Spanish-style huevos revueltos, made with shrimp and asparagus.
These pantry-friendly frittatas and tarts only look fancy
Pastel de alcachofas, or artichoke cake or tart, is popular in Peru, one of the world’s largest producers of the prickly edible flower buds. This tart is similar to quiche, with artichokes enveloped in rich custard, flavored with garlic, herbs and cheese. For our weeknight-friendly version, we use canned artichokes (make sure to use the kind packed in water, not marinated artichokes, which are too highly-seasoned) and frozen puff pastry—unless you’re a professional pastry chef, there is never a good reason to make your own puff pastry; grab a high-quality all-butter version and you’re good to go.
Going back to that pasta frittata—not only is it a great way to use up leftover pasta, it’s packed with cheese, leeks, garlic, and thyme. Our recipe calls for salty-sweet, nutty Parmesan and creamy extra-sharp white cheddar, but you can swap in Gruyère for the cheddar if you want extra nuttiness.
Make savory saucy eggs in a single skillet
Shakshuka, eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, is probably the most famous version of saucy eggs in a skillet. Our favorite version, inspired by Limor Chen’s take on the dish at Delamina East in London, is a bright, vibrant green, made with a verdant combination of leeks, spinach and peas and finished with feta cheese. Don’t skip the salt massage for the spinach. This pretreatment reduces the leaves’ volume so the spinach wilts faster in the skillet.
Another favorite saucy skillet of ours is Eggs in Purgatory—ova ’mpriatorio in the local dialect—a Neapolitan classic. The whites of the eggs surrounded by the red of the tomato sauce are said to resemble religious depictions of souls in the fires of purgatory, though the name is also thought to be an allusion to the spiciness of the sauce. Our version has a warming, but not overly aggressive chili heat from fresh Fresnos and red pepper flakes, along with garlic, rosemary, basil, and Parmesan cheese, so it’s spicy, but still flavorful.
A few of our other favorites in this family of egg dishes:
- Curry-Braised Eggs, made with a warming blend of Indian garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne, along with creamy coconut milk and diced onions, which add texture and help the sauce hold some shape.
- Turkish-Style Eggs and Spinach, or ispanakli yumurta, a Turkish dish that resembles Middle Eastern green shakshuka, with a slightly different flavor profile and a good dose of creaminess from whole-milk yogurt, which is stirred into the sauce before adding the eggs.
- Spanish huevos rotos, or “broken eggs”—fried eggs served on top of fried potatoes, along with serrano ham or chorizo. The yolks are broken so they flow onto the food below, creating a rich sauce. For our simplified version, we precook the potatoes in the microwave, then crisp them in olive oil; the eggs are cooked in the skillet directly on top of the potatoes.
The Roman version of egg drop soup is full of tender pasta
Most cultures have a version of chicken soup. The one from Rome is known as stracciatella, which comes from the Italian word straccetti, or “little rags,” and that’s what the eggs resemble after they’re stirred into the soup. It’s made with just a handful of basic ingredients, including chicken broth, grated Parmesan and eggs. In our version, we also add small-shaped pasta and baby spinach (or arugula) to create a satisfying meal in a bowl.
Another soup that gets a less obvious assist from eggs is avgolemono, a lemony Greek chicken and rice soup that gets its body from a mixture of eggs and fresh lemon juice. To prevent the eggs from curdling, temper them first by slowly adding a small amount of the hot broth to the bowl before whisking the mixture into the pan. And after adding the mixture, don’t let the soup reach a boil or even a simmer.
Eggs are the key to crackly cookies and creamy cocktails
Egg whites are commonly used in desserts to give them a light, airy lift and structure, without the need for flour. In addition to our fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth Instant Pot floating islands, we use egg whites to make these crispy-edged, crackly chocolate cookies with fudgy centers. (Bonus: They’re also gluten-free.)
And while it may sound strange, eggs are the secret to fluffy, creamy cocktails—we’re big fans of using them in sours, especially the pisco sour, a Peruvian staple is traditionally made with lime juice—though we prefer a brighter blend of lemon and lime. Make sure to “dry shake” the cocktail with a single ice cube to create the cocktail’s signature foam.
And while it may not be a drink or dessert, my personal favorite egg dish is this Fried Egg bánh mi—a buttery baguette with rich egg yolk, tangy pickled vegetables, and umami-rich Maggi seasoning. Very different from the American-style egg sandwich, and particularly welcome after a pisco sour or three.
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