Eggs are a complete protein and have no carbs or sugar. The typical egg has 6 grams of protein and only 70 calories. Eggs also have 250 milligrams of choline, an essential nutrient for the nervous system and liver. Forget anything bad you’ve heard about egg yolks – they’re delicious and nutritious (read more here), and don’t worry about those little brown spots you sometimes find in the yolk.
Eggs are great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, because there are so many wonderful ways to prepare them. Learn how to cook eggs here and here, and if you’re short on time (or lazy because #college, here’s how to make eggs two ways in the microwave) – but first make sure you understand egg labels, and learn some egg terminology if you plan on ordering eggs out.
1. Fried
Photo by Caty Schnack
Whether you like it over easy or sunny side up, adding a “perfect” fried egg makes everything better (find more inspiration for what to put them on here – personally I vote for a fried egg on avocado toast or kimchi fried rice).
And, if you’re still living in a dorm, you don’t have to miss out on all the fried egg fun – learn how to make a fried egg in the microwave. (BTW, if you’re one of those crazies that isn’t into the #yolkporn, learn how to separate eggs here. And if you are into the yolks – make graved eggs for the perfect yolk porn every time)
#SpoonTip: Not every egg break is perfect, but make sure to get the shell out before you serve them. Learn the tricks here.
2. Scrambled
Photo courtesy of Sandy Austin on flickr.com
Scrambled eggs are the ultimate (and if you’re really short on time, make them in the microwave, and don’t forget to add some healthy toppings). Some Spoon writers even came up with an alternate method to scramble eggs to change things up once in a while. Class up your eggs by adding some pesto, tomatoes (for a Chinese twist), goat cheese and red pepper, or even serve them in a bacon bowl. Find more combos here.
3. Hard (or Soft) Boiled
Photo by Justin Shannin
While hard boiled eggs are great fun at Easter, they’re also a great high protein office lunch. Add a hard or soft boiled egg to any salad for an extra boost.
4. Poached
GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers
Poached eggs are super classy. They can dress up any dish, from the basic avo toast to the fanciest salad. Make them in the microwave if you’re feeling lazy, or use plastic wrap to get that egg-cellent (pardon the pun) shape for your insta. You can even make especially Insta-worthy crispy breaded poached eggs to add some texture (and impress all your followers with your mad egg skills). Plus, make your poached eggs extra fancy with one of these six eggs Benedict recipes.
5. Omelette
Photo by Alex To
Omelettes are great to order for brunch, but even better when you can make them yourself. They look beautiful and are a great way to get in lots of veggies with your eggs. Use this trick for even easier omelettes, and if you don’t have a full kitchen, learn from this ingenious Spooner how to make an omelette with an iron (but proceed with caution).
#SpoonTip: You should be eating breakfast for dinner more often, because it isn’t just the best night at the dining hall, but also cheap, quick, and nutritious (everything a college student needs).
6. Spanish Omelette
Photo courtesy of pikachakula.com
Anyone who’s studied abroad in Spain can tell you that a Spanish omelette is probably the best (and most versatile) combination of eggs and potatoes.
7. Frittata
Photo by Kendra Valkema
Make a fancy fontina frittata or make mini breakfast frittata muffins for when you’re in a rush.
8. Quiche
Photo by Veronique Huynh
No surprise, the genius writers at Spoon have also come up with a way to make a quiche in a mug. Find tips on how to make the perfect quiche here (like the bacon and leek one pictured).
9. Huevos Rancheros
Photo by Gabby Phi
AKA open breakfast burrito AKA I want that in my stomach.
10. Chilaquiles
Photo by Emily Kim
Think egg-y breakfast nachos. This Mexican breakfast dish is delicious and only requires five common ingredients.
11. Deviled
Photo by Stephanie Cozza
These creations look fancy AF and only take 10 minutes to whip up.
12. Egg Salad
GIF by Paige Marie Rodgers
Take it to the next level with this avocado egg salad. Delicious, and low carb – the perfect lunch.
13. BEC
GIF by Clarisse Callahan
There’s no better breakfast combo than the classic bacon, egg, and cheese. Make a classy BEC egg-in-a-hole, or take your BEC to the next level by putting it in a biscuit or turning it into an all-in-one muffin.
You can also turn your BEC into a breakfast cookie, brunch ring, or a savory oatmeal (probably healthier than a bagel). Personally, I recommend this BEC Eggo waffle sandwich. All the breakfast you’ve ever wanted in one beautiful sandwich (best on an English muffin).
#SpoonTip: Get turnt with bloody Marys and BEC bagels for brunch – yuuuuum.
14. Breakfast Quesadilla
GIF by Rebecca Simonov
Forget the breakfast burrito, the breakfast quesadilla is where it’s at.
15. The Lazy Egg & Cheese Bread Bowl
Photo by Elyse Belarge
In case you want to skip out on the bacon – just have E&C, but in a bread bowl (because everything is better when you surround it by carbs).
16. Bacon and Egg Breakfast Muffins
Photo by Jenna Johnston
Or if you’re not into the cheese, try these B&E muffins.
17. Bacon, Egg, Cheese and Avocado Breakfast Nachos on a Bed of Mini Waffles
GIF by Phoebe Melnick
This is definitely one of the more beautiful things I’ve seen. Combine all the best breakfast foods, in nacho form? YUM. (If it’s not obvious, this is A+ hangover food. Also great is this tater tot breakfast pizza, and more traditional breakfast pizza – because we all know you ordered it last night, even if you passed out before finishing it.)
18. Egg in a Hole Bacon Pancake
Photo by Steph Cozza
If you’re looking for another epic breakfast combo, look no further: an egg baked into a bacon pancake. What more could you want for breakfast (or breakfast for dinner)?
19. Baked in a Vegetable
Photo by Lauren Feld
You can bake your egg directly in an avocado (#trendy), spaghetti squash, or a tomato (“for the most epic yolk porn“), and make an adorable and delicious all-in-one meal. (Take it up another notch with this egg and sausage stuffed acorn squash.)
#SpoonTip: Egg and avocado make the perfect pairing. Find more egg-cado recipes here.
20. With Veggies (different than above, I swear)
Photo by Maggie Gorman
Eggs go perfect with vegetables – and these are some fancy (mostly vegetarian) egg recipes. You can make browned butter-balsamic asparagus with crispy lentils and fried egg, balsamic-braised bacon Brussels sprouts with fried egg (because why have eggs without bacon?), portobello mushroom eggs, or fried egg with chickpea salad and Sriracha. Add even more protein, and it becomes a full meal, like this seared pork loin with vegetable medley and fried egg. All delicious and nutritious.
21. Shakshuka
GIF by Rebecca Simonov
An easy one-pot dish, shakshuka is an amazing comfort food, typically full of tomatoes, onions, peppers, and eggs. You can also add in other veggies, like eggplant, or make your shakshuka in an avocado.
#SpoonTip: If you’re not into feta, swap it out for crumbled goat cheese.
22. Ramlet
Photo by Meredith Marcus
Sounds crazy, but actually amazing. Make David Chang’s epic ramen-omelette hybrid for a twist on your typical egg dish.
23. With Potatoes
GIF by Robert Arrasate
A breakfast hash is simply a mix of potatoes, eggs, and anything else delicious that is super easy to make. This great BEC hash that only requires a toaster oven and some aluminum foil. If you prefer crispy potato skins, check out this recipe for BEC baked into potatoes, or if you’re more into sweet potatoes, try these sausage, egg and cheese twice-baked breakfast sweet potatoes.
24. Egg Bites
Photo by Molly Krohe
If you’re feeling super healthy AND proactive (go you!), go for these yummy tomato, mushroom, and spinach egg white bites – make them over the weekend, and then just pop one in the microwave on the way to class for a quick and nutritious breakfast. Or make this squash, egg, and feta breakfast muffin recipe.
25. Ginger Curry Egg Drop Soup
Photo by Julia Maguire
You can even incorporate eggs into soup, for when you need the nutrients to beat off that cold and still make it to class.
26. Breakfast Fried Rice in a Mug
Photo by Katherine Baker
If you’re feeling more adventurous (or if you’re hungry for more than a mug’s worth), try P.F. Chang’s quinoa fried rice.
27. Pasta Carbonara
Photo by Lucy Rubin
While carbonara may not be the healthiest pasta dish, the sauce is egg-based rather than cream-based *cough cough EZ mac*.
28. Easy Banana Pancakes
Photo by Zoe Zaiss
These pancakes only require two ingredients – banana and the amazing egg (but I recommend adding in some peanut butter or chocolate chips).
29. Nutella Soufflé
Photo by Alex Furuya
Anything with Nutella, and you can count me in. Warm, fluffy, cakey Nutella is even better – and this soufflé recipe only calls for two ingredients and a little love.
30. Homemade Meringue and Sabayon Topped with Berries
Photo by Caitlin Wolper
This dessert looks really fancy, but it’s essentially just eggs and sugar. Light and sweet, this is perfect with fresh fruit, and thus perfect for summer.
31. How to Use a Fried Egg as a Taco Shell
Photo by Maddie Cole
A genius at Spoon came up with this great way to cut the carbs in your taco and use an egg instead. Is there anything eggs can’t do?
#SpoonTip: You can add eggs to your salad dressing or aioli, you just might have to coddle them first to remove potentially harmful bacteria.