Pizza Baked Eggs with Marinara Sauce

Baked eggs always look more impressive than the effort needed to create them!

So they are perfect for a brunch dish, when you want to feel extra special, even if you are only making enough for one.

While sweet treats are a weekend breakfast or brunch treat, wouldn’t you agree that having a few savoury ideas under your belt are just as handy to have.  They also seem to have less guilt inducing properties to them.   Who can feel guilty when eating a slice of quiche or shakshuka, as opposed to say drizzling another 1/2 cup of maple syrup over a second stack of pancakes!?

This version of Baked Eggs may be my new favourite.  There are already a few other options up on the blog, something for everyone.  But I really think that today’s recipe will make everyone happy.  I mean, who doesn’t like the flavours of pizza?  Tell me that your kids (big or small) wouldn’t think this a great option for breakfast! All the best of pizza, the sauce, the cheese, the mushrooms and olives,(or any other veggie that you like on your pizza) plus the treat of getting to poke an egg yolk!  Win win!!

What Ingredients do You Need to Make This?

Eggs, duh.  Two per person I would say, but you can certainly drop it to one if the appetite is on the smaller side.

Marinara or pizza sauce:  This can be homemade, store bought etc.  Leftovers from another pasta dinner would work great.  I am including my go-to recipe for Pizza Sauce in the recipe below.  Use it on a pizza, and then save the leftovers for this great meal!

Cheese: I like to use a combo of freshly grated fontina and parmesan.  And if you like a little bit of bocconcini or provolone, go ahead and use it as well.  I don’t usually use plain mozzarella as it is a little bland, the fontina really has more presence.  But if your family likes mozzarella, go ahead and use it.

Veggies: some sliced mushrooms and olives are always my favourite.  But if you like sundried tomatoes, green peppers, sliced rtichoke hearts, onions, etc, feel free to use them instead.  Whatever will make it taste like your favourite pizza!

Cream: Just a little cream or whole milk will help the cheese turn into a lovely sauce.

Fresh Basil.  Nothing finishes a pizza like freshly sliced or torn basil.  Or arugula.  Whatever you like.

How Much to Use?

As I said, two eggs is great per person.  As for the marinara or pizza sauce, go with 1/2 cup per person.  For cheese, have two tablespoons freshly grated and ready to go.  Plus a bit more to sprinkle on top afterwards.  I usually use two cremini mushrooms for myself, and 5 or so olives. You don’t want to overfill the baking dish with too many vegetables, whichever ones you choose.  If you are using peppers or onions, you may want to give them a quick sauté to soften them, since they won’t get much of an opportunity in the oven.  You can even prep these the evening before. For the cream, 1 tbsp per baking dish is good.

How to Assemble

Preheat the oven to 425F. You will want to use personal sized baking dishes if you are serving these individually.  This will also help if you are placing different toppings as per individual appetites.  Spray the baking dish.  Spoon the marinara sauce evenly.  Scatter the veggies over the sauce. Crack the eggs over the veggies.  Then pour the cream over the eggs, and sprinkle the cheeses over it all.  Place the baking dish on a baking sheet and place in the middle of the oven.  In about 15-18 or so minutes, depending on the oven, the egg whites should be set and the yolk still delightfully soft, and the cheeses should be melted and gooey. Just keep an eye on them. Remove from the oven and scatter the basil over it.  Serve with crusty bread for dunking!

From individual to multi serving, aka The Pizza Shakshuka!

If you are serving four people, why not turn this into a pizza Shakshuka!  Using all the proportions for one but increasing for four or so people and using a 10-12 oven proof skillet.  And if you don’t want to use the oven, feel free to do this on the stove top over medium heat, with a cover over the the skillet, till the eggs are cooked through.  Adjust the heat to medium low if you find the sauce scorching on the bottom before the eggs are set.  Is Shakshuka new to you?  Then you will want to check out a classic here at David Lebovitz’s site, where he demystifies Yotam Ottolenghi’s classic take on Shakshuka.

This would make a great weekday dinner as well.  If you want other meatless weekday options, you will surely like Honey Baked Feta Pasta, Kimchi Fried Rice with Scallion Salad and Poached Eggs, Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake, Eggs Pipérade with Charred Scallions, ‘Butter Chicken’ Cauliflower with Yogurt Flatbreads and Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi with a Lemon Oil Drizzle.   Then there are all the quiche recipes you need to check out!

Love Jen

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Pizza Baked Eggs

Baked eggs are such a great quick meal, whether for brunch or even a weekday dinner. With pizza flavours, and crusty bread, this is such a tasty and fun version.

Course Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword baked eggs, eggs, pizza

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

Pizza Baked Eggs

• For two servings
• 1 cup marinara sauce see below
• 5 medium sized cremini mushrooms sliced
• 2 tbsp olives sliced
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
• 4-5 small balls of bocconcini, or torn fior di latte
• 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• chilli flakes
• 1/4 cup basil leaves thinly sliced

Marinara or Pizza Sauce:

• Makes 4 cups
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium to large onion minced
• 3 medium garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed chilli peppers or powder or to suit your taste
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 900 ml jar 4 cups whole tomatoes, with juices (alternatively you can use a 800 ml (28 oz) can of crushed or whole tomatoes, with juices)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar optional

Instructions

Pizza Baked Eggs

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Grease or spray two personal sized baking dishes. They should be able to hold 1 to 1 1/2 cups.

2. Divide marinara sauce evenly into the baking dishes. Top with the mushrooms, olives, eggs, milk, fontina, bocconcini and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Place the dishes onto a baking sheet. Place this on the centre rack of the oven and bake until egg whites are cooked through, about 15-18 minutes, depending on your oven.

4. Serve immediately, garnished with chilli flakes and basil leaves, if desired.

Marinara or Pizza Sauce

1. Heat a medium stock pot over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook till just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the thyme, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.  Add the paprika, chilli pepper and tomato paste and stir to coat everything evenly.
2. Add the whole tomatoes and juices, and break the tomatoes with a cooking spoon.  Add the bay leaf and butter. Stir well. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes.
3. For a pizza sauce: Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

4. Transfer the contents of the to a blender.  Remove the bay leaf (I have learned this one the hard way!) and blend till smooth.  Return the contents to the pot.  Taste and re-season with additional salt and pepper as needed.  If you find that the flavour is slightly acidic, add 1/2 tsp or so sugar and stir through.  Feel free to leave it rustic and unblended for a sauce over pasta etc.

5. See blog post for more details.

Recipe Notes

The sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge till needed.  You can divide and freeze half for future pizzas or pasta meals.

Use whichever pizza toppings you like, just make sure to use similar amounts to the ones suggested.

Feel free to turn this into a full skillet sized meal, and cook on the stove top, with the lid on, till the eggs are set, see blog post for more details.