A simple, fresh recipe for baked eggs in tomatoes, baked up with cheddar, spinach, and chives.
August? Already? This summer has been too busy for my liking, and so this month we’re looking to slow things way down. Current plans include: swimming, lazing in the sun, eating outdoors, catching fireflies, and showing the girls the Blue Ridge Mountains.
In the city, fall comes on slowly – the urban heat effect pushes off the turning of the leaves until late November. But here in the country, the change is sudden. This is my call to action; there are peaches to slurp and watermelon seeds to spit. I haven’t made it in yet, but I’m planning a dip in a swimming hole or two. And maybe just a little more sangria, for good measure.
And soon, there will be piles of tomatoes. I have four San Marzano plants sagging under the weight of their fruit, as well as a beefsteak, green zebra, and four cherry tomato plants. We’ve seen a handful of tomatoes in the past few weeks, but two weeks from now, there’s going to be a deluge. In preparation for this glorious day, I’m hunting for tomato recipes. And these baked eggs in tomatoes are pretty much perfect. One or two per person served with bread or grain makes for a satisfying summer dinner. The eggs stay incredibly moist and take on the tomato’s acidity beautifully. Also hiding in there is fresh summer garlic, beautiful baby spinach, and buttery Kerrygold Skellig sweet cheddar. The flavors come together in a gorgeous symphony of summer flavor that will make you want to savor every bite to the fullest. I know that’s a lot of hype for a baked egg recipe, but I’m standing by it.
A simple, fresh recipe for baked eggs in tomatoes, baked up with cheddar, spinach, and chives.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 firm, large tomatoes
- 4 small eggs
- 1/2 cup baby spinach, cut into ribbons
- 1/4 cup flavorful cheddar, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
- sea salt to taste
- fresh ground pepper to taste
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil into a cast iron skillet.
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Cut tops off the top third of tomatoes and scoop seeds and inside flesh, being careful to keep sides thick and intact. Sprinkle the inside of each tomato with a good pinch of sea salt.
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Divide spinach and cheese into four portions and stuff into four tomatoes.
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Break eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl. Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of sea salt, and then gently tip egg into each of the tomatoes. Top with a sprinkle of chives and several twists of pepper.
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Gently place tomatoes onto oiled skillet, and carefully slide into oven. Cook for 35 - 40 minutes, or until egg whites have set up. (Keep in mind that baked egg yolks tend to stay translucent, so the whites are the best way to gauge done-ness.)
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When whites are firm and cooked through, remove skillet from oven and cool tomatoes for 10 minutes. Serve with good bread, sea salt, and olive oil.
Sounds good and looks amazing! Your food pictures are wonderful!
Thanks Jan! I’m so glad you like the recipe.
Yum, I used to eat these as a kid, but you make them look beautiful. Elegant enough for a dinner party appetiser, with some toast and salad leaves.
Hi Sarah,
I’d LOVE to have these with toast and salad! And I’m beyond impressed that you ate this as a kid. I was definitely more on the boxed mac and cheese track.
wow! what a gorgeous meal! love that first photo! 🙂 jealous of all your tomato plants!
Thank you Jaimie! I’m pretty thrilled to be able to cram so many in my little garden.
That’s summer in pretty tomatoes 🙂 I could easily gobble down a few!
Glad to hear it!
Wow. That looks so simple but so tasty. Never seen an egg in a tomato before. Great idea. I guess you could use different cheeses as well. Great post.
Hi Lara, You could absolutely use different cheeses. Any kind of hard cheese is probably interchangeable with the recipe, though softer cheese could be amazing as well (cherve, FTW).
Elizabeth, so jealous of your bursting tomato plants. (It is way to cold here in Berkeley for us to grow our own.) Looks like summer is treating your guys right!
xoxo
E
Thanks Erin! I am always so amazed that you folks in the Bay Area have to go tomato-less. Though, come February I am SO envious of the year-round kale and other greens. Hope your summer is progressing nicely!
Wow, this looks both beautiful and delicious! I fear my version might not coming out looking the same way, but I’m definitely going to give this recipe a try.
Hi Tess, I know what you mean! I took lots of photos before I cooked these, just in case. But even if they tip or otherwise go awry, they’ll definitely still be delicious.
These are in my oven right now and I can’t wait to give them a taste! I didn’t have any chives so I diced up a fresh jalapeno to sprinkle on top. They look delicious. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Hi EB, I am thrilled that you’re trying them. And the jalapeno? Sounds divine. Cheers to a fantastic brunch
I made these last night and we loved them ! I used cantal cheese, and added grated nutmeg on top — because it goes well with both eggs and spinach, but also because our pepper mill kind of refuses to work these days and we couldn’t get anything out of it. I’ll definitely make them again, they’re so easy and they look so cute ! Thank you for the recipe.
Made this for a brunch, sans eggs, but very good! Thanks for this great idea :).