Eggs in Purgatory makes a simple, yet spicy dish for breakfast, brunch, or even a cozy supper. Ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes!
If you are looking for a quick, easy and super cozy meal, this easy eggs in purgatory may be just for you. It has been a favorite egg recipe of mine to order in restaurants for breakfast or brunch when we are traveling for years. Once I began making it at home, I haven’t looked back!
What is Eggs in Purgatory?
Eggs in Purgatory is a one skillet meal that is simply a dish of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce.
It works perfectly for breakfast, a lazy weekend brunch, or as one of my very favorite easy recipes for breakfast for supper.
How to Make Eggs in Purgatory
For my version of the classic eggs in purgatory recipe, I like to keep it as simple as possible.
To make it you’ll need a medium (10-inch) skillet, a few ingredients you most likely already have in your refrigerator and pantry, and less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients Needed:
olive oil – use your favorite olive oil
onion – you’ll use half of an onion in this recipe. The key is to cook the onion in the olive oil until tender before adding the remaining ingredients. It helps the onion to release all of that sweetness.
tomato sauce – you can use homemade or your favorite store-bought tomato sauce for this recipe. You’ll want to use a tomato sauce that you love since it makes up so much of the flavor of this recipe.
garlic – you’ll use a minced clove of fresh garlic in this recipe. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you can easily substitute with 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder. You can also use 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of Stone House Seasoning in place of the garlic, salt and pepper in this recipe.
red pepper flakes – my recipe includes using 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to add spice and heat to the tomato sauce. If you like less heat, I’d recommend you start by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes and then adjust to your taste. Likewise, if you like it even more spicy, give the sauce a taste before adding your eggs to the skillet and add more as needed.
salt and pepper – as mentioned with the garlic, if you have Stone House Seasoning on hand, you can easily use it in place of the garlic, salt and pepper called for in the recipe.
fresh parsley – the fresh parsley adds not only color to the finished dish, it also adds a fresh flavor to the final dish. You can also use fresh cilantro.
eggs – of course you’ll also have eggs in this recipe. The eggs are nestled into the cooked, seasoned tomato sauce and then baked to perfection!
parmesan cheese – the perfect topping at the end of the dish before serving!
What to Serve with Eggs in Purgatory
We love to serve it with sourdough bread that we’ve toasted until crispy. You can use the toast to help swipe up all of that delicious seasoned tomato sauce as you eat your eggs in purgatory.
Other Favorite Egg Recipes
Here’s my Eggs in Purgatory Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Eggs in Purgatory Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil into a skillet set over medium heat. Once the olive oil begins to shimmer, add in the onions and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half of the parsley and allow the tomato sauce mixture to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Break an egg into a small bowl and using a large spoon, make an indention in the tomato sauce mixture. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Top with the grated cheese, salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook until the whites of the eggs are set and the egg yolks are cooked to the desired level of doneness. Remove cover from the skillet and remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
This wasn’t really our thing. Fairly simple to make, but the flavor was a sharp-spicy-tomatoey.
I remember having this was I was little…made it today and was not the way I thought it would taste.
Wouldn’t make it again.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Linda. My family enjoys it when I make it and it possibly had different ingredients that the one you had as a child. Thanks
This is my favorite for Meatless Monday!!!
Thanks, Tami!
Spicy and deliciously simple
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Brandon! Thanks!
How do you best eat this? Do you break the yolks and mix? Or dip bread into it?
Loved it! Will be making it again.
Wonderful to hear that you enjoyed it, Sherry! xo
I loved this! Thanks!
It was easy and delicious. My husband loved it. We’ll be having this a lot. Thanks.
Thanks Regina! xo
This is a very common and popular Israeli dish called shakshuka. I make it frequently.
I saw this dish served in a tv show and looked it up. ThIs is an Easy and quick recipe and the leftover sauce could be tossed with pasta. I added some dry Italian herb mix and served it with thick crostini. This will be a regular breakfast.
So glad you liked this, Alan. Thanks!
I loved this! SO good, quick and easy to pull together quickly.
So glad you loved this recipe, Teri. Thanks!