Mediterranean

Medium · Hot

Ricotta and Tomato Baked Eggs

Eggs nestled in a gently spiced tomato sauce, swirled with creamy ricotta and finished with fresh basil. A forgiving, unhurried brunch that comes together in one pan and rewards patience over heat.

Recipe by

Theo Calder

The Daybreak Cook

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Rest

5 min

Total

40 min

Method

Build the Sauce

Warm the olive-oil and butter together in an oven-safe skillet over gentle heat. Add the diced onion and cook slowly, stirring now and then, until it softens and turns translucent, about 8 minutes.

Add the sliced garlic and cook just until you can smell it — a minute or so. Pour in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, then season with salt and black-pepper.

Let the sauce simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes until it thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning — it should be bright and simple.

Add the Eggs and Ricotta

Make four small wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Nestle a generous tablespoon of ricotta into each well, then crack one egg into each space.

Scatter a few small bits of butter over the top of the ricotta — this will help everything brown softly when it bakes.

Bake to Soft Set

Place the skillet in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes — you want the whites set but the yolks still soft and jammy. The ricotta should be warm and lightly golden at the edges.

Remove from the oven and let it rest for a moment. Scatter fresh basil leaves over the top and serve straight from the pan with good crusty bread.

Nutri-Score

Excellent balance

A–E · lower is better · score -2

Calories

249

per serving

Source of protein · 11gLow sugar · 6g

Protein

11g

Carbs

10g

Fat

19g

Sat. fat

Fiber

Sugar

Sodium

407mg

Gluten FreeVegetarianHeart HealthyBalanced NutritionMediterranean DietHigh ProteinLow Carb

Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.

Environmental impact

Low impact

A–E · lower is better · includes estimates

kg CO₂e

0.9

per serving

BCarbon

ricotta drives 40% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.

Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.

Flavor Profile

Umami

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Spicy

Textures

CreamyTenderSoftSilkySaucy

Aromas

HerbalSavoryButteryUmami Rich

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Oven Safe Skillet

Oven Safe SkilletStandard OvenChef Knife Cutting Board Wooden Spoon Spatula Mixing Bowl Measuring Spoons

Counter FootprintMedium

Techniques

Sauteing Simmering Baking SeasoningNestling

Safety & Storage

Cooking Temperature

Ensure eggs reach a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) minimum. The whites should be fully set while yolks remain soft. Undercooked eggs pose foodborne illness risk.

High Risk Population

Soft-set or runny egg yolks may be unsafe for pregnant women, young children, elderly individuals, and immunocompromised persons. Consider cooking yolks fully for these populations.

Cross Contamination

Use separate utensils and cutting boards when handling raw eggs to prevent cross-contamination with other ingredients. Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw eggs.

Storage

Refrigerate ricotta at or below 40°F (4°C) until ready to use. Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and consumed within 3 days.

Handling

Handle the oven-safe skillet carefully as it will be very hot from baking at 180°C (350°F). Use oven mitts when removing from the oven.

Allergen Warning

This dish contains milk and eggs. Inform guests of allergen content before serving. Verify all ingredient labels for hidden allergens.

Pro Tips

Technique

Let the sauce thicken over gentle heat before adding your eggs — you want it to hold its shape when you make the wells, not pool back in immediately.

Substitution

If you haven't got ricotta to hand, a good dollop of Greek yogurt works beautifully, or swap it out for a soft goat's cheese that melts into the sauce just as nicely.

From the chef

There's something quietly satisfying about cracking an egg into sauce and letting the oven do the watching for you. After eleven years of running the griddle at the cafe, I learned that mornings don't need to be frantic — they just need a little patience and a lot of butter. These jammy little nests became my go-to when I wanted to sit with my coffee instead of standing over a pan, and the way the ricotta softens into the sauce never stopped feeling like a small miracle.

Theo CalderThe Daybreak Cook

Visit profile

TagsOne PanVegetarianEasyBrunchEggsTomatoRicotta

AllergensMilkEggs

Source: generated · June 10, 2026