Poached Eggs in Italian-Style Tomato Sauce
There are few things better in life than a quick meal that you can throw together in 5 minutes that the whole family will love and actually has some foodie cred.
This poached eggs in Italian-style tomato sauce is a recipe that’s been around forever and is a new family favorite for us!
One of the family routines that has become most important in our new house is sitting down to supper every night at the dining room table. We were sliding into some bad habits at the old house because our kitchen table doubled as my desk/work space and felt a bit cramped in our kitchen.
I’m finding that sitting together, distraction-free, in a beautiful space has brought back my love of developing delicious and healthy supper recipes and has brought back Ella’s adventurous appetite.
When challenged to come up with a delicious and quick recipe using free range eggs from the happy egg co., I knew I wanted to experiment with this classic eggs in tomato sauce recipe that has a history just as rich as those golden egg yolks!
I’m really excited to have partnered with the happy egg co. for this recipe. For several years now,I have exclusively fed free range eggs to my family partially because of the humane aspect of it but mostly because both myself and a couple of my daycare kids have had reactions to conventionally-raised egg. Also, since I like my eggs poached or sunny side up I definitely notice a taste difference with these brilliant yolks.
There are so many versions of this dish and so many cultures claiming to be the originators. I had a lot of fun looking at the history of the dish which has roots in North African, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cooking. Most versions had a decent amount of spices which have earned the dish the nicknames “eggs in hell” or “eggs in purgatory.” (Noticeably not the name I went with for this recipe!)
Ultimately, I went with a simple Italian take on the recipe that used items I had on hand and went gentle with the spice so as to be a bit more kid-friendly, but I definitely want to try it again with African spices – I’ve been hooked on berber cuisine ever since I went to an Algerian friend’s party and had my first taste of za’tar.
You can use a cast-iron skillet or any large pan to make this recipe – just pick one with a good amount of surface area and lower sides for easy serving. You want to be able to add 6-8 eggs and not experience any crowding during the poaching process. (I used a paella pan.)
Ingredients for Italian-Style Poached Eggs
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped – or 1-16oz can tomatoes, strained
- 1-12oz can beans
- 2 cups tomato sauce of choice
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional
- 6 happy egg co. eggs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste (I used my homemade blend)
- Red chili flakes, optional
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Parsley, optional garnish
Tip: adjust the vegetables used according to your family’s preferences. We’ve since made this with mushrooms, zucchini and peppers.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Large pan or skillet
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups
- Spatula
- Serving spoon
How to Make Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce
Place your olive oil in your skillet over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add in the chopped onions and garlic. Sautee until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, beans and whatever other vegetables you’re adding to your homemade sauce.
Cook all together for 1 minute, and then add the tomato sauce and hot sauce.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, season to taste, and then gently crack the eggs into the tomato sauce.
Cover and let the cooks cook through until the whites are solid white, about 8-10 minutes.
(If you can’t cover the pan, it’s not a problem, the eggs will just take a bit longer to poach.)
Garnish with plenty of parmesan and serve alongside crusty Italian-style bread.
This can also be served on top of freshly cooked pasta.
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Poached Eggs in Italian-Style Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped - or 1-16oz can tomatoes, strained
- 1-12oz can beans
- 1 cup tomato sauce of choice
- 6 eggs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste (I used my homemade blend)
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Parsley, optional garnish
Be sure to check out the happy egg co. website for more information on their products and farms.
For more delicious family meals that take minutes to prepare, check out our pizza sliders sandwich casserole and 10-minute Mongolian Beef Stir Fry recipe.
