How to Make Baked Toasts in the Oven with Egg That You'll Love
Baked Toasts in the Oven with Egg - A Simple Dish You'll Love
In today's fast-paced world, we're always looking for ways to cook something delicious, nutritious, and simple at home. Ideally, without unnecessary mess and with minimal effort. Baked toasts in the oven with egg perfectly fit this category—a dish that is winning the hearts of food bloggers and ordinary households alike. It's not a culinary revolution, but a clever use of common ingredients we often have at home: toast bread, eggs, a bit of cheese, and vegetables to your liking.
It's somewhat of an upgrade from the classic egg-in-a-basket we know from childhood. The difference is that instead of frying in a pan, everything is prepared at once in the oven. The result is a crispy, fragrant dish with melted cheese and a runny yolk that both kids and adults will love.
When Simplicity Pleases More Than Complex Recipes
One of the main charms of this dish is its variability. Baked toasts with egg aren't just about one correct combination. You can prepare them savory or sweet, with meat or vegetarian, with a quick preparation for a regular workday, or as a weekend brunch with imaginative ingredients. All you need are a few slices of toast bread, eggs, and an oven. Then just let your imagination run wild.
For example, Jana, a mother of two from Prague, loves baked toasts in the oven as a solution for hectic mornings: "Every morning, the kids can choose what they want inside—one wants ham and cheese, the other tomatoes and olives. I just prepare the form, and in a few minutes, breakfast is on the table and nothing burns as it does on the pan."
Additionally, it's a meal that doesn't strain the wallet and fits well with sustainability principles. You can use leftover bread, vegetables, or cold cuts that are no longer the freshest but still tasty.
The Right Bread and Timing
The key to a perfect baked toast with egg is choosing the right toast bread and balancing between a cooked white and still runny yolk. Ideal are thicker slices of bread that hold their shape and absorb just the right amount of liquid without turning into a soggy mess. If you have homemade sourdough toast bread, even better—not only is it tastier, but also more nutritious than regular white versions.
The egg is cracked directly into a hole in the middle of the bread or between two slices, ensuring the white spreads evenly and the yolk remains as whole as possible. Baking in the oven allows for even heating and a crispy result without the need for flipping or using a lot of fat.
Inspiration from Around the World, but with a Czech Heart
Baked toasts in the oven with egg have their counterparts in various cuisines. In France, the popular "croque madame" is a toast with ham, cheese, and an egg on top. In the English-speaking world, "egg-in-a-hole" is often prepared—a slice of bread with a hole in the middle into which an egg is poured and everything is fried.
However, Czech households often add their twist—frequently adding onions, peppers, leftover roasted meat from lunch, or even cottage cheese. The result is a dish that tastes authentically homemade and yet modern.
Perfect for Baking in a Muffin Tin
A less traditional but very effective preparation method involves using a muffin tin. Slices of toast bread are pressed into the cups like a basket, a piece of cheese or vegetable is placed at the bottom, an egg is cracked, and everything is baked. The result is visually impressive and, thanks to its shape, serves well even on a more festive table.
This method is popular, for example, at breakfast buffets or brunches, as everyone gets their piece complete with golden-brown edges.
Why Reach for Baked Toasts Today?
You might be thinking: why toast? It's just bread. But that's exactly where its strength lies. Toast bread is a universal base that's easy to store, easy to work with, and tastes good to almost everyone. Moreover, it's light, so it bakes easily and allows for creative flavor combinations.
From a health perspective, it depends on the ingredients you choose. If you're trying to eat healthier, you can use whole-grain toast bread, add fresh vegetables, and replace fatty cheese with its lighter version. You'll still retain great taste but with fewer fats and calories.
And most importantly—eggs are an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, and healthy fats, making them an ideal base for breakfast or a light lunch.
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What Can You Add to the Toast?
In addition to the egg itself, you can add to the baked toast, for example:
- Cheeses (Edam, cheddar, mozzarella, feta, goat cheese)
- Cold cuts (ham, bacon, turkey breast)
- Vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, spinach, onion, zucchini)
- Herbs (chives, basil, thyme)
- Sauces and spices (mustard, pesto, chili, curry)
Everyone can thus create their customized version—from minimalist to a full "loaded" variant with several layers.
A Little Trick at the End
If you desire a perfectly runny yolk, but with the white sufficiently set, it pays off to crack the egg only after the first few minutes of baking. First, bake just the toast with filling, and then carefully add the egg on top. The baking time will depend on the oven temperature—ideally 180 °C for 12–15 minutes, depending on your oven and the height of the toast.
As American chef James Beard once said: "Good food is that which brings joy—and it doesn't have to be complicated." Baked toasts with egg fulfill this idea completely. They are simple, tasty, adaptable, and above all—they bring a smile to the table in just a few minutes.
And that it's just bread and egg? It's precisely in this simplicity where their strength lies.
