Make Eggs, Have Dinner

Cooking on the cheap shouldn't mean minute rice and buttered pasta every night. With a little creativity and a little planning, Gabriella Paiella shows us how to make the most of a tight budget -- without sacrificing flavor or variety.

Today: Minimal effort and maximum reward -- here's why you should be making eggs for dinner more often.

An egg-based dinner is the platonic ideal of well-executed broke cooking. Eggs are inexpensive, yet entirely filling. They absorb your fridge scraps and leftovers and, in turn, give you back a cohesive and impressive dish. They allow you to be as lazy as possible with the maximum possible reward.

If I'm home on a weeknight, there's a 90% chance I'm having eggs for dinner. Not hard-boiled or scrambled or fried -- I like to incorporate them into a larger one-pot dish. Here are a few of my favorite ways to cook them:

Shakshuka



Simmer tomato sauce, nestle eggs in there, simmer some more, then scoop up with crusty bread: Shakshuka is eternally satisfying. Make a yogurt-based version, or go nuts and throw in some greens.

Frittata

I like to tell everyone that frittata is Italian for "fancy eggs." That may or may not be true, but you should still learn how to make one in 5 steps, then cook up some of our favorites, whether with turnip greens or a less vegetarian option like chorizo.

Omelet

I'm perpetually screwing up my omelets, but, fortunately, there's an easy guide to help make the perfect one right here. This spring, make a delicate one with peas and mascarpone or wait until eggplants are in season for this Filipino version.

Baked Eggs

Baked eggs require you to turn on your oven, but they don't need much fuss past that. Here's how to make this comforting dish in 5 steps. (I prefer mine with mushrooms and cheese.)

Tell us: What are your favorite dinnertime egg dishes?