Baked Eggs with Olives
I came across this recipe on the Food52 website, and it grabbed my attention for a few reasons: eggs, bacon, olives and feta. I’ve really enjoyed some new and unique egg recipes this year, like Turkish Eggs, and Eggs Baked in Ricotta, but this one is even more unique.
The combination of ingredients, which includes chard, was an obviously delicious pairing with eggs. (I had to substitute spinach for the chard.)
From Food52: “This one is for all of you out there who, like us, crave salty over sweet in the morning. Olives, feta, and bacon all make this dish absolutely sing with bold flavors. Baked in a deeply savory mixture of cream, chard, and all the other aforementioned good stuff, the humble egg goes from everyday staple to absolute luxury. Sprinkle some toasted panko over the top to give the whole thing a textural punch, and you’re done.”
Recipe reprinted with permission from The Modern Proper: Simple Dinners for Every Day (Simon & Schuster, April 2022), written by Holly Erickson and Natalie Mortimer.
Baked Eggs with Green Olives and Feta
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves, or spinach
1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved
4 large eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup panko
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 tablespoons minced chives
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Flaky salt
Crusty bread, for serving
Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position.
Place the bacon in a medium ovenproof skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon crisps and the fat is rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, reserving the fat in the pan.
Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and half of the chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is wilted, then add the remaining chard to wilt, about 2 minutes total. Return the crispy bacon to the pan and add half the olives. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Using a spoon, create four wells in the chard mixture. Crack one egg into each well, one at a time. I added a 1/4 teaspoon of butter to each well before pouring in the eggs. Pour the cream over the entire dish. Bake until the egg whites are no longer transparent, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring to coat, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the toasted panko all over the baked eggs. Add the feta, the remaining olives, the chives, pepper, and flaky salt.
Serve with crusty bread alongside.
I placed some of the chard/spinach and egg mixture on the bread like a bruschetta. Fabulous.
Everybody knows I’m a cheese-crazed individual, but in this case, the eggs are rich with the bacon, olives, and cream, that I don’t think the feta is necessary. And you don’t hear me saying that very often!
What was wonderful was the toasted panko crumbs. A perfectly wonderful egg dish.
It really was. Unique and wonderful!
I could, too! I love eggs in general, but this is really extra fabulous!
This looks really beautiful! Love a baked egg dish like this, and your combination of flavorful ingredients certainly would make them all wake up and pay attention! Like that you dabbed the butter under the eggs, a great idea!
Great ingredients, but I really think the feta is overkill. The olives are already tangy. And I’m a cheese person!
Love salty things!
I know! It’s amazing!
I know I would love this dish but I also know that my husband wouldn’t eat it because of the chard . Eating it on a piece of good bread would be heavenly. Gerlinde
Does he eat spinach? I personally don’t love kale or chard, but this recipe was really good. It was heavenly on the bread.
We’re huge egg eaters over here so always looking for ways to change it up! This sounds yummy!
This was a unique dish to me, and so good!
It was so good. Wonderful ingredients!
Well I love me some desserts, I do prefer savory breakfast over pancakes and waffles in the lake. The combination of flavors here is incredible! I think we have just enough chard in the garden to make this happen… (and I might have to use pancetta instead of bacon.) Beautiful, Mimi!
Oh, autocorrect! “While I love me some desserts…” Grrrr.
Me as well. I’ll vote savory all the time. This recipe is really fabulous!
this really does sound so tasty and delish mimi. i love savoury for breakfast so this would suit me to a T. We call chard silverbeet here is Oz. I haven’t made anything with it for ages. Must try this …
Funny enough, I read the ingredients and thought the cream was too much with the feta. And then read your statement about the feta being unnecessary. I might tinker with this recipe as like you, I like the savoury aspect of it.
I think this dish would be lovely for any meal and if you were lucky enough to have any leftover just dumped on a piece of toast as a snack (don’t think there would be any leftover!!) Will be having this soon as possible. And, because I like Feta it will go in too.
Thanks Mimi. :))
This sounds fantastic, Mimi – those ingredients are the perfect combination for deliciousness! I have to admit that I’ve never thought about olives for breakfast, but it feels very European. I need to try that out!!
I would never have thought that as well, but boy does it all work!
Definitely! A really nice meal all around.
Really excellent combo of ingredients here — lovely blending of flavors. And such a pretty dish, too! This is really a winner — thanks.
Thanks! I was super excited when I saw this recipe!
This looks so delicious! Definitely my kind of breakfast recipe (though really I’d eat this for any meal of the day!).
I had it for lunch after I was done with the photos! I’m not very good at controlling the eggs baking in the oven, though. But they were still good even not runny.
That’s exactly what got my attention!
It is good, but honestly the feta supplies the wonderful tang. No olives necessary, although wonderful to me!
This is a beauty of morning goodness! I do prefer salty/savory to sweet most of the time, and I am a big fan of olives This is a gem, Mimi! :-)
Thanks, Debra. When I saw this recipe I got so excited!
Mmm, that would be positively dreamy to wake up to for breakfast! I love that punchy combination of salty olives and cheese, balanced out with protein and greens. Sounds totally perfect.
If you wouldn’t happen to be a vegan…
I hope you get to try this egg!
I know exactly what you mean!
I agree- I could also eat this for lunch or dinner. And eating as a Bruschetta- I’m sold!
I know. It really was fabulous! I just wish the eggs hadn’t overcooked…
Lots of strong flavors going on here! Sounds delicious but personally I don’t think I’d have it for breakfast. If I have anything at all other than coffee it’s likely to be something light and sweet like bread and butter with maybe a little jam… I’ve tried from time to time turn over a new leaf and have a hearty breakfast, since it’s supposed to be good for you, but I just can’t.
Having said that, I could easily see this as a light lunch or dinner. I have a *huge* jar of Castelvetrano olives in the fridge I’ve been slowly making my way through this summer. Now I’ve found another way to put it to good use!
I completely understand! I can definitely see this as a brunch or lunch dish. There’s a lot going on!
Thanks. It was wonderful!
Hahahahaha! Sorry?! Actually, the feta adds a lot of tang, so you could omit the olives.