Face it: Grabbing a granola bar and running out the door in the morning usually doesn’t cut it. Skipping breakfast leaves you feeling exhausted (and hungry) by 11 a.m., which leads to daily snack drawer raids that strike earlier and earlier as the week goes on. So, why not try one of these healthy egg breakfasts instead? Most of them come together in no time (in fact, some of them can be partially or totally prepared in advance), and they’re packed with protein and fresh produce that will keep you alert and lively until lunch. Doesn’t that sound better than dry cereal and your kid’s forgotten fruit snacks? I rest my case.
35 Healthy Egg Breakfasts That Will Keep You Full ’Til Lunch
Let's get crackin'
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Published Aug 13, 2024
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
1. Fried Egg Breakfast Tacos with Hot Honey
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, beginner-friendly
You’ll want to drizzle the chile-infused honey on everything from pizza to fried chicken. "Here, I used Holland peppers to infuse the honey," writes PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen, "but any spicy chile can take their place, like Fresno or Thai. Just make sure to taste the honey as it infuses so you can adjust the heat level if it’s not spicy enough."
2. 30-Minute Breakfast Hash with Kale and Sweet Potato
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, one pan, beginner-friendly
It's colorful, hearty and comes together in no time at all—need I say more? "Any hearty green could replace the kale, and the spices are totally interchangeable," Gillen suggests. "I wouldn’t complain if someone added a little cheese, either."
3. Mini Spanish Tortilla with Zucchini
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, vegetarian
Isn’t it the prettiest single-serve healthy egg breakfast you ever did see? I’d plate it with a side of greens or fresh fruit (or crown it with burrata and crispy prosciutto).
4. Poached Egg with Frisée and Arugula Salad
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
If you always have trouble making a flawless poached egg, you need this recipe in your life. A dash of vinegar is all it takes for the egg white to set neatly.
5. Sweet Potato, Bacon and Broccoli Egg Muffins
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, dairy free
Tender veggies meet thick-cut bacon in this grab-and-go breakfast, because it’s all about balance, people. Nutritional yeast offers cheesy flavor to the healthy egg breakfast without additional dairy.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Bring on the heart-healthy fats (and crumbled cotija cheese). If you love a runny yolk, this 25-minute, five-ingredient meal will become your new go-to. Might I suggest serving it with toast or fresh baguette?
7. Quiche with Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Crust
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Cut down on the carbs by trading dough for thin-sliced sweet potatoes. Don’t worry though—the quiche is still layered with lots of Emmentaler cheese and heavy cream for decadence.
8. Yotam Ottolenghi’s Braised Eggs with Leek and Za’atar
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, one pan
Wash it down with coffee on a weekday, but I’d be remiss not to tell you how well this healthy egg breakfast pairs with white wine. (After all, it can be a satisfying meal for any time of day.)
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, one pan
This baked egg dish from Tunisia is so much simpler to make than it looks. Serve it with dressed greens and plenty of crusty bread for scooping up the spicy harissa tomato sauce.
10. Slow Cooker Mediterranean Frittata
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, slow cooker recipe, make ahead
Talk about hands-off. You basically just need to dump in all the ingredients and let the Crockpot work its magic to pull off this foolproof healthy egg breakfast. Add meat to the mix if you'd like, but it's vegetarian as is.
11. Sweet Potato Rösti with Fried Eggs and Greens
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Never had rösti before? It’s sort of like a latke, except it’s of Swiss origin and shallow-fried in a pan. You can use grated carrots or squash instead of sweet potato if you’d prefer (although I'm partial to spuds).
12. Breakfast Caprese with Soft Boiled Eggs
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Protein-rich eggs take the iconic mozzarella-tomato-basil combo from a snack to a meal. I like serving this healthy egg breakfast for an alfresco summer meal in particular, since the fresh tomato is a major component.
13. Ketogenic Baked Eggs and Zoodles with Avocado
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: low carb, <30 minutes, vegetarian
How cute are those swirly veggie nests? The recipe is calls for zucchini noodles, but you could sub cucumber or sweet potato noodles to mix things up. Plate them with cheese and crispy bacon strips, and you’ve got a full-blown keto feast.
14. Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, slow cooker, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Eggs, scallions, cherry tomatoes, hash browns, white cheddar cheese, bacon—yup, the gang’s all here, and your guests will be fed in one fell swoop. Pass the mimosa pitcher, please.
15. Roasted Pumpkin and Brussels Sprouts with Poached Eggs
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, gluten free
The moment spooky season begins, this beauty shoots to the top of my to-eat list. Might I suggest finishing this healthy egg breakfast with a flourish of toasted pepitas for texture?
16. One-Pan Eggs with Asparagus and Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Because no one wants to wash dishes first thing in the morning, this nutritious number is assembled and baked on a single sheet pan. It's also free of gluten, dairy and meat to boot (although cheese or bread would be natural accompaniments).
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, low carb
If you’re on a low-carb diet, this savory one-pan wonder is ready to devour as is. If you’re not, bust out the tortilla chips for some enthusiastic scooping. Either way, this healthy egg breakfast will win a spot in your weekly rotation.
18. Sheet Pan Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Dill
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, <10 ingredients
Toast yourself a bagel, cut a slab of baked egg and sandwich it for a lightning-fast morning handheld. Keep the leftovers in the fridge and chip away at them all week long (they'll be tasty served hot or cold).
19. Green Shakshuka
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
This twist on the crimson O.G. stars wilted spinach, minced jalapeño and lots of fresh parsley and cilantro, all seasoned with harissa, garlic and dry spices. One bite, and I promise you won't miss the tomatoes.
20. Quick Congee
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes (plus soaking time)
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
This Asian porridge is its most delicious when crowned with a runny egg. Soak, portion and freeze the rice in advance so it’ll only take you 30 minutes to prepare the congee in the morning. Then, top it with anything from microgreens to mushrooms to kimchi.
21. Squash and Squash Blossom Frittata
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Sure, squash blossoms don’t add a ton of flavor to this dish. But they will have your brunch guests thinking you ordered in from a fancy local restaurant.
22. Egg and Veggie Breakfast Bowl
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Psst: If you roast the vegetables the night before and store them in the fridge, all you’ll have to do is reheat them and prepare the egg in the morning. In the words of Ina Garten, how easy is that?
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Avocado makes the filling for these 30-minute poppables unbelievably buttery and creamy. Even better, you can prepare this healthy egg breakfast the night before and let it chill in the fridge 'til morning.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
It’s hands-down my favorite way to use up my farmers market haul of summer tomatoes. Chow down on these alfresco with a side of lemon-spritzed arugula.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Keto dieters, rejoice: You’re only three ingredients, 45 minutes and a muffin tin away from your new favorite low-carb, healthy egg breakfast. If you aren't minding your carbs though, pair this with a bagel, English muffin or toast.
26. Eggs in a Basket
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
A loaf of Italian bread, grated Parmesan cheese and a handful of pantry staples are the only things that stand between you and the easiest brunch you’ve ever prepared. It's also a breeze to eat on the go if you cook the yolks through.
27. Kale Quiche with Cheddar-Rice Crust
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
Greens just taste a million times better when they’re wrapped in cheese—go figure. Did I mention this crowd-pleaser is gluten-free, thanks to the wheatless crust?
28. Egg Tacos with Roasted Poblano, Onion and Corn Salsa
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, kid-friendly
You can also refer to the zesty topper on this healthy egg breakfast as Clear Out the Crisper Drawer Salsa. All that’s missing is a few dashes of hot sauce (or a dollop of sour cream).
29. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Easy Frittata
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, one pan, beginner-friendly
Reason number 245 to hold onto your beet (and carrot!) greens. They’re packed with nutrition and offer sweet earthiness to this otherwise plain frittata. (Seriously: It only requires five ingredients, including salt and pepper.)
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead
File this under Most Ingenious Ways to Use Up Leftover Mashed Potatoes. (In other words, I know what you’ll be having for breakfast on Black Friday *and* December 26.)
31. Joanna Gaines’s Asparagus and Fontina Quiche
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Easy enough to whip up on a lazy Sunday, elegant enough to serve at Easter brunch. Shaving the asparagus into thin strips makes for such a classy presentation that your guests will want to show off on their Instagram stories.
32. Mini Cauliflower Crust Breakfast Pizzas with Spicy Garlic Honey
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, make ahead
It pretty much goes without saying that these mini pies will be your kids’ new favorite healthy egg breakfast the moment they taste them. Infuse the honey ahead to save time in the morning.
33. Salsa Shakshuka
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Store-bought salsa makes this riff on shakshuka even easier to pull off than the original. Serve it with plenty of shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.
34. Onion and Arugula Frittata
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
The hardest step of this recipe is waiting for the onions to caramelize. But the more patient you are, the more delicious they’ll taste. Up the ante by slathering your slice in onion jam, if you feel so inclined.
35. Breakfast Ramen
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Noodles first thing in the morning? Don’t mind if I do. Gussy up chicken-flavored packet ramen with a boatload of fresh veggies, a poached egg, herbs and chile crisp.
