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It’s extremely easy for me to get stuck in a breakfast rut. Lately I’ve been battling a snooze-button habit and a less-than-stellar meal prep record that more often than not leads me to reach for a sad, stale protein bar on my way out the door. So when I saw that food writer (and The Kitchn’s former Deputy Food Editor!) Grace Elkus had developed a five-minute feta fried egg recipe, I knew I had to try it.
How to Make Feta Fried Eggs
Elkus touts feta fried eggs as her go-to “whenever I’m starving and need food in five minutes,” and I decided to put her claims to the test. Here’s how to make your own version of the savory, spicy breakfast.
1. Heat up your tortilla: Elkus recommends using “whatever you have” as a base for your eggs. The lowest-lift version of this would be to throw a slice of bread in the toaster, but I love a challenge — so I decided to go with the mini-tortilla featured in her video. Knowing that the eggs and cheese would likely come together quickly, I decided to first warm up my tortilla for 20 seconds over the flames of my stovetop burner using a pair of tongs. (Be careful not to set the tortilla on fire, or try one of our other recommended ways to warm tortillas.)
2. Add a spread to your tortilla: Elkus notes that you can get creative here and coat your bread of choice with anything you’re craving. She used avocado, and that sounded tasty so I smashed up half and spread it along the base of the warmed tortilla.
3. Crisp your feta: Heat a nonstick skillet on low to medium heat and sprinkle crumbled feta cheese in the shape of an “O.” Don’t fill in the circle with cheese — that’s where the egg goes! In the spirit of full disclosure, the first time I tried the recipe I turned my burner a bit too high and found that the feta burned, so I’d recommend sticking to the lower end of the heat scale so that you can achieve a proper crisp, rather than unwanted char.
4. Cook your egg: Immediately after adding your feta, crack one egg directly into the center of the cheese. Add a sprinkle of black pepper and red pepper flakes to your desired spice level, cover, and let cook for two to three minutes until your feta and egg whites are golden-brown and crispy, but your egg yolk remains runny. If you’re stuck, check out our step-by-step guide on how to fry an egg).
5. Assemble your meal: Gently slide your egg and feta mixture from the pan to your tortilla or bread. The runny egg “becomes your sauce,” notes Elkus.
My Review of the Feta Fried Egg
While my feta fried egg test took around six minutes — not including the first test batch where I burned the feta — I’d still say that this recipe is a reliably quick breakfast that is a nice mixture of crispy, creamy textures and well-balanced salty, spicy flavors.
To maximize your time, I’d recommend that you assemble your base first, make sure to use a nonstick skillet, and keep your burner on low to avoid burning your feta. This recipe is something that I can prepare and eat in less than 10 minutes — which makes it all the more likely that I’ll keep making it rather than return to my stale breakfast bars. Here’s to sleeping in and eating well!