Italian Egg Bake is a delicious low carb breakfast recipe, also perfect for a healthy brunch or breakfast for dinner (brinner). This healthy egg breakfast has cheesy baked eggs, crispy nitrate free pancetta, fresh vegetables and Italian seasonings, all simmered up in a zesty tomato sauce. It’s perfect for back to school meal planning, too. Gluten free, grain free, low carb, and kid friendly!
Hey friends! Switching things up this week. We’re focusing on quick recipes with simple pantry staples. I feel like last week it was all the healing and vegan recipes. Which is oh so needed and good, but to be honest, I’m currently in need of quick meal ideas because A, I’m jet lagged and cannot get my brain back to time zone. Whoa, I’ve been to Iceland and back in 5 days with 2.5 days of travel. CRAZY. But also, these ingredients are literally the only foods left in our pantry and fridge. Convenient you might say, yes?
Despite my lack of brain powder, I can still function enough to throw together a simple “Italian Style” egg bake of sorts. And if I can do it, you can do it too! PROMISE!
Let’s discuss.
Quick Meals for Busy Weeknights
The Italian Egg Bake is a recipe you can throw together quickly, using simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! As mentioned above. Just thought you needed that reminder. 😛
Quick, easy, and simple dinner ideas are the best when it comes to busy weeknights. Keeping meals healthy is important too, and this delicious Italian egg bake covers all of those bases.
It also happens to be a favorite recipe part of my August recipe theme, 30 minute meals for busy weeknights! That makes it perfect for back to school meal planning, because it can be served for breakfast, dinner or an easy weekend brunch.
Some of my favorite healthy dinners are 30 minute meals! Have you tried my easy paleo salmon cakes recipe yet? Oh, and like the Italian egg bake, my gluten free French bread breakfast strata is also perfect to serve as breakfast for dinner.
What Makes the Italian Egg Bake a Healthy Recipe?
Okay it might be just “healthyis” but you get the point. It’s all about the QUALITY of ingredients.
We’ve already mentioned that it’s a low carb egg bake, but the Italian egg bake recipe gets its healthy boost from:
- protein rich eggs
- nitrate free pancetta, giving it a hearty, bacon-like flavor, without the saturated fat and nasty nitrates.
- almond milk – using a nut milk lowers the calories, cholesterol, and saturated fats in the recipe.
- using fresh garden vegetables
- Parmesan cheese has a big dose of calcium, coming in at a whopping 55mg per tablespoon!
If you haven’t guessed it already, the “Italian” part comes from the pancetta, parmesan, italian herbs like oregano and basil, plus tomatoes and tomato sauce of course. It’s like the European version of a BLT Egg Casserole. I know, I’m so clever. You’re welcome.
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Italian Egg Bake (Low Carb Breakfast)
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 4.5 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Italian Egg Bake is a low carb breakfast recipe that’s perfect for a healthy breakfast, brunch, or breakfast for dinner (brinner). Great for back to school meal planning, too! Low carb, gluten free, grain free, and kid friendly!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- ½ cup (140 grams) chopped red onion
- ¼ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- ⅔ cup shredded Parmesan cheese + extra for topping
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup chopped fresh tomato
- ½ cup chopped fresh oregano
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 large cage-free eggs
- Garnish – red pepper flakes and oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Pan fry the pancetta and onion together in an 8 inch cast iron skillet (or oven safe pan) for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk and parmesan cheese.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, chopped tomato, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Pour the milk and tomato mixture in the cast iron skillet with the onion and pancetta.
- With a spatula, create 5 small crevices in the pan (evenly spaced) to place the eggs. Gently crack 5 eggs on top of each crevice being careful the yolks don’t break. If an egg yolk breaks, mix it into the pan then add another egg that has a set yolk OR discard the broken yolk.
- Sprinkle extra cheese on top of the eggs and place the skillet in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until the egg whites have set (yolks will be soft) and corners are brown. Baking times will vary with oven and type of skillet used.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes and oregano, if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Baking Tips – Baking times vary with oven and type of skillet used. We prefer using a cast iron skillet.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: main, dinner, breakfast, brunch
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 207
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 496.3 mg
- Fat: 14.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 13.5 g
- Cholesterol: 204.2 mg
Keywords: Italian egg bake, low carb breakfast, baked eggs, gluten free, grain free, low carb, kid friendly, 30 minute meals
Quick, name one GO TO MEAL for when you short on time and in my in circumstance, also short on brain cells?
Eggcellent! Time to get your EGG BAKE ON!
Cheers,
LC
I’m still drooling over this recipe!! I had an opened can of sun dried tomatoes that I blended in my food processor and used instead of tomato sauce and holy moly. This is a new favorite dish. I can’t wait to have the leftovers for my next three meals.
★★★★★
Great idea with the sun dried tomatoes! So glad you loved it! Woo Hoo…enjoy the leftovers!
my cholesterol will increase too much. It still looks beautiful
SERIOUSLY if your not lactose intolerant or not vegan…screw that almond milk use whole milk to have an absolute explosion of flavor!!
★★★★★
LOL yay!!
Beautiful breakfast
Keeping Easter 🐣egg-citing, safe & simple with Sandwich Brewing Company Breakfast Beer!! 🍺🐰🌷https://ecwb.ca/sandwich-brewing-company-hash-brown-breakfast-stout-with-italian-egg-bake/
#stayrightathome
★★★★★
This healthy egg breakfast makes a great back to school meal. Grain free!
While we love the flavor and simplicity of this rustic dish, we also love the fact that it works so well when made ahead.
a wonderful recipe thanks
You’re welcome! And thank you!
I made it with slight alternations, it was still very tasty ?
Nice recipe, than you!
★★★★★
So glad to hear that Jana! You’re welcome!
This recipe looks amazing, can I remove the cheese without replacing it with anything?
★★★★★
Ya, that should work, no prob!
This is my kind of gorgeous, but super simple, recipe idea!
★★★★★
What I like to call “faux fancy!” 😉
This has become one of my family’s fav recipes! Thank you for sharing!
So glad! Thanks for the feedback
Love anything in tomato sauce! Haven’t made baked eggs/shakshuka in awhile…definitely need to make this ASAP! 🙂
Italian style baked eggs. It is very suitable for breakfast.
★★★★★
So simple + delicious & filling!
★★★★★
This has me counting down the days until Sunday brunch!
You and me both friend
European BLT Egg Casserole. Once again, you’re a genius. I need to go get tomato sauce and oregano STAT.
or just move here and we can share all the meals. mmm k? how are you bro?
I love brinner! Thank you for a new idea!
This looks beyond delicious! Breakfast this weekend!
★★★★★
Sign me up for the European BLT casserole please.
Oh and welcome home.
Thank you lovely! I’ll send you this ASAP. 🙂
This looks so good! The BF is on a low carb diet and I think he would love this!
oh let me know if you try it then Megan! And please feel better soon!
Such a fabulous, quick meal! High on delicious, low on carbs—just the way I like it!
★★★★★
Hello!
This recipe looks amazing, can I remove the cheese without replacing it with anything?
Hmmm, i thinking. Can you use nutritional yeast? You just need something to bind it besides egg.
What a flavorful way to start the day! 🙂
Totally agree! and thank you. p.s congrats on being certified RDN!
Lindsay: Your eggs do not look mixed: looks as though you just broke the eggs and put on top??? The recipe looks amazing and I will make it for breakfast this week.
Oh my gosh! Sorry I need to fix that!! Thanks for letting me know. ?♀️
Iceland!!!! I have a strong fascination with that country. I should have bugged you to send another postcard, hahaha 😉 Love this savory egg dish – yum.
I almost bought you one but wasn’t sure if you only collected us states or international. Darn!
Just made it, turned out great!
I didn’t have any cheese on hand. But STILL great.
I just had a question about the nutritional facts? 23 calories per serving? Is that accurate? Even if it is split by 4.5 calories, isn’t 1 egg alone almost 100 calories?
★★★★★
All fixed now! Just a glitch. It’s around 210 calories per serving