Pesto Egg Toast Delight (Printable Version)

Jammy eggs atop crispy toast spread with fresh basil pesto and a hint of Parmesan cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Eggs

01 - 2 large eggs

→ Bread

02 - 2 slices sourdough or country bread

→ Pesto

03 - 2 tablespoons basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

→ Toppings

04 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
05 - Salt, to taste
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
07 - 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
08 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (optional)
09 - Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently lower in the eggs and simmer for 7 minutes for jammy yolks. Transfer eggs immediately to an ice bath or run under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and set aside.
02 - Toast the bread slices until golden and crisp.
03 - Spread 1 tablespoon of basil pesto evenly over each slice of toast.
04 - Slice each egg in half and arrange on top of the pesto-spread toast.
05 - Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes as desired.
06 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes flat, which means you can make it on a regular Wednesday and feel fancy doing it.
  • That runny egg yolk does all the heavy lifting—it softens the pesto and makes everything silky without needing any butter or cream.
  • You can pivot the flavor a hundred different ways depending on what pesto you have on hand or what mood you're in.
02 -
  • Seven minutes is non-negotiable—six and the white near the yolk is barely set, eight and you lose that liquid center that makes this dish work.
  • Ice bath is not optional theater, it's the only way to stop the cooking and get that perfect jammy middle instead of a firm yolk.
  • Fresh pesto tastes completely different from store-bought, but store-bought is more forgiving and honestly delicious, so don't let perfectionism prevent you from making this.
03 -
  • Room-temperature pesto spreads more evenly than cold pesto straight from the fridge, so take it out a few minutes early and let it sit.
  • If you're making this for multiple people, you can soft-boil eggs in advance and keep them in the fridge for up to three days—just reheat gently in warm water before serving.
  • The moment the toast hits the plate is your moment to move fast, because warm bread and cool eggs will meet in the middle and be perfect, but only for a few minutes.
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