When searching for a meatless dinner idea that’s still rich in protein, eggs are underrated. Sure, having breakfast for dinner is always a solid option, but eggs are good for more than being a side to pancakes and hash browns. Below are recipes for pasta, curry, sandwiches and scrambles that are decidedly dinner-appropriate. If you’re looking for more vegetarian dinner ideas, sign up for The Veggie, New York Times Cooking’s new weekly newsletter.
The filling of this popular Korean street-food sandwich is made with cabbage, carrots and scallions, loosely bound with an egg and fried in butter. It’s served on toasted, sugar-dusted slices of milk bread for that salty-sweet experience. Darun Kwak’s recipe also calls for ham, which you can, of course, forgo for a vegetarian dinner.
This recipe doubles as a dinner party main and a stunning centerpiece. Alexa Weibel’s tart, adapted from “The Modern Cook’s Year” by Anna Jones, yields a buttery crust, runny yolks and as many seasonal vegetables as you can reasonably fit in there.
This recipe from Tejal Rao is as comforting as they come: Halved eggs, hard-boiled however you like them, peek out from a sauce of tomatoes, caramelized onions and warming spices. Just add a handful of cilantro and a pot of rice to complete the meal.
Recipe: Egg Curry
Eggs and potatoes go together like, well, eggs and potatoes. And variations on this dish with Spanish roots abound. Ali Slagle’s vegetarian take uses smoked paprika to mimic the flavor of chorizo, which is often served with it. If you need any more convincing, the recipe’s five-star average rating doesn’t lie.
The French love this dish so much, there’s a society in place to protect it. (Really.) It’s as simple as boiling eggs and topping them with a mustardy seasoned mayonnaise. You’re free to add anchovies, herbs or capers to garnish. And you can serve it, as Dorie Greenspan recommends, with a simple salad and plenty of crusty bread — une baguette, s’il vous plaît!
Recipe: Egg Mayo
This weeknight number from Mark Bittman is one of our most popular recipes, most likely because of its incredibly short ingredient list and 20-minute cook time. After trying it, don’t be surprised to find that it becomes your go-to dish, as it did for Kat, who writes in the comments section: “Since discovering this recipe two weeks ago, I’ve made this probably 8-10 times. It’s so good.”
Recipe: Spaghetti With Fried Eggs
Again, eggs and potatoes — they’re soul mates. In this hash recipe from Hetty McKinnon, kimchi arrives to spice things up. A drizzle of Kewpie mayonnaise and a sprinkle of furikake and scallions seal the deal on this warm (and filling) 30-minute meal.
Recipe: Kimchi and Potato Hash With Eggs
Bet you didn’t expect an egg salad sandwich to become an Instagram darling. Tejal Rao adapted this recipe from Konbi, the tiny cafe in Los Angeles that managed to turn a delicious mess of eggs and mayonnaise on milk bread into a viral sensation.
Recipe: Konbi’s Egg Salad Sandwich
Here’s another so-simple-it-just-might-work idea from Mark Bittman: Any vegetables you might have kicking around can be suspended in a few whisked eggs and seasoned simply with salt, pepper and a little cheese. Cook it all for about 10 minutes, tear up a loaf of bread and pat yourself on the back.
Recipe: More-Vegetable-Than-Egg Frittata
All hail Melissa Clark, a woman with a masterful understanding of eggs for dinner. This deeply savory skillet meal makes use of tons of fresh greens, frozen peas and, if you’re lucky, and it’s spring, ramps — though scallions work just as well. Pancetta is optional, but if you’re up for a little meat as a condiment, it adds depth.
Scrambled eggs are an obvious choice for a quick and adaptable dinner. Sarah Copeland likes hers the Turkish way, loaded with bell pepper and feta, and served with lots of olives and pita bread.
This recipe has it all: smooth, tangy yogurt, a pile of greens, spicy chile oil and a crunchy, savory seed mix. Oh, and perfectly fried eggs. Krysten Chambrot adapted this dish from the late, great MeMe’s Diner in Brooklyn. Making it is almost as good as securing a time machine and going back to eat there in person.
The lacy, bright orange edges on these fried eggs make them visually stunning, but a tangy tamarind dressing and lots of fresh chiles make them remarkable to eat, too. One commenter on this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi describes them as “perfect … magical even.”
Recipe: Turmeric Fried Eggs With Tamarind and Pickled Shallots
