Egg Ideas You'll Love: 12+ Recipes & Tips - Shelf Cooking (2024)

What do you do when your eggs are about to expire, and you need to use them STAT? Well, you've got tons of options, and we're about to shell out some of our favorite egg ideas!

Egg Ideas You'll Love: 12+ Recipes & Tips - Shelf Cooking (1)

There's no reason to let perfectly good eggs go to waste. Sure, you could boil them, make egg salad, or whip up a quick batch of deviled eggs, but been there done that, right?

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Beyond the obvious, we've rounded up some of our favorite ways to use eggs! From breakfast to dinner and desserts, there's something for everyone. You ready? Let's get cracking!

TRY ONE OF THESE EGG-SQUISITE BREAKFAST IDEAS

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No, we're not going to tell you to scramble a big batch and call it a day! We won't mention omelets, either. Let's think outside the egg carton for a bit. Here are five fun ways to use up your eggs and make a killer breakfast:

  • Mini German Pancakes – Have you tried our mini German pancakes? They're ready in minutes, barely make a mess, and everyone LOVES them!
  • French Toast Sticks – French toast sticks are a perfect make-ahead breakfast and a great way to use up extra fruit, too.
  • Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Burritos – We've been known to whip up a month's worth of breakfast burritos in an hour! And you can use a TON of eggs in the process, so why not?
  • Egg Muffin Cups – If you're bored of scrambled eggs, try this easy twist on the breakfast staple. Egg muffin cups are as easy as can be!
  • Freezer Waffles – You'll never buy the frozen kind again! Make a quick batch of our delicious freezer waffles.

Pro Tip: Make all these recipes on Saturday morning, and you'll have breakfast for weeks! Get more of our meal prep tips and learn all about the beauty of batch cooking.

EGG IDEAS THAT WILL MAKE DINNER A BREEZE

Egg Ideas You'll Love: 12+ Recipes & Tips - Shelf Cooking (3)

So, you need to use up some eggs, and you're also looking for new meal ideas? Well, you can't go wrong with any of these easy dinner ideas:

  • Crockpot Lasagna – This crockpot lasagna recipe calls for six eggs! It's also SO easy and incredibly delicious, so there's that.
  • Fried Rice – No matter how crazy your day is, there's always time to make a quick batch of fried rice! And you can use whatever you have. Toss in a little shredded chicken, shrimp, salmon, or make it vegetarian. Have eggs to use up? Fry them up and toss them all in!
  • Quiche – You can use up a ton of eggs pretty quickly if you make a quiche, but you can also throw in just about any ingredient! Use up those fresh veggies and grab some meat from the freezer.
  • Bibimbap – Bibi, what?! Oh, if you haven't tried it yet, you are in for a TREAT! We've got a bibimbap recipe that's a shelf cooking dream.
  • Baked Italian Sandwiches – Our family LOVES these Italian sandwiches, and they freeze beautifully, so go ahead a make an extra batch. Our other site, Fun Cheap or Free, has the recipe!

If you have a little time for meal prep this weekend, go ahead make extra sandwiches or rice to make dinnertime a heck of a lot easier.

5 SUPER SWEET IDEAS TO USE UP EGG

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If you've got a sweet tooth and a fridge full of eggs to use, you are in luck! These sweets are hard to beat:

  • Ooey-Gooey Bars – In our opinion, this ooey-gooey bar recipe is the best way EVER to use some eggs. Go ahead and make a few batches! They're SO good, you guys. If you have leftovers, we'll take 'em!
  • Cake Mix Cookies – If you have a box of cake mix in the pantry, you're in luck! These cake mix cookies are amazingly delicious and easy–double or triple the recipe to use more eggs.
  • Egg Custard – Have you ever made egg custard? It's so simple! Grab this baked egg custard recipe from Allrecipes.
  • Cinnamon Rolls – These homemade cinnamon rolls from our sister site, Fun Cheap or Free, are EVERYTHING! Need an excuse to make a bunch? If you triple the recipe, you'll use half a dozen eggs. You're welcome.
  • Cupcakes – We like making these adorable cupcakes from Fun Cheap or Free around Easter, but they're good enough to eat all year long!

Is your mouth watering now? Before you go, let's cover a few quick freezer tips! Yep, you can freeze eggs. Keep reading for the deets!

CAN YOU FREEZE EGGS?

Egg Ideas You'll Love: 12+ Recipes & Tips - Shelf Cooking (5)

While we totally think you should make every single recipe from this post, we bet you're also wondering if you can freeze eggs. Well, wonder no more! Here's the skinny on saving your eggs for later:

  • Hard-Boiled Eggs – You can freeze hard-boiled eggs, but you have to peel them and separate the yolks first. When frozen, yolks expand, so for every four yolks you freeze, add either 1/8 teaspoon salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar. Label so you know which yolks to use for which recipes!
  • Whole Eggs – Want to freeze the whole dang egg? Crack and beat them first, add them to a freezer-safe container, and label with the date and number of eggs.
  • Scrambled Eggs – It's so simple to freeze scrambled eggs! Just cook a big batch, toss them in a freezer bag, then thaw in the fridge overnight before you're ready to use them.
  • Freeze Recipes with Eggs – Just about every recipe we shared here is freezer-friendly! When in doubt, check out this post that has a running list of items you can freeze. And take a peek at our tips for preventing freezer burn, so your leftovers don't go to waste.

No matter how you prep and freeze them, be sure to use your eggs within one year!

DO YOU HAVE EGG IDEAS TO SHARE?

Now you know what to do if you have extra eggs! Whether you freeze them or whip up a few of these recipes, you've got way too many options to let those eggs go to waste.

What's your favorite way to use up eggs before they go bad? Leave us a comment or join the conversation in our Shelf Cooking Facebook group!

Egg Ideas You'll Love: 12+ Recipes & Tips - Shelf Cooking (6)

Looking for more tips and tricks?

  • Learn how to make the perfect hard-boiled egg.
  • These shelf cooking tips will save you major time and money.
  • Grab our favorite leftover rotisserie chicken recipes. They make meal prep so easy!

Break an egg, peeps!

Egg Ideas You'll Love: 12+ Recipes & Tips - Shelf Cooking (2024)

FAQs

What are the 100 ways to make an egg? ›

So the story goes that the 100 folds in a chef's hat represent the 100 ways to cook an egg, but is this true? Well, let's see... there's scrambled, over easy, over medium, over hard, poached, shirred, soft boiled, hard boiled, pickled, baked, sunny side up; in an omelette, quiche, or frittata; etc, etc, etc.

What is the healthiest egg to cook? ›

If you're trying to cut back on calories, choose poached or boiled eggs. These cooking methods don't add any extra fat calories, so the meal will be lower in calories than fried or scrambled eggs or an omelet.

What are 2 rules to remember when cooking eggs? ›

Here are some tips for making the most delicious eggs out there — no matter how you like your eggs cooked.
  1. Use water to see if your stainless steel pan is hot enough. ...
  2. Use a sufficient amount of fat to prevent sticking. ...
  3. Allow hard-boiled eggs to cool before removing shells.
Oct 17, 2022

What can you make with a lot of eggs? ›

If you have an abundance of whole eggs on your hands, here are some great egg recipes to use them up:
  • Quiche. ...
  • Frittata. ...
  • Strata. ...
  • Shakshuka. ...
  • Sheet Pan Hash. ...
  • Roasted Eggs for a Crowd. ...
  • Poached Eggs Over Lentils. ...
  • Huevos Rancheros.
Aug 30, 2019

What is the 555 method for eggs? ›

Seal Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Let Instant Pot release naturally for 5 minutes. (Release any remaining pressure after 5 minutes.) Cool eggs in ice bath for 5 minutes.

What is the 555 rule for eggs? ›

It takes about 5 minutes for the cooker to come up to high pressure, 5 minutes to cook the eggs, and then 5 minutes of natural pressure release before removing the eggs from the cooker—hence the "5-5-5" method.

What is the unhealthiest type of egg? ›

Caged: Pretty simple. The hens were raised in cages. This is bad news for the hen, and for their eggs. In fact, caged hens are 7.77 times more likely to produce eggs that harbor salmonella.

How many eggs should you eat a day? ›

A small study in 38 healthy adults found that as many as 3 eggs per day improved LDL and HDL levels and the LDL-to-HDL ratio. Yet, experts might shy away from suggesting more than 2 eggs per day, with many still suggesting that you stick to 1 ( 34 ).

Are eggs bad for cholesterol? ›

Chicken eggs are an affordable source of protein and other nutrients. They're also naturally high in cholesterol. But the cholesterol in eggs doesn't seem to raise cholesterol levels the way some other foods, such as those high in trans fats and saturated fats, do.

What not to do when cooking eggs? ›

7 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Eggs
  1. Seasoning the water when making poached eggs. ...
  2. Using high heat. ...
  3. Using the wrong pan. ...
  4. Cracking on the side of the pan or bowl. ...
  5. Not whisking enough. ...
  6. Cracking the eggs directly into the water when making poached eggs. ...
  7. Adding eggs to a cold pan.

How do you cook eggs fast? ›

1-Minute Eggs

The fastest way to cook an easy healthy egg breakfast is with your microwave. Beat a raw egg with milk, pour into a microwave-safe mug, and heat for 60 seconds. Season with herbs or spices, if desired.

Can you eat 2 week old hard-boiled eggs? ›

The FDA recommends consuming hard-boiled eggs within a week, and two weeks is well past that deadline. Since spoiled hard-boiled eggs can make you sick, it's best to be safe and toss out any leftover hard-boiled eggs that have been in the fridge for more than one week.

What is the best food to pair with eggs? ›

Some healthy side dishes that go well with eggs include:
  • roasted or sautéed vegetables, such as bell peppers, spinach, or mushrooms.
  • a simple green salad.
  • avocado or guacamole.
  • a grain-based salad, such as quinoa or farro.
  • a side of whole grain toast or English muffin.
  • fresh fruit, such as berries or a sliced banana.
May 6, 2023

What can you do with a 100 year old egg? ›

Uses. Century eggs can be eaten without further preparation other than peeling and rinsing them – on their own, or as a side dish. In central China, they are sliced into pieces and drizzled with black vinegar and served as a side dish.

What lays 100 eggs at a time? ›

Mosquitoes generally lay 100 eggs at a time. Eggs are very hardy; they stick to the walls of a container like glue and can survive drying out for up to 8 months— even over the winter in the southern United States. It only takes a very small amount of water to attract a female mosquito.

What do the 100 folds in a chef's hat represent 100 ways to cook an egg? ›

Yes, that tall, pleated white hat that chefs wear — technically called a toque — has 100 folds for a reason! According to Reclutant Gourmet, the pleats used to signify a chef's level of experience, like the number of ways he or she knew how to prepare eggs.

What is a 100 year old egg called? ›

Century eggs, 100-year eggs, 1000-year eggs, and millennium eggs are all names for the boldly odored, colored, and flavored preserved eggs that originated in China. Typically they are made using duck eggs, but they can also be made with chicken or quail eggs.

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