Next Post
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Crispy Parmesan and Pesto Egg in a Bagel. A fun twist on the bagel sandwich, that might just be even more delicious. Crispy parmesan cheese, basil pesto, seeded bagels, and perfectly cooked sunny side up eggs. Serve yours up with avocado and herbs and you’ll have a great breakfast to enjoy any day of the week.
We have ourselves a breakfast recipe! And a really dang good one too. I’m not really sure why, but I almost never share savory breakfast recipes like this. It’s just plain silly of me because breakfast dishes are delicious.
I do the same thing with appetizers. I think it’s because more times than not, I’m usually cooking for a lot of people. They’re expecting dinner, not really a breakfast-for-dinner situation (though that is really delicious). So I most often make dinner recipes, which I, of course, then share here.
But today we have a nice switch-up…breakfast it is!
The details
Let me walk you through the layers of this bagel. There’s crispy parmesan cheese on the bottom (it’s like a delicious cheese cracker). Then a layer of basil pesto (I usually make mine spicy). Next comes the toasted bagel (I love to use sesame seed bagels). And then that delicious egg in the middle. Finish this off with an avocado herb salad.
My family likes to add hot sauce – to be expected, of course.
Start with the bagel. Try to use a bagel that has a good size hole in the middle. If it’s on the small side, just use your fingers to widen the hole a bit.
Now the cheese, sprinkle it onto a hot skillet. As the cheese hardens it becomes like a thin and crispy cracker. It is DELICIOUS! In fancy terms, this is called Frico. It’s often used in salads, which is also great.
Next, dollop some basil pesto over the cheese, then add the bagel. For the pesto, I like to use homemade. My mix is simply basil, arugula, toasted nuts, parmesan, and olive oil. Oh, and I like to add a jalapeño too. Then blend everything together in the food processor.
After you add the pesto, top with the bagel, then crack the egg into the bagel hole and let cook.
The herby avocado salad
I wanted to include some avocado in this dish. I just think avocados, eggs, and toast go hand-in-hand. You can’t have one without the other.
I use fresh herbs, diced avocado, lemon, and chili flakes. Serve on the side or overtop your bagel.
It’s the perfect breakfast bagel and, shockingly, a really quick and easy way to cook your eggs. The crispy cheese on the bottom adds a whole new layer of texture and flavor. The pesto adds brightness and gives you that perfectly runny yolk and toasted bagel combination.
It’s delicious. Great for the weekends, but easy enough to make during the week too.
Looking for other savory breakfast ideas? Here are my favorites:
Breakfast Quesadilla with Soft Scrambled Eggs and Avocado Salsa
Za’atar Eggs with Lemony Yogurt and Herbs
Lastly, if you make this Crispy Parmesan and Pesto Egg in a Bagel be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Parmesan and Pesto Egg in a Bagel
Servings: 2 eggs
Calories Per Serving: 837 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 bagel, halved
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
- 2 eggs
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
- juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- chili flakes
Instructions
- 1. Make sure the bagel's hole is 3/4 inch wide. Use your fingers to pull the hole bigger, if needed. 2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the the top bagel half, cut side facing up, to one side of the skillet. To the other side, sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese in a circle the size of your bagel. Spoon 1/2 the pesto over the cheese. When the cheese melts, about 1 minute, flip the bagel, cut side facing down, onto the cheese. Crack 1 egg into the bagel hole. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, until the whites are set, but the yolk is still runny, 6 to 8 minutes, or to your preference. Repeat with the remaining bagel half. 3. In a bowl toss together the avocado, arugula, dill, lemon, sesame, chili flakes, and salt. Serve with the bagel.
The flavor is the bomb, but I suggest cooking the egg separately to avoid a big mess. I also added bacon and it was delicious.
Hey Katelyn,
Happy Friday! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Sorry to hear about the egg! xT
I’m one of those slightly unhinged humans that can’t do runny yolks. Any suggestions on cooking the egg through without overcooking the rest? LOVE your recipes!
Haha yeah you could definitely cook the egg as long as you’d like! xT
This is so yummy. Just made it for the second time.
Hey Raquel,
Happy Wednesday!🌈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner!
I will make this sometime with my homemade bagels, AND my homemade pesto! My husband’s fave is “Everything” or “Rye” , and mine is “Sesame”. Even though the holes are huge when I begin the process, they do contract quite a bit during the process. Nonetheless, it may even make my husband a “breakfast for dinner’ fan, of I add a bit of bacon or ham on the side.😉
Hey Holly,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
This is so easy and so delicious! Used a GF bagel, TJ’s Parmesan cheese alternative, and their vegan kale cashew kale pesto. Outstanding!
Hey Debbie,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
This was delicious! I think it was better than anything I’ve had at a restaurant recently. One thing to point out is that it is important to get the top side of the bagel hot before flipping it onto the cheese so that the egg will cook properly. I learned that the hard way but otherwise tasted delicious!
Hey Tanya,
Happy Friday!!⛄️❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Love your recipes❤️ I made this recipe today and used whole wheat sesame bagel…so good. Unfortunately, in didn’t have avocados, so I sautéed some mushrooms and added them to the arugula with some Parmesan. A good compromise.
Hey Karen,
Happy Friday!!⛄️❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Any substitute suggestions for the pesto?
Hi Brandi,
I would just skip it:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx