Easy Spaghetti And Eggs Recipe

Far too often, we categorize foods and think they simply can't be eaten at other times of the day. An omelet for breakfast? Delightful. An omelet for dinner? Sounds downright wrong to some. Lasagna for lunch? Why not? Lasagna at breakfast, though ... not so much.

It's time we untether ourselves from these antiquated notions of what constitutes a dinner food or a breakfast food and instead simply ask ourselves, "What sounds good right now?" This spaghetti and egg recipe is one that bends norms no matter when you eat it, so you really can't go wrong. Holistic dietician and recipe developer Jaime Bachtell-Shelbert of Wholly Nourished says of spaghetti and eggs, "I say why not to breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Add in some plants [meaning fruits or veggies, depending on the meal], and you are good to go!"

And Bachtell-Shelbert is completely right — you will be good to go, because this dish is simple, delicious, and filling. Oddly enough, it really does work as the centerpiece of any meal, be it morning, noon, or night. Bachtell-Shelbert adds, "This dish lends [itself] well to a fresh salad for that contrasting coolness and crunch. You could always do [a] cooked vegetable as well, such as broccoli or asparagus. And this is a great meatless meal for anyone [who's] looking to incorporate meatless Mondays into their routine." Convinced yet? Then let's get cooking.

Now, you didn't think this dish was literally just spaghetti and eggs, right? Because with apologies to, well, spaghetti and eggs, that would be a bit light in the flavor department. To make this flavorful dish, you'll need a 10-ounce package of spaghetti or linguine noodles, 1 tablespoon of butter (or a butter substitute), lots of extra-virgin olive oil (divided), five cloves of garlic (rough to medium chopped), some salt, black pepper to taste, four eggs, ½ cup of grated pecorino cheese, and 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley.

And while those red pepper flakes are technically optional, they are a very good idea! Not only do they add a great flavor, but they will also add a little extra pop of color to the overall presentation.

Cook the noodles to al dente according to the directions on the package, then drain the pasta, and add it to a large skillet. Toss the cooked spaghetti (or linguine) with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

While the noodles are cooking, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the butter and oil are sizzling, add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté for one minute until the garlic starts to turn golden and grows fragrant. Then, remove it from heat, and add the cooked garlic (and the oil and butter drippings) to the noodle skillet, and toss well to combine everything.

If you have not done so already, now is the time to chop the parsley and grate the cheese. If you did, well then good planning! Now, either way, add the grated cheese and the chopped parsley to the noodles, tossing to combine them well.

Next, return the garlic skillet to the burner over medium heat. (It's really best if you are using a nonstick skillet, by the way. If not, your fried eggs may be a bit tricky to lift out cleanly, so plan to be gentle and patient there.) Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and let it heat, rolling it around to evenly coat the pan. Then, crack the eggs into the skillet one at a time, and cook them until the yolks are set.

There's just one step left, and it can be done in two ways. First, you can spoon all four the eggs onto the spaghetti, and serve the dish in a larger serving bowl. Second, you can portion out the pasta into four shallow bowls, and scoop one egg on top of each individual serving. Either way, you win.

Now, on the off chance any of this fine dish is left over, you'll have to part with part of it, Bachtell-Shelbert says, explaining, "The noodles could keep for leftovers, but the eggs not so much." But really, there likely won't be any leftovers, because this dish is just that good — so don't say we didn't warn you!