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Ready in 20 minutes, these dippy eggs and soldiers make for a quick and easy breakfast or brunch and require very little prep work.

Dippy Eggs with Toast Soldiers

Why we love this recipe

These dippy eggs and soldiers are perfect for weekends with bright light streaming in the windows and the intoxicating aroma of warm coffee. The egg cups provide the perfect position for dipping into the runny, rich egg yolk. Topped with a little salt and smoked paprika and delivered on a crunchy cheese toasty, these eggs and soldiers are fancy and simple all at once!

The recipe is printed with permission from our friend and author Tara O’Brady’s cookbook, Seven Spoons, and it’s a total keeper!

Dippy Eggs with Toast Soldiers

Tips for dippy eggs and soldiers

We recently picked up Tara O’Brady’s new cookbook, Seven Spoons. Tara writes as through she’s speaking to a dear friend, and her language is so vivid and descriptive it’s hard to put down! Her book is an eclectic mix of Indian, British, French, and Italian-inspired dishes, with both fancy dishes, like Specialty Restaurant Lentil Kofta Curry, and simpler fare, like Avocado Toast.

As we paged through the book, this recipe for soft boiled eggs and soldiers stood out to both of us. Though it didn’t have a corresponding photograph in the book (which always makes me stumble!), the idea of toast soldiers sounded too fun not to try.

Toast soldiers are thin strips of toasted bread, often served alongside soft-boiled eggs. The shape of the toast is reminiscent of soldiers on parade, hence the name. They are designed to be dipped into the runny yolk of a soft-boiled egg, and my is it delicious!

Dippy Eggs with Toast Soldiers

The photos here are of our breakfast date, nothing staged, everything just as we ate it. Looking at them gives me that warm, cozy, breakfasty feeling that you have on weekends with people you love. Thank you so much, Tara, for this beautiful book—it’s a masterpiece.

PS For bonus points, name the city where we honeymooned, based on the hidden clue in these photos.

Brunch spread
Dippy Eggs with Toast Soldiers

More easy egg recipes

Outside of these dippy eggs, here are a few more easy egg recipes:

Dietary notes

This dippy eggs recipe is vegetarian.

Frequently asked questions

What are the ideal eggs for dippy eggs?

Fresh eggs are best for dippy eggs, as they tend to have firmer whites and runnier yolks. Aim for eggs that are 3-5 days old.

How do I cut the top off a dippy egg?

Use a sharp knife to gently tap around the top of the egg, about ⅓ of the way down. Carefully peel away the top to reveal the runny yolk.

What if my yolk is too hard?

If the yolk is too hard, you may have overcooked the egg. Try reducing the cooking time by 30 seconds to a minute next time.

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Dippy Eggs and Soldiers

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Ready in 20 minutes, these dippy eggs and soldiers make for a quick and easy breakfast or brunch and require very little prep work.

  • Author: a Couple Cooks
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 11 minutes
  • Total Time: 21 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 thick slices sturdy sandwich bread
  • 1 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
  • 2 to 4 eggs, depending on appetite
  • Flaky sea salt and freshly ground back pepper
  • Smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. Fill a saucepan with water deep enough to cover the eggs by 2 inches. Bring the water to a simmer, then reduce the heat so that the water is only quivering.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. On a board, spread one side of each slice of bread with a thin coating of mayonnaise. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the slices, then press gently to secure the fleecy layer of cheese. Flip the bread over. Spread the second side with more mayonnaise and cover with the remaining cheese, patting down again. Fry the bread in the hot pan until evenly golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle with the chives while hot, then set aside to keep warm if needed.
  3. Meanwhile, once the water is at the proper temperature, use a strainer or slotted spoon to carefully lower the eggs into their bath. Cook for exactly 6 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the barest simmer, with tiny bubbles just breaking the surface.
  4. When the timer dings, remove each egg with the slotted spoon and place in an egg cup. Lop off each top with a knife. Season with salt and pepper and paprika. (Alternative: If you don’t have egg cups, run the eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle, then rap the fat end against the counter and peel gently. Place in a small bowl, split, and dip away.)
  5. Cut the toasts into strips and have at it. Be sure to keep seasoning the eggs as you devour them.

Notes

The recipe indicates to use a cast-iron skillet, but we found a non-stick skillet was easier to use and clean.

Reprinted with permission from Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day by Tara O’Brady

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About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Hi! We’re Sonja and Alex Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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23 Comments

  1. Jay Johnston says:

    It’s not nearly so pretty, but I did this with fried eggs (somewhat lightly fried in olive oil. It was excellent and I really did enjoy the toast soldiers Trying to think of other things to eat these with.

  2. Smith Rock says:

    such a lovely and healthy breakfast. specially Egg cup make its look cute :* kids would really like this breakfast :)
    Thank you Sonja for this lovely breakfast.

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