‘Barefoot Contessa’ Ina Garten’s 7 Best Egg Dishes Are Surprisingly Simple

Barefoot Contessa star Ina Garten has featured a number of egg dishes in her numerous cookbooks over the years. They’ve also popped up on her Food Network TV show and on her blog.

Most are perfect for breakfast or brunch, while some can be served at lunch or even brinner if you are a fan. The one thing that Garten’s seven best egg dishes have in common is that they are all surprisingly simple.

7. Ina Garten’s secret to cooking the perfect scrambled eggs

We’ve all made scrambled eggs at home because they are quick, easy, and budget-friendly. But, the Barefoot Contessa says we need to slow down. According to Garten, the key to the perfect plate of scrambled eggs is cooking them slowly over low heat.

For her Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs with Green Herbs, Garten says to cook them over low heat while “folding them over almost constantly with a rubber spatula, until the desired doneness.”

6. Her 5 star Potato Basil Frittata takes just 20 minutes

Garten’s five-star recipe for Potato Basil Frittata takes just 20 minutes to prep. After an hour in the oven, this dish will be ready to serve to a large group. Or, they’ll be plenty for seconds and thirds.

The kitchen tools you’ll need to make this delicious recipe include a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan, a whisk, and a small microwave-safe dish.

5. Ina Garten’s classic Country French Omelet

This recipe serves two and can be on the table in under 30 minutes. The Barefoot Contessa’s Country French Omelet calls for a tablespoon of good olive oil, three slices of thick-cut bacon (cut into one-inch pieces), five extra-large eggs, three tablespoons of milk, one tablespoon of unsalted butter, one tablespoon of fresh chopped chives, Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

You’ll cook the bacon first before removing the pieces with a slotted spoon so you can cook the potatoes in the bacon grease. That’s the secret to a true Southern breakfast disguised in a French omelet!

4. This egg dish from ‘The Barefoot Contessa’ makes a great lunch

Not all egg recipes are for breakfast. Garten’s Egg Salad Tartines are super easy to make for a yummy lunch, but you’ll need a food processor. The list of ingredients is small.

All you’ll need are a dozen extra-large eggs, one-third cup of good mayonnaise, a quarter-cup of sweet relish, two teaspoons of whole-grain mustard, one tablespoon of minced fresh dill or chives, salt and pepper to taste, and six slices of toasted whole grain bread.

The hardest part of this recipe is boiling and peeling the eggs. Once you get past that step, this dish will be ready in just a couple of minutes.

3. Super simple Smashed Eggs on Toast

In her latest book Modern Comfort Food, Garten introduced her fans to Smashed Eggs on Toast. All you need is four main ingredients: extra-large eggs, whole-grain mustard, fresh dill, and bread.

For this dish, Garten recommends white bread or pullman loaf, which is a type of sandwich-bread loaf that’s typically baked in a pan

2. Ina Garten’s Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

In her 2010 book How Easy Is That?, Garten introduced her fans to her secret ingredient for deviled eggs – smoked salmon. The Barefoot Contessa’s Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs recipe is not your mom’s deviled eggs. This dish features sour cream, cream cheese, and smoked salmon. There’s no paprika in sight.

Still, the dish is surprisingly simple to make. The hardest part is finding “good smoked salmon” if you don’t live in an area with easy access.

1. One of ‘The Barefoot Contessa’s’ most-popular breakfast recipes is Herb-Baked Eggs

This egg dish works well for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Garten’s Herb-Baked Eggs feature heavy cream, unsalted butter, parmesan cheese, and minced fresh garlic, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. To make it even better, Garten recommends serving this dish with toasted French bread or brioche.

Before you start cooking, you have to prepare the eggs. To do this, you’ll need four small bowls or teacups and four gratin dishes. This dish cooks under a broiler, so once you have all of the ingredients ready to go it will be ready in just a few minutes.