Eggs: 20 different ways to use and preserve them

Round up post of some of the best recipes that use eggs along with ways to preserve and store eggs for later use.

Eggs have been a staple in the kitchen for many years and they are incredibly versatile. Use them in baked goods, breakfast dishes, desserts, or even a snack. This blog post will share some of our favorite ways to eat eggs as well as some of the recipes we go back to again and again.

But first, why eat eggs?

Eggs are an incredibly nutrient dense food. Chalk full of vitamins A and B12, zinc, calcium, riboflavin, choline, and iron, plus replete with 6g of protein each, eggs are a true superfood. With the amount of protein per egg, they also make for an incredibly cheap source of protein.

The simplest ways to cook and eat eggs

Of course in any discussion about eating eggs, I have to mention just plain eggs. In our home eggs with toast and bacon is a breakfast staple.

Scrambled, fried, over easy, poached – there are so many ways you may choose to eat your eggs. Try experimenting with different methods until you find your favorite ways and master individual techniques.

One of my absolute favorite tricks is to add cottage cheese to my eggs while I am scrambling them, just before cooking. As the eggs cook up the cottage cheese melts in creating the most fluffy, cheesy eggs you will ever eat. They are truly delicious and it is such an easy way to add a little extra protein to your breakfast. If you need more ideas for sneaking protein in your day, check out this blog post.

Egg Casseroles and quiches

Egg casseroles and quiches are one of my all time favorite ways to use up eggs. They are incredibly versatile and can be easily adapted according to your family’s taste preferences.

Egg casseroles generally keep and reheat incredibly well making them a great make-ahead breakfast. You can also mix the eggs and add-ins and freeze the mixture in a zip loc bag until you are ready to use. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight the night before and then bake as usual.

Check out this blog post to see my basic egg casserole recipe. It’s easy to adjust according to your tastes and what you have available in your fridge and pantry. For more specific recipes, check out these favorites:

Broccoli and ham egg casserole – this egg casserole whips up quickly and is a true crowd please. The classic flavor combination of ham and broccoli folded inside cheesy, buttery eggs is a real delight to the taste buds. Recipe here.
Ham and onion frittata – A one pan recipe, this pulls together quickly for a week day breakfast and reheats nicely too. This is also a great recipe if you have people with gluten allergies in your home as there is no crust or flour in this recipe.
Sausage and egg breakfast bake – Protein packed and filled with veggies, this recipe is truly delicious. You won’t even know you’re getting so many veggies in. I love to make a big batch of this and reheat throughout the week for quick breakfasts.

Sweet breakfasts using eggs

Crepes – Who would know that crepes could be healthy, protein packed AND still taste like a morning treat. If crepes sound too complicated for you, I encourage you to at least give it a try. I can almost guarantee that if you can make pancakes, you can make crepes. This recipe is my favorite for crepes. It uses up lots of eggs and sourdough discard, two things I always seem to have plenty of. We like to serve stuffed with cream cheese and topped with fruit sauce.
Dutch baby – Another family favorite using lots of eggs, this is like a glorified, one pot pancake. Serve with fruit sauce or maple syrup. Bonus, you can make it ahead of time and simply dump and bake in the morning.

Hard boiled eggs

Classic hard boiled eggs are another fantastic way to use eggs. It seems everyone has their own preferred method of boiling or steaming their eggs to just the right texture and doneness.They can be cooked on the stove top or on the pressure cooker. If you’ve never boiled eggs before, check out this blog post with how-to instructions. Regardless of your preferred cooking method, they can be eaten plain or turned into any number of delightful recipes.

Deviled eggs are a classic side dish that pairs well with almost any main course. Here’s a good basic recipe, but feel free to experiment with different ingredients and spices until you find the perfect recipe.

Avocado toast is a wonderful breakfast or easy lunch. Pair with sourdough bread and you have a real treat. There are numerous ways you could make avocado toast, but in general the recipe includes toast, avocado, eggs, and cheese. This is a good simple recipe if you’ve never tried it before.

Egg salad sandwiches are a fantastic way to use up all of those hard boiled eggs you have in your fridge. This is another recipe that has so many variations depending on your individual tastes. Check out this basic recipe to get your started.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is an incredibly easy sauce to make at home and is a great way to use eggs. You will need just a few ingredients for this recipe including oil and lemon juice, but you will find yourself making it again and again for all those summer salads and burgers. Check out my favorite recipe here.

Hollandaise sauce

This rich lemon-buttery sauce requires a bit of patience to make, but it is well worth the effort if you are able to put in the time. It is delicious served over eggs and english muffins, as in eggs benedict, a true breakfast treat!

Breads and pasta

Brioche bread

Brioche bread is a delightful, light and airy bread full of butter and eggs. You can make bread or rolls, use it for french toast or hamburger buns, really anything you like. You can never go wrong with a brioche bread. Here’s a good recipe.

Pasta

If you feel so inclined for a challenge, homemade pasta is a great way to use up some eggs. Pair with your favorite sauce and you have a delicious meal. This blog post walks you through making your own pasta from start to finish.

Desserts

Don’t forget about the desserts you can make with excess eggs. Ice cream, mousse, and pudding are all great ways to use up some eggs and delight your taste buds with something sweet.

Ice cream – A favorite summer time treat, you can never go wrong with using up some eggs in ice cream. We love to whip up a batch of ice cream to enjoy on those hot summer evenings, there’s just nothing like it. This vanilla ice cream recipe is similar to mine.

Mousse is one of the most decadent and light desserts you will ever taste. While it may take a little practice to get your technique just right, this chocolate mousse is well worth your effort. Serve it layered with chocolate cookie crumbs, top it with a sprig of mint, or eat it as is. Your family will be requesting this over and over. Recipe here.

Vanilla pudding – If you, like me, grew up making and eating pudding out of a box, your taste buds will be delighted with this home made vanilla pudding. Delightfully simple to whip up, this recipe will be your new go-to for family dessert nights. Check it out here.

Storing and preserving eggs

If you find yourself with an abundance of farm fresh eggs and simply cannot use them up in recipes, you may want to consider preserving them for later. There are three main ways you can do this: freeze drying, water glassing, and freezing.

Freeze drying eggs is the process of dehydrating the eggs and then storing them in a food-safe storage container until you are ready to rehydrate and use them. This method will require the most expense as you will have to have a freeze dryer. It is a great option though for long term egg storage. You can read this blog post all about freeze drying your eggs.

Water glassed eggs is a method of egg preservation that involves storing whole, raw eggs in glass jars and covering them with a lime solution. Eggs stored properly in this way will keep for months in your pantry. It is a great way to preserve eggs if you are just starting out. Read more about water glassing eggs in this blog post.

Lastly, you can freeze eggs for long term preservation. There are two main ways that I like to do this: in individual, one egg portions and as scrambled eggs to use in casseroles.

Individual frozen eggs – The first method is a little more time consuming, but is an easy way to put up eggs for later use. To do it, crack one egg in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Pour into prepared muffin liner. Silicone ones are my favorite for this as they will easily pop out later. Place the muffin liner on a sheet pan and repeat the process with as many eggs as you would like. Pop the sheet pan in the freezer and freeze until eggs are solid. Pop the eggs out of the muffin liners and into a plastic, freezer safe storage bag, return to the freezer.

When you are ready to use eggs, pull out desired amount and let them thaw at room temperature. This method is especially great for recipes needing only 1-2 eggs.

Bulk frozen eggs – The other way I like to freeze eggs is to crack 6 into a bowl with a pinch of salt and scramble well. I use 6 because this is the base for most of my egg casserole recipes. You can do however many you would like or frequently use at one time.

I will then dump the mixture into a plastic freezer safe storage bag and freeze. Sometimes I will go ahead and add in other add-ins for egg casserole such as browned sausage or bacon, peppers, onion, mushrooms, etc. Pull out of the freezer the night before you want to use them and allow to thaw in the fridge overnight.

Pro tip: lay the egg bags flat on a cookie sheet until frozen to allow for easy stacking in the freezer.

There you have it, twenty different recipes for eggs. I hope you’ve found something new to try!