Save to Pinterest One Sunday morning, my kitchen smelled like someone else's Mediterranean vacation—tomatoes and garlic hitting the hot pan before I'd even finished my coffee. I was trying to impress people without spending hours cooking, and this dish just happened. Eight eggs cracked into a sheet pan surrounded by blistering tomatoes and salty feta, everything roasting while I sat at the counter, mostly doing nothing. It felt like cheating, honestly, but everyone at the table insisted it tasted like effort.
I made this for a friend who'd just moved into a new apartment with a tiny kitchen and no experience cooking anything beyond toast. Watching her crack eggs into those little wells, nervous but curious, then pull it out of the oven to that golden, bubbling masterpiece—she called it restaurant food. She's made it seventeen times since, which tells you everything.
Ingredients
- Grape tomatoes, 2 cups halved: These soften beautifully without turning into paste, and the halved surface area releases their sweetness as they roast—don't skip this step by using whole ones.
- Feta cheese, 6 oz crumbled: The saltiness cuts through the richness of the yolks perfectly, but quality matters here; cheaper feta can taste a bit dusty.
- Large eggs, 8: Room temperature eggs cook more evenly, so pull them from the fridge a few minutes early if you remember.
- Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp: This is worth using the good stuff on—it's not cooked long enough to lose its flavor.
- Garlic, 2 cloves minced: Mince it fine so it softens into the tomatoes rather than staying sharp and assertive.
- Dried oregano, 1/2 tsp: If you have fresh, use three times as much and add it after roasting so it doesn't turn bitter.
- Fresh basil, 1/3 cup torn: Add this at the very end so it stays bright green and herbaceous instead of sad and darkened.
- Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste: Taste as you go; the feta is already salty, so go easy at first.
Instructions
- Get your pan ready:
- Heat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment or a light coating of oil. A rimmed pan is non-negotiable here—you need those edges to keep everything from sliding around.
- Build your base:
- Scatter the halved tomatoes, minced garlic, and thin red onion slices (if you like a little bite) across the pan in a somewhat even layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle the oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper over everything, then toss it all together with your hands or a spoon until the tomatoes are lightly coated.
- First roast:
- Slide the pan into the oven for about 10 minutes—you want the tomatoes just softened and the garlic starting to smell incredible, but not yet collapsing into themselves.
- Create your wells:
- Pull the pan out carefully and look for spaces among the tomatoes where you can nestle an egg. Using the back of a spoon, create 8 small wells, pushing tomatoes gently aside but not crushing them.
- Crack and scatter:
- Crack one egg into each well, trying to keep the yolk intact; crumbled feta doesn't need to look perfect, so scatter it evenly over the whole pan, between and around the eggs.
- The final bake:
- Return to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how you like your yolks—8 minutes gives you a barely-set white with a runny, golden center, while 10 minutes firms things up more. Watch through the window if you have one; there's a sweet spot right before the whites fully set.
- Finish and serve:
- The pan will be hot, so use oven mitts. Tear fresh basil over the top, taste for salt and pepper, and bring the whole thing to the table so people can serve themselves directly onto their plates.
Save to Pinterest This dish stopped being just breakfast the day my neighbor knocked on the door asking what that smell was, and I ended up serving it to her and three other people who'd smelled it from the hallway. No one left until the pan was scraped clean.
Building Flavor Without Fussing
The genius of this recipe is that roasting tomatoes concentrates their natural sweetness and acidity, which then balances the salty feta and rich yolks. You're not doing anything fancy—you're just letting heat do the work. The garlic and onion soften into the pan juices, creating a kind of informal sauce that you'll want to soak up with bread, and that's exactly the point. This is why cheap feta or overripe watery tomatoes will disappoint you, but good versions of both simple ingredients become something greater than the sum of their parts.
Breakfast, Brunch, or Anytime
Mediterranean cooking doesn't care what time of day it is, and neither should you. This works for a lazy Saturday morning when you're feeding a crowd, a quick dinner when you don't want to think about proteins, or even a light lunch with good bread and a salad on the side. I've made it at 6 PM on a Thursday and no one blinked; it's that kind of forgiving, flexible dish that adapts to whatever you need it to be.
Make It Your Own
Some mornings I'll add a handful of baby spinach, letting it wilt right under the tomatoes before I crack the eggs. Other times I'll throw in thinly sliced bell peppers, or crispy potatoes left over from the night before. I've even added a splash of pesto at the end instead of fresh basil when I'm feeling rich. The foundation is so solid that variations feel like you're improving things rather than changing them.
- A crumble of za'atar on top brings an herbaceous, slightly tangy complexity that surprises people.
- If you want heartier, stir a handful of sautéed spinach or cooked breakfast potatoes directly into the tomatoes before the eggs go in.
- Serve with warm sourdough or pita to soak up the runny yolks and pan juices—don't skip this part.
Save to Pinterest This dish taught me that the best meals are often the simplest ones, built on good ingredients and the confidence to let them shine. It's the kind of thing you can make with your eyes closed, but it always feels like you tried.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Can I prepare this dish in advance?
It's best enjoyed fresh out of the oven to preserve the creaminess of the eggs and the texture of the tomatoes, though you can pre-cut ingredients ahead.
- → What can I add for extra vegetables?
Consider baby spinach, sliced bell peppers, or cooked breakfast potatoes added before roasting for extra flavor and nutrients.
- → How do I prevent eggs from overcooking?
Watch the baking time closely; remove from oven once egg whites are set but yolks remain slightly runny or cooked to preference.
- → Can I substitute feta with another cheese?
Yes, cheeses like goat cheese or ricotta can provide a similar creamy texture with different flavor profiles.
- → What herbs enhance the flavor of this dish?
Fresh basil is key, and dried oregano brings warm notes; feel free to experiment with thyme or parsley for variation.