The only thing I hate more than a sink full of dirty dishes is WASHING a sink full of dirty dishes. So this post is dedicated to everyone who hates doing the dishes as much as I do!
“Perfect for feeding an army. You can make ahead, eat it with your hands and I swear, there is not a single dish or pan or utensil to be washed!”
In my next life, I hope to be reborn with slim hands and long, elegant fingers instead of pudgy, midget hands. My friends call me “Baby Hands”. Truly! I do everything I can to avoid “hand shots”, but sometimes it just has to be done.
Enough about my Baby Hands, let’s put the focus back on the food. If I wrote this post like my other posts, it would go on for pages as I ranted on and on about why I think these bread bowls are so nifty. So I’m going to do both of us a favour and simply list out the pros and cons!
PROS
1. NO WASHING UP – no pots, no pans, no baking tray, no cutting board, no bowls. These are baked wrapped in foil which you need to do otherwise the bread roll burns before the egg cooks. The only kitchen equipment you’ll use is a knife to cut the top off the rolls. If you’re as lazy as me, you’ll just run a dishcloth along the blade and put it right back in the knife rack!
2. FAST TO MAKE – it will take you all of 4 minutes to assemble 4 to pop into the oven. Possibly 3 minutes. And if you like your yolks really runny like I do, these will be out of the oven in 10 minutes.
3. EAT WITH YOUR HANDS – just like a burger!
4. FEED A CROWD – FAST. You can make loads in one go – as many as you can fit in your oven!
If you like cheesy bread, you will also love this Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)!
5. MAKE AHEAD. Yes, you really can! The only thing is to make sure the bread bowls are properly lined with ham to stop the egg from seeping through to the bread. Just assemble completely and wrap with foil, then leave them in the fridge until you need them. Then pop them in the oven!
6. VERSATILE. Get creative! These are pretty boring – just ham, eggs and cheese. Fill it with whatever you want! The only thing to ensure is that you line the bread with ham so the egg doesn’t soak straight into the bread. I tried making these with bacon once but because it is thicker and not as pliable (especially after you fry it), you can’t mould it into the bowl as well so I struggled to make enough space for even an egg, let alone anything else.
7. BUDGET. Ham is cheaper than bacon. And you don’t need to use any fancy bread for this. Just ordinary bread rolls. Even stale is fine. Once stuffed and baked, you won’t be able to tell if they are fresh or stale bread.
8. FOOD ON THE GO. Because you can eat this with your hands, it’s great for on the go! I was munching on this while wandering around packing up the props after taking the photo!
9. GREAT FOR A CAMP OUT. Can you imagine how great this would be cooked over a campfire?? Just place it on the edge of the fire near (not on) hot coals. The foil traps the heat well and it will cook in no time!
10. ONLY 339 CALORIES PER SERVING. Believe it. It’s only 1 bread roll, 1 egg, 1 small slice of ham and 2 tbsp of cheese. Actually, I just realised it’s less than 339 calories because I didn’t factor in that the centre of the bread roll is removed.
11. SO, SO TASTY. Why I haven’t put this as #1 is beyond me!
“This is a great way to use up bread rolls that are slightly stale. Once stuffed and baked, no one would ever be able to tell whether the rolls are fresh or not!”
CONS
1. Eerm….no greens? Though I DID add a sprinkle of parsley. Isn’t that enough?
OK, so perhaps I’m being completely pig-headed by not coming up with more cons. I am the excitable type and can get blindsided. So if you’re the sensible type and can think of more “cons”, leave a comment below and I’ll update the list!
Aren’t my wrapping skills shocking? You should see the presents I wrap! Well, you won’t, because I won’t ever be showing you!
Don’t toss the bread you scoop out! Save it to make croutons or breadcrumbs. Or how about this Chicken and Spinach Bread Bake or this Creamy Bacon, Chicken and Broccoli Bread Bake?
Love to hear what you think, or any other suggestions you might have for other fillings! Just leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to respond :).
A great "no washing up" breakfast idea that's perfect for feeding a crowd because you can make ahead and cook a lot at the same time. Recipe video below!
- 4 bread rolls (soft or crusty)
- 4 small slices of ham , or 2 big ones cut in half
- 4 eggs , at room temperature
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped (optional)
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Cut the tops off the bread rolls.
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Scoop out the centre and reserve (see notes for ideas to use). To be neat, use a small knife to cut a round outline before scooping out the centre.
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Line the bread bowl with a layer of ham. Try to use one whole piece if you can because then there is less chance of egg seeping through and being soaked up by the bread.
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Crack in an egg.
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Top each with 2 tbsp of mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of parsley (optional).
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Put the top back on each roll. Wrap with foil and place in oven to bake for ~15 to 25 minutes. Take a peek at 20 minutes to check them. 20 minutes = runny yolks. 25 minutes + = just cooked yolks. (See notes for more information)
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Remove from oven, unwrap and serve immediately.
1. You need to use lunch-size bread rolls for this, not small dinner rolls as they are too small.
2. You can add whatever fillings you want. Just be sure to line the bread with ham otherwise the egg will soak into the bread.
3. I have tried this with bacon before but because it is less pliable than ham, I found that it didn't work as well because I couldn't mould it into the bread bowl very well which left less room for the egg. It might work better with bacon using a large bread roll.
4. SAVE THE BREAD you scoop out! Use them to make breadcrumbs or croutons. Or how about this Creamy Chicken Bacon and Broccoli Bread Bake or Chicken and Spinach Strata?
5. MAKE AHEAD: Use round thin slices of ham like what I use that fit into the bread bowl so it lines it neatly, then add egg and cheese and refrigerate until required and bake per recipe. It doesn't work as well using shaved slices of ham because the ham doesn't form a seal in the bread bowl.
6. I've had a few readers say that it took longer to cook for the egg to set. The cooking time will be impacted by the following:
a) Your oven. Mine is a fan forced oven which cooks food faster than normal ovens.
b) How many you are making - the more you are making, the longer it will take.
c) How thick the bread bowl walls are. The thicker the wall, the longer it will take for the heat to get to the centre of the bread to cook the egg. I made mine quite thin - about 1cm/1/3".
d) The type of bread you are using. A dense bread like a sourdough will take longer. I used soft standard bread rolls.
e) Whether the eggs are at room temperature or are cold, straight out of the fridge.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
No Washing Up Ham, Egg and Cheese Bowls recipe video!
Would it be possible to premake these and freeze them (without adding the egg??
Then just defrost over night in the fridge, add an egg and cook?
These look amazing but it would only be me eating them so would rather premake a few instead of making them every morning
Absolutely! What a clever way to get around the problem of being unable to freeze whole eggs 🙂 N xx
I would like to know how long you cooked the egg for in the video if they is possible.
Thank you.
Just made this for breakfast. WOW, WOW, WOW. Easy and yummy.
I’m so pleased to hear that Jodi! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Do you think a gluten-free hamburger bun could work? I need a gluten free option.
Gosh I don’t see why not! 🙂 N xx
CON: too many of these and there will be a lot more of me to love…these are addictive!
Ba ha ha! I hear you! 🙂 N xx
What kind of bread did you use or do you recommend?
I am definitely trying this! Thanks!
Hi! Any crusty bread roll!
I scramble my eggs with fresh salsa, cover the bottom with turkey and cheese and pour the scramble in, then top with more cheese. Once cooked, I pour on more fresh salsa and cheese. Yum!
OMG YUM x 1 million!!!
Can you make these with scrambled eggs? I don’t care for egg whites, but I love scrambled…
Definately! I whisk the egg then just pour it in!
Just a thought, since I haven’t actually made this yet, but I would consider adding some onions and peppers. Maybe pre-cook them first for a few minutes? They seem to work well in an omelette.
Ooh YES to that Greg!
The best way to use spinach in something like this is to use frozen spinach, thawed, drained and all the moisture squeezed out. To get all the moisture out I start by squeezing with my hand then put it on a couple of layers of paper towels. Flatten out the spinach and put a couple more layers of paper towels. Keep pressing, changing paper towels as needed.
I haven’t tried this yet but I can tell I’m going to love this recipe!
Thanks for the tip Nancy! 🙂
Instead is using paper towels, try using cheesecloth to remove the excess liquid. Another veg that is great to use is asparagus ( best to steam cook first). Instead of just using ham, try turkey.
Thank you. I love spinach but my husband doesn’t this way we could both be happy.
Be careful not to burn your mouth when eating..
Ah…yes! 🙂 N x
Hi there!
I rarely ever leave posts, for this recipe though, I had to! Nagi I’m so happy I stumbled upon your site! I made the ham-egg-cheese bread bowl and it was awesome!! Who doesn’t love food served in bread bowls??? I’ve often eaten chowder in a bread bowl; breakfast was just as good!
Thanks for sharing your creative ideas and recipes, keep them coming.
Sincerely,
Shawn
Woo hoo! So glad you enjoyed this Shawn, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Por que no traduce sus recetas al español? Soy de Chile, y se ven tan bonitas sus presentaciones…pero ¡no entiendo como hacerlas!
Feliz 2017 y ojalá algún día pueda hacer algo rico, de lo que Ud, muestra.
You mentioned this is a. Make ahead dish….can you give the directions for that? Thanks 🙂
Hi Nancy! I must be going mad, I can’t see where I wrote that. I typically serve it straight away, or at most leave in the fridge then rewarm 🙂 Can’t be frozen unfortunately!
Number 5 under “PROS”. MAKE AHEAD. Yes, you really can! The only thing is to make sure the bread bowls are properly lined with ham to stop the egg from seeping through to the bread. Just assemble completely and wrap with foil, then leave them in the fridge until you need them. Then pop them in the oven!
*Head smack!* Thanks Tamu, my head space is still Christmas leftover ham which is find of shaved so it doesn’t provide a tight seal in the bread bowls! Just updated the recipe with make ahead notes 🙂 N x
I think what the person may be referring to is this. MAKE AHEAD. Yes, you really can! The only thing is to make sure the bread bowls are properly lined with ham to stop the egg from seeping through to the bread. Just assemble completely and wrap with foil, then leave them in the fridge until you need them. Then pop them in the oven!
Thanks for reminding me Bobbie!! My brain is still in Christmas ham leftover mode 🙂 I wasn’t thinking about the round ham slices I usually use in this recipe! I added a make ahead note in the recipe. Thank you again! N xx
I love you and don’t even know you! Your sense of humor alone is enough to make me read your blog! I even try to imagine it in an Australian accent. 🙂 I’m not a fan of cooking, but you have gotten me excited about it! I can’t wait to try your recipes, but am wondering…Why aren’t you on any of the cable cooking channels??!!! They are crazy to not have hired you yet! (Yes, all my exclamation points are meant to be there…I can’t help but be excited about finding your blog! oops, there I go again…)
Colorado Kerry
Don’t imagine my Aussie accent!!! The Aussie accent is really crass, I really prefer the American accent (shhhh, very disloyal of me to say that!!) Love the excessive use of !, I actually had someone write in once to say that they found my excessive use of exclamation marks DISTRACTING, ba ha ha!!!!! N xx
do you think sauteed spinach could be substituted for the ham to add in some green veggies? then top with the eggs, so it is kind of like a modified eggs florentine
Oooh YES to that!
Great receipies.want more
I would think the spinach would put out too much water and make the bread soggy. But adding spinach between the ham and egg should work.
i have never wanted a cook book so much, every thing seems so easy , like you dont want to wash dishes, i will introduce these recipe to my children and friends, thank you
Thanks Cath!!