18 Dishes That Are Better When Topped With An Egg

There are few kitchen staples as essential as eggs. Eggs are perhaps one of the most versatile ingredients in the world. Not only can you scramble them for breakfast, soft boil them for an easy appetizer, and use them as a binder in baking projects, but they can also be added to a wide variety of other dishes to boost the protein content, add some extra sustenance, and even create a delicious sauce with a runny yolk.

However, not every single dish needs an egg on top — in fact, there are some foods you won't want to combine with an egg at all. To give you a better idea of what you should use that carton of eggs in your fridge for, though, we've compiled a list of some of our favorite foods to top with an egg. For some of these dishes, you might want to use a fried egg. For others, a boiled egg may be in order. That being said, all of them benefit from the simple addition of this ingredient you probably already have in your fridge. Let's take a closer look at some of the dishes you should definitely top with an egg.

Some dishes are practically begging for an egg, and ramen is one of them. If you're using a packet of the cheap stuff, adding a boiled egg is one of the best ways to ensure you're getting enough nutrition in every bite. Plus, once the egg has been sitting in the broth for some time, it starts to take on some of that flavor, yielding deliciously savory results.

But you don't have to settle for the budget version of ramen if you want to really spread your culinary wings. Try making ramen with better-quality noodles and other ingredients like vegetables and maybe some tofu or meat. Add a boiled egg, and you'll enjoy a special meal that feels like it comes straight out of a restaurant.

Is there any food quite as appetizing as a burger? It's a sandwich, but better. Stacked high with a meat patty, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce, it's hard to imagine a better combination of ingredients. But while a standard burger is one of our all-time favorite dishes, a burger with an egg on top is even better.

There's an ideal way to cook an egg for topping a burger, though. You'll want the yolk to be slightly runny so that when it breaks, it'll spread out, creating a rich sauce for the sandwich. However, make sure you cook it long enough — you don't want the yolk to be so runny that you can barely eat the burger without dripping all over yourself. Give it a try the next time you fire up the grill.

Making a rice bowl is a super easy way to use up all those leftover ingredients you have sitting around the fridge. Grilled tofu? Throw it in. How about some scallions? That'll go in there too. Tomatoes, corn, cabbage? All great additions to a flavorful rice bowl. But there's one ingredient that can transform a rice bowl like no other, and you guessed it: It's an egg. If you don't have any meat, tofu, or tempeh on hand, fry up an egg and add it to your rice bowl to make it more filling.

You can decide if you want to keep the yolk runny here or cook it thoroughly so it doesn't add any more moisture to the rice bowl. This really depends on the other ingredients you're using. If you have a lot of juicy ingredients, like tomatoes, in the mix, you may want to cook the egg more thoroughly than you would otherwise.

When you think of foods you want to pair with eggs, pizza probably isn't the first dish that comes to mind. After all, you usually don't see eggs offered as a topping at pizza places, and you may not have ever tried the combo before. But believe us when we say that fried eggs can make a fantastic pizza topping. In fact, it's a traditional Italian topping (and we think they know what they're talking about).

There are a couple of different ways you can incorporate egg into your pizza. If you want it to really meld with the other ingredients, you can actually break a raw egg onto the center of the pizza right before you get ready to bake it. Alternatively, you can fry the egg separately and add it on after the pizza's already come out of the oven.

We're all in search of easy, simple, savory breakfast hacks that will leave us feeling full and satisfied — and don't require 30 minutes or more of prep work before we head out the door. If you're looking for an unconventional (but very delicious) breakfast hack, you may want to try making loaded sweet potatoes. These aren't just any loaded sweet potatoes, though — if you're looking for the best results, add a hard-boiled egg for a breakfast twist. We like cutting a sweet potato in half and then topping each half with an egg.

Of course, there are other ways to serve sweet potatoes and eggs. If you have some extra time in the morning, consider making an omelet with sweet potato as an addition. The savory and sweet flavors, when combined, make for a deeply satisfying weekend breakfast.

Now this one may come as a surprise to some, especially if you're used to eating oatmeal sweetened with fruit, sugar, or syrup and topped with nuts, shredded coconut, or even chocolate nibs. Although many of us enjoy eating our oatmeal in a sweet format, that's not the only way it can be prepared. If you're ready to completely switch up your oatmeal routine, you may want to try savory oatmeal.

Cook your oatmeal in chicken or vegetable broth, and then don't be afraid to get creative with the toppings you use. A wide variety of salty, savory ingredients can work here, like vegetables, ground meat, and more. Of course, no savory oatmeal is complete without an egg on top. Whether you choose to poach, fry, or scramble your egg, you're going to love this combo.

Pasta is just for dinner, right? Maybe if you're feeling fancy, you can order it for lunch. But breakfast? Many of us wouldn't dream of making breakfast pasta. We're here to tell you, though, that it may just be the best possible way to get your day off to a good (and deeply enjoyable) start. You can start with any kind of pasta, but we like something long, like fettuccine or linguine. Add in some bacon for added saltiness and fat, and then — of course — plop some fried or poached eggs on top.

This breakfast salad is basically a deconstructed carbonara. It's easier to make than the original dish, and it comes together in just a few minutes at the stove. Who knows? Pasta may just become a breakfast food in your house from now on.

Is there anything in this world better than digging into a big, juicy steak? If you're a meat lover, it's probably the pinnacle of your culinary existence. But there's one addition that can take your steak to a whole new level, and it's fried eggs. Steak and eggs is a timeless, traditional combo for a reason: It combines two decadent ingredients in one dish. And since fried eggs are so easy to cook, it's simple to add them onto your plate once you finish cooking the steak.

There are so many ways you could flavor your steak in general, but we think the steak and egg combo is begging for some chimichurri. Buy some at the store if you're pinched for time, or make your own from scratch for the freshest possible flavor.

You may have had shrimp and grits before, but have you ever had eggs and grits? Eggs are a common addition to grits, and because it's (usually) a cheaper option than shrimp, we think it's a perfect combo. If you want your breakfast to cook in a flash, opt for instant grits — they only take a few minutes to cook on the stove. Then, add in any kind of egg that you're craving. Fried eggs work well here, of course, but scrambled eggs are a better option if you want the eggs to mix in with the grits more.

You don't have to stop with grits and eggs, though. From there, you can add in a variety of other ingredients to give the dish even more flavor. Scallions, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes are some of our favorites.