The only thing I hate more than a sink full of dirty dishes is WASHING a sink full of dirty dishes. So this “No Washing Up Ham, Egg & Cheese Bread Bowl” post is dedicated to everyone who hates doing the dishes as much as I do!
No Washing Up Ham, Egg & Cheese Bread Bowls
“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 No Washing Up Ham, Egg & Cheese 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 of No Washing Up Ham, Egg & Cheese Bread Bowls in one go – as many as you can fit in your oven!
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 on the No Washing Up Ham, Egg & Cheese Bread Bowls. 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 :). – Nagi x
MORE BREAKFAST EGG RECIPES
- Omelette
- Frittata – the classic done right!
- Shakshouka – baked eggs made exotic
- Healthy Egg Muffins
- No Washing Up Ham Egg Cheese Pockets
- Bacon and Egg Muffins
- Copycat MACCERS Sausage and Egg McMuffin
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No Washing Up Ham, Egg & Cheese Bread Bowls
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Cut the tops off the bread rolls.
- 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.
- 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.
- Crack in an egg.
- Top each with 2 tbsp of mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of parsley (optional).
- 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)
- Remove from oven, unwrap and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
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.
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
No Washing Up Ham, Egg and Cheese Bowls recipe video!
THANKS FOR THE RECIPE! Just tried this out and it turned out great. Even took a few pics! https://instagram.com/p/4KMOGuJqY0
I’m SO GLAD you loved it!! I was just on your IG – looks AWESOME!! 🙂
Hey there! That’s a really good recipe! I would like to prepare this for my upcoming practical examination, it’s part of a major exam. And the criteria is that we need to have flour in all of our recipes. So is there anything flour-related that I can add in? Other than making the bread from scratch , that is. Thanks in advance !
Instead of just cracking an egg, use a frittata recipe. It usually calls for some flour and baking soda in the mixture. Little more work, but it will solve the flour problem.
Oh my!! For an exam? Hmm….let me think. How about using a cheese sauce? I have a Nachos Cheese Sauce on my blog which has 1 tbsp of cornstarch in it. Does that count? You could pour some of the cheese sauce in before cracking the egg in. 🙂
I’m going to surprise my husband with this in the morning adding a side of bacon roses!!
*Gasp* Bacon roses? That’s soooo adorable! Your husband is one LUCKY GUY!! N x
Use smoked Turkey! Like deli sliced sandwich meat
That would work perfectly!! 🙂
husband is making these as I type so excited on two levels , love the site and looking forward to trying more yummo recipies
Thank you Cath! Lucky you, getting hubby to make these for you 🙂 Hope you are sitting back with your feet up!! 🙂
Is it possible to use deli turkey instead of ham? I am not a huge fan of ham, but these sound amazing!
Absolutely Nicole! You can use any thinly sliced meat or even smoked salmon. Anything that will essential “seal” the bread bowl so the egg doesn’t leak through into the bread. 🙂
Excuse me,
I am Muslim and I can’t eat ham but is there another ingredient that I should put in instead of ham? I’m cooking this for Mother’s Day. This food really looks delicious :).
Hello! How about smoked salmon? Otherwise if you want to make it vegetarian, a few comments down there are instructions for how to use spinach or kale leaves instead. 🙂
What a fantastic idea. The smoked salmon would be awesome.
Hi Nagi, sorry but I am new to your website, and when you say place it in the oven to bake, is that at 180 Celsius (355 Fahrenheit)?
Hi Thomas! So sorry for the delay responding 🙂 Yes it’s 180C/355F. I tend to round it to 350F. 🙂
Is there a way to make these in a toaster oven or on the stove? Our oven is broken right now and I want to try these soooo bad!
I’m late on this, but I’ll bet you could pop these in a Crock Pot or Nesco roaster. You might be able to stovetop by using a Dutch oven lined with bricks, but at that point you might as well head outside and do them in a fire, I think.
Hi Katie! I have to agree with you – when bricks start to get involved!!! 🙂
Hi Nikol! Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that! These won’t work in a toaster oven, they will burn before the inside is cooked 🙁 And I have no idea how to cook this on a stove! Sorry to be of no help. Hope you get your oven fixed soon!!
I was able to cook these in a toaster oven, but first put them in the microwave for 1 minute to cook the egg slightly then put them in the toaster oven to crisp the outside of the roll
That’s a wonderful tip Roberta! Thank you for sharing it!
Saving this so I can make it for dinner tonight… And tomorrow… and the next night and probably breakfasts as well. They look so tasty and delicious and I can think of loads of things to add variety
Hi Sarah! I know, right?? Once you’ve made it once, you won’t need the recipe either, it’s sooo easy and as you say, filling options are endless!! 😉
I am so making these with Portuguese sausage instead of ham. My foster mom loves that spicy sausage. Mother’s Day brunch here I come!!
Hi Victoria! Sausages will be fabulous with this! The only thing is…you need to figure out a way to stop the eggs from leaking into the bread. The ham is what does that in this recipe! So if you prefer to use sausages, I suggest lining the inside of the bread with spinach or kale leaves (see comment below for how to do that!) and perhaps an extra slice of cheese. 🙂 Hope that helps!! Your mom is one very lucky lady that you are making such an effort to make a version of this using what she loves. 🙂
are there any vegetarian substitutions for the ham that you believe would keep the egg from soaking? this recipe looks amazing, and i’m hoping to make it for my mom this sunday on mothers day.
Hi Stephanie – absolutely!! If your mother eats seafood, then smoked salmon is the best non meat alternative. Otherwise, kale and spinach leaves works great, as well as an extra layer of cheese for protection! Have a read of my response to the comment a couple below – I’ve provided directions on how to do this. Happy mother’s day for your mom! Spoil her ROTTEN!! N x
If you coat the inside of the roll with butter or a bit of cooking spray it helps to keep the egg from soaking in.
Also very yummy if you put artichoke dip in place of the egg or scramble up the egg w/ cheese and veggies and make it kind of like a quiche. 🙂
I love it, quiche in a bread roll. You know, you’ve inspired me, I might have to post a bread bowl QUICHE!! 🙂
tried these last week they were very good
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Wilma!! Thank you for coming back to share your feedback 🙂
You have some very wonderful, original and creative recipes. And quite a knack for writing your descriptions. I was so happy to find your site via Pintrest. Keep up the great work. I will be making several of your recipes in the next few weeks.
Thank you for your wonderful message Sharon! I am glad you have seen some recipes you like and I do hope you get a chance to try some!! 🙂
I love this recipe. I’m definitely no experienced cook, and also a student (budget and laziness are key factors with meals) and this is perfect.
I really want to find more recipes like this! Its fast to make, simple, cheap, no washing up, on-the-go food. Perfect!
What other fillings would work?
OH – or what about a pizza version? Spread the inside with pizza sauce, line with slices of salami? 🙂
Brilliant! love it, that my whole week sorted, haha! 😉
Thanks!
Hi George! Can’t think of a better meal for a student, wish I knew this recipe when I was at uni! Other thinly sliced cold cuts work great, as does salmon (though it “cooks” slightly). I’ve also added docked veggies and even frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed of excess water). Even canned tuna would work!
Hi! You’re very inspiring 😀 I love this recipe, it’s so original! I’m a student, so this is perfect for me, but I’m vegetarian and I don’t know how to replace the ham… suggestions?
Sorry for my english. 🙂
A kiss from Florence.
Hi Lucrezia! Please don’t apologise – the fact that you know a second language is something you should be proud of. In any case, your english is perfect! Do you eat fish? If so, smoked salmon works well. Otherwise, I would suggest getting kale or chard/silverbeet leaves – large pieces of the green part only (i.e. peel it off the white thick stalk). Blanch it briefly in boiling water (or microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute) just to make them wilt. Then fold it into 3 or 4 layers and line the bread bowl with it. For added protection to stop the egg from leaking, if you have a piece of bendy cheese (like swiss cheese) that will help stop egg leaking into the bread too. It’s really yum! I’ve done it with kale leaves. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Do you think other sliced meats would work, like roast beef slices? I am tempted to make this for the next pot luck at work.
Hi Arlene – yes, it absolutely will! Any thinly sliced meat will work. You could even used smoke salmon it you wanted to 🙂
I would love to subscibe to your recipes I think you are amazing with all this fantastic ideas. I love to cook and always wants to try different recipes. I am going on holiday and will try this amazing recipe of you. No mess no pots so good
If you can let me know how
Thanks
Elbie Fourie
Hi Elbie! Yep, this is a fab one for holidays because you can just get what you need and don’t have to worry about having leftover ingredients 😉 When you are on my website, if you look on the right hand sidebar you will see a place to insert your email address. Then you’ll get all my new recipes emailed to you! 🙂 Happy Easter Elbie!
Gosh Nagi! I’ve spent a good part of the afternoon salivating over your recipes after chancing upon your broccoli bechamel bake.
I love your site, and I’m sure to come back for when I’m actually needing to make some cracking good food!!!!
Broccoli bake? Oh my, that is an oldie but a goodie!! I’m so glad you like the look of my site! I’d love to hear if you try anything! 🙂 And ne sure to shout out if you have any questions about a recipe, I’m usually pretty quick to respond, I respond to comments 2 or 3 times a day. 🙂 Happy weekend Julia!
These sound bloody yummy & they sound easy to make ill be showing my wife these as will will be making them as we travel around the country
YES you should definitely show her!! They are brilliant for on-the-road food. 🙂