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Enjoy runny‑yolk eggs tucked inside crispy‑edged avocado halves, finished with a spoonful of warm basil‑flecked tomatoes. This 15‑minute skillet recipe proves breakfast can be both luxurious and effortless.
After multiple test rounds, I’ve locked in a steam‑basting technique that guarantees perfectly set whites and silky yolks every time.
Ingredients That Make This Recipe Work
A short list, but each element earns its keep.
- Avocado Halves – Their creamy flesh crisps in hot oil, forming a built‑in “nest” that keeps the yolk intact.
- Avocado Oil – Handles high heat without smoking and echoes the buttery flavor of the fruit.
- Cherry Tomatoes + Fresh Basil – Quickly blister in the skillet, adding sweet acidity and a pop of color that wakes up the plate.
- Splash of Water – Turns sizzling oil into gentle steam, basting the eggs so the tops cook without flipping. No broken yolks, ever.
Cooking Game Plan
Exact quantities and timings live in the printable recipe card below, but here is a quick summary so you know what to expect.
- Prep the Avocados: Scoop a bit extra from each pit cavity to make room for the egg.
- Sear & Sizzle: Heat oil, nestle the avocado halves cut‑side down with tomatoes alongside, and cook until the edges turn golden.
- Crack & Steam‑Baste: Flip the avocados, slip an egg into each well, add a few tablespoons of water, and clamp on the lid. Steam finishes the whites in 5–8 minutes while keeping yolks runny.
- Finish & Serve: Stir basil into the warm tomatoes, spoon over the eggs, season, and devour straight from the skillet or slide onto toast.
Tested Tips From My Kitchen
- Use a heavy skillet with a tight lid. Consistent heat and trapped steam are the secret to foolproof basting.
- If your avocados are on the smaller side, crack each egg into a ramekin first and pour just the yolk plus a little white into the well.
- Prefer firmer yolks? Simply leave the lid on an extra minute.
FAQs
Avocados and eggs actually go quite well together as evident in recipes like this as well as my Avocado Egg Salad and Avocado Deviled Eggs. But if you’ve never enjoyed this combination or made this recipe, you might have some questions.
Any neutral, high‑heat oil works, but avocado oil echoes the star ingredient’s flavor.
Diced Roma or grape tomatoes blister just as well; even leftover salsa can stand in.
Best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the scooped avocado halves and store covered with lemon juice up to four hours ahead.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers aren’t common, yet if you do have a half leftover, refrigerate it in an airtight container.
Re‑warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a spoonful of water. The yolk will firm up slightly but still tastes great chopped over toast or salad.
That’s better. Just look at that gorgeous color on that plate!
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Pin ItBasted Avocado Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil I used avocado oil
- 1 large avocado cut in half, seed removed, scooped out of skin
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes fresh, whole, stems removed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon basil fresh, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Scoop some avocado where the seed was to make a larger well for the egg. Just eat what you scooped out.
- In a heavy bottom skillet or pot with a fitted lid, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add avocado halves from 1 large avocado, taking care not to let them break. Also add 1 cup cherry tomatoes to the pan. Allow them to cook in the hot oil 3-5 minutes.
- Crack 2 large eggs into each half and add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the pan. Be careful as the water might splatter in the hot oil. Cover tightly with lid to poach the eggs with the steam.
- After 5-10 minutes, check doneness of eggs by jiggling them. You want the yolks to remain runny while the whites get fully cooked.
- Use a spatula to transfer the avocado eggs to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon basil to the tomatoes in the pan and stir to combine, the top eggs with tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The basil tomatoes sound packed with flavour!! Can’t wait to try this, I love using fresh basil in recipes, cheers!
Those basil tomatoes sound amazing! Perfect with some avocado.
I cannot wait to try this avocado eggs again. my entire family loved it!
Oh my goodness…..this has to be the BEST recipe ever! I love the idea of it for breakfast but couldn’t wait so made it for dinner. My family absolutely loved it! The flavors are fantastic but the egg IN the avocado is such a great presentation too.