These Cheesy Eggs in a Hole are made with my favorite purchased low-carb bread for a quick and easy breakfast that’s low in carbs! And this is my version of what my mother used to call Pop-Eye Eggs!

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Square image of Cheesy Eggs in a Hole on serving plate with salsa.

Cheesy Eggs in a Hole are a riff on a favorite egg dish my mom used to make when I was a kid. I had the kind of mother who always sent her kids to school with a hot breakfast, even though she was cooking for twelve! Most of the time it was an easy-to-make hot cereal like oatmeal, but sometimes mom would cook things like pancakes or French toast. And when it was a very special breakfast, we’d have Eggs in a hole, known in our family as Pop-Eye Eggs.

Mom called them Pop-Eye Eggs because the yolk of the egg looked like an eye popping out. When my mom made them, she’d melt butter in a pan, cut holes in the toast, and then fry the eggs and bread in the butter. 

We’d use the crust and dip it into the “eye” to eat them, maybe with a little ketchup. I still like Eggs in a Hole, but now I use my favorite low-carb bread and sprinkle them with a little cheese that melts over the egg, and eat them with my favorite low-carb salsa.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  • butter
  • low-carb bread of your choice
  • eggs
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • Mexican Blend cheese
  • Pace Picante Sauce (affiliate link) for serving, or your favorite salsa (optional)

What kind of low-carb bread did I use for Eggs in a Hole?

I used to use a super low-carb bread for this recipe until it got ridiculously expensive! Now I buy Dave’s Good Seed Thin Sliced Bread that’s available at my usual store and has about 10 net carbs per slice. Use any low-carb bread you prefer.

What other names are there for Eggs in a Hole?

Eggs fried inside a hole cut in a piece of bread are called by a large variety of names including Toad in a Hole, Eggs in a Basket, Eggs in a Blanket, Bird’s Nest Eggs, Cowboy Eggs, Bull’s Eye Eggs, Gas House Eggs, and Sunshine Toast. If your mom used to make something like this, I’d love to hear in the comments about what you called it.

Pop-Eye Eggs with Cheese and Salsa found on KalynsKitchen.com

How to Make Cheesy Eggs in a Hole:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Be sure not to cut the hole in the bread too big; I use a small juice glass that’s about 2 1/4 inches across.
  2. Heat butter over medium heat in a heavy pan (cast iron is perfect), then toast the bread on one side until it’s lightly browned, 2-3 minutes, then turn over.
  3. Add a tiny bit of butter inside the hole, then gently break an egg into the hole.
  4. Season eggs with salt and pepper if you want.
  5. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cheese over each egg and cook covered for about 3-4 minutes, depending on how soft you want the yolk to be.
  6. Eggs are done when the cheese is melted, white part is firm, and yolk is as done as you like it. I cook mine about 3 minutes for yolks that are still mostly soft but starting to firm on the edges. 
  7. Serve hot, with salsa to drizzle over if desired.

Cropped image of Cheesy Eggs in a Hole on serving plate.

More Bloggers Cook Eggs in a Hole:

Cheesy Eggs in a Hole shown on plate with salsa, knife, and fork
Yield: 2 servings

Cheesy Eggs in a Hole

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes

These Cheesy Eggs in a Hole are my low-carb version of a favorite breakfast my mother called Pop-Eye Eggs. And if you use low-carb bread I think Eggs in a Hole are a fun breakfast idea.

Ingredients

  • 1 T butter
  • 2 pieces low-carb bread
  • 2 large eggs
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Mexican Blend cheese
  • 2 T salsa for serving (optional but good)

Instructions

  1. Have all ingredients ready on counter.
  2. Use a small juice glass to cut a hole directly in the center of each piece of bread.  (I use a glass that’s 2 1/4 inches across.  You can toast the holes and dip them in the egg if you like.)
  3. Use a heavy frying pan large enough to hold both pieces of bread.
  4. Heat the pan for about 30 seconds over medium heat, brushing the pan with 1 tsp. olive oil or melted butter.
  5. Add the pieces of bread and cook until one side is browned and toasted, about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Turn pieces of bread over.
  7. Drizzle 1/2 tsp. of oil or melted butter into the center of each piece of bread and immediately break an egg into the hole, being careful not to break the egg.
  8. Season eggs with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, then sprinkle each piece of bread with about 2 tablespoons of grated cheese.
  9. Cover pan and cook until cheese is melted, egg white is firm, and yolks are as done as you’d like them, about 3-4 minutes.  (I cook mine for about 3 minutes in a cast iron pan for a slightly runny yolk.)
  10. Serve hot, with salsa drizzled over if desired.

Notes

If you want to eat this with salsa, I recommend Pace Picante Sauce which is really low in carbs. I now use Dave's Good Seed Thin Sliced Bread for this recipe.

Recipe adapted by Kalyn with memories of Pop-Eye Eggs made by her mother.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 16.5gSaturated Fat: 7.6gUnsaturated Fat: 7.2gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 570mgCarbohydrates: 14.2gFiber: 3.3gSugar: 2.4gProtein: 12.8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Cheesy Eggs in a Hole shown on plate with salsa, knife, and fork

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
One of these Cheesy Eggs in a Hole makes a great low-carb breakfast if you use low-carb bread like I did. This is also great for a phase two breakfast for the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would use olive oil instead of butter and would prefer low-fat cheese and 100% whole wheat bread.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Breakfast Recipes for more fun ideas for breakfast. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
These Eggs in a Hole inspired by my mom’s Popeye Eggs were first posted in 2011. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.

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