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Spiced Lentil and Caramelized Onion Baked Eggs

Photo of Kendra Vaculin's lentil onion bake with three eggs in a pan with a serving spoon on a countertop.
Photo & Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin

Your local grocery store likely has a few canned (and jarred and cartoned) lentil soup options; for this recipe, stick with something basic and straightforward, like Amy’s. You want a fairly blank canvas to dress up with the earthy spices and sweet caramelized onions.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    45 minutes

  • Yield

    2–3 servings

Ingredients

1

(14.5-ounce) can basic lentil soup, like Amy’s

1

large onion, thinly sliced

½

tsp. turmeric

1

tsp. cumin

¼

tsp. Aleppo pepper or ⅛ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2

Tbsp. tomato paste

3

large eggs

2

Tbsp. ghee, unsalted butter, or olive oil

½

tsp. whole cumin seeds

Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parsley, for finishing

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 350°F.

    Step 2

    In a medium, oven-safe pan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 large, thinly sliced onion and ½ tsp. Kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

    Step 3

    Add ½ tsp. turmeric, 1 tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp. Aleppo pepper (or ⅛ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes), and 2 Tbsp. tomato paste. Cook and stir constantly until the onions are coated and the tomato paste has darkened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add ⅓ cup water; stir and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid looks thickened and saucy. Add one 14-oz. can of lentil soup; cook, stirring to combine, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and season with salt, pepper, and more Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes to taste.

    Step 4

    Using a spoon, create 3 wells in the lentil mixture. Carefully crack 1 egg into each well. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the whites of the eggs are just set, 11 to 13 minutes.

    Step 5

    While the eggs bake, in a small pot or butter warmer, heat 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, ghee, or olive oil over medium heat. Add ½ tsp. cumin seeds; swirl the pan until the seeds start to sizzle and brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

    Step 6

    Drizzle the finished eggs with the butter mixture, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with parsley before serving.