Dinner Tonight: Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole

Members of the Breakfast for Dinner Fan Club (note: this is fictional—but only for now!) know the joys of an omelet or stack of waffles post-morning time. It always feel special—as if going against classic meal conventions makes a dish as humble as eggs worthy of fine china (or at least a glass of wine).

This Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole is breakfast for dinner at its mashed-up finest. A slick of mayonnaise on the outside of the bread fries up into a crispy, golden brown crunch to contrast the sandwich's gooey insides. And the egg isn't there for novelty's sake, either. The yolk, if cooked till runny, acts as a sauce, making it a grilled cheese you'll want to eat with a knife and fork.

You're welcome, Breakfast for Dinner Fan Club. You're welcome.

Grocery List

Organized by area of the market

• 2 slices of soft bread, like white or potato
• 1 to 2 slices sharp white cheddar cheese or your favorite melty cheese
• 1 large egg

We're assuming you already have 1 to 2 teaspoons mayonnaise, freshly ground pepper, and sea salt. If not, add them to your list, too!

About 15 minutes before dinner, heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one slice of bread and place the bread mayonnaise-side down in the pan.

Cut your cheese slice(s) in thirds. Place one third on each side of the bread in the pan. Cut the remaining third of cheese in half and use it to fill the gaps between the other slices of cheese. Basically, you want to cover the entire slice of bread with cheese except where you'll be cutting the hole in the middle of your sandwich.

Spread the rest of the mayonnaise in a thin layer on the other slice of bread and place it on top of the cheese, mayonnaise-side up. Cook the sandwich until the bottom is golden brown, like the best grilled cheeses are. Flip the sandwich over and use a cookie cutter to punch out a hole, a little less than 3 inches wide, through the middle of the top slice of bread. (You can save that circle of bread and continue to cook it beside the sandwich in the pan!) Crack your egg into the hole and cover and cook until the egg is set to your liking.

Slide the sandwich onto a plate and season the egg with salt and pepper. Tomato soup on the side is optional!

See the full recipe here.