5 Ingredients or Fewer

Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole

by:
October  4, 2022
4.3
6 Ratings
Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Serves 1
Author Notes

Can't decide whether to make a grilled cheese or an egg in a hole? Make both!

For this recipe, I use a pro-tip I learned from Five Guys: use mayonnaise instead of butter on the outside of the grilled cheese. It's way more spreadable and adds just a little oomph of flavor to the sandwich. —Joy Huang | The Cooking of Joy

Test Kitchen Notes

A nice way to add some more protein to a grilled cheese, while also providing something of a sauce from the egg yolk (depending on how you cook your egg).

This recipe is featured in the All For Farmers Market, sponsored by Tillamook. —minipanda

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 slices soft bread, like white or potato
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
  • 1 to 2 Tillamook Extra Sharp White Cheddar Slices
  • 1 large egg
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Sea Salt
Directions
  1. Start heating a non-stick pan on medium-low. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one slice of bread and place the bread mayonnaise-side down in the pan.
  2. Cut the cheese into thirds. Place one-third on each side of the bread in the pan. Cut the remaining third in half and fill in the top and bottom of the gap between the other slices of cheese, leaving a cheese-less square in the middle. [Editors' note: You want to cover the entire slice of bread except for the square in the center where you'll be cutting a hole through the sandwich.]
  3. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the other slice of bread and place it on top of the cheese, mayonnaise-side up. Cook the sandwich for a few minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
  4. Flip the sandwich over. Using a cookie cutter or a drinking glass, cut out a hole in the middle of the sandwich about 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inches wide. Remove the circle of bread (you can continue grilling this on the side of the pan) and crack the egg into the hole. Cover and cook until the egg is set to your liking.
  5. Slide the sandwich onto a plate. Season the egg with freshly ground pepper and sea salt (I used a red Alaea salt, which is why the egg looks like it has measles). Serve with tomato soup, if you like.
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37 Reviews

Ruth M.
Ruth M. February 18, 2023
When I make these, I take a slice of bread , butter or mayo both sides and cut an egg sized hole in it. Place slice butter/mayo side down in a frying pan on medium. Crack your egg into the hole, when white solidifies, flip. Top with slices of extra old white cheddar cheese and a second slice of bread with butter/mayo on the outside. When cheese starts to melt, flip to toast the last side. Eat with chutney. Mmmm!
 
Karen
Karen March 7, 2021
I made this this morning and just left the sandwich whole and put an over easy egg on top. So I guess you could say I really didn’t make this recipe but a grilled cheese (with bacon in it) with an egg on top. Recipe gave me the idea! Thanks!
 
Linda S.
Linda S. May 10, 2018
when my mother was a child, her brother, my uncle Charlie, came home from a friends house and told my grandmother about an egg in the middle of a piece of bread. My whole life these have been referred to, by my family, as Charlie eggs. never thought of adding cheese....love them plain, will probably love these even more. thanks for the recipe!
 
Mascome
Mascome July 11, 2017
I believe it's called an egg in a basket. "Egg in a hole" sounds really awful.
 
beejay45
beejay45 July 11, 2017
It has many different names depending on where you're from. When I was a little girl at brownie camp, we called them One-Eyed-Susans. ;)
 
Jenifgrr
Jenifgrr May 6, 2017
I read this, went into the kitchen and immediately made one. Sprinkled a little Fox Point seasoning on the top while the egg was cooking-delicious! I've always known them as one eyed Jack's and add shredded cheese on the top. Can't believe that I didn't think to take it one step further by just going full on grilled cheese!
 
Lisa K.
Lisa K. January 31, 2017
Easy easy and one more easy to cook! I recommend use hand made mayonnaise. Do not use Kraft etc.
 
paseo
paseo March 7, 2017
Use Dukes
 
Pisanella
Pisanella June 5, 2016
The grilled cheese bit was lovely and the mayo is brilliant instead of butter. However, not sure the egg really goes with the cheese and I wish I hadn't eaten it!
 
Mary
Mary February 29, 2016
Pesto is another wonderful butter substitute on your grilled cheese. Should work here too.
 
Joan
Joan December 29, 2015
Ahhh memories! As a former Girl Scout these"egg in a hole" Breakfasts were one of the few things we could cook outside for our "Camping" badge.
With an upside down #10 can as a stove you could cook the bacon then the egg in a hole...Voila! Breakfast....
 
Chef D.
Chef D. November 22, 2015
that egg looks great, funnily enough I never did this
 
Rani C.
Rani C. November 20, 2015
We called these "Egg-in-a-Hole with a Hat" as the cut out circle went over the egg when finished. Used one slice of bread (so the sandwich part is missing in mine), slice of cheese after egg/toast was flipped and topped with toasted center. All done in the frying pan, of course. I like the mayo idea and will try it next time.
 
craptacular
craptacular November 19, 2015
Needs bacon. Or ham!
 
Alina
Alina November 16, 2015
I love grilled cheese. Especially in the morning. When I was pregnant I was craving grilled cheese like crazy, wish I would have come across this recipe to try out for breakfast! This looks super delicious, I would certainly want to try this out one of these mornings to make for myself and daughter. I love this combination put together. It seems filling and satisfying.
 
Joan H.
Joan H. November 2, 2015
We call it Rocky Mountain Toast (without the cheese, of course, it will never be the same :)) because after you finish the egg in the bread, you put the toasted circle on top of the egg to serve it.
 
beejay45
beejay45 October 20, 2015
We learned these in summer camp -- the egg part, but they were called One-eyed Susans there. ;) I never liked grilled cheese sandwiches because the bread was always so greasy. Then, one day, I realized that you could put just a tiny skim of mayo on the bread, instead of a slather of butter, and get the same golden, crispy outsides but without having to wring out the grease. So, you rock, Joy. I don't know who these Five Guys are, but I suspect that they rock, too. LOL! I particularly love the little toasted holes that are left over, so much so that every once in a while I do the little slather of mayo on both sides of a piece of bread and toast it in a pan just to eat with a bowl of tomato soup.
 
Joy H.
Joy H. October 20, 2015
Thanks! You rock, too!
 
Dayn R.
Dayn R. October 17, 2015
Just made one to try and the entire family smelled it, came to the kitchen and ended up making like 5 of them! Used a rosemary and olive oil artisan sliced bread, added a chipotle hot sauce to the cheese while grilling, then browned on both sides after letting the egg settle a bit depending on who wanted what type of egg style... Big hit. Nice share! Oh, sprayed the pan w/ a non-stick, avocado oil spray. Did use the mayo. Nice touches...
 
Joy H.
Joy H. October 17, 2015
Yum, that sounds delicious!
 
Alina
Alina November 16, 2015
The chipotle hot sauce added on sounds like a nice touch to the grilled cheese. I love how universal this recipe can be. I would love to try that as well.
 
Trina S.
Trina S. March 26, 2020
I enjoy saricha on mine
 
carol
carol August 9, 2015
Made this for hubby this a.m. and he loved it. GREAT RECIPE, THNX
 
Joy H.
Joy H. August 9, 2015
You're welcome!
 
judy
judy December 10, 2014
Often had these growing up--called them "toad-in-the-hole" Yummy!
 
Michele Z.
Michele Z. October 16, 2014
we use butter and it was called egg in a basket
 
Kimberly
Kimberly September 30, 2014
Mayo? Really? Seems like butter would be way better...
 
Joy H.
Joy H. November 13, 2014
Butter would work, too, but I'm a mayo convert for grilled cheese. Check out this article for why: https://food52.com/blog/10792-gabrielle-hamilton-s-grilled-cheese-sandwiches