Eggs in Purgatory is an Italian one-pan dish of eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce, finished with fresh basil and cheese. It's a satisfying, quick dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes.
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Make the base: In a large skillet or wide saucepan with a lid set over medium-low heat, stir together the olive oil, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onion and peppers are softened, about 10 minutes. If the bell pepper isn’t quite tender, cover the pan partially and cook for another 5 minutes, until the pepper is softened but still holds its shape. Season with a generous pinch of salt.
Add the tomatoes: Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet partially and simmer gently until the tomatoes have darkened in color and thickened, about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook another 5 minutes until the sauce is nicely thickened.
Poach the eggs: Use the back of a spoon to carve out 4 wide wells in the sauce, making homes for your eggs. Crack the eggs into the wells and season each with a sprinkle of salt. Cover the pan and cook gently until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny, about 2-3 minutes.
Serve: Remove from the heat and garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and cheese. Serve right away, with good bread on the side.
The finished dish is best served immediately, but leftover sauce (without eggs) keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently and poach fresh eggs to serve.
Prepare the tomato sauce base up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, then poach the eggs fresh just before serving.
A runny yolk is still liquid in the center. Cook covered for 2–3 minutes until the egg whites turn opaque and set solid, while the yolk remains soft inside.
Yes. Use about 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes, chopped and seeded. Simmer longer (20–25 minutes) to reduce and thicken the sauce before poaching the eggs.
No. The recipe notes it as optional. The dish works with just onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes for a simpler, spicier tomato base.
Use the back of a spoon to create wide, shallow wells in the sauce. Crack eggs gently into each well. Cover the pan to trap steam, which sets the whites without scrambling.
