Eggs and cheese are the two most reliable fridge staples. When everything else has run out, these are usually still there. And they go together in so many ways that a completely bare fridge with eggs and cheese is actually a well-stocked one — if you know what to do.
Here are 15 dinners that start with eggs and cheese and require very little else.
10–15 Minutes
1. Classic Cheese Omelette
Two or three eggs, a handful of grated cheese, butter, salt. Fold the omelette when the edges set, add cheese in the last 30 seconds before folding closed. Three minutes. Perfect every time.
2. Scrambled Eggs with Cheese
Low and slow scrambled eggs, stirred constantly over medium-low heat until soft and barely set. Add grated cheddar at the end. On toast or with bread.
3. Egg and Cheese Quesadilla
Two tortillas, shredded cheese, a fried or scrambled egg. Heat in a dry pan until crispy and cheese melts. Add salsa, sour cream, or hot sauce if you have it. 10 minutes.
4. Fried Egg on Cheesy Toast
Toast bread, melt grated cheese under the grill, top with a fried egg. Season well. A better version of cheese on toast.
5. Quick Egg Curry with Paneer or Cheese
Hard-boil eggs, fry in a simple tomato-onion-spice sauce. Cube and fry paneer or hard cheese alongside if you have it. Serve with rice or roti. 15 minutes if you have the sauce ready.
20–30 Minutes
6. Frittata
Essentially a baked omelette. Sauté any vegetables you have in an oven-safe pan, pour over 6 beaten eggs, cook until half-set on the hob, scatter cheese, finish in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. Feeds a family of 4.
7. Shakshuka with Cheese
Tinned tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin, paprika. Simmer, make wells, crack in eggs, cover and cook until set. Add crumbled feta or grated cheddar on top. 20 minutes.
8. Cheese and Egg Stuffed Peppers
Halve peppers, add a layer of cheese, crack an egg in each half, season, bake at 200°C for 20 minutes. Easy, impressive, minimal effort.
9. Egg and Cheese Fried Rice
Leftover rice, 3–4 eggs scrambled in the pan, grated cheese or cubed cheese stirred in. Soy sauce, sesame oil, spring onion. 15 minutes.
10. Spanish Tortilla (Potato Omelette)
Potatoes sliced thin and cooked in olive oil, beaten eggs poured over, cheese on top. Cook slow on the hob then flip or finish under the grill. 25 minutes, feeds a family easily.
30–45 Minutes
11. Egg and Cheese Tart (Cheat's Quiche)
Ready-made shortcrust pastry (or skip the pastry and pour into a greased baking dish), beaten eggs, cream or milk, grated cheese, any vegetables. Bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes.
12. Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce
Make a simple tomato sauce (tinned tomatoes, garlic, herbs), pour into a baking dish, create wells, crack in eggs, scatter cheese, bake at 200°C until eggs are set. Serve with crusty bread.
13. Egg Drop Soup with Parmesan
Clear chicken or vegetable stock brought to a simmer, eggs drizzled in while stirring. Grated parmesan stirred in at the end. Italian comfort food in 15 minutes (if you have stock).
14. Cheesy Egg and Vegetable Bake
Whisk eggs with milk, add any chopped vegetables, pour into a greased baking dish, top with grated cheese. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes. A cross between a frittata and a crustless quiche.
15. Saag Paneer-Style with Regular Cheese
If you have a firm cheese (halloumi, paneer, or even cheddar cubed and fried), make a spinach and tomato base with cumin, garlic, and garam masala. Add the fried cheese at the end. Serve with rice or roti.
What Else Is in the Fridge?
Eggs and cheese take different directions depending on what else you have. Leftover rice → fried rice. Tortillas → quesadilla. Spinach → shakshuka or egg curry. Potatoes → Spanish tortilla.
FridgeFirst works out the best option automatically — you add everything in your fridge and it picks the meal that uses the most of what you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I cook with just eggs and cheese and nothing else?
A plain cheese omelette is the simplest answer and takes 3 minutes. Cheesy scrambled eggs on toast (if you have bread) is nearly as fast. A frittata is the most filling option if you want something more substantial.
Which cheese works best in a frittata?
Any melting cheese works: cheddar, gruyère, mozzarella, fontina. Parmesan adds saltiness. Feta gives a salty, crumbly texture. Leftover mixed cheeses in a frittata is always good.
Can you make a complete meal with just eggs?
Yes — eggs are a complete protein and contain most essential nutrients. A 3-egg omelette with cheese is nutritionally a complete and filling meal. Add vegetables if you have them.
How do I stop a frittata from sticking?
Use an oven-safe non-stick pan with enough butter or oil. Cook over medium-low heat until the edges are set before going into the oven. A well-oiled pan is the difference between a frittata that slides out and one that doesn't.