Quick, what’s gooey, melty, cheesy, and great comfort food? This egg and pasta gratin has crispy eggs, tender noodles, and lots of cheese. It’s almost a cousin to pasta carbonara (but no bacon). The flavor is simple and delicate and the recipe incorporates two of my favorite “food groups”: pasta and cheese!
It’s adapted from a a new cookbook I just got (because given a bookstore gift card as a gift, I naturally headed straight for the cookbook section!). The cookbook is called Fast Food My Way and it’s chock full of inspiration. As you may have guessed from the title, all the meals are relatively easy and quick. They’re just perfect for those days when you don’t feel like fussing (or simply don’t have the time). Of course, you can also make this for a leisurely weekend brunch or scale the recipe up and serve it to guests.
The whole thing fits in perfectly with my own philosophy, which is delicious food for one person, made from real ingredients. Because, just because you’re cooking for one rather than two or more doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a home-cooked meal. And, of course, making it yourself is much cheaper than going out, or ordering a meal kit.
As written, the flavor is pure comfort food; not spicy or salty. However, if you want, you can add other flavors (more on that in the substitutions and variations section).
Egg and Pasta Gratin with Chives
Crispy eggs, gooey cheese, and tender pasta combine to make this dish great comfort food. Great for a fast meal, or to warm up with on a cold day.

Ingredients
- 4 oz. short pasta (I used cavatelli)
- 2 quarts water, plus salt to taste
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh chives, minced
- Pinch salt
- Grinding of black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp butter (preferably unsalted, if you only have salted butter, skip the added salt)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 C grated hard cheese, such as Swiss or Emmenthaler
Instructions
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add salt. Pour in the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes (or until it is al dente)
- Toss the olive oil, chives, salt, and pepper together in a medium to large bowl (it should be big enough to hold the finished dish; I used a large soup bowl).
- Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat, but don’t drain it yet.
- Grab a soup ladle and pour a ladleful of the pasta water into the bowl.
- Now, drain the pasta, and put it back in the pot. Scoop up a ladleful of the pasta, and add it to the chive/water mixture. Mix it all together thoroughly.
- Keep both the remaining pasta in the pot and the pasta in the bowl warm while you make the eggs.
- Next, heat the butter in a skillet. Add the eggs and cook on medium-high heat with the pan covered for about 2 minutes. The eggs should be set (the whites will be firm, while the yolk is still soft).
- Sprinkle a generous tablespoonful of the cheese on top of the pasta in the bowl. Next, add one of the cooked eggs. Add more cheese, then pasta from the pot, then cheese, and then the second egg, then more pasta in succession.
Egg and Pasta Gratin Substitutions and Variations
- Add crumbled bacon on top
- Go for more sweetness and crunch with a sweet bell pepper
- Try some leeks instead of the chives
- Dice some sun-dried tomatoes
More Pasta Recipes
Spaghetti with Green Olives and Lemon Panko
Wake up your taste buds and welcome spring with this light, zesty spaghetti dish. It takes only thirty minutes to make.
Savory Mac and Cheese Recipe with Three Cheeses
This mac and cheese has some ingredients you might not expect. Like garlic and bay leaf. But don’t worry, the flavor becomes savory, mellow, and brings out the cheesy taste of the sauce.
Egg and Tomato Gratin for One Person
Fragrant with thyme, onions, and garlic, and then topped with Swiss cheese. Great for a light meal, especially when there’s a big holiday meal in-between.
Bright, colorful and great either hot or cold. Perfect as a summer salad (since there’s no mayo to worry about). And very little cooking too (just the pasta).