The recent TikTok food trend we can’t get enough of
If you find yourself on TikTok on the regular, you’ve no doubt noticed a new brunch recipe doing the rounds: crispy fried eggs with feta. We look at how it’s become such a huge hit and get the inside scoop on nailing it at home.
TikTok is a breeding ground for new trends – particularly recipe-related ones.
In the last few years alone we’ve experienced the joy of #fetapasta, where a whole block of feta is baked with pasta and tomatoes for creamy, tangy deliciousness; the #breakfastsandwich, which combines the joy of a crispy toasty and the comfort of an omelette; and #TikTokwraps, which taught us all how to fold a tortilla wrap so we can have four separate layers of fillings.
We’ve seen time and again how a one-minute cookery video can quickly gather pace and gain millions of views, spawning hundreds if not thousands more videos with people trying out the recipe for themselves.
Most recently, it was American recipe writer Grace Elkus who found herself at the heart of a new social media food trend after posting her video for crispy feta fried eggs on TikTok and Instagram. The dish – which takes a matter of minutes to make – clearly struck a chord with foodie fans, with the original video racking up more than 32million views (and counting) across the two platforms.
So how did Elkus come up with the idea?
“There’s a recipe I really love from Ali Slagle’s cookbook I Dream of Dinner that has you fry an egg in a pile of shredded potato and cheese, then slide it onto a tortilla and eat it like a taco. Eventually, I started skipping the potato and using whatever cheese I had on hand for an even faster meal. One day, I tried feta, and the rest is history.”
If you’ve ever wondered what makes a food video take off on TikTok, there are often multiple explanations – that magic formula is tricky to pin down. But, in hindsight, Elkus has a good idea of why her feta-boosted egg received so much interest.
“I was definitely surprised at how viral it went, but looking back, I can understand why. It includes ingredients a lot of people keep on hand, it’s a surprising new way to use feta cheese, it has a good balance of fats, protein and carbs and it’s easy enough that you don’t have to look back at the recipe every time you make it.”
Another likely reason behind the recipe’s success is that it combines two ingredients that are having a bit of a moment online. Sure, eggs have always been popular, but recently people seem to have been on a mission to find the most inventive ways to use them, from air fryer yoghurt custard toast to carb-free cloud bread. Meanwhile, feta – that tangy, salty mainstay of Greek salad – is now being whipped into a dip, baked into a creamy toast topper and fried for a satisfyingly crispy result. While these might not be new dishes, they’re certainly being brought to a new audience.
How to make feta-fried eggs
The simplicity of this recipe is one of its main virtues. Just add a little olive oil to a frying pan on a low heat, then scatter in a circle of feta, leaving space for an egg in the middle. After a couple of minutes, add the egg, increase the heat to medium and fry for 3–5 minutes until the edges go crispy. Then dry fry your tortilla for 2–3 minutes, flipping often, before mashing some avocado over the surface and seasoning it with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lime. Then, slide your egg onto the middle of the tortilla and finish with a few pink pickled onions and chilli flakes.
To make it as tasty as possible, Elkus suggests you “use a really good non-stick pan, make sure your cheese is full-fat feta packed in brine, and lower the heat if the feta starts to get brown and crispy before the egg is done. It may take a few times to get it exactly right, but even the trial runs will be delicious.”
Alternative quick egg recipes to try
Feta not your thing? Perhaps you like a bit of spice with your brunch or just want to try something different. Here are a couple of ideas to put those eggs to work in similarly easy and flavour-packed ways.
Crispy chilli oil fried eggs
Crispy chilli oil (aka chilli crisp) is a condiment that’s been having a steady rise in popularity recently and – happily – pairs perfectly with eggs.
Begin by adding a tablespoon of the oil to a frying pan that’s on a medium-high heat – if you want, you can add a teaspoon of sesame seeds too. Cook for a minute until the mixture is bubbling and the seeds are starting to toast. Crack in an egg, reduce the heat to medium and cook for two minutes and then start to baste the egg with the oil using a spoon. Once cooked, you can serve it with whatever you like, though we recommend it with cooked noodles and stir-fried vegetables.
’Nduja butter egg on toast
Gone are the days when you’d have to go to a specialist deli to buy ’nduja: the spicy spreadable sausage has become so popular that it’s now available in most supermarkets. Combine it with eggs and butter for a deliciously rich and punchy start to the day.
Heat a small frying pan and add a good chunk of unsalted butter together with a tablespoon of ’nduja. Once it’s fragrant and bubbling (after around a minute), add half a tablespoon of olive oil then crack an egg into the pan. As it cooks, spoon some of the ’nduja mix over the yolk with a spoon. When it’s done to your liking, place the egg on top of a piece of buttered sourdough toast with pan-fried spring greens and drizzle the remaining ’nduja butter from the pan over the lot. Season and, if you want to add a little extra flavour and colour, finish with a sprinkle of chopped chives.
Now make these other recipes that found fame on social media:
Originally published October 2023
