Name: Ham, Spinach, and Cheese Egg Boat Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 large loaf French or Italian bread ((about 14-inches long and thick enough to cut a well in the middle)); 4 ounces ham, diced ((about ¾ cup)); 1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach; 5 large eggs; ½ cup milk; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; ¾ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Crunchy bread holds a flavorful egg, cheese, spinach, and ham filling. This fun egg boat recipe will transform brunch!

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Egg boats are easy to make and so versatile. You can fill your boat with any omelet-type filling you like.

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 40 minutes in the oven
Equipment you’ll need: baking sheet, sharp knife, mixing bowl
Servings: 3

Egg boat with spinach, ham, and cheddar.

When you think of brunch, what immediately comes to mind? (Besides being the best thing ever.)

I think of quiche (bonus points if it has a cornmeal crust), egg casseroles, maybe pancakes, French toast, hashes (I love this air fryer sweet potato hash with candied bacon), and yeah, of course, bacon! Lots of bacon! Have you ever tried baked bacon? It’s a game-changer. Lately we’ve been loving this crustless quiche.

And definitely mimosas. Check out my other site, PancakeRecipes.com, to learn how to make a mimosa board, or a bloody Mary board, if that’s more your thing. And TONS of coffee, too.

But how about a egg boat? I think this is what your brunch is missing. With egg casseroles, it’s all the same texture (kinda mushy although absolutely delightful and something I would eat every single day of my life). In contrast, the egg boat offers an ultra crisp outside with a soft, creamy filling.

It’s the best of both worlds and is just the thing for those of you who love variety. I think it will really “float your boat”! Ha Ha!

About This Egg Boat Recipe

Egg boats are a great breakfast for dinner, aka “brinner”. There’s no better way to help the kids recharge after big school days than with a nutritious dinner featuring eggs! One large egg boasts six grams of high-quality protein, no sugar and zero carbs, all for just 70 calories. Eggs are also very economical and keep well. Am I beginning to sound like an advertisement for eggs? Maybe so, but eggs are a prominent part of my household’s diet. I make a big batch of Instant Pot hard boiled eggs weekly so we always have a quick egg snack ready to eat.

It’s easy to substitute ingredients you like. I chose a pretty classic combination for this egg boat: salty ham, leafy green spinach and sharp cheddar cheese. If one of those ingredients isn’t your favorite, it’s easy to sub in anything you like.

Cooking Tip

I don’t want you to think that the inside portion of the bread that you remove to make room for the filling is just thrown away! You can use it to make homemade bread crumbs or the best croutons.

Let’s run through the egg boat how-to’s right now and I’ll give you lots of helpful tips.

Ingredients You’ll Need

French or Italian Bread: You’ll need a good sized loaf of bread or baguette, about fourteen inches long and wide enough to cut a nice opening in the middle to hold the filling. Think boats when you’re shopping, not skinny kayaks. Whole wheat bread is great, too! If you want to make individual boats, buy smaller loaves of bread, or demi baguettes.
Ham: Deli ham is fine, leftover ham works great, or substitute cooked sausage or bacon.
Spinach: Baby spinach leaves cook quickly so there’s no need to sauté them before adding them to your boat. Spinach is so good for you too!
Eggs: Of course you need eggs for your egg boat! You’ll need 5 eggs.
Milk: The milk is mixed with the eggs to make the quiche-like filling.
Salt & Pepper: Season the egg mixture to your taste.
Dijon Mustard: The mustard adds a bit of zing to the mixture. If you’re not a fan of mustard, simply use less or omit it altogether.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese: The cheese is sprinkled on top for a nice egg and cheese combo. Don’t care for cheddar? Any type of cheese is fine!

How To Make This Egg Boat Recipe

Get ready. Turn the oven on to preheat and prepare a rimmed baking pan to hold your egg boat. I like to line it with foil or parchment paper for super easy cleanup. Also, just in case your boat overflows with filling (I always try to stuff mine way too full!), the paper will contain the mess.

Prep the bread. Use a sharp serrated knife to carefully make a well in the top side of the bread. Leave at least three-quarters of an inch on all sides so there’s a firm container for the filling. Put the bread on the baking sheet.

Make the egg filling. In a bowl or large measuring cup, blend together the eggs, milk, and seasonings, including the mustard if you’re using it. Use a fork or a whisk, mixing until it’s well-blended. It should look much like uncooked scrambled eggs.

Fill the boat. Arrange the ham pieces and chopped spinach in the bottom of the well. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the boat, over the ham and spinach. If you end up with a bit too much egg, either discard it or scramble it up separately. You don’t want your boat to be flooded. Top with the shredded cheese.

Bake. Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven. It will take about 40 minutes to bake, depending a bit on the size of your boat and how full it is.

Serve. Remove egg dish from the oven, slice into three or four servings, and enjoy for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner!

Cooking Tip

How can you tell when your egg boat is fully cooked? Insert a table knife in the center of the boat. It should come out clean. If the eggs are still runny, they’ll cling to the knife. That means your boat has to spend a bit more time in the oven.

I wish I was eating this right now, to be honest. Who wants to brunch with me? Any takers? In addition to this egg boat, I propose we dine on citrus salad, and carrot cake muffins. We can sip on hibiscus mimosas and easy hot chocolate. (Be sure to check out my Mother’s Day brunch ideas.)

Make It Your Own

Sub in a different meat: Try cooked sausage or bacon instead of ham. Chorizo is good, too.
Make it vegetarian. Add more veggies if you like. Finely chopped bell peppers or onions are really good, and so are mushrooms. They should be lightly sautéed before adding them to the boat.
Change up the cheese: Use whatever type of cheese you enjoy or happen to have in the fridge. Swiss cheese is a great choice.
Veggie switches: Instead of spinach, use another green vegetable: baby kale, finely chopped broccoli or asparagus, whatever you like. Add corn or green peas if that’s what you like!

Storage & Reheating Tips

Refrigerate: Leftover egg boat can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Wrap it securely. It makes a great lunch and isn’t bad eaten cold. If you like cold pizza, you will probably get into cold egg boat.

Reheat: However, if you want to warm it up, leftovers can be heated in the microwave but the bread tends to get a bit tough and lose its crispness. It’s better to use a toaster oven or your air fryer to reheat leftovers.

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Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at my Meal Plan #26. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let me do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.

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Eggs for Every Meal

Check out DishOnEggs.com for dozens of deliciously quick, family-friendly recipe ideas to add to your weekday dinner routine! Eggs aren’t just for breakfast—they add protein, flavor and texture to dinner dishes, too. From tacos and pizzas to salads and pasta, everything is better when you put an egg on it!

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