This quick egg curry is a Pakistani weeknight dinner recipe made with boiled eggs simmered in a spicy, chunky tomato curry. Ready to eat in just 20 minutes with a few pantry staples. Perfect for days when you don’t feel like cooking.
If you’re looking for another quick Pakistani curry for weeknights, try my easy keema recipe.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
⏲️Ready In: 20 minutes
👪Serves: 4
🍽 Calories and Protein: 105 calories, 5 g protein per serving
📋 Main Ingredients: eggs, curry leaves, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, and tomato sauce or passata.
📖 Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
⭐ Why You’ll Love It:
- It’s easy and simple, with lots of punchy, spicy tomato flavor.
- It comes together in about 20 minutes.
- It’s a great meal-prep recipe.
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“This sounds delicious! Can't wait to try it!” Abeer
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What Makes This Egg Curry Quick?
I have a few quick Pakistani tomato-based curries on the blog, but this one is the quickest, with just 15 minutes of active cook time.
Here’s how we do it:
- Boil the eggs while the curry base cooks.
- Use passata and a small tomato so the curry doesn’t need to cook down much.
- No separate egg-frying step.
- A short simmer time.
This isn’t a dhaba-style recipe; it’s intentionally streamlined for a 20-minute weeknight meal, inspired by egg curries I grew up eating.
Egg Curry Ingredient Notes
Tomatoes: I tested this curry with just tomato sauce (passata, as it is called globally) and with part fresh tomatoes and part sauce. I found the latter better for texture and depth of flavor. I prefer the chunkiness that comes from adding fresh tomato.
Also, tomato sauce in the U.S. is more of a blended and strained puree. Don’t confuse it with ketchup. You can also buy tomato passata if it’s available. They are both the same. Passata usually comes in 24.5-ounce glass bottles, which will last for a few recipes.
Whole spices: Curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, and mustard seeds add depth of flavor. Optional but highly recommended.
Boiled eggs: I boil the eggs for exactly 12 minutes, as the yolk turns out perfect in color and texture.
If you enjoy Pakistani egg dishes, you might also enjoy this Pakistani egg curry with vegetables.
How to Make Egg Curry
Step 1: Boil the eggs. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a rolling boil, add the eggs, lower the heat to medium, and boil for 12 minutes.
Step 2: Chop the veggies. While the eggs boil, chop the onion and tomatoes, mince the garlic and ginger, and set aside.
Step 3: Brown the onions and add the whole spices. In a pot, brown the onions till golden, then add the curry leaves and whole spices. Sauté until the curry leaves change color, about 20 seconds.
Step 4: Add the aromatics. Next, add the ginger and garlic, then sauté for 30 seconds or until the raw smell dissipates. Lastly, add the spices and sauté for another 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add the tomatoes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and fenugreek seeds; cover and cook for 10 minutes or till the tomatoes soften.
Step 6: Peel the eggs. After 12 minutes, drain the hot water and add the eggs to an ice bath. After 3 minutes, peel the eggs and cut them in half.
Step 7: Let the tomatoes cook down and form a curry. Meanwhile, the tomatoes will have cooked down. Mash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon and let the moisture evaporate and the curry thicken.
Step 8: Add the eggs, garnish, and enjoy! Once the curry is ready, lower the heat to a simmer, add the eggs, cover the pan, and let them heat through and soak up some curry for about 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat, top with some cilantro, and enjoy!
Detailed instructions and ingredients are in the recipe card below.
Pro Tips
- Slice the eggs in half lengthwise before adding to the curry. I find it better for serving, and it reduces waste. I also find halved eggs more aesthetically pleasing and better for presentation.
- To prevent overcooking the eggs and the grey ring, follow the boiling instructions closely.
What to serve with egg curry?
You can serve kachumber salad, simple lentil curry, naan, and white or brown rice with egg curry.
Egg Curry FAQs
Absolutely, egg curry usually lasts 3-5 days in the fridge, so you can prep the whole dish a few days ahead and store it in an airtight container. I wouldn’t freeze it, as eggs don’t freeze well and can turn rubbery.
You can also make just the curry ahead, refrigerate or freeze it, and then add freshly boiled eggs on the day of.
Yes, it is, with one caveat: the base freezes and reheats beautifully, but I don’t recommend freezing it with the eggs already in (see the storage note above). My preferred meal-prep method: batch-cook the curry base, portion it out, and boil a fresh batch of eggs to add on the day you eat it.
As written, it’s mild-to-medium. You can dial up or down the red chili powder to taste. For more heat, add a chopped green chili with the ginger and garlic.
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Quick Egg Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 medium onion
- 3 sprigs curry leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce * See note 1
- 1 small Roma tomato
- 1 cup water
- 5 fenugreek seeds optional
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add the eggs. Set a timer and boil the eggs for exactly 12 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and tomato, and set the tomato aside. On medium-high heat, sauté the chopped onion till golden brown.
- Next, lower the heat to medium, add the curry leaves and mustard seeds, and sauté for 20 seconds till they change color but don't burn.
- Add ginger, garlic, red chili powder, turmeric, cumin powder, and salt, then sauté for about 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Next, add the tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, water, and fenugreek seeds. Stir, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and let it cook for 8-10 minutes.
- The eggs should be ready right around this time. Drain the water from the pot, then add the eggs to an ice bath. Let this rest for about 5 minutes, and then peel and halve the eggs. Set aside.
- Uncover the pan and, with the back of your spoon, mash the tomatoes to fully incorporate them into the curry. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir until the curry reaches your preferred consistency. I like to let the water dry out a little for a thicker curry. Once the oil rises to the top, the curry is ready. Switch off the heat, add the boiled eggs, and cover the pan. Let the curry and eggs rest for 5 minutes to heat up the eggs.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
Notes
- Tomato sauce in the U.S. is more of a blended and strained puree. Don’t confuse it with ketchup. You can also buy tomato passata if it’s available. They are both the same. Passata usually comes in 24.5-ounce glass bottles, which will last for a few recipes.
- Slice the eggs in half lengthwise before adding to the curry. I find it better for serving, and it leads to minimal waste. I also find halved eggs more aesthetically pleasing and better for presentation.
- Don’t boil the eggs past the 12-minute mark to get the perfect yolk texture and color. Boiling for more than 12 minutes can discolor the yolk and form an unsightly grey ring.
Zeeshan Shah says
The quickest weeknight dinner recipe!
Abeer says
This sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Zeeshan says
Thank you Abeer! Let me know how it turns out!