Putting an egg in a hole in a slice of bread is a classic breakfast dish that goes by a few different names. The main options are egg in a basket, egg in a hole, eggs in a nest, or toad in a hole. While they all describe the same basic concept, there are some minor differences between them.
The origins of the dish are not totally clear, but it seems to have become popular in the United States and Britain in the early 20th century. Some of the earliest references come from food writers in the 1920s and 30s. Since then, it has become a breakfast staple and is still commonly served today in diners and homes around the world.
What is Egg in a Basket?
Egg in a basket is the most common name for the dish in the United States. To make it, you cut a circular hole in the middle of a slice of bread and toast or fry both pieces. Then you crack an egg directly into the hole and cook it until the egg white is set. The bread cooks into a crisp basket around the egg.
It’s a fun and simple way to cook eggs. The bread basket adds some variety to regular fried or scrambled eggs. It also keeps the egg contained and less messy. Overall, egg in a basket is a satisfying breakfast dish.
What is Egg in a Hole?
Egg in a hole is very similar to egg in a basket. The only difference is that egg in a hole can use bread slices with holes that aren’t perfectly circular. Rather than a round basket shape, the bread has more of a random hole in the middle. But the cooking method and end result are essentially the same as egg in a basket.
Egg in a hole is a British term. It seems to be more widely used than egg in a basket in the UK and other Commonwealth countries. So egg in a basket is more common in America, while egg in a hole is more popular in Britain. However they are interchangeable names for the same basic dish.
What are Eggs in a Nest?
Eggs in a nest is another variation on the classic egg in a basket recipe. With this version, you make multiple slices of bread with holes in the middle. Then you crack an egg into each hole, so you end up with multiple eggs cooking at once.
The term eggs in a nest refers to the visual of eggs sitting together in the middle of the bread slices. The bread takes on the appearance of a nest surrounding the eggs. So eggs in a nest is a more descriptive name for making multiple servings of egg in a basket or egg in a hole at one time.
What is Toad in a Hole?
Toad in a hole is the British name for the dish consisting of eggs baked in the center of sausage meat. This is different than the bread versions egg in a basket or egg in a hole. With toad in a hole, you make circular cuts of sausage meat or batter, cook eggs inside, and serve it all together.
The sausage version of toad in a hole likely came first. It has been traced back to the 1800s in British cookbooks. The bread version seems to have come later. So in Britain, toad in a hole refers to the sausage and egg dish. Using the term for the bread recipe would likely be confusing in the UK.
Toad in a Hole Variations
There are some regional variations of toad in a hole using sausage. For example:
- Yorkshire version – uses thicker sausage meat fried in a pan, eggs cracked on top
- Lancashire version – baked in the oven with onion gravy instead of pan-fried
- Staffordshire version – uses batter around the sausage rather than just meat
But in all cases, British toad in the hole contains sausage and differs from egg in a basket.
Which Name is Most Common in the US?
Egg in a basket seems to be the most widely used term for the dish in the United States. Looking at usage on American recipes and food websites, egg in a basket comes up the most.
To compare the popularity of the names, here is a table listing the number of Google search results for each term in the United States as of October 2022:
| Name | Google Search Results |
|---|---|
| Egg in a basket | 374,000 |
| Egg in a hole | 208,000 |
| Eggs in a nest | 615,000 |
| Toad in a hole (bread) | 246,000 |
The search results show egg in a basket and eggs in a nest tend to be more commonly used in America. Egg in a hole and toad in a hole (for the bread version) are less popular.
To add some more context, here is a graph showing the popularity of each term in the US over time according to Google Trends:
The graph confirms that usage of “egg in a basket” has consistently been higher and has increased over time. So in the United States, egg in a basket seems to be the most familiar and preferred name.
Which Term is Preferred in the UK?
In Britain, the terminology is quite different from the US. Here are the common ways to refer to the dish in the UK:
- Egg in a hole – for the bread version
- Toad in a hole – for the sausage version
Egg in a basket is almost never used. Eggs in a nest has some usage, but not nearly as much as egg in a hole.
Here are Google search results in the UK for the key terms:
| Name | Google Search Results |
|---|---|
| Egg in a hole | 186,000 |
| Toad in a hole (sausage) | 623,000 |
| Eggs in a nest | 113,000 |
| Egg in a basket | 59,500 |
Egg in a hole and toad in a hole (for sausage version) are far more common in British English. Egg in a basket has very little usage compared to the US.
For the bread recipe, egg in a hole is the dominant term in the UK. So if you’re making the dish with bread in Britain, it’s best to call it egg in a hole. Using egg in a basket would probably lead to confusion.
What About Australia, Canada, and New Zealand?
Here’s a quick look at common names for the dish in other major English-speaking countries:
Australia
- Egg in a basket is the most popular term
- Egg in a hole also has some usage
- Toad in a hole refers to the sausage version like in the UK
Canada
- Egg in a basket is commonly used
- Egg in a hole has some popularity too
New Zealand
- Egg in a basket is the dominant term
- Other variations much less common
So in these countries, egg in a basket seems to be the prevailing name, similar to the US. Egg in a hole also has familiarity. But the terminology is not quite as distinct as in the UK.
Should You Use Different Names in Recipes?
If you’re writing a recipe or cooking instructions for the dish, it’s best to use the terms that will be clearest to your audience. Here are some tips:
- In the US, use “egg in a basket” as the main term
- In the UK, use “egg in a hole”
- In Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, you can use either “egg in a basket” or “egg in a hole”
- Add alternate names in parentheses to improve searchability. For example:
- “Egg in a basket (egg in a hole)”
- “Egg in a hole (egg in a basket)”
- Make sure to clearly distinguish “toad in the hole” as the sausage version
Using the most popular local term will help avoid confusion and make your recipe accessible to more readers. Adding secondary regional names can help readers find your content.
In Conclusion
While there are various names for eggs cooked in bread, the terminology differs based on location:
- In the US, “egg in a basket” is the dominant term
- In the UK, “egg in a hole” is preferred for the bread dish and “toad in the hole” refers to the sausage version
- In Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, both “egg in a basket” and “egg in a hole” are common
When writing recipes or instructions, adapt the name based on your target audience. Using local terms along with alternate regional names can make your content more discoverable and understandable. So consider your location and readers when referring to this classic breakfast dish.