Welcome to zucchini week! It’s going to be all zucchini ALLLLLLLL the time this week here on IBIH!
It’s zucchini season and I’ve got you covered with low carb zucchini recipes that can be used for pretty much any meal, and of course dessert!
By the way, zucchini is another weird word that looks more and more wrong the more you type it and/or stare at it – a fact I just realized as I’ve typed it 5 times already in this post and I had to go open a tab and make sure I was spelling it right!
ZUCCHINI.
Like “hummus“, the word zucchini looks weirder and weirder the longer you look at it! But it’s oh so versatile, low carb, and super delicious in tons of applications!
I thought we’d kick off this week’s zucchini-palooza with my new favorite low carb breakfast recipe!
When I was a kid, my mom would make us “Eggs in a Nest” which was basically a slice of bread with a 2 inch hole cut in the middle which she’d fry in butter and cook an egg in the center of. We loved them, and I still make them for Hungry Jr.
Since my Mom’s version was a perfect blend of salty, crunchy, and lots of runny yolk, I wanted to try to recreate those elements in a low carb alternative. Bread was out of the question, so I created “nests” out of strips of raw bacon and zucchini “noodles” which got crispy on the bottom and created the perfect vehicle for my runny eggs.
I wasn’t sure how the zucchini would behave as it isn’t nearly as starchy as potatoes, but it was perfection!
The bottom strands crisped up nicely in the bacon fat, and the strips of bacon weaved into the zucchini, along with the Asiago cheese helped hold it all together. The zucchini took on a sweet flavor that perfectly complemented the salty bacon and smooth unctuous texture of the runny eggs!
It was fantastic!
I had leftovers and wasn’t sure how they would reheat the next day for my breakfast, but it actually held up fine. I microwaved it for 45 seconds which was just long enough to heat it through, without turning the eggs into hockey pucks. I wouldn’t recommend keeping it for more than a day though – it’s really best the day you make it.
Not to worry though, it’s super easy to execute so you can make it to order whenever you feel the urge!
You could make these individually, but honestly it was so much easier to do an entire pan and just cut them to serve afterwards.
I recommend making this in a heavy bottomed pan (cast iron worked perfectly) which will conduct the heat well and you can cook it on a high enough temp to get the bottom crispy without burning it.
You could also saute the bacon and zucchini and transfer it to a baking dish – then add the eggs and bake it. That would be ideal if you’re making it for a big group, but I’m not sure how effectively it will crisp up on the bottom – probably not quite as well as in pan on the stove.
Either way, it’s going to taste amazing!
Stay tuned for more delicious low carb zucchini recipes coming at you all week! If you’re not already subscribed to IBIH emails, now is the perfect time to sign up so you don’t miss a thing!
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Bacon and Zucchini Eggs in a Nest – Low Carb
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This easy and delicious low carb breakfast recipe is the perfect way to use up that zucchini in your fridge!!
Ingredients
- 4 cups zucchini noodles or shreds
- 4 slices raw bacon
- 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
- 4 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut your bacon slices in half, then cut them lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick strips – like bacon noodles.
- In a heavy saute pan, cook the bacon for about 3 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and flatten slightly, creating four depressions for the eggs.
- Sprinkle with the Asiago cheese.
- Break one egg into each dent.
- Cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, then cover and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking and the bottom is crispy. Serve hot.
Notes
Approx nutrition info per serving: 242 calories, 19g fat, 4g net carbs, 14g protein
- Category: Low Carb Breakfast Recipe
- Cuisine: American
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Karyn Buffington says
AMAZING! I really do not like to use that word a lot as I feel it is WAAAY over-used, but this recipe IS that word. Next time I might try adding in some radishes, as a wink and a nod to your hash browns. My 12-year-old mini-me, who loves both fried eggs and zucchini gobbled up two servings. Of course, we have not had a bad meal yet when using your recipes! Thank you!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Karyn, I especially love hearing that the kids love them too!
Nancy says
Just made this for breakfast. really has a taste of hashbrowns! which for sure i miss being on keto. Great find!!
★★★★
jmt says
Cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes,..
it says it right there, if you know anything about zucchini noodles, it takes 2-3 minutes…
★★★★★
Mary says
Wow, this is AMAZING! I did burn the bottom, OOPS, but next time I will cook a little less! The flavor combo is to die for…Oh and I used uncured bacon, no nitrites! I will definitely make it again! Thanks so much! ;)
★★★★★
Lynne says
I used spaghetti squash instead of zucchini because of what was in my pantry – and was still fabulous! As you say, the crunch is fabulous as is the runny yolks. I’ll definitely make this again.
Thanks!
★★★★★
Janelle Meier says
I just made these for the first time and they were awesome!!! The flavor combo is kick-butt! Thanks!
★★★★★
Lesley says
Totally delicious. Absolutely love your recipes. Helps me keep on track. Huge thanks.
★★★★
Heather J says
Love this recipe!!
https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/bacon-and-zucchini-eggs-in-a-nest-low-carb/
Brynn A says
Hi. Ive made this before and love it. I want to make it for breakfast potluck. Do you think baking it in 9×13 glass pan could do it? Maybe at 365F. Any suggestions on how to do a large batch would be appreciated.
Cheryl says
Do you think this would be good with parmesean cheese? I want to try it tomorrow morning and am only lacking the cheese!
Mellissa Sevigny says
yes!
Terri S says
OH!!! This looks and sounds amazing! I love, Love, LOVE bacon and zucchini is my favorite veggie!!! I can’t wait to make it. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Annette says
Hi there, just wanting to say I made this for hubby & I and we loved it. I had to cook it for about 20 mins longer than suggested though as it was very liquidy. The taste was soooo good. I will definitely be doing this again. Thank you for making my keto journey easier.. ?
★★★★★
Emily Bemily says
If I can’t do cheese should I just do the recipe without or sub something? Also, I’m thinking of adding a little ghee to the pan and cooking the bacon longer because I hate wobbly bacon.
★★★★★
Laura says
This looks so yum. It Seems easy to make too. Thanks, im always looking for new breakfast recipes.
★★★★★
Caroline says
Really tasty.
★★★★
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Mellissa, I just wanted to let you know I featured this recipe in my Low Carb Gluten-free Zucchini Recipes roundup. I hope you’ll get some visits coming your way!
Lori says
This dish was absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! Thanks for the recipe. The only changes I made was I used a Cheddar/Gruyere blend because that’s what I had on hand. Thanks again!
★★★★★
Krisat says
Do these reheat well?
Ainsley Daschofsky says
Love zucchini noodles and the whole egg in a nest concept! I just did a recipe for spaghetti squash egg in a nest and it is mouth delicious on all levels ;)
Anu says
Oh wow, this was so good! Tragically, the opened package of bacon in my fridge had developed fungus, but I substituted some cooked pork sausage cut into strips to mimic the zucchini. To makeup for the bacon grease, I used ghee. I also substituted a Mexican cheese blend (what I had on hand) for the asiago. Even with all my substitutions, this was amazing!!! Crispy zucchini, melty cheese, runny egg yolks — really hit the spot! Thank you again for taking the effort to make and post all these recipes.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Anu, so glad you liked it and I bet the sausage added great flavor! I’m going to try that myself next time!!!
Juliana says
OMG this was even more amazing than it looks!! I made a quarter of it in a smaller pan (for a single serving), and didn’t have Asiago, but used a smoky bacon cheddar I picked up at TJs the other day…. oh boy… the crispy zucchini, the bacon “spaghetti” (what a genius idea!), and the yummy gooey egg yolk… I might just need to go make myself another one!
Thanks so much for this recipe!!
★★★★★
Kathy says
I tried freezing the zoodles in individual portions, after salting and squeezing the liquid out. The frozen and thawed zoodles didn’t crisp up as well as using fresh zucchini, but it was still delicious. Thanks again for all your delicious recipes! You make low carbing so much easier!
Lynna says
You had me at “zucchini” and “eggs!” I really loved this recipe! My only issue was that as I lack a cast iron skillet, I wasn’t able to get the bottoms to crisp up. Even so, the flavor is amazing!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
So glad you liked it Lynna, thanks!!!!
Kathy says
Thanks Mellissa! This is super delicious for dinner too! Do you think I could make the zoodles and freeze them in serving size portions? Would they soften after thawing? Any tips or ideas?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’ve never frozen raw zucchini so I’m really not sure, I suspect they will get soggy but maybe not – let us know if you try it!
Kate K says
I tried freezing zoodles and had a soggy mess on my hands when I went to cook with them. If you have more luck, share your secret!!
Bonnie Langley says
Are you supposed to use the bacon grease or discard?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Keep it in there Bonnie – it’s what gets the zucchini all crispy and delicious! Any extra will stay in the pan when you remove the egg nests!
Bonnie Langley says
Oh darn, I made mine without. They were still awesome, except I would’ve loved the crispy! Can’t wait to make again with the bacon grease!! Thanks!!
Lana Ghilarducci says
I’ve recently heard about Paleo bread and wonder what your thoughts are regarding that. I would love that with my morning eggs.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Depends on your goals – if you are trying to eat healthier and cut out grains then Paleo bread recipes can work great. If your goal is to lose weight on a low carb diet, then most Paleo bread recipes will have more carbs than you can fit in – also there is a tendency to overeat it but if that’s not a concern for you then go for it.
KalynsKitchen says
Such a good idea! And I am all in favor of zucchini week!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Kalyn! I know you have lots of zucchini recipes of your own – I should probably wrap up the week with a roundup of other zucchini recipes so I’ll be browsing your collection for sure! :)
Anna Funnell says
Yum! I do a similar very quick single breakfast for myself by softening a bit of grated courgette in butter & coconut oil, adding a few crumbled bits of bacon left over from Sunday, and then scrambling in a couple of eggs. Only takes about three minutes and is very yummy! :-)
Mellissa Sevigny says
You have leftover BACON? Wow! Ha ha! Sounds delish, except I’ll take a runny egg over scrambled eggs any day! ;)
Anna Funnell says
Deliberately, Melissa – I cook extra so I can crumble it onto salads/soups, or have with eggs during the week. :-)
Mellissa Sevigny says
It’s a solid plan, I just don’t know if I could make it last all week! ha ha!
sandi says
I could not mark 5 stars! Why would it not permit that? I don’t want a post without 5 stars.
★★★★
Deb Shaffer says
Haha! That was my first thought, too!
★★★★★
Cath says
I love running eggs on toast which I can’t do and I really miss the toast….. can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much. Your receipes have really helped make the change to low carb for my diabetes so much easier.
★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
So happy to hear it Cath! It’s not quite toast, but it is definitely delicious and satisfying in a similar way! Let me know what you think! :)
Rosie says
I made this today and it was delicious!!! Saved half for tomorrow’s meal. So easy to make and was, again, like I said, DELICIOUS! Thank you!
★★★★★
Petra says
Yuuuuuuuuuuuum!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Right? Thanks Petra!
kristen says
We just got a basket of zucchini from relatives with an amazing garden. I’m so excited for zucchini week!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Friends and relatives with gardens are the best – especially when they share! :) Enjoy!
kathie says
Do you think the nests could be made in advance + frozen or refrigerated for later use (adding fresh egg later)? As a single person, I sometimes want things quick.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes I do think that would work well Kathie! You could even make them into patties and cook them to order alongside your eggs each day!