Cheap Egg and Tomato Curry Over Rice
Eggs + canned tomatoes + spices = a real curry dinner for under $3.
When you're tired and the fridge looks sad, this egg and tomato curry is the answer. It's built on pantry staples — canned tomatoes, dried spices, eggs, and rice — so there's almost nothing to buy. The sauce is rich and fragrant without being fussy, and the whole thing lands on the table in about 40 minutes, most of which is hands-off simmering. Don't expect restaurant-level complexity, but do expect something genuinely satisfying and warm. It reheats well too, so make a full batch even if you're just cooking for one.
Ingredients
- 2 cup long-grain white rice — rinsed
- 8 unit large eggs
- 3 tbsp neutral oil — vegetable or canola
- 1 unit medium yellow onion — finely diced
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 unit fresh ginger — 1-inch piece, grated or minced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper — adjust to taste
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 unit can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 0.5 cup water
- 1 tsp kosher salt — plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro — roughly chopped, for serving
Method
- 1 Cook the rice: combine rice with 3 cups water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes.
- 2 Hard-boil the eggs: place eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to a bowl of cold water. Once cool enough to handle, peel and set aside.
- 3 While the eggs cook, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds until they sizzle and pop.
- 4 Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until golden and softened.
- 5 Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- 6 Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir and cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- 7 Pour in the crushed tomatoes and water. Stir well to combine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- 8 Meanwhile, score the peeled eggs a few times with a knife (this helps the sauce absorb into them). In a separate small pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook, turning, for 2–3 minutes until lightly browned on the outside.
- 9 Add the browned eggs to the tomato sauce. Stir gently to coat. Simmer together for 3–4 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust salt or cayenne as needed. Stir in the garam masala.
- 10 Serve the egg curry over rice, topped with fresh cilantro.
Variations
- Vegan swap — Replace the eggs with one 15-oz can of drained chickpeas. Add them directly to the sauce in step 8 — no browning needed — and simmer for 8–10 minutes.
- Faster version (under 30 min) — Use a microwave rice packet to skip the stovetop rice step, and use pre-boiled eggs if you have them on hand. The whole meal comes together in about 20 minutes.
- Spice substitution — No garam masala? Use an extra 0.5 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander, plus a pinch of cinnamon. It won't be identical but it works.
Notes
The sauce will thicken as it sits — if reheating leftovers, add a splash of water and stir. Browning the eggs before adding them to the sauce is optional but adds a nice texture and helps the sauce cling. If you want a creamier curry, stir in 2 tbsp of plain yogurt off heat at the end (not vegan, but great).
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet or wide saucepan — A wide base gives the tomato sauce more surface area to reduce and thicken faster.
- Box grater or microplane — Grating fresh ginger directly into the pan is faster and cleaner than mincing it by hand.
Find more dinners like this
More like this
