Eggs in Purgatory with Italian Sausage (2024)

When you don’t know what to make for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, Eggs in Purgatory with Italian Sausage, a twist on the southern Italian classic is the perfect solution! Eggs are gently poached in a spicy tomato sauce with Italian sausage and vegetables for an easy meal ready in about an hour that you’ll put on repeat!

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper:

Eggs in Purgatory with Italian Sausage is a dish you want in your recipe repertoire for a satisfying, comforting meal any time of day!

This version is inspired by one I enjoyed at a Boulder, Colorado restaurant not long ago. I had to recreate it because I savored every bite and almost licked the skillet it came in!

Eggs with runny yolks are nestled in a fiery tomato sauce with spicy Italian sausage, onions, peppers and fennel then gently poached. A good Parmesan cheese is a must along with some toasted crusty bread to dip in the eggs and soak up the spicy, flavorful sauce!

Best of all, this twist on the classic southern Italian recipe cooks up in one skillet!

How to make Eggs in Purgatory with Italian Sausage:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this eggs in purgatory recipe along with how to prep. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Italian Sausage: To start the flavor party, I used hot Italian sausage made with pork (Johnsonville), but chicken or turkey Italian sausage may also be used.
• Fennel: Fennel is native to the Mediterranean and one of Italy’s favorite vegetables. It’s a member of the carrot family but grows above ground. It has a mild anise or licorice flavor that is more pronounced if eaten raw but mellows and sweetens when cooked. Here’s more information on fennel from Food Network.
• Tomatoes: Here’s where you want to use the best tomatoes you can find because they’re such an integral part of the dish. I used imported Mutti canned cherry tomatoes that I chopped in the can with kitchen shears. Their baby Roma tomatoes are also a good choice. Also, feel free to use any summer tomatoes you canned or froze.
• Chile Paste: I am in love with Calabrian hot chile paste for the flavor but crushed red pepper flakes can also be used.
• Eggs: You can fit up to six eggs in the pan.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Cook the Italian sausage in an oven-safe skillet until no longer pink. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the skillet used to cook the sausage.
• Add the fennel, onion and green pepper and cook stirring often for 5-6 minutes or until softened then add the sausage back in, add the fresh garlic and heat it through.

• Add the tomatoes and hot chili paste or crushed red pepper flakes.

• Bring the purgatory sauce to a good simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until thickened and slightly reduced.

• Take the skillet off the heat.
• Stir in half the parsley and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Make four wells in the purgatory sauce combination.
• Crack the eggs one-by-one into a small bowl before adding it to the skillet to ensure there are no shells or you wish to remove the chalaza.

• Place in the oven and bake until the whites are cooked, the yolks are still runny or the eggs are cooked the way you like.
• Sprinkle on the remaining parsley, grated Parmesan cheese and extra crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
• Serve with or on top of toasted crusty bread. Mwaaaaahhhhh! Eggs in Purgatory with Italian Sausage! A darn good replication of the dish I enjoyed in Boulder! Enjoy!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• When cracking an egg, always crack the egg on a FLAT surface such as your countertop or cutting board, never on the edge of a bowl. Doing that will cause an indentation in the egg which can send a piece or pieces of the shell into the egg. Just give it a good, decisive tap that’s neither too hard or too gentle.
• Select the right type of pan:
  • If using a nonstick skillet, make sure it can go in the oven and the handle is heatproof. Most nonstick skillets made after 2013 can be safely used in the oven at moderate temperatures. Heating a nonstick pan at too high a temperature will cause the nonstick coating to erode. Because the eggs are cooked here at only 300 degrees, you should be okay, but again, make sure it’s oven-safe.
  • If using a cast iron or carbon steel skillet, it needs to be extremely well-seasoned because of the acid in tomatoes. Enameled cast iron is a good choice.
  • Stainless steel pans are always a good option.

Frequently Asked Questions:

More great breakfast and brunch recipes you’ll love!

• Baked Denver Omelet
• Shakshuka with Red Lentils and Feta Cheese
• Spinach Leek and Feta Cheese Frittata
• Crustless Quiche with Sausage Bacon and Ham

Get all my breakfast and brunch recipes at Breakfast and Brunch Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen