My Shortcut Eggs in Purgatory Is a Fast, Flavorful Skillet Meal with Italian Flair

You can enjoy it as a hearty breakfast or an easy family dinner.

By
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

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Published December 29, 2025
Nick Evans
Skillet with eggs cooked in a tomatobased sauce a dish known as eggs in purgatory

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer
  • Using jarred marinara cuts down on prep time so you can serve this dish in just 25 minutes.
  • Eggs are poached directly in the flavorful tomato sauce, delivering a comforting, Italian-inspired meal.
  • You can serve this dish for a hearty breakfast or easy dinner alongside crusty bread.

The combination of eggs and tomato sauce is popular in dishes from many cultures, but generally requires slow-simmering tomatoes to make your own savory tomato sauce from scratch. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re in a rush, this shortcut recipe uses jarred marinara sauce to get most of the same flavors with a huge reduction in prep time.

Shakshuka with sunnysideup eggs served in a skillet and a portion on a plate with bread

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

What Are Eggs in Purgatory?

Eggs in Purgatory is the Italian version of eggs gently poached in a flavorful tomato sauce, similar to Middle Eastern shakshuka. Some sources say it gets its name from the wispy egg whites surrounding the yolks, which are like the ghostly souls of those waiting in Purgatory. Others say that the red sauce represents the flames surrounding those poor doomed souls.

No matter the name origin, the recipe consists simply of eggs cracked into a pan of simmering tomato sauce, which are then gently cooked through. In Italy, it’s traditionally served for breakfast alongside some crusty bread.

Take a Shortcut with Jarred Marinara

To make things quick and easy, this recipe relies on a jar of store-bought marinara sauce. It will be full of seasonings and flavors in just one ingredient and eliminates the need to stand at your stove all day stirring. Just heat it up and go!

Use your favorite high-quality brand here. Most will be 28 ounces and some larger jars (like those from Costco) will be 32 ounces. Any jar in this size range work just fine for this recipe. 

A plate of eggs in purgatory served with a slice of bread

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

Tips for Making Shortcut Eggs in Purgatory

  • It helps to have a nice shallow skillet that is very wide for this recipe. If your eggs are completely covered in tomato sauce, then your pan is probably not shallow enough. In an ideal world, the tomato sauce should be about 1 inch up the side of the skillet so the eggs just nestle in the sauce on the surface.
  • Be mindful of your heat level for this recipe. The sauce should never be bubbling aggressively, so turn things down if needed. Just a light simmer is plenty of heat to cook the eggs and will avoid scorching the sauce on the bottom of the pan.
  • If you like your yolks runny, be sure not to overcook them. After about 8 minutes they should be perfect, but remember that if you aren’t serving them immediately they will continue to cook in the skillet. 
  • Season the tomato sauce really well with salt and pepper. After your eggs have cooked, taste the sauce again and season it to your liking. 

Serving Suggestions

The nice thing about this dish is that it's great for breakfast or dinner (or breakfast-for-dinner!). My family likes it for a hearty fall or winter breakfast before a day out in the chilly weather. Two eggs, plus the sauce and crusty bread makes for a great start to the day! 

Toast your bread well and serve it up on the side so you can dip it in the delicious marinara sauce. For a finishing touch, garnish the dish aggressively with parmesan cheese and freshly chopped herbs like parsley and basil. 

Eggs cooked in tomato sauce served in a skillet and on a plate with a spoon

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

Shortcut Eggs in Purgatory

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 3 to 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/2 white onion, diced

  • 1 clove garlic, sliced

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1 (28 to 32-ounce) jar marinara sauce

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 6 to 8 large eggs

  • Finely grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

  • Chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish

  • Crusty bread, for serving, optional

Method

  1. Make the sauce:

    In a wide, shallow skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the diced onion and sliced garlic and sauté until softened and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir to coat. 

    Add the marinara sauce to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the water to the now-empty marinara jar, shake and swirl to get any remaining sauce in the jar, and add to the pan as well. Bring the marinara mixture to a slight simmer, then turn the heat down to low. 

  2. Add the eggs:

    Working one at a time, crack the eggs into a small bowl, then carefully add each one to the skillet. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the whites are just set and the yolks are jammy, about 8 minutes. If you want the yolks completely set, cook for another 2 minutes or so. Remove the pan from the heat.

    Eggs being added to a skillet with tomato sauce an overhead view showcasing the cooking process of eggs in purgatory

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer
    A skillet with cooked eggs in a seasoned tomato sauce a dish known as Eggs in Purgatory

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer
  3. Finish and serve:

    Taste the tomato sauce and season with more salt and pepper as desired. Spoon the eggs and tomato sauce into shallow bowls or plates. Serve garnished generously with parmesan cheese, parsley or basil, and a slice of crusty bread. 

    This dish doesn’t store particularly well, but if you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the fridge 1 to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a drizzle of fresh olive oil.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292 Calories
18g Fat
20g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 284mg 95%
Sodium 1276mg 55%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 111mg 9%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 879mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.