When I was in Athens, I ate kagianas almost every single day. Some mornings at a little café around the corner, some afternoons as a late lunch, always with a pile of crusty bread and far more feta than anyone needs. By the end of the trip I wasn't even pretending to look at the menu.
Kagianas (also known as strapatsada) is one of those dishes that shows you how good simple food can be. Ripe tomatoes are grated and cooked down in a generous amount of olive oil, then eggs are gently scrambled straight through the sauce until everything turns silky, glossy and rich. It's softer and saucier than regular scrambled eggs, and that's exactly the point.
It's the first recipe in my Greek Summer Series, a little taste of the food, places and people I love so much over there. Long lunches, beautiful produce, an unreasonable amount of olive oil and recipes that make you feel like you're sitting at a taverna by the sea. This one takes 20 minutes and uses things you probably already have.
Why This Kagianas Works
Grated fresh tomatoes. Grating them gives you all the pulp and juice without the skins, so the sauce cooks down quickly and stays smooth.
Plenty of olive oil. Three tablespoons might look like a lot, but it carries the flavour of the tomatoes and garlic and gives the eggs their glossy finish.
Gently infused garlic. Warming the garlic in the oil, without browning it, gives a soft background flavour rather than a sharp one.
Low heat for the eggs. Folding the eggs slowly through the sauce keeps them creamy and loose. Take it off the heat while it still looks a little wet.
Kagianas vs Shakshuka
They look similar, but they're not the same dish. In shakshuka, whole eggs are poached in wells in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. In kagianas, the eggs are beaten and scrambled right through a simple tomato sauce, so every mouthful is tomato and egg together. It's lighter on spice and all about ripe tomatoes, olive oil and feta.
How to Serve Kagianas
With thick slices of crusty bread or toasted sourdough for scooping.
As a slow weekend breakfast with Greek coffee.
For a quick lunch with a cucumber and olive salad on the side.
Piled onto toast with extra feta and a drizzle of olive oil.
Make it once and it'll become your go-to breakfast all summer.
Frequently asked questions
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Kagianas is a Greek dish of fresh tomatoes cooked down in olive oil and scrambled with eggs, usually finished with feta. It's also known as strapatsada, depending on the region. Kagianas is eaten for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner, and is always served with bread to scoop up the soft, saucy eggs.
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No, kagianas and shakshuka are different dishes. Shakshuka has whole eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, while kagianas has eggs scrambled through a simple tomato and olive oil sauce. Kagianas is softer and more fluid, with feta and oregano instead of cumin and chilli.
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You can, but ripe fresh tomatoes give the best kagianas. Fresh tomatoes are sweeter and lighter, and their juice gives the dish its silky texture. If you only have canned, use about 400 g of good-quality crushed tomatoes and cook them a little longer to soften the acidity.
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Kagianas is best eaten straight away, while the eggs are soft and glossy. You can make the tomato base up to two days ahead and keep it in the fridge. When you're ready, warm it gently in the pan and scramble the eggs through just before serving.
Kagianas (Greek Tomato Scrambled Eggs)
Serves 2 · Prep 10 minutes · Cook 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 ripe tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
2 garlic cloves, halved
¼ small red onion, finely chopped (optional)
½ tsp dried oregano
3 large eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
60 g feta, crumbled
Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Crusty bread, to serve
Method
Grate the tomatoes into a bowl, keeping all the juices. Discard the skins.
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and let it gently infuse the oil for 2 to 3 minutes without browning. Remove the garlic if you'd like a subtle flavour.
If using red onion, add it and cook gently until soft.
Add the tomatoes and their juices, the oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw tomato flavour has cooked out and it has thickened slightly but is still saucy.
Lightly beat the eggs. Turn the heat to low and pour them into the tomatoes.
Stir slowly, folding the eggs through the sauce until softly scrambled and just set. Keep it glossy and loose, not dry.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Top with feta, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, and serve straight away with crusty bread.
Recipe Notes
Storage: best eaten fresh. The tomato base keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently and add the eggs just before serving. Not suitable for freezing once the eggs are added.
Use ripe fresh tomatoes rather than canned for the best texture.
Part of my Greek Summer Series.