The National's version of pesto eggs with labneh and zaatar. Scott Price
The National's version of pesto eggs with labneh and zaatar. Scott Price
The National's version of pesto eggs with labneh and zaatar. Scott Price
The National's version of pesto eggs with labneh and zaatar. Scott Price

How to make pesto eggs: Everything you need to know about the TikTok food trend


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How do you eat your eggs in the morning? If the answer to that one isn’t “with plenty of pesto”, then clearly you’re not on TikTok.

Following from the internet sensation that was baked feta pasta, the latest food trend to go viral is pesto eggs.

Like all the best ideas, there's a simple genius to peggsto (see what they did there?), whereby the butter or oil that you'd usually fry your eggs in is replaced with pesto – for a delicious salty, cheesy, umami-rich effect.

The TikTok responsible for sending pesto sales soaring and pushing previous breakfast trend pancake cereal out of the spotlight, was uploaded by home cook and registered dietitian Amy Wilichowski, who begins her 25-second recipe video saying: "I swear your life will be changed."

A bold statement, but one that might just be warranted given that the post has been viewed more than 10.9 million times. The pesto egg tag, meanwhile, has amassed about 90 million TikTok likes. Yes, 90 million.

Restaurants that serve pesto eggs

Hey Pesto at Jones the Grocer comprises smashed avocados on multigrain toast with fresh herbs, poached eggs and basil pesto.
Hey Pesto at Jones the Grocer comprises smashed avocados on multigrain toast with fresh herbs, poached eggs and basil pesto.

There's something about eggs and pesto that undoubtedly works, as evidenced by the fact at least two of the UAE's most loved breakfast spots already offer riffs on the combination.

Jones the Grocer's Hey Pesto dish is all about on-trend ingredients, featuring everyone's favourite smashed avocados spread on multigrain toast topped with a tangle of fresh herbs, perfectly poached eggs and an all-important drizzle of fresh basil pesto.

The pesto and scrambled egg toastie served up at Tania’s Teahouse in Dubai, meanwhile, brings us a winning mix of soft scrambled eggs, melted cheese and home-made pesto, proving that it’s not just the interiors that are Instagram-worthy at this home-grown hotspot.

Anna Malla, manager at Tania’s Teahouse, says that while the pesto toastie has always been popular, recently there has been a noticeable spike in the number of people not just ordering the dish, but taking photos of it before tucking in.

Pesto eggs recipe and tips 

Wilichowski finishes her dish by spreading toast with ricotta and mashed avocado, quickly followed by those pesto eggs, a little honey and a scattering of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

In a bid to not just jump on the bandwagon, but direct it in a slightly new direction, we introduced some regional flavour when we tried our own version. The ricotta was swapped for thick creamy labneh, zaatar replaced the red pepper flakes, and peppery rocket added a slight bitterness, which was countered by a drizzle of Omani honey. The results were, if we do say so ourselves, mighty fine.

Of course, the beauty of this dish is the scope it offers for variation and customisation – so feel free to take the base idea and make it your own.

Before you do so, though, keep a few things in mind. The higher quality the pesto, the better-tasting the end result, so it might well be worth paying the extra for a fresh version or making your own. If you do opt for home-made, add a splash more olive oil than usual.

To help prevent the yolks from overcooking as you battle to set the whites, start with eggs that are as fresh as possible and at room temperature. For perfect sunny side-up eggs, the heat should be medium-low – you don’t want the pesto to catch and burn or the eggs to sizzle violently.

Swirl your pesto over the base of the pan and wait for some of the oil to be released before cracking in the eggs and frying for two to three minutes or until done to your liking. It’s as simple as that.

if you go

The flights

Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com

Seeing the games

Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com

 

Staying there

Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com

 

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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

if you go

The flights

Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.

The tour

Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.

Brief scores:

Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first

Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)

Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out

Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)

Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4

HERO%20CUP%20TEAMS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cins%3EContinental%20Europe%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fins%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrancesco%20Molinari%20(c)%3Cbr%3EThomas%20Detry%3Cbr%3ERasmus%20Hojgaard%3Cbr%3EAdrian%20Meronk%3Cbr%3EGuido%20Migliozzi%3Cbr%3EAlex%20Noren%3Cbr%3EVictor%20Perez%3Cbr%3EThomas%20Pieters%3Cbr%3ESepp%20Straka%3Cbr%3EPlayer%20TBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cins%3EGreat%20Britain%20%26amp%3B%20Ireland%3C%2Fins%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ETommy%20Fleetwood%20(c)%3Cbr%3EEwen%20Ferguson%3Cbr%3ETyrrell%20Hatton%3Cbr%3EShane%20Lowry%3Cbr%3ERobert%20MacIntyre%3Cbr%3ESeamus%20Power%3Cbr%3ECallum%20Shinkwin%3Cbr%3EJordan%20Smith%3Cbr%3EMatt%20Wallace%3Cbr%3EPlayer%20TBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to turn your property into a holiday home
  1. Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
  2. Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
  3. Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
  4. Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
  5. Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

SCORES IN BRIEF

Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule

12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)

2pm Formula One final practice 

5pm Formula One qualifying

6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)

Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen 

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive,  protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”

 

 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

Profile of Hala Insurance

Date Started: September 2018

Founders: Walid and Karim Dib

Based: Abu Dhabi

Employees: Nine

Amount raised: $1.2 million

Funders: Oman Technology Fund, AB Accelerator, 500 Startups, private backers

 

The%20specs
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