
Credit: Carlos Matias
I thought I had seen and done it all when it came to breakfast egg recipes. I (almost) mastered the 45-second omelet, tried my hand at some of the creamiest scrambled eggs, and even made a ramen omelet concoction called a ramlet. The feeling of success stayed with me until I came across The Modern Nonna’s Bulgarian toast recipe on Instagram and started questioning if I was really the egg expert I thought myself to be.
Known as prinzesi in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian toast is a great and simple way to level up your traditional breakfast bread. At first look, it resembles a pizza — sans tomato sauce — with slightly browned cheddar cheese. The Modern Nonna (whose real name is Snejana) said that the recipe reminds her of back home, but for me it’s a reminder that I still have so much to learn about cooking eggs.
Get the recipe: Bulgarian Toast
How To Make Bulgarian Toast
The recipe calls for rye bread, sourdough, or any firm sliced bread that won’t fold under the weight of a mountain of gooey cheese and eggy goodness. I opted for rye.
To make the mixture, add eggs, salt, feta, and grated cheese to a bowl and mix well until everything is combined. The Modern Nonna uses kashkaval, a Bulgarian cheese, but cheddar, mozzarella, or any cheese can get the job done. I opted for a matured cheddar cheese because we’re fancy over here and I was curious to see what kind of bite it would add to the final result. Next, butter your bread and spread a few tablespoons of the mixture evenly throughout. You’ll want to make sure you cover the entire slice of bread, up to the crust.

Credit: Carlos Matias
You’ll then place them in the oven on broil for 10 minutes, but make sure to keep your eye on it: This toast cooks fast, and no one likes burnt eggs. You’ll know it’s ready when it turns golden-brown and feels a bit firm to the touch. Finally, sprinkle dry oregano on top and enjoy!
My Honest Opinion
Bulgarian toast is a great way to add some variety to your breakfast egg. It wasn’t too heavy and no more complicated or time-consuming than making an omelet. The cheese masked the egg taste so it almost tasted like a scaled-down version of a pizza. The Modern Nonna mentioned having this every morning in Bulgaria with a side of fresh tomatoes, which inspired me to try this again but with chopped tomatoes and herbs (almost like bruschetta) to add a bit more flavor. It’s a simple dish that I can picture myself making every morning without getting tired of it.
Tips for Making Bulgarian Toast
- Keep a close eye. It can burn quickly, so I suggest taking a peek as it broils (the recipe recommends checking on it every minute) so that it doesn’t overcook.
- There’s no such thing as too much cheese. OK, maybe there is, but don’t be afraid to sprinkle it in liberally. I’m far from a food scientist, but I’m guessing the amount of cheese might affect how fast it will cook and brown (or maybe not), so take this into account.
- Spread the egg mixture all the way to the crust. This is purely for aesthetic purposes. You’ll want to spread the mix to the edge (as I failed to do) so that when the crust turns a toasty brown under the broiler, it will be hidden under the egg.