How to Poach Eggs
Any dish topped with an egg oozing a river of rich, luscious yolk takes the meal from good to so delicious. Our how-to video shows how simple it is to poach an egg in your own kitchen.
Eggs are incredible. They’re a good source of protein, can be cooked many different ways, and can be enjoyed any time of the day – not just for breakfast.
But not all methods of cooking eggs are easy, which leaves us sticking to the techniques we know best, such as scrambling eggs, hard-boiling them, or turning them into frittatas. One technique that has the reputation of being the most difficult to execute is poaching.
Poaching an egg is when you gently cook an egg in simmering water, so that the egg whites are fully cooked, but the egg yolk is golden yellow and perfectly runny. When the egg white is pierced, that runny yolk oozes out a river of richness that enhances any meal.
In other words, topping a dish with a gooey, runny egg transforms it from good to great.
You can top a poached egg on salads, grain bowls, burgers, sandwiches, or keep it simple for breakfast by topping it on some toast . . . really anything because a runny egg makes anything better.
The best part is that you don’t have to wait to enjoy poached eggs whenever you hit up your favorite local breakfast / brunch spot. Poached eggs might have a rep of being fussy, but we assure you that it’s easier than you think, and you can make it in your own home kitchen. See how simple it is with this video:
How to Poach Eggs
Poached eggs are such a lovely way to enjoy eggs and they're way easier to make than you think!
And speaking of your favorite breakfast / brunch spot, you can create a classic brunch dish now that you know how to poach eggs – Eggs Florentine! Our version of this recipe was featured on our meal plan service recently, which our cooking community said was an excellent, quick, and easy meal.
If calories aren’t a concern, make this recipe a true Eggs Florentine by adding Hollandaise sauce, which you can easily make with this blender technique from The Kitchn.
Whether you top your poached eggs with Hollandaise or not, this is one dish that you can truly enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
POACHED EGGS WITH CREAMY SPINACH & ENGLISH MUFFINS:
Inspired by the classic brunch dish Eggs Florentine, this recipe features poached eggs over creamy spinach and toasted English muffins. Top with Hollandaise sauce to keep it classic, or customize to your liking with ingredients you have in your fridge or pantry by adding slices of bacon, cheese, or avocado.
Prepping Smarts
- Crack each egg into a small ramekin or teacup before you start poaching. It’s important not to skip this step as it will help you transfer all the eggs to hot water quickly so they cook evenly.
Equipment Smarts
- Saute pan – a large pan with straight sides is the best pan to poach many eggs at a time
- Slotted spoon – makes it easy to transfer and drain the poached eggs from the simmering water to a paper towel lined plate
- Frying pan – to saute the spinach that goes with our Poached Eggs with Creamy Spinach recipe!
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