Quick and Easy Poached Eggs Recipe (Perfect on Toast)

• Food: Poached Eggs
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Learn how to create excellent poached eggs every time! They’re excellent on avocado toast, grain bowls, and more, with firm whites and runny yolks.

There isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t make poached eggs. In fact, one of my tried-and-true mottos is “Put a poached egg on it.”

If I’m making toast, a salad, or a grain bowl and it just needs a little something extra (like protein), I’ll top it with a poached egg. Breakfast, lunch, and supper are all taken care of.

Poached eggs may appear to be a sophisticated dish, but they’re actually quite simple to prepare at home. My method for poaching an egg takes only a few minutes, requires only a few simple tools, and only three ingredients.

Even better, the eggs usually have firm but delicate whites and delectable runny yolks. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll be able to make excellent poached eggs in no time!

What is the Best Way to Poach an Egg?

My method for poaching an egg is quite simple! This is how it works:

1. Crack an egg into a small bowl or ramekin to begin. Later on, you’ll be able to gently put the egg into the boiling water because of this procedure. You’ll also notice that the yolk isn’t broken.
2. After that, gently bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. The water will be steaming and bubbles will be forming on the bottom of the pot and rising to the surface, but it will not be bouncing and bubbling rapidly. Adjust the heat to keep the pot at a low simmer.
3. Then toss in a spoonful of white wine vinegar. To make a vortex in the center of the pot, stir the water in a circular motion. Pour the cracked egg into the middle of the vortex with care, and gently whisk one more.
4. Finally, allow simmering. Start by setting a timer for 3 1/2 minutes. As the egg cooks, some egg white may rise to the surface of the water. That’s fine! Simply skim it off the surface and keep cooking. When the timer goes off, remove the egg from the hot water with a slotted spoon and lightly tap it with your finger to see whether it’s done. If you desire a firmer yolk, you can return it to the water. It’s time to consume the egg once it’s cooked to your preference.

Tips for Poached Eggs

• Begin by preparing one at a time. Poaching eggs isn’t difficult, but it does take some practice to master the procedure. I recommend cooking one at a time until you’ve gotten the hang of it. Then try poaching two at the same time! But I wouldn’t go any further. It will be too crowded if you add more eggs to the saucepan.
• Don’t forget to add the vinegar. I know because I’ve tried it. The vinegar is necessary to aid in the coagulation of the egg in the simmering water. The white and yolk will separate while the egg boils if you don’t use it. No, thank you!
• If desired, strain the eggs. Have you ever observed that an egg white is divided into two sections? The yolk is surrounded by a thick circle or oval and a thinner, more watery part on the outer. When you create poached eggs, the watery white becomes wispy. It doesn’t bother me, but if you want perfectly spherical whites on your poached eggs, crack them into a fine-mesh strainer. Transfer the egg to a small bowl and continue with the instructions after the thin whites have fallen out.
• The idea is to be gentle. I’m chuckling at myself right now because I just noticed that the word “gentle” appears three times in the recipe below. But I’m leaving it in since being gentle when learning how to poach an egg is crucial. Bring the water to a gentle boil rather than a rapid boil. Don’t slam the egg in and don’t over-stir. The egg may shatter if you do so. You can cook flawless poached eggs without a hitch if you work carefully.
  Toast with avocado

Serving Ideas for Poached Eggs

Poached eggs are delightful on their own, with their delicate whites and luscious, runny yolks. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with fresh crusty bread to soak up any fugitive yolk.

However, you don’t have to stop there when it comes to serving them! Here are a few more delectable uses for them:

• On avocado toast, place them on top. Is it just me, or does glancing at the photo above make you hungry?
• Make Benedict eggs. You’ll be well on your way to making eggs Benedict once you’ve perfected the poached egg! Grab some English muffins and turn to page 41 of Love & Lemons Every Day for my recipe.
• In a salad, toss them in. I add an egg to my Avocado Salad, Brussels Sprouts Salad, or Panzanella to make it more filling!
• Alternatively, a grain bowl. In this Power Bowl Recipe, instead of soft-boiling the egg, poach it.
• Serve with grains and vegetables. Poached eggs on couscous, wheat berries, farro, or quinoa, with sautéed greens, asparagus, or roasted broccoli on the side, make a fast supper. The runny yolk will serve as a sauce, uniting everything. Yum!

Poached Eggs

Learn how to create excellent poached eggs every time! They’re wonderful on their own or over avocado toast, grain bowls, sautéed greens, and more, with firm whites and runny yolks. Additional serving suggestions can be seen in the page above.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Pot of water

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, crack the egg.
2. A medium saucepan of water should be brought to a slow boil. Pour the vinegar into the water and whisk it in a circular motion. Drop the egg gently into the water, give it another gentle swirl, and simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes.
3. With a slotted spoon, scoop out the egg and check for doneness before serving.