Close your eyes, and think about eggs Benedict at your favorite restaurant. Now, imagine enjoying that same dish at home, tomorrow morning—using your microwave. Believe it or not, you can use a standard microwave to poach eggs that are very close to restaurant quality. Due to the uneven nature of microwave cooking temperatures, they might not be exactly the same. However, considering that they literally take less than 60 seconds to make, the difference is negligible.
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A perfectly poached egg should have a runny yolk with an opaque white. The key to this recipe is to make sure you don't overcook the eggs. Microwaves today are so powerful that cooking times may be significantly shorter and can vary greatly. Play around with this recipe a few times to nail down the perfect cooking time.
Serve these eggs on toast with chopped fresh herbs, on English muffins with hollandaise sauce, or on salads or hash. Try adding a poached egg to a bowl of soup or even on top of pizza.
"This technique can be cool once you really understand your microwave. It's perfect if you are at work, have no other cooking tools, and need a poached egg. The timing is very important. It's a fun hacky way to microwave an egg for one with almost no cleanup." —Heather Ramsdell
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
1/2 cup water, cold
2 large eggs
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Fill a microwave-safe coffee cup, glass, or microwave-safe liquid measuring cup with 1/2 cup of cold tap water.
Crack 1 egg into the cup.
See AlsoBasic Microwaved EggsPlace a saucer on top of the cup so that it covers the opening completely.
Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then see if the egg white is cooked through. If not, continue to microwave in 10-second increments. Wait several seconds before removing the lid as steam can escape quickly and powerfully, even after a very short amount of cooking time.
Repeat with the other egg in a fresh cup. Serve with salt and pepper, and enjoy.
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Raw Egg Warning
Consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs poses a risk of food-borne illness.
Tips
- Fresh eggs (particularly farm fresh) are best for poaching and will hold their shape well. Use a quick freshness test to check your eggs before cracking them open: Place the egg in a bowl of water, and if it sinks, it's very fresh. Floating eggs should be discarded because they're too old.
- Let refrigerated eggs reach room temperature before poaching.
- If you find that your store-bought eggs are falling apart when poached, add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to the water.
Recipe Variation
- If you're looking for a fully done yolk, you will have to pierce the yolk before putting it into the microwave. Otherwise, it will explode. At this point, it's not truly a poached egg, but it's delicious nonetheless.
Why Do Poached Eggs Explode in the Microwave?
Microwaving your egg too quickly or for too long can cause it to violently explode. As heat builds up in the egg, it produces steam and an explosion occurs when that steam can't release fast enough. If you're really not sure of the strength of your microwave, err on the side of caution and only microwave the egg for 15 or 20 seconds to start, and then microwave it in five-second increments thereafter.
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| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 150 | Calories |
| 10g | Fat |
| 2g | Carbs |
| 13g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 150 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 10g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat 3g | 16% |
| Cholesterol 372mg | 124% |
| Sodium 462mg | 20% |
| Total Carbohydrate 2g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 13g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 71mg | 5% |
| Iron 2mg | 11% |
| Potassium 173mg | 4% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- egg
- microwave eggs
- breakfast
- american
