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How to Poach an Egg

Learn how to make flawless Poached Eggs on the stovetop with this easy tutorial! We’re talking runny, gooey yolks that ooze out when you pop into the soft white exteriors. So delicious!

Breakfast is one of my favorites, especially on the weekend. I love to serve these Poached Eggs with Smoky Bacon Sweet Potato Hash served along side my Iced Chai Tea Latte.

Perfect Poached Eggs

I must admit – I had actually never poached an egg until about a month ago after I tried eggs benedict for the first time in Hawaii. I know, unthinkable, right!? As soon as I cut into that jewel of an egg on top, I knew I had to learn how to make poached eggs at home.

Once I perfected the process, the rest was history. I’ve been serving poached eggs at least twice a week ever since! This is definitely my new favorite method for cooking eggs.

It took me a few failed attempts to get it just right, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t master the technique right away. If you follow these instructions, you’ll be churning out perfect poached eggs like a well-oiled machine in no time! And I have some helpful tips and tricks to give you a head start.

What You’ll Need

You don’t need much to make poached eggs happen. Just the kitchen staples below!

  • Egg: We’ll start with the obvious – the egg in question.
  • Water: The amount will vary depending on your saucepan.
  • White Vinegar: Keep in mind that substituting with another kind of vinegar will affect the flavor of the egg.

How to Poach an Egg

This method hasn’t failed me since I got the hang of it! Here’s the best way to prepare poached eggs:

Heat Water: Fill a large, shallow saucepan 1/4 of the way full with water.  Bring it to an almost boil – there will be lots of small little bubbles on the bottom of the pan.

Pan filled with water

Add Vinegar: Put 1 teaspoon of vinegar in the water.

Crack Egg: Crack one egg into a small dish.

Egg in a small dish

Add Egg Carefully: Bring the small dish very close to the almost boiling water and gently slide the egg into the “hot tub,” a.k.a. saucepan.

Gently Guide Whites to Yolk: Use a spoon to very gently move the whites closer to the yolk.

Cover & Let Sit: Turn the heat off and cover the pan for 4 minutes.

Uncover: Remove the cover. The egg whites should be white and solid by now.

Remove & Serve: Gently remove the poached egg from the pan with a slotted spoon and serve.

Poached egg on a white plate

Tips for Success

I found the following things useful when I was figuring out how to make poached eggs. Just take your time and you’ll do great!

  • Be Extremely Gentle: Be as gentle as possible when handling the egg throughout this process. It doesn’t take long at all, so there’s no need to rush!
  • Do Not Boil the Water: Boiling water is a bit too hot to poach eggs properly. It should be heated just up until the boiling point, which is indicated by a layer of small bubbles at the bottom of the pan.
  • Don’t Skip the Vinegar: A teaspoon of vinegar helps the egg whites stick together, so make sure you don’t omit it. As long as you use plain white vinegar, you won’t be able to taste it at all.
  • Try My Mason Jar Trick: I tried sliding the egg into the hole of a mason jar lid as a way to keep it from spreading in the water. It worked fairly well, although it stuck to the lid a little bit when I removed the egg from the water. It’s definitely worth a shot though!

Serving Suggestions

Poached eggs make a fabulous addition to sandwiches, salads and so much more. Behold these mouthwatering serving ideas!

  • Put it on Toast: Avocado toast is a popular healthy breakfast option for a reason. Add some ricotta cheese and a poached egg and now it’s a party! You seriously can’t go wrong with this recipe.
  • Add it to Salad: A a poached egg is like the cherry on top of your ice cream sundae, but for salad. It adds the ultimate finishing touch to this Roasted Vegetable Quinoa salad, in particular!
Two Servings of Eggs Benedict with Pico on Two Separate Plates
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How to Poach an Egg

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  • Author: Krista
  • Prep Time: 1 minute
  • Cook Time: 4 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Learn how to make flawless Poached Eggs on the stovetop with this easy tutorial! We’re talking runny, gooey yolks that ooze out when you pop into the soft white exteriors. So delicious!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large egg
  • 13 cups of water (you’ll be filling your saucepan 1/4 of the way full, the amount may vary based on the size of your pan)
  • 1 teaspoon plain vinegar

Instructions

  1. Fill a large shallow saucepan 1/4 of the way full with water. Bring to an almost boil, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the  water.
  2. With a spoon, swirl the water two or three times so it looks like a whirlpool.
  3. Next, crack one egg into a small dish. Bring the small dish very close to the almost boiling water and gently slide the egg into the swirling water. The swirl will help the egg whites stick together.
  4. Immediately turn the heat off and cover for 4 minutes.
  5. Gently remove poached egg from the pan with a slotted spoon and serve.

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