Microwave Poached Eggs Recipe

Name: Microwave Poached Eggs
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 2 min
Ingredients: 1 egg; water

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Last updated on June 17, 2020 by Katie Berry 50 Comments

This Microwave Poached Eggs Recipe is going to rock your mornings! I know it’s sure made mine a whole lot easier.

See, I’d pretty much given up eating poached eggs at home. Since one of my favorite breakfasts is Eggs Benedict, I’d only had it when we’ve gone to a restaurant for breakfast — something that doesn’t happen very often.

Then I found out how easy it is to make them in the microwave. We’re talking ONE MINUTE and they’re done!

So, while I’m not up to making Hollandaise Sauce very often, I’ve still been following this recipe a couple of times a week — it’s just that easy and convenient.

How to Poach Eggs in the Microwave

If you’ve tried poaching an egg on the stove you know what it’s like: you bring a pan of water to simmer, add a splash of vinegar, crack an egg on a saucer and then slip the egg into the liquid. Three minutes later you scoop the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon.

That’s all there is to it in theory.

In reality, my eggs would turn into wispy things with overcooked yolks, so I usually wound up eating oatmeal instead. Not anymore!

Helpful Tips

Use a coffee mug, not a teacup. I’ve used both 6- and 8-oz mugs without problems, as well as 900 and 1200 watt microwaves.

You want enough water to cover the egg by 1 inch. It’s important to leave a couple of empty inches above the water’s surface in your mug. If you don’t have that much room, use a bigger one.

Don’t forget to poke a small hole in the yolk! Using the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick to make a tiny hole in the yolk allows steam to escape and keeps your poached egg from superheating and exploding. Remember, you’re just poking, not scrambling, so focus on piercing the “skin” of the yolk without jabbing too far into it.

Cover it. Use an actual saucer or plate on top to keep the heat and liquid in the mug. Paper towels or paper plates aren’t heavy enough and will allow steam to escape, which prevents the water from reaching the temperature needed to poach the egg.

Check it carefully. Don’t slosh the cup around when you check if the egg is done — it’s going to be steamy in there. If the whites are still runny, microwave it another 10 seconds and check again. Repeat until you’re happy with how it looks.

Serving Suggestions

Poached eggs are nice on toast, of course, and you can’t make Eggs Benedict without them. But there are many other ways to enjoy them.

Check out these ways to serve microwave poached eggs:

Top a green salad with a poached egg to turn it into a meal.
Slip one onto a rye crisp over some bacon and sriracha.
Slide one onto a burger. (Check out this Black Bean Burger recipe.)
Top your avocado toast with a microwave poached egg, a pinch of chili flakes, and some sea salt.
Spoon it on top of a bowl of ramen, then add some minced green onions and a pinch of black sesame seeds.
Sautee some fresh baby spinach, mushrooms, minced garlic, and onions in olive oil then sprinkle it generously with salt and add a poached egg for a nutritional powerhouse.
Toast half a bagel, smear it with creamy butter, then drape it with smoked salmon and a poached egg.
Nestle it in a bowl of rice and drizzle on some brown gravy for a Hawaiian treat called “Moco Loco.”

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