Microwave Poached Eggs Recipe
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Starting your day with a hot, high-protein breakfast is easy once you know how to poach eggs in the microwave.
This Microwave Poached Eggs Recipe is going to rock your mornings! I know it’s sure made mine a whole lot easier. I’d pretty much given up eating poached eggs at home even though one of my favorite breakfasts is Eggs Benedict. So, I only got to enjoy it when we ate breakfast at a restaurant, which doesn’t happen very often.
Then I found out how easy it is to poach eggs 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. If you enjoy eggs for breakfast or are looking for easy low-carb or keto-friendly breakfast recipes, this is the way to go!
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 always dissolved into wispy things with overcooked yolks, so I usually wound up eating oatmeal instead. Not anymore!
Helpful Tips to Microwave Poached Eggs
Use a coffee mug, not a teacup. The mug needs to be deep enough that you can cover the egg by 1 inch of water with a couple of empty inches of space above the water’s surface. This gives the water room to boil without overflowing in your microwave. If you don’t have that much room in your mug, use a bigger one. I’ve used both 6- and 8-oz mugs without problems, as well as 900 and 1200 watt microwaves.
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 bursting. Remember, you’re just poking — focus on piercing the “skin” of the yolk without jabbing too far into it.
Covering with an actual plate is not optional. 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 for 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:
Ready to love your home again?
- 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.
- 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 “Loco Moco.”
Microwave Poached Eggs
Equipment
- Microwave
- Coffee mug
- Plate or saucer
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- water - about room-temperature
Instructions
- Fill a coffee mug halfway with water. Crack an egg and let it slide down the side of the mug to the bottom. Use a toothpick or the tip of a sharp knife to gently poke a small hole in the yolk.
- Cover with a plate and microwave it on high for 1 minute. Check the egg for doneness and repeat in 10-second bursts, checking after each, until done.
- Gently tilt the mug away from you and lift the lid. Remove the egg carefully with a slotted spoon. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Where to Next?
Great idea! I use a bowl and plate cover to microwave an egg for 55 seconds. That gives me a perfect diameter egg for my favorite breakfast sandwich. Tastes way better than McD’s!
Oh, and that Hawaiian treat – it’s “Loco Moco.” =)
Loco Moco is diet friendly if you don’t eat anything else for 2 days. ????
I never tried poached eggs and was watching a cooking show and thought I wonder if you can make it in a microwave first one came out yolk was to my desire overcooked second one just right . I put it on a chicken fried chicken steak with country white gravy omg my taste buds totally satisfied ?thanks for the tip.
Poached egg on chicken fried steak with gravy? That’s some good eating right there!
My mother used to make a recipe for us that still brings delicious memories. Golden Rod Eggs. She used a white sauce made with butter and toasted flour for a roux. But works as well with milk gravy and serve it over toast then either poached eggs or boiled eggs pushed through a potato ricer served over the white sauce or gravy over the toast. A real tummy warmer.
You just brought back a delicious memory for me, too! We’d make that and add a pinch of dry ground mustard to the roux, sprinkle on paprika, and call them Poor Benedict’s Eggs.
I found semi cooked whites with half the yolk completely cooked. I mean it’s similar to a poached egg, but definitely no substitute. I would do less time to get the yolk right, but then the whites would be inedible. 🙁 I guess I will try buying one of those little devices designed for this.
Actually, the Hawaiian dish with rice and gravy is called a Loco moco ???? thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.
Perfect!
Try Julia Child’s recipe for hollandaise! With a mixer, not a whisk.
Happy Thanksgiving holiday Katie Berry to you and yours. I had seen this same recipe, however it also called for a (splash) of vinegar.
Also, I guess my microwave is more powerful than others. The reason I say that is because at 1 min. The yoke is closer to hardboiled than poached. I go 45 sec. And bump it up by 10 sec. Till it’s just right.
Thanks for putting this recipe on you re site.
Do you boil the water 1st?
Mine turned out perfect!
Thank you!
I used a white ceramic straight sided ramekin that was plenty big for one egg.
I added vinegar and turmeric powder for flavor in the water and covered with a small saucer.
I minute and 15 seconds was just right!
My mom and I both raved about the eggs!
I spread red pepper pesto, mayo and Italian herbs paste from a tube, ontop of toasted sourdough , with a fresh tomato slice and salt and pepper.
Only thing about nuking the eggs, is you can only cook one at a time, as opposed to several in a pot of hot water.
Also good with garlic herb chèvre cheese on a baguette, with tomato and pesto .
Yum!!
I love your flavoring ideas!
Omg i did exactly what you said came out perfect thank you so much im diabetic n thid is quick n healthy option for me appreciate the help im so happy
Try Swiss Knorr Hollandaise Sauce packet……authentic flavour!
I agree that Knorr hollandaise packets are awesome!
I’ve been micing scrambled eggs for years they are the best. Your micing poached eggs is terffic followed it to the letter except cut back 15 sec my mic is a high wattage. Thanks for a recipe addition.
This technique worked great! Thanks! Yum
Maybe everyone is getting different results because not everyone is using the same size egg. What size do you use?
I know this is an old post, but I just found it today (10/28/2018)! I have a big mug from QVC (Temptations) that actually HAS a matching lid/saucer (designer calls them “Lid Its”) which would be great for this. I love poached eggs and will be trying this tomorrow for breakfast…if not tonight for supper!
Just found your post. I use a 4.5 inch ramekin filled about half way with water and 1/2 tsp. vinegar and a saucer on top. I cook for about 57-58 secs. The cook time depends a lot on the microwave being used. 55 secs. and the whites aren’t cooked, 60 secs. and the yolks are cooked thru. I haven’t tried making hollandaise sauce just because it looks like a lot of trouble and I’ve never had it so I don’t know if I would like it.
Made the egg in a Sistema hot cereal bowl and punctured the yolk. 2 in a row, hard-cooked. No issues.
A loco moco is rice, topped with a hamburger patty, one or two eggs as you like em, and brown gravy. Patty required. Egg can be poached, fried, or even scrambled. Zippy’s is good, so is Rocky’s Cafe
Works even better if you put a bit of vinegar (or lemon juice) into the water, helps hold the white together
I love poached eggs. Especially with gravy, but try them on a plate of cheese enchiladas! Yolk and cheese just tastes fantastic!
Not really liking this method. Eggs too runny even after extra 10 seconds. I will give it another try with some practice. 😕
I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. Runny whites after the full minute usually isn’t a problem.
Having never in my life successfully poached an egg on the stovetop (despite my best efforts) this method is my new go-to. I wanted an egg for ramen but didnt want to wait for hard boiling. My microwave needed a minute and 40 seconds (might be due to the very hefty mug and plate sets we have) but the yolk was runny/jammy and the whites were cooked through, just as I wanted! Poured out the mug gently into my slotted spoon and then tipped onto the noodles neat as you please. Can’t wait to use for breakfast and snacks too. Thank you!
That’s fantastic! Have you tried the noodle fold-over method to poach the egg right in your bowl of ramen? Basically, as soon as you pour the noodles and soup into a bowl you make a well in the top and crack an egg into that. Then you carefully pull the noodles over the egg like a blanket and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Voila, a poached egg right in your bowl. Enjoy!