With tender egg whites and a semi-soft yolk, our Coddled Eggs recipe with mushroom and kale is gently cooked in a quick stovetop water bath in ramekins (no egg coddler required). It's the ultimate savory breakfast recipe that’s jammy, decadent, and sure to impress.
Jump to:
Eggs are a food group in our house. We eat them all the time, using multiple techniques, in various formats, no matter the time of day. Whether it’s a Fried Egg Sandwich for breakfast, a Polonaise Asparagus Salad with Prosciutto for lunch, or even eggs in a Creamy Carbonara for dinner, it’s an ingredient that’s always stocked and a pantry essential.
One of our favorite ways to eat eggs is the simple yet fancy coddled egg. But what is a coddled egg? A coddled egg is an egg that is gently cooked whole in a small ramekin and placed in a hot water bath. Our coddled egg recipe features a cracked egg mixed with cooked mushroom and kale, combined with feta and cream, and is cooked in a stovetop water bath until just set and perfectly cooked.
The results are tender egg whites and a semi-soft egg yolk that’s best broken open with a toasted bread finger. Jammy, silky, and decadent, our coddled eggs with mushroom and kale are served with toast and are the perfect individual breakfast in a ramekin ideal for Easter brunch, Mother’s Day, or a Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed (hint, hint).
If you love unique breakfast recipes as much as we do you’ll love our Broccoli and Cheese Quiche with Feta and Lemon, our Sausage & Egg McMuffin Style Breakfast Sandwich, or even our kid-friendly Sheet Pan Egg in a Hole Bagels with Prosciutto & Melon.
Ingredient List
- Eggs: Large, as fresh as possible.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin, or your preferred cooking oil.
- Shallot: Fresh, peeled and very finely minced.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic, skins removed and finely minced or crushed.
- Mushrooms: Cremini, shitake, or a wild mix are our preferred varieties for this recipe.
- Kale: Fresh, curly green kale or whatever variety is available to you.
- Heavy cream: 35% milk fat or higher.
- Feta Cheese: We like sheep or goat feta in brine, however, any feta variety will work.
- Butter: Salted butter, the best quality you can afford.
- Bread: Sourdough, sandwich bread, or brioche are our top choices for dipping in the eggs.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Coddled Eggs with Mushrooms and Kale
1. Make a water bath.
Place the mason jars in a deep skillet. Pour water into the pan until it reaches three-quarters up the jars. Heat the water on medium-high and bring to a soft boil.
2. Cook the mushrooms and kale.
Heat olive in a skillet over medium-high and saute shallots, garlic, mushrooms, and kale until softened. Season and set aside in a bowl.
3. Add cream and feta cheese.
Add feta and cream to the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
4. Fill the jars.
Remove the mason jars from the water bath, cool them slightly, and grease them with butter. Spoon one-quarter of the vegetables and cream into the base of each jar, then crack an egg directly on top. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of feta cheese.
5. Coddle the eggs.
Reduce the heat so the water is very gently boiling. Carefully place the mason jars into the water and cook for 10 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. If you find the egg whites aren't cooked at the top, cover the pot for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Fry bread.
While the eggs are cooking, butter both sides of each slice of bread, and fry in a skillet until golden and crisp on each side.
7. Serve and dip.
Once the eggs are cooked, carefully remove them from the water, place them on a clean plate, and serve with a side of fried bread strips.
Chef's Tip
Use a canning rack, small wire rack, or cloth to line the skillet underneath the mason jars. This will allow the water to boil or simmer underneath without shaking and potentially breaking the jars. While we prefer using the stovetop for coddling eggs, alternatively you can use the oven - place coddler/jars in a baking dish and fill halfway up with hot water. Cook the eggs in the jars at 350°F until the whites are set and yolks runny.
Variations
- Ham and Cheese Coddled Eggs: Skip the mushrooms and kale and simply combine cream, cheese, and diced ham in step 3 before adding to the jars along with the eggs to coddle.
- Smoked Salmon Coddled Eggs: Same as above, but add smoked salmon and fresh dill to cream and feta in step 3.
- Spicy Coddled Eggs: Add a good pinch of red pepper flakes to the kale and mushrooms while cooking, then garnish with additional red pepper flakes.
FAQ
Coddled eggs are eggs that have been cracked into a container and placed in a water bath or bain-marie, gently cooked just below boiling temperature.
An egg coddler in a glass container that resembles a jar, but has ridges to allow water to simmer underneath them without shaking and potentially breaking them. They come with a lid and handle for easy and safe removal.
Use mason jars and a deep skillet. Pour water into the pan until it reaches three-quarters up the jars. Remove the mason jars from the water bath, cool them slightly, and grease them with butter. Heat the water on medium-high and bring to a soft boil. Reduce the heat so the water is gently boiling.
Then, add the eggs and carefully place the mason jars into the water and cook for 10 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the egg yolks are still runny. If you find the egg whites aren't cooked at the top, cover the pot for 1 to 2 minutes.
Coddled eggs are cooked in a container placed in a water bath while poached eggs are cooked directly in a water bath.
Recipe Card
Coddled Eggs with Mushrooms and Kale
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup diced cremini mushrooms
- 2 cups finely chopped kale leaves
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta + 4 tablespoon for garnish
- ⅓ cup salted butter room temperature
- 4 slices bread sourdough, sandwich or brioche
Instructions
- Place the mason jars on a canning rack, wire rack, or cloth, in a deep skillet. Pour water into the pan until it reaches three-quarters up the mason jars. Heat the water on medium-high and bring to a soft boil.
- Heat a frying pan on medium-high. Pour in olive oil, then add the shallots and garlic . Cook until softened, about 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cooking, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl to cool.
- To the bowl of vegetables, add ⅓ cup of feta and the cream. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Remove the mason jars from the water and cool for a couple minutes. Grease the inside of the mason jars with a light layer of butter. Spoon one-quarter of the vegetables and cream into the base of each jar, then crack an egg directly on top. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of feta cheese.
- Reduce the heat on the water so it is gently boiling. Carefully place the mason jars into the water and cook for 10 minutes, until the whites are set but yolks still runny. If you find the egg whites aren't cooked at the top, cover the pot for 1 to 2 minutes.
- While the eggs are cooking, heat the skillet on medium. Butter both sides of each slice of bread. Fry the bread until golden and crisp on each side, about 5 minutes total. Slice into 1-inch strips.
- Once the eggs are cooked, carefully remove them from the water and dry and excess moisture from the bottom. Place them on a clean plate and serve with a side of fried bread strips.
Caleb says
We saw the recipe on Instagram and had to try it out. The eggs were so creamy and flavorful. My girlfriend loved it so that is always a good thing.
Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai says
Always good when your partners impressed. Glad you enjoyed the eggs. Thanks for stopping by!