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Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day, but I call it the biggest pain. Mornings are often rushed, which leads many people to make poor eating decisions -- at least it does for me. Before you reach for a quick bowl of sugary cereal or zap a nutritionless bagel, try this method for making fluffy poached eggs in under a minute, with no mess to clean after.
The perfect poached egg takes nothing more than a microwave, a few ounces of water and one minute of your time. You can loft your puff of protein on a piece of toast or add it to a salad to bring to work for lunch, making it a delicious and utilitarian addition to multiple meals.
I've taken to making a microwave-poached egg or two most mornings. My "most important meal of the day" is finally a source of lasting energy for the day and not a mix of unhealthy grab-and-go's that don't further my nutrition goals.
I'm not the only one taking advantage of this easy breakfast. After a Reddit deep dive spotting many microwave egg poachers, I found a nugget of advice everyone should know before sticking an egg in the radiation box: Avoid yolk explosions by poking it through with a toothpick. If you follow the tips in this article, you shouldn't have to worry about a yolk explosion, but you're better safe than sorry.
Here's how to make perfect microwave-poached eggs in under a minute.
How to make poached eggs in the microwave
Step 1: Fill a ramekin with about half a cup of salted, room-temperature water. It must be enough to completely submerge the egg.
You'll want enough water to submerge the egg but not spill over the top of the ramekin.
David Watsky/CNETStep 2: Crack one egg and drop it into the water carefully, trying not to disturb its structural integrity.
Step 3: Place the ramekin in the microwave and cook on high for about 45 seconds, or longer if you prefer a firmer yolk.
Cook the submerged egg for 40 seconds for a runny yolk and closer to a minute for a firm one.
David Watsky/CNETStep 4: Remove the egg gently from the water with a slotted spoon or wire skimmer.
Lift your egg carefully out of the water with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer.
David Watsky/CNETStep 5: Serve over toast or a bed of greens with avocado, hot sauce, chili crisp and other accompaniments.
In one or two tries, you'll be able to fine-tune your poached egg to your perfect doneness, and then nail it every time.
David Watsky/CNETNote: The base temperature for any microwaves will vary and, thus, cook times may also. Try 40 to 45 seconds for your first effort, then add five-second increments for subsequent tries until you achieve the desired doneness.
How to serve poached eggs
Stick that fluffy puff of protein on a piece of toast with some spinach, top it all with flaky salt, hot sauce or hollandaise and you have a cafe-quality breakfast in less time than it takes to brew a pot of coffee. You can also use them to top a salad or serve over rice with pickled vegetables chili crisp for a light lunch.
More time-saving cooking hacks?
Cooking bacon in the oven is the cleanest method and results in even crispier strips with no greasy stovetop to clean after. A fast boil of water with these two pantry ingredients lifts stubborn stains from your best cookware without all the manic scrubbing. Here are nine more cooking hacks that save time, energy and money.
If you don't want to cook at all, this is my favorite prepared meal delivery service for 2024.
FAQs
What should I pair with my poached eggs?
A small batch of bacon cooked in the air fryer can be another quick protein value add to your breakfast in the morning, and it's a perfect pairing with your microwave-poached egg.
How do I prevent my poached egg from exploding?
You can prevent your egg yolk from exploding by starting with a small increment of time in the microwave, like 45 seconds. If you need to heat the egg more, you can add increments of five seconds as needed. Poking the egg yolk with a toothpick before putting the egg in the microwave may also help prevent an explosion during or after poaching the egg.
When should I use my microwave for poaching eggs?
Using your microwave to poach eggs is a quick way to get some protein added to your breakfast or lunch, and it's a completely safe way to cook the egg so long as you add small increments to the microwave timer.