Smashed Eggs On Toast

This Smashed Eggs On Toast (soft-boiled eggs on toast) is a savory way to serve up jammy eggs. The eggs are cooked for 7 minutes, revealing the creamiest, silkiest yolks. The eggs are then smashed on top of buttery sourdough toast, with sautéed spinach, and then drizzled with spicy chili oil. Savory, good, and suited to a hearty brunch.

We will go out on a limb here and say this might be our favorite recipe yet. Ever since we started making jammy eggs we can't stop thinking about that solid, gooey yolk.

We were inspired by Ina Garten's Smashed Eggs recipe from her cookbook, "Modern Comfort Food". She uses mustard and dill, and it's good. Our recipe adds a flavorful spinach base and is drizzled with a hot chili crunch oil, which takes it over the top.

And yes, this is yet another fancy toast recipe. We can't stop making them because they are so easy to prepare and the solid canvas for about anything, like peachesblueberries and even beets. So, if you are like us and love soft-boiled eggs and toast, then you've come to the right place!

Here is what you will need to make smashed eggs on toast.

• Eggs The star of the show!
• Spinach Fresh spinach is best, but you can use frozen. We like to buy a large bag of spinach. It always feels like way too much, but it will shrink down a lot while cooking. So more is better.
• Olive oil To sauté the spinach and for finishing the toast.
• Lemon juice we use it to flavor the spinach.
• Garlic This is optional, but we sometimes add 1 or 2 cloves when sautéing the spinach.
• Hearty bread The bread is key here. Choose a sturdy, hearty bread. We splurged and used bakery-fresh sourdough and cut it about ¾ of an inch thick. Multigrain, or Texas toast, is another good option.
• Chili crunch/crisp/oil You can find any of these in the grocery store or online. We always have chili crunch on hand. It's suited to drizzling on eggs. We love the Trader Joe's Chili Crunch, or this one from Momofuku.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Assembling the smashed eggs on toast

Start by toasting the bread. Drizzle the bread with some olive oil or melted butter, and place in a pan on medium heat. Toast until golden brown on both sides. You can also toast the bread in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F, place the bread on a pan, drizzle with oil, and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and toasty.

Step 1. Divide the sautéed spinach over the bread, squeezing out any extra liquid.

Step 2. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise and place on the toast.

Step 3. Cut or smash the eggs on top of the spinach, being careful not to cut the toast.

Step 4. Sprinkle with salt, pepp and pepper, then drizzle with oil to taste. You can add some additional olive oil for serving as well.

*These are abbreviated instructions. The full list of directions can be found in the recipe card below.

Expert tips

• Avoid cracking. To avoid the egg cracking from the change in temperature, use room-temperature eggs. If you forget, run the egg under warm water for a bit so it's not cold when adding it to the boiling water.
• Cracked egg anyway? No worries! It's still safe to eat, and depending on how it cracked, you can cut the wispy whites away to reveal the jammy inside. We find that a cracked egg is still salvageable most times.

Substitutions and variations

Jammy eggs aren't for everyone, so you can soft or hard-boil your eggs to your liking and then proceed with the recipe as is. If you want to skip the boiled egg altogether, scramble or fry the eggs.

• 5-6 minute eggSoft- boiled, runny yolk.
• 7 minute egg Jammy, creamy yolk. Not runny, not quite set.
• 9-10-minute egg Hard-boiled egg, yolk is set.

You can substitute frozen spinach for fresh, squeeze out any extra liquid. Instead of chili oil, try Sriracha or Tabasco sauce for some heat. Top with toasted sesame oil or smoked paprika or eat them plain with a little salt and pepper.

Lastly, try adding fresh herbs such as chivesdill or oregano.

How to peel soft-boiled eggs

Older eggs tend to peel better because they are less acidic than fresh eggs, making the membrane less likely to adhere to its shell. So if you have older eggs, you can start with those. You can also try adding a few teaspoons of white vinegar to the boiling water.

For an easier release from its shell, leave the eggs in their ice bath for about 10 minutes, or peel them under gently running cold water.

Begin by tapping the egg gently on a hard surface, starting at the narrow end, and slowly and carefully peel it until all the shell is removed.

Keeping leftovers

Once the toast is assembled, you will want to eat it right away. However, you can prep the eggs and the spinach in advance.

Jammy eggs (without any seasoning) can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, don't peel the eggs in advance, or they will dry out. To warm the eggs from the fridge, place the eggs (still in its shell) in a bowl of warm water for about one minute before peeling.

Alternatively, you can peel the eggs, but leave them whole for up to 3 days in the fridge. You can reheat them in warm water as described above.

Kitchen questions

What size eggs should we use?

Any size will work. The 7-minute cook time is based on a large egg, so you may need to adjust your time slightly for a smaller or extra-large egg.

Savory breakfasts are our jam!

Ingredients

Makes 4

• 4 large eggs, preferably room temperature
• 8 ounces fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 slices thick, crusty bread (sourdough, multigrain)
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• chili crisp or oil for drizzling

Equipment

• medium pot and non-stick pan

Method

Prepare the Jammy Eggs

1. Fill a 2-quart pot with water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly so the water is gently bubbling instead of vigorously bubbling. Slowly lower the eggs into the boiling water and immediately set a timer for exactly 7 minutes. If you prefer a set yolk, continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

2. Cook the eggs, uncovered, for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, remove the eggs and quickly place them in a bowl filled with ice water and let them stand until cool. Peel the eggs and set aside.

Sauté the Spinach

1. While the eggs are cooking, prepare the spinach. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, but do not brown. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper and toss to cook for about 2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. You can cover the pan to help it wilt. Remove from the heat, and drain any excess water. Add the lemon juice and additional salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste. Set aside.

Toast the Bread

1. Heat a pan over medium heat. Brush with oil or melted butter and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned.

Assembling the Toast

1. Lay out the toasted bread. Divide the spinach over the tops. Cut the eggs lengthwise and add them on top of the spinach, then cut or smash the eggs (1-2 eggs per toast, depending on the size of your bread). Season with salt, pepper, chili oil, and additional olive oil to taste. Serve immediately.

Kitchen notes

• Room temperature eggs will help prevent the egg from cracking when placing it in the boiling water. If you forget, fill a bowl with warm water and place the eggs in the bowl to get the chill out.
• For a set yolk, cook 9-10 minutes.