- Prep10 min
- Cook5 min
zI don’t always want a heavy breaky, and, believe it or not, I do like a vegetarian dish to mix things up. This turmeric poached egg sits on wilted spinach and tomato with a few toasted pine nuts. It’s a breakfast or lunch in about 15 minutes, with a frying pan and a pot.
Bagged baby spinach is the main shortcut, because there’s no washing. If standing at the stove is already too much, the No Spoon Swaps below skip the pine nuts and the poaching.
Can I manage this today?
- Spoon rating: 🥄🥄 Low-Spoon
- Hands-on time: about 15 minutes, all of it hands-on
- Main effort: poaching two eggs one after the other, 3 minutes each, with the water kept just below a bubble
- Chopping: a little. Halve one tomato (125 g). Nothing else needs cutting
- Standing and attention: at the stove for most of it, and the poaching needs a close eye on the heat
- Washing up: one frying pan (wiped out between steps), a pot and two serving bowls
There’s one sensible way to make this. The swaps below trim it.
Leigh’s notes
Poached eggs have a reputation for being fussy. This method keeps it simple: the turmeric and vinegar go into the poaching water, so there’s no extra bowl and no separate spice step. The one thing worth watching is the heat. You turn it down until the water stops bubbling before the egg goes in.
Eggs are the reason I make this. A large egg has around 6 to 7 g of protein and all nine essential amino acids, and egg protein is easy to digest. On low-appetite days eggs are one of the first things I reach for, and I’ve written about why in Chasing pain: why eating matters.
The nerdy bit: turmeric
Turmeric comes with a big reputation, so here’s where I’ve landed. Its yellow comes from curcumin, and much of the research is on turmeric or curcumin products, not the spice in a meal. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says we don’t yet know enough to say either one helps with any health purpose. It also notes that piperine from black pepper is one way supplements improve curcumin absorption. So: an interesting area of research, and no promises. In this dish turmeric is about flavour and colour, and that’s reason enough to use it.
Why this recipe works
- The turmeric and vinegar go straight into the poaching water, so there’s no spice step and no extra bowl.
- Everything cooks fast: pine nuts 2 minutes, spinach and tomato 2 minutes, each egg 3 minutes.
- Breaking the yolk just before serving turns it into a sauce for the spinach.
- Toasted pine nuts add crunch against the soft egg and wilted greens.
Ingredients at a glance
- Eggs: the main event, poached in the turmeric water.
- Baby spinach: the base. It wilts in about 2 minutes.
- Tomato: adds juice and a little acidity against the egg.
- Pine nuts: toasted dry for crunch.
- Olive oil: for stir-frying the spinach and tomato.
- White wine vinegar: goes into the poaching water with the turmeric.
- Ground turmeric: flavour and colour.
No Spoon Swaps
- Bagged baby spinach (already used here): no washing or trimming. Bagged leaves are a legitimate ingredient, not second best.
- Skip the pine nuts: removes the dry-toasting step and one more thing to buy. You lose the crunch. Not tested.
- Leave small cherry tomatoes whole: removes the cutting. The texture may be different. Not tested.
- Fry the eggs instead of poaching: no pot and no watching the heat. The egg won’t pick up the turmeric and the texture is different. Not tested.
Substitutions and allergens
- Pine nuts: sunflower seeds or pepitas give a similar crunch. Not tested.
- White wine vinegar: another mild vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar. Not tested.
- Vegetarian: the recipe uses eggs and no meat or fish.
- Eggs: there’s no swap that keeps this dish. The poached egg is the dish.
Allergen notes
- Egg: the main ingredient.
- Pine nuts: if you avoid nuts or seeds for allergy reasons, check with your allergy specialist before using them, or skip them.
- Sulphites: wine vinegar usually contains them, so check the label if you’re sensitive.
- Gluten: no ingredient here contains gluten, but check the labels on the vinegar and any packaged ingredients.
Equipment and easier alternatives
- A frying pan (a BBQ hotplate works too) and a pot or saucepan for the poaching water.
- If standing at the stove is the hard part, the fried-egg swap shortens your time at the heat. Not tested.
Storage, freezing and reheating
- Fridge: not recommended. Eat it straight away.
- Freezer: not suitable for freezing.
- Reheating: not recommended. Make it fresh.
Serving ideas
- Eat it as it is for breakfast or lunch.
- Add a second egg per serve if you want more on the plate.
- For another egg dish on a low-spoon morning, try the Beetroot Egg Muffins (Beet Cackleberry Pies).
- For a make-ahead breakfast, try the Keto Baked Oats.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the water need to stop bubbling?
The method turns the heat down until the water stops bubbling before the egg goes in. Hard-bubbling water knocks the egg about, so a gentle heat is easier to work with.
Can I make a turmeric poached egg ahead of time?
It’s best eaten straight away. Making it ahead hasn’t been tested.
Is this turmeric poached egg vegetarian?
Yes. Eggs are the only animal product in the recipe.
Turmeric Poached Egg on Spinach (No Sous Chef Required)
Equipment
- Frying Pan (or BBQ)
- Saucepan or pot
Ingredients
Spinach and tomato
- 400 g baby spinach
- 125 g tomato halved
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 pinch pepper
Poached eggs
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
To finish
- 2 tsp pine nuts
Instructions
Toast the pine nuts
- Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the pine nuts and toast for 2 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Tip the pine nuts into a bowl and set aside.
- Wipe the frying pan out with paper towel.
Cook the spinach and tomato
- Heat the olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the spinach and tomato and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the spinach has wilted.
- Season with the salt and pepper.
Poach the eggs
- Bring a pot of water to the boil.
- Stir in the vinegar and turmeric.
- Turn the heat down until the water stops bubbling.
- Carefully break 1 egg into the water.
- Poach for 3 minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is still soft.
- Lift the egg out with a slotted spoon and let it drain for a few seconds.
- Repeat steps 11 to 13 with the second egg.
Serve
- Divide the spinach and tomato between 2 bowls.
- Top each bowl with a poached egg.
- Sprinkle over the pine nuts and taste, then add a little more salt and pepper if you like.
- Break open the eggs just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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If today’s spoons won’t stretch to a pot of simmering water, fry the egg and skip the pine nuts. It’s still egg and greens on a plate. A breakfast you actually eat beats a poached egg you didn’t get around to.
