Soft poached eggs, melted butter and Parmesan cheese blanket fresh green asparagus in a silky sauce. This is a nourishing and simple dish for breakfast, brunch or supper.

Cooked asparagus on a plate topped with a broken soft poached egg.
There’s nothing better than asparagus with poached eggs.

This is a simple Italian-inspired recipe for tender-crisp steamed asparagus in a warm saucy “bed” of creamy poached egg yolk and Parmesan cheese.

Another name for this dish is “Asparagus in Bed” — should you be so lucky to have the pleasure of actually eating asparagus in bed I might have to ask where you live!

The recipe is so named because of the way the tips of the asparagus spears peek out from beneath a “blanket” of soft poached egg, butter, olive oil and cheese. When the soft yolk, butter and cheese commingle, they create an instant sauce for the vegetables.

But seriously, what could be more relaxed and sensual than nibbling tender spears of asparagus with your fingers, dipping into a creamy, runny yolk of a softly poached egg and reclining comfortably in bed or on the couch. All at the same time?!

A plate holding a portion of green cooked asparagus topped with a soft poached egg with runny yolk and parmesan cheese.

The inspiration for this dish is in Cucina Simpatica, a cookbook by the chefs/owners of Al Forno in Providence, R.I. At the restaurant, they made this dish by roasting asparagus in a super-hot wood burning oven and topped it with a butter-fried egg.

This recipe features steamed asparagus because when I first made it, it was morning, I was hungry, and I didn’t feel like waiting for the oven to get hot to roast asparagus.

This is the kind of simple meal to make for yourself and maybe someone you like a lot, at the start of a lazy day or the end of a busy one.

Make ahead tips:

  • You can cook the asparagus 1-2 days ahead. Serve warm or cold with the vinaigrette and warm poached eggs.
  • If you like, you can also poach the eggs 1-2 days ahead. Keep them in the fridge in small covered dish, covered with cold water. When ready to serve, carefully reheat them for a few minutes in the simmering water.
4.67 from 3 ratings

Steamed Asparagus with Poached Egg

Karen Tedesco
A simple recipe for steamed asparagus with poached egg and Parmesan sauce.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound (450 g) asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
  • Kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup (160 ml) water
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar
  • 2-4 eggs, cracked into small bowls or ramekins
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  1. Put the asparagus in a skillet large enough to hold them in one layer (10 or 12 inches diameter). Add 1 teaspoon salt and the water.
  2. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover and cook 10 minutes or so, stirring the spears around now and then, until the they’re are tender when pierced but still bright green in color. Drain, arrange on a serving plate and drizzle with the olive oil.
  3. In the same skillet, add water to almost fill the pan. Add the vinegar and bring to a simmer. Tip the eggs into the simmering water and cook just until the whites are opaque and set and the yolks are still jiggly.
  4. Lift the eggs from the water and blot on a towel. Drizzle the asparagus with the butter and cover with the cheese. Place an egg over each portion, season with black pepper and serve.

Notes

  • You can cook the asparagus 1-2 days ahead. Serve warm or cold with the vinaigrette and warm poached eggs.
  • If you like, you can also poach the eggs 1-2 days ahead. Keep them in the refrigerator in small covered dish, covered with cold water. When ready to serve, carefully reheat them for a few minutes in the simmering water.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 232kcal Carbohydrates: 7g Protein: 13g Fat: 18g Sodium: 460mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 2g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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