Skillet eggs Florentine, with no muffin or poaching: the eggs cook in the spinach, with blender hollandaise served on the side.
The runny yolk mingles with glossy spinach, beautifully browned mushrooms, garlic and a hint of red chili. This skillet version keeps the spirit of eggs Florentine, without an English muffin or separate poaching, as the eggs cook directly in the vegetables. Ready in 20 minutes and serving two, this dish works for brunch or a simple dinner, fitting right in with a meal ready in 20 minutes. File it alongside my keto breakfasts.
What are eggs Florentine?
In cooking, the term à la florentine generally indicates the presence of spinach. In its classic form, the dish consists of poached eggs set on spinach, often on an English muffin, then topped with sauce.
In this version, there is no separate poaching step: the eggs are cracked into wells made in the wilted spinach. Cremini mushrooms provide a meaty texture, garlic and chili add punch, pecorino or Parmesan brings a salty flavor, and nutritional yeast boosts the umami note. The hollandaise, emulsified in a blender with white or apple cider vinegar, dried thyme and dried oregano, is served on the side.
The classic dish and this variation
In the classic version, the eggs are often poached and served on bread. Here, the preparation is more straightforward: one large skillet, well-seared vegetables and eggs cooked right in the pan, for less washing up and less technique.
The recipe keeps the central idea of the classic dish, spinach, eggs and sauce, while leaving out the bread. It adds mushrooms, garlic, chili and cheese, and serves the hollandaise in a small bowl rather than spooning it directly over the eggs.
The main ingredients
The skillet dish centers on 2 eggs, the heart of the dish, and 350 g of fresh spinach as the vegetable base. One fresh red chili, such as a hot or Spanish chili, provides a clear, aromatic heat, while 250 g of cremini mushrooms add bite and umami depth. Four to five garlic cloves, chopped or coarsely grated, flavor everything without burning, with a pinch of Celtic sea salt and a splash of avocado, mild olive or high-oleic sunflower oil for cooking over high heat.
A handful of grated pecorino or Parmesan finishes the skillet dish: pecorino for its distinctive sheep’s milk character, Parmesan for its rich dairy flavor. Three tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes add a cheesy, umami note but do not melt like cheese; sprinkle them on at the last minute, and check the label to avoid gluten.
The blender hollandaise starts with 2 egg yolks as emulsifiers and 100 g of melted butter, used warm to hot but never scalding. One tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar cuts through the richness, while one teaspoon of dried oregano, one of dried thyme, half a teaspoon of black pepper and half a teaspoon of Celtic sea salt balance the sauce without overpowering the cheese.
Technique and serving tips
The base comes together in a single large skillet, starting with well-browned mushrooms, gently heated garlic, then spinach added by the handful until wilted; brush the mushrooms clean rather than rinsing them with lots of water. The eggs go into two wells in the vegetables: covered over low heat, allow 6 to 8 minutes, though a film may form over the yolks, or about 12 minutes uncovered, leaving the yolks more visible. The cue is simple: set whites and still-soft yolks. Then let the cheese melt briefly and add the nutritional yeast at the last minute.
Make the hollandaise when the eggs are nearly cooked to your liking: blend the yolks and vinegar, then incorporate the still-hot melted butter very slowly in a thin stream, followed by the thyme, oregano, pepper and salt. Since it contains unpasteurized yolks, serve it immediately or refrigerate it promptly in a sealed container, and use pasteurized yolks with fully cooked eggs if you need to avoid raw eggs. Bring the skillet to the table with the sauce in a bowl, serving one egg and a portion of vegetables per person: as a guide, each serving contains 576 kcal, 11 g net carbs, 18 g protein and 52 g fat, including 29 g saturated fat, and 6 g fiber.
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Skillet Eggs Florentine with Hollandaise Sauce
Ingredients
Skillet
- 2 eggs
- 350 g fresh spinach
- 1 red chili pepper (chili or Spanish variety)
- 250 g cremini mushrooms
- 4 – 5 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch salt (Celtic sea salt)
- 1 splash avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil for cooking
Topping
- 1 generous handful Pecorino or Parmesan
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
Sauce
- 2 egg yolks
- 100 g butter (from grass-fed cows)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon oregano (dried)
- 1 teaspoon thyme (dried)
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon salt (Celtic sea salt)
Instructions
Sauce
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Do not turn the heat up too high: the butter will be used lukewarm, not hot. Set aside briefly once ready.100 g butter (from grass-fed cows)
- Meanwhile, prepare everything you need to finish the sauce (finish it at the last minute). Weigh out the herbs. Separate the egg whites from the yolks, place the yolks in the immersion blender’s measuring beaker and add the vinegar.2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon oregano (dried), 1 teaspoon thyme (dried)
Skillet
- Clean the mushrooms with a small brush (do not wash them!). Cut the large mushrooms into chunky pieces and leave the smaller ones whole wherever possible. The aim is to sear them while keeping as much juice inside as possible. Keep the pieces just slightly larger than bite-sized: they will shrink as they cook. Heat the skillet and pour in the oil. Sauté the mushrooms over high heat, taking care not to burn them.250 g cremini mushrooms, 1 splash avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil
- Chop or grate the garlic into pieces (not too small, or it will burn) and add it. Once the mushrooms are nicely browned and have shrunk considerably, remove everything from the skillet and set aside briefly.4 – 5 cloves garlic
- Meanwhile, wash and chop the chili peppers.1 red chili pepper (chili or Spanish variety)
- Wash the spinach and let it drain briefly.350 g fresh spinach
- Pour another splash of oil into the skillet and sauté the red chili pepper. After a few minutes, add 2 handfuls of spinach, stir until slightly wilted, then add more. Repeat until all the spinach has wilted in the skillet.
- Place the sautéed mushrooms on top of the spinach. Make wells and crack the eggs into them.2 eggs
- Lower the heat and cook the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft. Allow 6 to 8 minutes with a lid on. A white film will form over the yolks. To keep the yolks bright yellow, allow about 12 minutes instead.
- Sprinkle with cheese and let it melt briefly. If using nutritional yeast: sprinkle the nutritional yeast flakes over the top at the last minute and add a little salt to taste.1 generous handful Pecorino, 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes, 1 pinch salt (Celtic sea salt)
Sauce
- When the eggs are almost cooked, finish the sauce. Place the immersion blender over the egg yolks and blend. The mixture will turn pale and thicken slightly.
- Pour in a few drops of butter from the small saucepan while continuing to blend. The butter in the saucepan should be hot, but not too hot (you should just be able to dip your finger into it). Gradually pour in a little more butter and keep blending (also move the immersion blender up and down briefly). Add the herbs, pepper and salt.0.5 teaspoon black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon salt (Celtic sea salt)
- Serve the sauce in a small bowl alongside the skillet so everyone can help themselves at the table.
