Cast Iron

Shirred Eggs

February 14, 2018
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Serves 1
Author Notes

Traditionally, shirred eggs are eggs cracked in a dish, topped with a splash of cream and a little parmesan and then baked until the whites are firm and the yolks are still a bit soft. I've enjoyed them over roasted carrots and leeks, mushrooms, sautéed spinach with a dollop of ricotta on top, chorizo and roasted sweet potato with a sprinkle of cotija, and so on. All equally delicious.

To get started for yourself, all you need is a few eggs, a splash of cream, and a little cheese of your choosing for a base. After that, how you personalize your shirred eggs is up to you.

Note: Use a flat baking dish, instead of a high sided or deep dish, to ensure the eggs cook evenly. I used a small cast-iron casserole dish, similar to this one. —Grant Melton

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe was featured in the article "For Creamy, B&B-Style Eggs—And Fast!—Crank Up the Oven." —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • Butter, for greasing the dish
  • A splash of heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup filling (leftover roasted veggies, sliced sausage, sautéed kale or Swiss chard, roasted tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, creamed spinach, etc.—whatever you have!)
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Chives, chopped, for topping
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 475° F, or as high as your oven will go.
  2. Butter a 24-ounce dish, preferably cast-iron. Set aside.
  3. Pour about a tablespoon of cream into the bottom of the dish and swirl it to cover the bottom. Scatter some filling into the bottom of the dish. Crack two eggs on top. Try the gets the yolks as close to the center as possible, they’ll cook more evenly that way. Season the top with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and some finely grated cheese. Place into the oven for at least 10 minutes or until whites are solid and the yolks are cooking to your liking.
  4. Remove from oven and garnish with chives. Serve while it’s hot and bubbly!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

3 Reviews

FrugalCat April 27, 2018
I used to make these all the time when I was single for the morning after a guy spent the night. I called them "bachelorette eggs" and 9 out of 10 times I used spinach.
Analida B. February 16, 2018
This looks fantastic and so easy to make! I need to try this during Lent on a Friday. Here is spicy egg dish I love to make this time of year also: https://ethnicspoon.com/spicy-eggs-in-purgatory/
Grant M. February 20, 2018
Looks great! Thanks for sharing.