This Eggs Benedict Florentine truly only takes 10 minutes because I skip the fussiest parts of traditional Eggs Benedict: poaching the eggs and making the hollandaise.
I actually get close to a poached egg consistency by cooking the eggs in a covered skillet without flipping them. The trapped steam sets the whites while also keeping the yolks runny.
For the hollandaise shortcut, I borrow its basic flavors: butter, egg yolk, and lemon juice. Instead of making a sauce, I rely on the runny yolk already in the egg, and add a pat of butter and a squeeze of lemon on top.
Add creamy spinach and some ham, and you have a rich, creamy Eggs Benedict Florentine that's easy enough for a weekday breakfast.
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How to use spinach for a Florentine version of Eggs Benedict
"Florentine" dishes are defined by their use of spinach, which is why I use so much of it for this Eggs Benedict Florentine recipe.
I use an entire ounce of fresh spinach per open-faced serving. If you are making 4 servings, you can buy a standard 5-ounce container at your grocery store and use the whole thing.
If you've ever cooked with spinach, you know how a giant amount cooks down dramatically.
Because the raw spinach takes up so much room in the pan, I have you cook it until it starts to wilt before adding the eggs. That should take only about 4 minutes.
Then add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and toss to combine it with the wilted spinach.
If you have a large enough pan, move the spinach to a small section to keep it warm, then cook the eggs in the same pan.
If your pan isn't big enough, remove the spinach and cover it to keep warm. Then use the now-empty pan to cook the eggs.
How to mimic poached eggs in a skillet
Poached eggs take a lot of practice to get just right and too much work for an easy breakfast.
There's a way to make the eggs in a skillet that gets the consistency close. The trick is to cook them in a covered pan without flipping them.
When covered, steam gets trapped and sets the tops of the eggs with that soft white look and texture that poached eggs have. Meanwhile, the bottoms are cooked gently enough that they don't turn brown and crispy.
I make this entire recipe in a large 12-inch stainless steel skillet. It can fit four eggs, a pile of wilted spinach, and ham all at the same time.
All Clad's website has a great article (and video) on cooking eggs in a stainless steel pan if this is new to you.
If you do want to poach eggs, or at least give it a shot, follow the guide from Downshiftology.
How the hollandaise shortcut works
First, let's take a look at what traditional hollandaise sauce is. It's an emulsion of butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice.
A small batch for just four servings typically uses the following:
- 1 stick of butter (yes, that much!)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Cayenne pepper or other flavorings
My shortcut tops each serving with a small pat of butter that melts on contact and a squeeze of lemon.
When you cut into the runny yolk, it mixes with the melted butter and lemon, giving you some of the richness and acidity of a hollandaise sauce without the fuss.
So as you can see, this keeps all of the same flavors, which is what makes it work so well. The creamed spinach works so well in this Florentine version, because it adds richness while I'm using much less butter.
But you can easily add more butter if you want an even richer flavor.
Options for ham
There are a lot of ham options for your eggs Benedict Florentine. Choose whatever you have on hand, or leftovers from other meals.
- Deli ham
- Ham steaks
- Canadian bacon
- Prosciutto
- Leftover Easter, Christmas, or other holiday ham
Sliced deli ham is probably the quickest way to make eggs Benedict. The slices warm quickly and can brown up with just 30 seconds in the pan.
I've tried a lot of deli ham over the years, and my favorite is Boar's Head Tavern Ham. It doesn't have added water like other hams, including other versions of Boar's Head, so it has a much better flavor and consistency.
A ham steak is another good option, but you will have to make sure it has time to cook in the pan to fully warm up. A thinner slice of Canadian bacon could be a happy middle ground.
Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
Eggs Benedict ingredients
- 2 English muffins
- 4 ounces spinach
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream (or 1 tablespoon milk + 1 tablespoon butter)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 large eggs sitting at room temp for 15 minutes
- 4 slices deli ham or prosciutto
- salt, to taste
Garnish
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 lemon for fresh squeezed juice
Instructions
Prepare everything
- NOTE: Everything is cooked in 1 pan, and we skip the fancy hollandaise (which is just a ton of butter, a couple egg yolks, and lemon juice). The sauce is replaced with the spinach Florentine.
- Toast the English muffins, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Make sure that skillet has a matching lid. It needs to fit 4 eggs, then some crowded spinach, and the ham can go in anywhere. (If it won't all fit, cook the spinach first, remove and set aside).
Cook eggs, ham, and spinach
- As the pan heats up, add ½ tablespoon olive oil in the pan and swirl to coat. Set temperature to medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add heavy cream and salt to taste, then move to the side of the pan.
- If using a stainless steel skillet: before you add the eggs, make sure it's hot enough or the eggs will stick. Get your hands wet and flick some water onto the pan - if it sizzles off, it's not hot enough yet. If the water beads up and dances around, it's ready. (You can also use a nonstick for this recipe).
- Add some more olive oil, then crack the eggs into the pan. Sprinkle with salt, then put lid on the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. (The lid helps cooks the tops of the eggs so you don't need to flip them).
- Remove the lid and add the ham, you can even lay it on top of the spinach. Replace lid and cook for another 3 minutes. Check the eggs to make sure they are done and the whites are properly set.
Assemble the eggs Benedict Florentine
- Lay English muffins open face. Add spinach, ham, and then the egg. Add a tiny dab of butter, a fresh squeeze of lemon, chives and cayenne pepper if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More recipes & resources
Looking for more eggs Benedict ideas? I have another shortcut recipe with asparagus (instead of spinach). It's also made in one pan: Easy Eggs Benedict with asparagus.
Looking for more ways to use up fresh spinach?
If you're wondering what else is currently in season, check out my calendars to see what produce is in season each month (and coming up soon).
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