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Home Egg Recipes

Shirred Eggs (Baked Eggs with Spinach & Mushrooms)

By:Nagi
Published:13 Aug '21Updated:13 Aug '21
98 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Shirred Eggs are a type of baked eggs, and are a super-simple way to turn the humble egg into an enticing meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Eggs are cracked over a bed of garlicky mushroom and spinach in small dishes, topped with a dash cream and parmesan then baked until just-set. Bread for dunking is definitely not optional!

Freshly made Baked Eggs (shirred eggs) being eaten

Baked Eggs (Shirred Eggs)

Baked Eggs can be as simple as cracking eggs into a muffin tin, then popping it in the oven. All good – but, well, kinda humdrum. 🤷🏻‍♀️

These shirred eggs though? They’re cooked on a bed of garlicky mushrooms and spinach. We drizzle the eggs with just a touch of cream and give it all a shower of parmesan before popping in the oven. The cream melds with eggs as they bake, yielding bubbling, custardy, runny-yolks-with-set-whites perfection!

Tasty egg, odd name: What are shirred eggs?

Shirred eggs get their name from the traditional dish in which they are baked, a small gratin dish called a shirrer. Unlike French oeufs en cocotte or coddled eggs, shirred eggs are not baked immersed in a water bath.

These days, “shirred eggs” is used to name any eggs baked this way, usually with a bit of butter and cream, and served in the baking dish.

There’s endless possibilities for ingredients you can marry with your shirred eggs. Ham, flaked smoked fish, fresh herbs, breadcrumbs, different cheeses, tomato (like Shakshuka), cooked veg like asparagus, capsicum, artichoke … even shaved truffle! 😍 The list goes on – hatch your own shirred eggs creations!

Dunking bread into Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs
  • Raw eggs cracked into ramekins to make Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs
  • Making Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs
    Eggs topped with cream and parmesan, ready to bake

Ingredients in Shirred Baked Eggs

Here’s what you need to make these Shirred Eggs baked on a bed of buttery and garlicky spinach and mushrooms:

Ingredients in Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs
  • Eggs – Fridge-cold, if you’re dead set on runny yolks like I am! Fridge-cold eggs slows down the cooking of the yolks, which set at a lower temperature than the whites. If you use room temperature eggs, you’ll find by the time the whites are set, the yolks aren’t runny any more.

  • Mushrooms – I’ve just used white mushrooms, but anything will work here. If you have access to fresh wild mushrooms, they’ll be even better (*jealous!)

  • Spinach – I’ve used baby spinach here for ease. You can easily switch it out for sliced English spinach, kale, silverbeet leaves (Swiss chard), or anything similar.

  • Garlic, thyme and butter – For cooking the spinach and mushroom bed. Feel free to switch out the thyme for other herbs of choice! Tarragon or rosemary would be lovely, or a pinch of mixed dried herbs.

  • Cream and parmesan – For topping the eggs. The cream protects the egg so it doesn’t dry out in the oven, and the cheese forms a thin and delicious crust. Plus, well, you know. Cream and cheese. Makes everything tastier. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Spinach mushroom for Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs

How to make baked eggs

How to make Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs
  1. Cook mushrooms – Start by cooking the mushrooms until golden. Add the garlic towards the end, else it will burn before the mushrooms are done.

  2. Wilt spinach – When the mushrooms are done, toss the spinach in and stir just until wilted. This literally takes 30 seconds.

  3. Divide between ramekins – Divide the mushroom mixture between the ramekins.

  4. Egg – Make a shallow crater in the surface of the mushroom mixture so when you rack the eggs in, the yolk settles in the middle. This will also encourage even cooking of the yolk. If the yolk sits up against the wall of the ramekin, the part touching the ramekin will overcook.

  5. Top with cream and parmesan – Sprinkle the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, drizzle over cream, then parmesan.

  6. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C / 390°F / (180°F fan) for runny yolks and just-set whites. Check at 12 minute mark – if your ramekins have lower sides or your oven is hotter etc, it may cook faster.

    To serve, sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika (optional) or even cayenne if you like it hot (definitely optional!), chives (optional), and with hot crusty bread for dunking (not optional!).

Dunking bread into Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs
Overhead photo of Baked Eggs - Shirred Eggs

When to serve Baked Eggs

The obvious answer: breakfast and brunch.

When I make it: lunch and dinner.

Some people might find one egg a little on the light side, portion-wise, for a breakfast. But with bread, I find it’s enough. And you know I have a hearty appetite!

Having said that, if you have a larger ramekin, feel free to double up on the eggs. Just scale up the cream and parmesan, and adjust the bake time as required. Or if you prefer, you can also make Shirred Eggs in one larger baking dish. Now you’re free to scale it up to your heart and tummy’s content! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Freshly made Baked Eggs (shirred eggs) being eaten

Baked Eggs with Mushrooms (Shirred Eggs)

Author: Nagi
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins
Total: 25 minutes mins
Breakfast, Brunch, Light Meal
Western
5 from 30 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. Shirred Eggs are a type of baked eggs, and are a super-simple way to turn the humble egg into an enticing meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Eggs are cracked over a bed of garlicky mushroom and spinach in small dishes, topped with a dash cream and parmesan then baked until just-set.
Serve for breakfast, brunch, or as a light meal anytime of the day! This makes:
– Standard breakfast for 4 people with bread (double up on eggs for more filling option)
– Big breakfast for 2 people (make double in larger ramekin)

Ingredients

Mushroom Spinach Filling:

  • 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 200g / 7oz mushrooms , sliced thinly (0.3cm / 1/8″)
  • 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups baby spinach

Baked Eggs:

  • 4 large eggs , fridge cold (Note 1)
  • Pinch salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup thickened cream (heavy cream)
  • 4 tbsp parmesan , freshly grated
  • 1/8 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
  • 2 tsp chives , finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan). Lightly oil or butter four ramekins – 300ml / 10oz (1 1/4 cups).
  • Cook mushrooms: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook mushrooms until starting to go golden on the edges, 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for further 1 minute until mushrooms and garlic are golden.
  • Wilt spinach: Add spinach and stir for 30 seconds, just until wilted.
  • Fill ramekins: Divide mushroom mixture evenly into the ramekins. Make a slight dent in the middle, crack eggs in (yolk should settle in centre). Sprinkle each egg with pinch of salt and pepper, drizzle with cream, pile on parmesan.
  • Bake: Bake in oven for 12 – 15 minutes until egg whites are just set and yolks are cooked to your liking (I like runny!). Check it at 12 minutes – hotter ovens, lower walled ramekins etc can make them cook faster. Take out of oven slightly undercooked as egg will keep cooking.
  • Paprika: Sprinkle smoked paprika and chives on top, serve immediately with warm bread for dunking!

Recipe Notes:

1. Fridge cold eggs – I find fridge cold eggs work best if you want runny yolks with set egg whites. With room temp eggs, yolks and whites cook in a more similar time, so by the time the whites are set the yolks are mostly set (in my personal egg baking experience!).
If your eggs are room temp, then just bake for  ~ 12 min.
“Large eggs” are 55 – 60g (Australia) / 2 oz (US). Industry standard, cartons are labelled as such.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 211cal (11%)Carbohydrates: 4g (1%)Protein: 10g (20%)Fat: 18g (28%)Saturated Fat: 10g (63%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 205mg (68%)Sodium: 317mg (14%)Potassium: 421mg (12%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 3579IU (72%)Vitamin C: 12mg (15%)Calcium: 130mg (13%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Keywords: baked eggs, shirred eggs
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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98 Comments

  1. April says

    December 1, 2023 at 11:01 am

    5 stars
    They had some fresh mushrooms I needed to use up and I was kind of in the mood for eggs for dinner. This recipe was just the ticket! I have never had shirred eggs before but oh my goodness! I will definitely be having them often from now on! I had just made some of your no+knead artisan bread. I lightly toasted a few slices while baking the shirred eggs. Absolutely perfect!

    Reply
  2. Tracy Doust says

    June 22, 2023 at 1:04 am

    So here’s an odd one – if you absolutely can’t stand egg white and you want to just do this with a yolk (or 2) would bringing the bake time down to 7 minutes work – or would you just end up with a hard boiled yolk on top ?

    Reply
    • S says

      August 3, 2023 at 8:16 am

      Not odd at all, egg yolks are so much better than white! If you add parmesan layer to the veg, I think you can see the eggs cook on top through oven window? Otherwise 7 minutes should be enough for runny yolk (internet says 12 minutes for set egg when poached in water using a muffin tin at 120C). Hope that helps 🙂

      Reply
  3. Tiffany says

    April 24, 2023 at 6:15 am

    5 stars
    Delicious (and BEAUTIFUL) dish! I paired this with sourdough bread griddled with New Zealand grass-fed butter (both from Costco), and it was amazing. Better than any brunch I’ve had in a restaurant in years! Love all RecipeTinEats recipes!

    Reply
  4. Marian A. Fry says

    December 19, 2022 at 12:53 pm

    Nagi, do you place all of the ramekins on a tray to bake the shirred eggs, or will that affect the bake time?

    Reply
  5. Debbie says

    September 16, 2022 at 9:20 pm

    5 stars
    Fabulous and delicious!! Especially great with Nagi’s No knead Artisian Bread!😋 Many thanks for so many scrumptious and easy recipes Nagi!

    Reply
  6. Adele says

    July 17, 2022 at 8:41 am

    Really easy to put together and really tasty. Used 10cm x 5cm ramekins. Cooked them for 11 minutes and had nice runny yolks.
    Thanks for another great recipe Nagi!

    Reply
  7. Lee Hilton says

    March 10, 2022 at 12:14 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I made it exactly as designed twice! and can hardly wait to serve it to guests this weekend. It may become a guilty pleasure meal.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 11, 2022 at 10:12 am

      I am so happy you enjoyed it Lee! N x

      Reply
  8. Catherine Tester says

    February 21, 2022 at 1:28 pm

    5 stars
    Such a great recipe to quickly produce a stunning looking & tasting breakfast!! Very well received by our guests.

    Reply
  9. Christina says

    October 14, 2021 at 3:24 am

    5 stars
    DELISH! Yet fairly easy, quick, and very impressive for serving to company. Looking forward to your COOKBOOK! Congrats!

    Reply
    • Rachael says

      May 17, 2022 at 8:15 pm

      5 stars
      So tasty, I used ham, artichoke, spring onion and garlic for a midweek use what we have dinner. I had quite large ramekins and used two eggs. So delish will be a regular and a great way to use up our chook eggs

      Reply
  10. Jamelle Weston says

    September 27, 2021 at 1:32 am

    5 stars
    SOOOO good! I have made this recipe twice with no changes, and I now crave it Sunday mornings. About to make it again!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 27, 2021 at 10:29 am

      Wahoo, that’s great Jamelle!! N x

      Reply
  11. Gloria says

    September 18, 2021 at 10:46 am

    5 stars
    I cannot wait to host a brunch and make these again. Delicious!

    Reply
  12. Tom says

    September 7, 2021 at 3:40 am

    5 stars
    I used frozen spinach that I thawed and squeezed dry. The bacon was cooked completely then lined the ramekins. I should have seasoned the spinach with some freshly grated nutmeg especially after adding cream and Parmesan. My guests gave me 4 out of 5 stars though! Not bad and honestly the best shirred eggs I’ve never made. Thank you!

    Reply
  13. Sheila says

    September 5, 2021 at 8:55 am

    Can you put these in the fridge to warm up for a few days worth of breakfasts?

    Reply
    • Jamelle Weston says

      September 27, 2021 at 1:33 am

      5 stars
      I have done this, and it was still great a couple of days later!

      Reply
  14. Alex says

    September 4, 2021 at 5:45 am

    Congrats on your pending cookbook. I would LOVE a great shrimp burger recipe included.

    Reply
  15. MS TYLER BROWN says

    August 30, 2021 at 3:27 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the idea of baking the eggs. I couldn’t follow the recipe exactly – I don’t deal well with cream, so I omitted it – but they still worked out perfectly.

    Reply
  16. Amy says

    August 29, 2021 at 7:46 pm

    OMG this was honestly the best breakfast…will definitely be on the menu again

    Reply
  17. Susan Dwight says

    August 27, 2021 at 5:53 am

    5 stars
    This is the best recipe site ever. Original ideas for meals. Carefully shown and explained.
    I have only made lentil soup and shirred eggs so far but many more soon. Thank you Nagi.

    Reply
  18. Alan says

    August 23, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    Bloody beautiful breakfast with a Vienna loaf toasted

    Reply
  19. Sherry says

    August 23, 2021 at 6:09 am

    5 stars
    Oh I just love these eggs and have made them 4 times now so today since all my family did not come for brunch there is 2 left over shirred eggs unbaked in their tiny dishes, I would love to know it I can freeze them unbaked or should I just bake them and then freeze them. These are my favorite eggs now and as I have 2 more in the fridge for tomorrow I am hoping I can freeze the other 2. Thank you for a really great recipe among all the other that I have tried.

    Reply
  20. Ren says

    August 21, 2021 at 9:41 pm

    Prepped the spinach, mushroom combo on Friday night. Added in a little fresh Chilli.
    Assembled Saturday morning for an easy, but indulgent breakfast!
    SO yummy. I highly recommend!!
    Thanks Nagi!!

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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