Vegetarian Recipes

Poached Eggs

We love eggs here at Budget Bytes (hence our logo!), but out of all the ways to cook an egg, Poached Eggs are the ones I used to struggle with the most. And let me tell you, I tried ALL the tips and tricks out there before discovering this simple, easy-to-follow method for the BEST poached eggs every time. Now, my eggs always come out perfectly poached with a soft, runny yolk and firm white in a matter of minutes. It’s a no-mess, no-fuss technique that anyone can master—I promise!

Eggs are one of the easiest, cheapest, and nutrient-dense foods you can add to your plate. It doesn’t matter if I scramble, fry, or boil them soft or hard; eggs are one of my favorite ways to add protein to any meal for pennies. And now I’ve added poaching them to that list, I can easily make my family a restaurant-worthy breakfast or brunch without leaving our house!

Here’s what you’ll need to make a delicious poached egg with a luscious, runny yolk and firm white every time:

Egg: The method I’ve shared below is perfect for cooking one egg at a time. I recommend using the freshest egg possible because the fresher it is, the tighter the whites will be. This means it’ll hold its shape better in the water (reducing the chance of those stringy white wisps in the pot!) and will look nicer when plated.
White Vinegar: I’ve tested every possible tip for poaching eggs, and I find that adding a splash of white vinegar to the pot really helps the whites set. And don’t worry, your egg won’t taste like vinegar. The amount used is minimal, and it’s just enough to help it hold its shape.

How Long to Cook Poached Eggs

Timing is something that can vary depending on personal preference and how thick or runny you want your yolk to be. I found anywhere between 3:30 seconds to 4 minutes was the perfect amount of time to poach one large egg. This cooked the whites perfectly while still leaving the yolk runny! Make sure to set a timer somewhere so you can remove your egg promptly to keep it from overcooking.

When I say lots of testing was done in order to get the perfect poached eggs recipe, I’m not joking! Here are a few of my top tips:

Some people suggest cracking the egg in a fine mesh sieve in order to remove some of the excess, loose whites before poaching the egg. After testing, I found this step to be unnecessary and actually removed too much of the egg whites. Using all of the whites helps cover the entire yolk during cooking.
I found that using just a little bit of vinegar and making a vortex in the simmering (not boiling) water helps keep the egg whites together. This combination is my secret to the best poached eggs, so I highly recommend doing both.
I also tested poaching the egg in a medium pot versus a deep skillet or sauté pan. The sauté pan produced a flatter poached egg and not quite as round as the pot. I would recommend using a deep pot for the best results.

Serving Suggestions

Poaching is one of the healthiest ways to prepare eggs and they’re so quick and easy to make. I love serving them on top of my avocado toast in the morning or with a side of air-fried bacon and breakfast potatoes. But when I’m feeling a bit fancy or if I’m hosting brunch at my house, eggs Benedict is the only way to go!

Make Ahead Poached Eggs

Poached eggs are always better served fresh, but you can make them ahead of time. Cook the eggs as directed below and then immediately place them in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, submerge them in an airtight container filled with more cold water and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to use, reheat the eggs by placing them in a bowl of hot water for about 30 seconds.

Side view of a poached egg on avocado toast.

Poached Eggs Recipe

Follow this simple method and learn how to make Poached Eggs with soft, runny yolks and firm whites every time! Perfect for breakfast or brunch.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 4

Cook Time 4

Total Time 8

Servings egg

Calories

Author Marsha McDougal

Ingredients

1 large egg $0.25
1 Tbsp white vinegar $0.13

Instructions

Add about 4 inches of water to a medium pot and bring to a gentle boil.
While the water is coming to a boil, crack one egg into a small ramekin or bowl.
Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the water to continue to simmer. Add the white vinegar to the pot.
Stir the water with a spoon in a circular motion to create a vortex. Quickly add the egg to the center of the vortex and allow it to cook for 3:30-4 minutes. Set a timer to prevent overcooking the egg.
Gently remove the egg with a slotted spoon and dab the spoon on a paper towel to remove any excess water. Enjoy with a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

how to make Poached Eggs – step by step photos

Add about 4 inches of water to a medium pot and bring to a gentle boil. While the water is coming to a boil, crack one large egg into a small ramekin or bowl.

White vinegar being added to boiling water.

Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the water to continue to simmer. Add 1 Tbsp white vinegar to the pot.

A cracked egg being poured into a boiling pan of water to make poached eggs.

Stir the water with a spoon in a circular motion to create a vortex. Quickly add the egg to the center of the vortex and allow it to cook for 3:30-4 minutes. Set a timer to prevent overcooking the egg.

A finished poached egg on a plate with a piece of paper towel and a slotted spoon.

Gently remove the egg with a slotted spoon and dab the spoon on a paper towel to remove any excess water. Enjoy with a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Overhead view of two poached eggs on a plate, topped with salt and black pepper.

Baked Eggs

$3.40 recipe / $0.85 serving

Sliced frittata in the skillet, one slice being lifted.

How to Make A Frittata

$5.44 recipe / $0.90 serving

Shakshuka

$10.15 recipe / $2.53 serving

Egg Muffins

$2.01 recipe / $0.34 serving

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Vegetarian Recipes

How to Make Crispy Hash Browns

Potatoes are THE budget-friendly kitchen staple. They’re cheap and can be used in about a bazillion different ways. When I was asked for a tutorial on How to Make Crispy Hash Browns almost 9(!) years ago, I jumped on it. And all these years later, I still use this same method to get perfectly golden, crispy hash browns every time. I love making an indulgent breakfast on the weekends, and this recipe makes the perfect base for what I like to call my ultimate hash browns. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see what I topped them with to take them to the next level. 😉

Overhead view of hashbrowns in a skillet.

“Just made these with frozen hashbrowns. My husband took one bite and asked “Wow, what’s the secret to making them crispy?” I replied with “Beth.” 😂”

Erin

Easy Recipe for Crispy Hash Browns

Just like any breakfast potatoes, I’m sure everyone makes their hash browns differently. BUT, there are three things that I’ve found to be key to making really great golden brown hash browns: rinsing the starch off the potatoes, drying the potatoes well, and using an adequate amount of oil. Yes, that’s right, OIL! If you don’t use enough oil, the potatoes will dry and tend to go from white to burnt. Use enough, and you’ll get crispy yet moist potatoes with a beautiful spectrum of golden brown color.

This recipe only uses 3 simple ingredients (potatoes, oil, and seasoning salt), so each ingredient really matters! That’s why I like to keep things simple and focus on technique. And I’m happy to say this easy recipe has never failed me yet. 😁

Side view close up of crispy hashbrowns cooking in a skillet.

Crispy Hash Browns Recipe

In just a few simple steps, you can learn How to Make Crispy Hash Browns at home. Follow my tricks to make them perfectly crisp and delicious!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Total Cost $1.97 recipe / $0.49 serving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings (1 cup each)

Calories 303kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs.)* $1.76
4 Tbsp cooking oil, or as needed** $0.16
Seasoning salt to taste $0.05

Instructions

Peel the potatoes, if desired. Use a large-holed cheese grater or food processor to shred the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse well, or until the water runs clear. Let the potatoes drain.
Squeeze the potatoes of their excess water by pressing against the side of the colander or squeezing in your fist. Or, place the potatoes in a clean, lint-free dish towel, roll them up, then press to remove excess moisture.
Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat***. Once hot, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Tilt the skillet to spread the oil over the surface. Add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes or enough to cover the surface of the skillet in a solid, yet thin layer (1/2 inch thick or so). Let the potatoes fry, without disturbing, until deeply golden brown on the bottom (3-5 minutes). Season lightly with seasoning salt.
Flip the potatoes, and drizzle with additional oil if needed. Let the potatoes cook on the second side without disturbing until golden brown and crispy again. Season lightly on the second side.
If needed, flip and cook one more time to achieve the ratio of brown to white that you like. Repeat the process until all of the potatoes are cooked. Serve hot.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*I use Russet potatoes because they crisp up great in the skillet due to their texture and composition. You can certainly try another type of potato, but just keep in mind waxier varieties might not crisp up the same.

**You must use an oil with a high smoke point, like canola, corn, peanut, or sunflower oil. Butter obviously gives amazing flavor, but the butter solids tend to burn, so you’ll want to use clarified butter or ghee instead. I didn’t have the patience to clarify any butter, so I just used canola oil.

***I always use my 10″ cast iron skillet because it offers non-stick protection while giving really even heat and a nice surface for crisping. While stainless steel is also great for crisping, starchy foods (like potatoes) tend to stick a lot more on stainless, so it can be tricky. If you’re not well practiced with keeping food from sticking on stainless steel, I’d suggest either cast iron or a non-stick skillet.

Nutrition

How to Make Hash Browns step-by-step photos

Clean the potatoes: Start with two russet potatoes (about 2 lbs). You can either scrub them clean and leave the skin on or peel them. Gather the other ingredients.

Shred the potatoes: Use a large-holed cheese grater or a food processor to shred the potatoes. I found that the potatoes shredded fairly easily with the cheese grater, so it wasn’t worth cleaning out the food processor.

Rinse the shredded potatoes: Place the shredded potatoes in a colander and rinse them really, really, really well. The water running from the colander should be clear. Then, let them drain.

Dry the shredded potatoes: Making sure the potatoes are as dry as possible is my secret to keeping them crispy. If they have too much water on them, that water will turn to steam while they cook, which basically steams the potatoes and makes them soft. So, you can either let them drain a long time in the colander, squeeze them dry with your hands, or roll them up in a clean, lint-free towel and press them dry. I chose the towel method.

A hand holding a pot of tony chachere creole seasoning.

Make the hash browns: Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add about a tablespoon of oil. Spread the oil over the surface of the skillet, then add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes or enough to cover the bottom of the skillet in a solid but thin layer (only about 1/2 inch thick). You’re shooting for maximum surface contact here, so if they’re packed in there too thick, some won’t touch the skillet…and they’ll generate steam again and make everything mushy.

While the potatoes are cooking, sprinkle on a little seasoning salt. This is the kind I use, but you can use whatever brand you like. I love the little bit of extra flavor and kick that seasoning salt adds to the crispy hash browns compared to just plain salt and pepper.

Hashbrowns cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Now, the key here is to not touch them long enough for them to get really nice and brown and crispy. If you mess around with them, stirring or flipping too often, they won’t form a nice crust, and the long strands will kind of break down. So, LEAVE THEM BE. 😊 Then, once they’re very golden, flip them. You might need to drizzle on a little more oil at this point to help the second side crisp up.

Then, LET THE SECOND SIDE BE until it’s also golden and crispy. Now, depending on how many potatoes you have in the skillet, you may want to flip and cook one last time to get most of the potatoes crispy, but that’s up to you. Some people like a 50/50 ratio of crispy to soft, some people like almost all crispy. Repeat the process a couple more times or until you’ve cooked all the potatoes.

Overhead view of homemade hash browns on a plate, topped with a fried egg, sour cream, avocado, diced tomato, and sliced jalapeño,

These crispy hash browns are great on their own and all, but why not make them ULTIMATE by adding lots of yummy toppings? I did a fried egg, some avocado slices, diced tomato, sliced jalapeño, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream. Waffle House ain’t got nuthin’ on my hash browns.

Serving Suggestions

On those days when I don’t want to add any toppings, I like to serve these homemade hash browns with something equally delicious to make it a complete breakfast! I love piling them up alongside candied bacon for the perfect sweet-and-savory combo. Air fryer hard-boiled eggs are also great because they’re hands-off and cook themselves while I tend to the potatoes! But if I’m feeding a crowd, I’d go for something like a frittata or sheet pan pancakes since they’re both easy to make and can serve a lot of people at once.

Storage & Reheating

Let your leftovers cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a skillet with a little oil or in the air fryer to crisp them back up again!