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Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This slightly fancy, yet quite easy, way to serve eggs and toast deserves the slightly fancy name of Goldenrod Eggs.
Learn how to make goldenrod eggs, and surprise your family with this new favorite breakfast recipe.
What Is Goldenrod Eggs?
Goldenrod eggs, or eggs goldenrod, is an old-timey, timeless recipe that burgeoning home cooks once learned in home ec classes—a lesson in making a warm, satisfying meal from staples that most people kept on hand, something that could be on the table in minutes.
Home ec isn't as common as it once was (or should be), but our appreciation for this type of recipe never goes out of style. Plus, who among us couldn't use fresh inspiration for enjoying leftover hard-cooked eggs?
Ingredients for Goldenrod Eggs
A handful of ingredients turn into a special breakfast or brunch. Here's what you'll need:
- Hard-cooked eggs: The whites make a rich sauce, and the yellows are sprinkled atop for a creamy finish.
- Butter: We prefer unsalted so you can control the salt level, but just pull back on the seasoning if you use salted butter.
- Flour: Adds thickness to butter for the base of an easy sauce.
- Whole milk: The bulk of a quick and easy white sauce.
- Salt and pepper: For seasoning.
- Paprika: Adds a bit of smoky bite.
- Toast: For serving. You can also serve the egg mixture over biscuits or an English muffin.
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Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
What Does Goldenrod Eggs Taste Like?
So why Goldenrod? Although the dish tastes just as good when the eggs are simply chopped and stirred into the warm, gravy-like sauce (a straightforward 3-ingredient, 5-minute béchamel), the traditional presentation is to stir the whites into the sauce and finish the dish with sieved egg yolks, creating bright yellow bits that resemble goldenrod flowers.
Okay. Maybe. If you squint. But it does make for a lovely presentation, and the name Goldenrod is more charming than plain old creamed eggs.
How To Serve Goldenrod Eggs
Goldenrod Eggs was touted as a brunch dish, but it hits the spot any time of day. In some families, this recipe is particularly popular around Easter, a way to enjoy some of those dyed eggs.
Feel free to zhuzh up your Goldenrod Eggs by sprinkling other things on top to add more flavor or texture. Possibilities include hot sauce, cayenne, chile crisp, chopped herbs, sliced scallions, grated cheese, crumbled bacon, everything seasoning, lemon pepper, or Old Bay—whatever makes this just right for you.
Ingredients
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6 hard-cooked eggs
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3 Tbsp. butter
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3 Tbsp. instant or all-purpose flour
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2 cups whole milk
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Salt
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Pepper
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Paprika
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Serve with: Warm, crunchy, generously buttered toast
Directions
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Separate eggs:
Peel the eggs and cut them in half. Chop the whites and set the yolks aside.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Make sauce:
Warm the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking continuously. The mixture will turn golden and smell nutty, but reduce the heat if it begins to brown.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Add milk and finish sauce:
Whisk in the milk. Cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 3 to 4 minutes, whisking continuously.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Stir in the egg whites. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over the toast.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Top with yellows:
Use your fingertips or a small spatula to push the egg yolks through a wire-mesh sieve over the top, or simply crumble them.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Season and serve:
Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, and dust with paprika. Serve at once.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox