Ingredients
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1 cup (227 g) plain 2% Greek yogurt, such as FAGE Total 2%, set out on the counter while you prep
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2 garlic cloves, divided: 1 finely grated, 1 thinly sliced
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2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
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2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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1 tsp lemon zest plus 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp lemon juice, from 1 lemon
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1/4 tsp salt, divided
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4 large eggs, as fresh as you can get them
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1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter
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1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
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1 tsp Aleppo pepper, or 3/4 tsp sweet paprika plus 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
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1/4 tsp ground cumin
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8 oz (227 g) baby spinach, or Swiss chard with stems removed and leaves torn
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For serving: 1 slice whole-grain toast per person, if you want something to dip
Allergens Contains: Eggs, milk (Greek yogurt, butter).
Instructions
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1
Fill a wide, deep skillet with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a bare simmer, with small bubbles at the bottom and none breaking the surface. Meanwhile, stir the yogurt with the grated garlic, dill, parsley, lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1/8 tsp salt. Spread it into two shallow bowls, swooping a well in the center.
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2
Crack each egg into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and swirl for a few seconds so the thin, watery white drains away, then tip the egg into a small cup. This gives you tidy poached eggs without vinegar.
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3
Slide the eggs one at a time into the simmering water. Poach 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are fully set and opaque but the yolks still wobble when you nudge them. Lift out with a slotted spoon and rest on a paper towel.
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4
While the eggs poach, warm 1 tsp of the oil in a second skillet over medium heat, add the sliced garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Add the spinach and the remaining 1/8 tsp salt and toss 2 minutes, until just wilted and bright green. Finish with the remaining 1 tsp lemon juice.
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5
Wipe out the spinach pan, add the butter and the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium-low heat, and when the butter foams stir in the Aleppo pepper and cumin. Swirl 20 to 30 seconds, until the fat turns brick red — pull it before it smells scorched. Set two eggs on each yogurt bed, spoon the chili butter over, and serve with the spinach. Taste the yogurt and add more lemon if it needs brightening.
Tip
This one is best made and eaten right away. You can stir the herbed yogurt together up to 2 days ahead and keep it chilled, but let it sit out 10 minutes before serving — cold yogurt under hot eggs mutes the garlic and herbs.
Storage & Food Safety
These yolks are left runny. If you are pregnant, over 65, have a weakened immune system, or are serving children, use pasteurized eggs or poach 5 to 6 minutes until the yolks are firm (160°F). Refrigerate the herbed yogurt at 40°F or below and use within 2 days; don't leave the finished dish out longer than 2 hours. Poached eggs don't keep well, so cook only what you'll eat.
Make It Yours
Dairy-free
Use plain unsweetened coconut yogurt and make the chili butter with all olive oil. You lose about 10 g protein per serving, to roughly 17 g, so add a third egg each to bring it back up.
Heartier
Poach 3 eggs per person. Adds about 70 calories and 6 g protein per serving, with almost no change in carbs. Or add the slice of whole-grain toast: about 80 calories and 12 g net carbs.
Lower-sodium
Skip the salt on the spinach and finish it with an extra squeeze of lemon. Saves about 145 mg sodium per serving, bringing it near 400 mg.
If you don't like spinach
Swap in torn Swiss chard or baby kale. Chard cooks in the same 2 minutes; kale needs 4 to 5 and a splash of water. Nutrition stays about the same.
Milder
Make the chili butter with sweet paprika only and leave out the pepper flakes. You keep the color and the warm, rounded flavor without the heat.
Nutrition
Per serving (2 eggs, 1/2 cup herbed yogurt, about 1/2 cup cooked spinach; about 360 g before cooking) — estimate, without toast. A slice of whole-grain toast adds about 80 calories and 12 g net carbs.
Calories
340
Net Carbs
8g
Total Carbs
11g
Fiber
3g
Total Sugars
5g
Added Sugars
0g
Protein
28g
Fat
21g
Saturated Fat
8g
Sodium
550mg
Nutrition pending review by our registered dietitian — estimate only. Not medical advice.
Keywords
DinnerBreakfast for DinnerHigh ProteinEggsGreek YogurtLow-Carb
