If you’re looking for an easy, elevated brunch recipe that is sure to impress your friends and family, these custardy baked Eggs en Cocotte with smoked salmon are the answer! One spoonful, and we’re certain you’ll agree.
What Are Eggs En Cocotte?
Eggs en cocotte (also called oeufs cocotte) are individual baked eggs that are typically served in small ramekins. They’re often made with cream, cheese, and other ingredients, like smoked salmon, bacon, or vegetables. These insanely cute baked eggs are a popular brunch dish, but they can also be served for a light lunch or dinner with a baguette or a simple salad. Consider pairing with our Frisée Salad!
What makes this recipe special?
- Smoked salmon! The creamy eggs are set off by the salty smoked salmon, tangy, crème fraîche, and fresh dill.
- Texture and taste! The eggs are soft and velvety, with a slightly runny yolk. The smoked salmon adds a smoky taste and the dill adds a bright, herbaceous flavor.
- Quick prep and cook time! They’re ready in just 20 minutes!!
You’ll love these baked eggs with smoked salmon for a special occasion or a weekend brunch.
Ingredient Notes
Eggs en cocotte are seriously easy to make, and also extremely versatile! Feel free to mix and match ingredients (we’ve got suggestions below) — just stick to our cook times to ensure proper doneness.
- Unsalted butter: Used to grease the inside of the ramekins before adding baked egg ingredients.
- Smoked salmon: One of our all time favorite ingredients! No need to save this for bagels and lox, it’s fantastic with baked eggs.
- Crème fraîche: Similar to sour cream, crème fraîche has a tangy, sour taste and is smooth and creamy.
- Fresh dill: A perfect complement to the smoked salmon (or lox) and crème fraîche.
- Large, fresh eggs:
- Heavy cream: This is what gives traditional eggs en cocotte their distinctive creamy texture.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper:
- Toasted baguette or brioche sticks: for serving! Trust me, you’ll want some toasty bread to dunk into those glorious soft egg yolks!
- Fresh chives: We love the addition of chives for serving, which add a delicate onion flavor.
How To Make Baked Eggs en Cocotte
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease ramekins with butter, then place in a large, deep oven-safe dish.
- Add mix-ins! For these oven baked eggs, we’re adding smoked salmon, creme fraiche, and dill. Tarragon would be delicious too!
- Add the eggs! Crack the eggs into small bowls, then carefully place one in each ramekin.
- Drizzle with heavy cream. Pour just a little bit of heavy cream on top of the egg whites, leaving the yolks exposed (if possible). Give each egg a light sprinkle of Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Water bath! Pour enough boiling water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. We recommend beginning to check for doneness at 12 minutes to prevent overcooking. Serve immediately with fresh chives!
The Bain-Marie Method and Why A Water Bath Is Important
Cooking baked eggs in a water bath (called bain-marie) helps to ensure even and gentle cooking. Boil water, then pour into the pan that the ramekins are set in so that the water comes up about halfway up the side. This creates a humid environment that helps to prevent the eggs from drying out. Additionally, the water bath helps to regulate the temperature of the oven, which can help to prevent the eggs from overcooking.
The same method is used for cooking custards, terrines, and chocolate.
Do not skip this important step in the recipe!
FAQs
The eggs are done when they whites are set and the yolks are still runny. The cook time will vary based on the oven, altitude, any number of factors. We recommend 15-17 minutes. If you like your eggs over easy, bake them for a shorter amount of time. If you like your eggs hard-boiled, bake them for a longer amount of time.
It’s easier to gauge the doneness of the yolks when there’s 1 egg per ramekin. Having said that, yes, you can add an additional yolk, just keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t overcook, as 2 eggs per ramekin will require additional time in the oven.
Yes! These baked eggs are creamy enough without cheese, given the creme fraiche and heavy cream, but you can sprinkle in a little grated Gruyere, cheddar, Parmesan, feta, chevré, or any other cheese you like.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh, high quality eggs! The quality of the eggs makes a big difference in the flavor.
- Watch the eggs, being careful not to overcook! Personally, we like our eggs en cocotte to have soft, runny yolks — the better for dipping bread in! The baked eggs can quickly go from soft and jammy to over cooked and hard boiled very quickly. Check them every few minutes to ensure cooking to your preferred doneness.
- Serve immediately! If left to sit for long after cooking, the egg will continue to cook and harden.
- While you’re prepping the eggs, boil water in a kettle. This way you’re not waiting for hot water!
- These are the little Staub ramekins used for this recipe.
Variations
- Proteins! Instead of smoked salmon (or lox or nova), consider adding crispy bacon, pancetta, thin slices of prosciutto, or your favorite sausage (breakfast sausage is great, but chorizo would be insanely good).
- Cheese! Try replacing the creme fraiche with your favorite cheese. A few suggestions: grated Parmesan, shredded Gruyere, feta cheese, goat cheese, or Pepper Jack if you want a little heat! Even Boursin would be phenomenal here.
- Herbs: Don’t like dill? No problem! Substitute with your favorite fresh herbs. Oregano, tarragon, basil, cilantro, and parsley all work depending on the other ingredients you use.
Other flavor combinations to try!
- Spinach, feta, and caramelized onions
- Bacon and Cheddar or Gruyere cheese
- Sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, garlic, and fresh basil
- Grated Parmesan cheese and lots of freshly ground black pepper
- Prosciutto, fresh tomatoes, and cubed mozzarella
Honestly, the possibilities are endless! And if you like spice, you can always serve with a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce!
Truly, this is one of the most elegant, restaurant-worthy egg dishes you could hope for! Make it once, and we’re certain it’ll become a regular in your breakfast rotation.
If you make this Eggs en Cocotte recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Eggs en Cocotte (Baked Eggs with Smoked Salmon)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 oz smoked salmon thinly sliced
- ¼ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1-2 Tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 2-4 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Boiling water
- Optional: toasted baguette or brioche sticks for serving
- 2 Tbsp chives thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375F. Grease the inside of 4 ramekins with 1 Tbsp butter, then place them inside a square baking dish.
- Assemble. Place about 1 oz of smoked salmon in the bottom of each ramekin, then top with 1 Tbsp creme fraiche (or sour cream), and a scant 1 tsp fresh chopped dill. Place 1 cracked egg into each ramekin, then drizzle a little heavy cream around each egg, about 1 Tbsp per portion. Season lightly with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bake the eggs. Pour boiling water into the baking dish surrounding the ramekins so that it comes up about ¾ way. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your personal liking. For us, that’s when the whites are set, but the egg yolks are still runny, which is around 15-17 minutes. Carefully remove the baking dish, then use a thin spatula or tongs to remove each ramekin. Dry off the exterior of each ramekin as needed. Add more black pepper if you like. Serve the oeufs en cocotte with toasted baguette or brioche sticks and chopped chives.
Notes
- To prevent broken eggs, we recommend cracking each egg into a small bowl first, then transferring into prepared ramekins.
- Serve immediately! If left to sit for long after cooking, the egg will continue to cook and harden.
- To make brioche sticks: cut slices of brioche bread into sticks about 1” thick, then either toast in a toaster oven or in a skillet with a little melted butter until crispy.
- Other flavor combinations to try:
- Spinach, feta, and caramelized onions
- Bacon and Cheddar
- Sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and fresh basil
- Grated Parmesan cheese and lots of freshly ground black pepper
- Prosciutto, fresh tomatoes, and cubed mozzarella
Nutrition
Photography by: Cambrea of Cambrea Bakes
What a special breakfast this was! Enjoyed by all – great flavours yet perfectly simple to make
Absolutely love this one too! xo, Ari