Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan, Poached Eggs & Sourdough Toast
The only spring breakfast worth getting out of bed for. 30 minutes, five ingredients, honestly a little bit perfect.
There’s a week every May — maybe ten days if we’re lucky — when asparagus is everywhere at the farmers market and costs almost nothing. Bright green, snappy, barely needing any help at all. This is my favorite dish to make during that window, almost every year.
Roasted Asparagus
Salty and crispy at the tips. A soft poached egg with a yolk that breaks over everything like a sauce. A thick slice of sourdough toast. Parmesan grated on top. That’s it.
It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’re living really well, even on a Tuesday morning before work. Even when the world feels a bit much. Especially then.
Why Now, and Why Asparagus?
Asparagus has one of the shortest seasons in the PNW — roughly late April through early June. From a farm stand during this window it’s a completely different ingredient. Sweet, grassy, a little nutty. It roasts beautifully — stalks go tender while tips get slightly charred and crispy.
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Equipment
- parchment paper optional
Ingredients
For the asparagus
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus ~400g, woody ends snapped off
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 30 g Parmesan finely grated — plus more to serve
- Zest of half a lemon optional
- salt
- black pepper
For the poached eggs
- 4 eggs as fresh as possible
- A splash of white wine vinegar
To serve
- 2 thick slices sourdough bread toasted
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Red chilli flakes optional
- Fresh herbs — parsley chives, or tarragon
Instructions
Step 1 — Roast the asparagus
- Preheat oven to 220C / 425F. Spread asparagus in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season generously, toss to coat. Roast 10-12 minutes. Scatter Parmesan in the last 2 minutes until golden.
Step 2 — Poach the eggs
- Bring a wide saucepan to a gentle simmer. Add vinegar. Crack each egg into a ramekin, swirl the water, slide in. Cook 3-4 minutes for runny, 5 for set. Drain on a towel.
- Note: Cafe trick — poach all eggs, hold in warm water, reheat 30 seconds before serving.
Step 3 — Assemble
- Toast sourdough. Optional: rub with cut garlic while warm. Layer: toast, asparagus, egg. More Parmesan, lemon zest, olive oil drizzle, chilli flakes, fresh herbs. Eat immediately.
Notes From My Kitchen
- Thin spears: 8-9 minutes. Fat spears: 12-14 minutes. Both good.
- Grate Parmesan fresh with a microplane — pre-grated has additives and melts differently.
- Day-old sourdough makes better toast — it’s drier and crispier.
Flexitarian Note
Completely plant-based version skip the eggs and Parmesan, finish with a good tahini or brewers yeast and lemon.
Increase the protein? Add smoked salmon, ham or bacon alongside if that’s your thing.
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