Classic Eggs Florentine

A vegetarian twist on Benedict, featuring perfectly poached eggs and sautéed spinach over toasted English muffins with hollandaise.

By Cressio Rinaldi

Eggs Florentine is eggs Benedict with spinach in place of the ham. It is lighter, fresher and a little more elegant. The name refers to Florence in Italy, and in French cooking, Florentine often means spinach.

The dish has the same parts as Benedict: a toasted English muffin, a poached egg and a creamy hollandaise. Spinach adds a layer between them, wilted quickly in butter so it keeps its color and flavor.

This version uses store-bought or homemade hollandaise, so you can make it as simple or as thorough as you like. It serves two and takes about 25 minutes.

Read this first

1. Squeeze extra water out of the wilted spinach so it doesn’t soak the muffin.
2. Keep the water at a gentle simmer for poaching.
3. Warm the hollandaise gently. Don’t let it boil.

Prep time: 15 mins · Cook time: 10 mins · Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 English muffins, halved
• 4 cups Fresh spinach
• 4 Eggs
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 cup Hollandaise sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 tbsp White vinegar

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, tossing gently until just wilted. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside. Look for: Bright green, just-wilted spinach with a little buttery shine, and no puddle of water.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a gentle simmer and stir in the white vinegar. Look for: Tiny bubbles rising gently, with no rolling boil.
3. Crack each egg into a small ramekin, then carefully slip them one by one into the simmering water. Poach for 3-4 minutes until whites are set but yolks are runny. Look for: Whites set into a soft shape around a wobbling yolk.
4. While the eggs poach, toast the English muffin halves. Look for: Golden, crisp muffin halves.
5. To assemble, top each muffin half with warm wilted spinach, a poached egg, and a generous spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Look for: Dark green spinach, white egg, a golden sauce running over a yolk.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 530
• Fat: 37g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 31g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 4g
• Protein: 22g
• Sodium: 640mg
• Cholesterol: 500mg

Notes

• Best Fresh: Best assembled and eaten immediately — poached eggs and hollandaise don't hold up to reheating.
• Poaching Tip: The vinegar in the poaching water helps the egg whites set quickly around the yolk instead of feathering out.
• Make Ahead: Wilt the spinach ahead of time and keep it warm, so you only have to focus on poaching the eggs at the last minute.

Cook It With Me

Wilt the spinach

Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the 4 cups of fresh spinach and toss gently with tongs until just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Drain it briefly in a sieve and press lightly, so that the water doesn’t make the muffins soggy. Set aside.

Heat the poaching water

Bring a medium pot of water to a gentle simmer, and stir in the 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.

Poach the eggs

Crack each of the 4 eggs into a small ramekin. Slip them one at a time into the simmering water. Poach for 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a towel.

Toast the muffins

While the eggs poach, toast the 2 halved English muffins until golden.

Assemble

Top each muffin half with warm spinach, then a poached egg. Spoon a generous amount of the 1/2 cup of hollandaise over each, and serve at once.

The Ingredients, One by One

English muffins

Toasted until crisp. The nooks hold the sauce.

Fresh spinach

Four cups looks huge, but wilts to a few spoonfuls. Baby spinach is tender and needs no trimming.

Eggs

Four, for two muffins each. Fresh eggs poach best.

Butter

Wilts the spinach and gives it flavor.

Hollandaise sauce

Store-bought or homemade. Warm it gently in a bowl over hot water.

White vinegar

It helps the whites set.

The Technique Behind It

Why squeeze the spinach

Spinach releases a lot of water as it wilts. If left in, it makes the muffin soggy and thins the sauce.

Why poach gently

Rolling water tears the whites. A gentle simmer keeps them intact.

Why serve right away

Eggs go cold and the sauce thickens quickly.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Wet spinach The muffin is soggy.
• Boiling the water The eggs break apart.
• Overcooking the spinach It turns dull and slimy.
• Cold plates The dish cools quickly.
• Overheating the sauce It splits.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Muffin is soggy	Wet spinach	Drain it well.
Eggs are wispy	Old or water too hot	Strain them first.
Sauce split	Too hot	Whisk in a spoonful of hot water.
Spinach is bland	Needs salt	Add salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Yolks are firm	Overcooked	Poach for 3 minutes.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
English muffins	Base	Toast or biscuits work.
Spinach	Greens	Kale or arugula work.
Hollandaise	Sauce	Pesto works.
Eggs	Protein	Fried eggs work.
Butter	Fat	Olive oil works.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: Poach the eggs ahead and rewarm in hot water.
• Fridge: Not recommended.
• Spinach: Cook it just before serving.
• Sauce: Warm gently.

What to Serve With It

Serve with fresh fruit, roasted potatoes or a simple salad. A squeeze of lemon or a dash of cayenne on top is nice.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.