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Vegetarian, Classics and bistro fare

Soft boiled eggs with sorrel and steamed potatoes

Soft boiled eggs with sorrel is a French bistro classic for 4 people, ready in 35 minutes, easy to make, for €1.90 per serving. The sorrel melts in butter and cream into a tangy green compote that coats the steamed potatoes. The key is the egg, the yolk needs to stay runny to pull the whole dish together.

Here's a classic French bistro dish for you, soft boiled eggs over a creamy sorrel compote, with steamed potatoes on the side.

Soft boiled eggs with sorrel and steamed potatoes
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer

Cooked sorrel melts down in just a few minutes into a silky, tangy green compote that plays off the richness of the cream. Set a soft boiled egg on top, and the moment you break the yolk at the table, it spills over everything. Plain steamed potatoes soak up that mix without ever getting lost under it.

This is a spring or summer dish, best made when sorrel is young and tender, perfect for a weeknight that still deserves a little care or for a slightly dressed up Sunday lunch. Mon Chou treats it as a real bistro classic, the kind you can easily pull off at home without any special equipment or tricky technique.

The ingredients

4 people

Dairy

  • Eggs 8
  • Heavy cream 20 cl
  • Butter 30 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Sorrel 300 g
  • Firm fleshed potatoes 800 g
  • Shallot 1
  • Chives 1 bunch

Pantry

  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into large chunks and steam them. 25 min

    Pierce them with a knife, the blade should slide in without resistance.

  2. Wash the sorrel, remove the thick stems and cut the leaves into strips.

    Choose young leaves, they're less tart.

  3. Melt the butter with the chopped shallot, add the sorrel which wilts down in two minutes, then stir in the cream. 8 min

    Let it simmer gently, the sorrel turns into a silky green compote.

  4. Drop the eggs into simmering water and cook them soft boiled, then cool them in cold water and peel. 6 min

    Peel them under running water, the shell slips off without tearing the white.

  5. Spoon the sorrel compote onto plates, set the eggs on top with the chives, season lightly with salt and pepper.

    Cut the egg open at the table, the runny yolk will coat the potatoes.

Our tips to get it right

  • Chop the shallot very finely so it melts into the butter without leaving crunchy bits in the sorrel compote.
  • Serve the dish as soon as the eggs are peeled, soft boiled eggs keep cooking a little and the yolk firms up if they sit too long.
  • If you don't have a steamer basket, boil the potatoes in salted water instead, watching closely so they stay firm.

The variations

  • Swap the sorrel for fresh spinach if you can't find any, the flavor will be milder and less tangy.
  • For a richer version, grate a little parmesan over the sorrel compote before adding the eggs.
  • To save time, use precooked poached eggs or hard boiled eggs instead of soft boiled ones if you're in a hurry.

What to serve it with

  • A crisp green salad with vinaigrette
  • Toasted country bread
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

The sorrel compote keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container and reheats gently in a saucepan. The soft boiled eggs don't keep, they should be made right before serving. This dish doesn't freeze well, the texture of the sorrel and eggs wouldn't survive it.

Questions about this dish

Can I use a different vegetable instead of sorrel?

Yes, fresh spinach works well in place of sorrel, cooked the same way in butter then cream. The flavor will be milder and less tangy, but the texture stays similar.

What's the trick to perfect soft boiled eggs?

Drop the eggs straight into simmering water, never starting from cold water, for even cooking. Count about 6 minutes, then cool them immediately in cold water before peeling.

Can I make the sorrel compote ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it a few hours ahead and gently reheat it over low heat before serving. Cook the soft boiled eggs only at the last minute, so the yolk stays runny.

Is this dish kid friendly?

Sorrel's tartness can surprise younger palates, so this dish is really geared toward adults. You can soften the compote with a bit more cream if you want to serve it to the whole family.

How long does it take to make soft boiled eggs over a creamy sorrel compote with steamed potatoes?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in soft boiled eggs over a creamy sorrel compote with steamed potatoes?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does soft boiled eggs over a creamy sorrel compote with steamed potatoes cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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