A recipe for simple baked asparagus and ham egg cups baked in a muffin tin with the easiest (and best!) hollandaise sauce ever, perfect for breakfast, brunch - or any meal. Easy to make ahead and reheat for quick breakfasts, too.
I'm always looking for new ways to use asparagus when it's producing in our garden.
If you grow asparagus, then you know it's definitely a feast-or-famine type of thing: you're either waiting for it to produce, then dealing with heaps of asparagus to eat and preserve, or - after six weeks of eating asparagus non-stop - you're ready for it to leaf out and start storing it's energy for the next year.
This is the kind of stuff you learn when you grow your own produce - how our ancestors lived not that long ago, appreciating - and dealing with - produce in its season.
Though to be honest, there are many things I'm glad we can have longer than just a few weeks because of refrigeration and shipping!
Okay, back off the rabbit trail.
Other than using asparagus in a quiche or frittata that we typically eat for dinner, I had not thought of adding asparagus to eggs until our daughter went on a mission trip to northern Mexico a couple years ago and came back saying her host mother served the girls scrambled eggs with asparagus for breakfast (of course, that she actually ate it which was the more surprising thing about that conversation, though, lol).
Light bulb moment!
Now I often add asparagus when it's in season to our scrambled eggs. It really is delicious.
Since we love eggs Benedict I thought of combining the concept in a paleo, low-carb way by baking the eggs and asparagus in ham "cups" created by lining muffin tins with thin ham, filling with asparagus and eggs, and then topping with our super easy hollandaise sauce.
And then I upped the flavor by roasting the asparagus first in garlic and olive oil just until crisp-tender.
Ah, yes - success!!
Asparagus and Ham Eggs Cups
Ingredients
You only really need four ingredients for the egg cups, plus olive oil and salt and pepper:
- sliced ham
- fresh asparagus
- eggs
Then you can go the quickest route and top them with some type of cheese before baking. This makes them nice for meal prepping breakfast for the week (or longer if you freeze them).
But making them with the our family's e.a.s.y. hollandaise sauce is SO good, and definitely the preferred method at our house. For the hollandaise sauce you will need:
- butter
- milk
- 4 egg yolks (TIP: separate your eggs before making the scramble for the cups and use the egg whites in place of 2 eggs!)
- lemon juice
- dry mustard
- salt
I MUCH prefer this hollandaise to restaurant traditional hollandaise since it's not a greasy (to me) and has a brighter flavor from the milk, extra lemon juice, and mustard. Do give it a try!
Directions For Egg Cups
- Cut up the asparagus, toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees until crisp, about 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your spears.
- Meanwhile, beat eggs with water (or milk) and more salt and pepper.
- Grease a 6-cup muffin tin and line each cup with a thin piece of ham.
- Divide the asparagus among the lined muffin cups.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly into each cup on top of the asparagus. The mixture will ooze around the ham - that's okay, it will all bake together. If topping with cheese, add it now.
- Bake the egg cups for about 15 minutes.
Directions for Hollandaise Sauce
While the egg cups are baking, make the easy, microwaved hollandaise:
- Place the butter in a 1-quart glass measuring cup and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute or until melted.
- Add the egg yolks and remaining ingredients to the measuring cup, stirring until smooth.
- Set microwave to “roast” (usually power level 6) and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and stir well.
- Cook for another 2 minutes on “roast” or level 6.
- Stir until smooth and serve.
The verdict the first time I made these?
We all thought (daughter included!) they were delicious and were such a fun breakfast served with fruit and coffee.
Which isn't to say this wouldn't make a lovely light dinner or lunch, either. And since it looks just a bit elegant, anyone you make this for will feel definitely feel special!
Asparagus and Ham Egg Cups Frequently Asked Questions
The egg cups will last 4-5 days in the fridge for quick breakfasts all week long.
You can freeze for longer storage - up to 3 months.
Grease a good quality, non-stick muffin tin liberally and you should have no problems. If you do, you can always use parchment muffin liners.
Yes, egg cups reheat easily! Use a microwave for the fastest heating or an oven or toaster oven to get some crispy edges.
To Microwave: Cook refrigerated egg cups for about 30 seconds and frozen egg cups will need about 50-55 seconds.
To Bake (oven or toaster oven): Heat oven to 350°F (177°C) and place the egg muffins on an oven safe dish or baking tray (or on a toaster oven tray lined with foil).
Reheat the muffins for 10 minutes (refrigerated) to 15 minutes (frozen). If they are browning too much, lay a piece of foil over the tops.
Check to see if they are fully reheated before removing from the oven.
Asparagus and Ham Egg Cups with Easy Hollandaise Sauce
Equipment
- baking sheet
- 4 cup glass measuring cup
- 6 cup muffin tin
- Whisk, knife
Ingredients
Egg Cups
- 1/2 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 6 slices thinly sliced ham
- 6 eggs
- 1/4 cup water (or milk)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided or to taste
- shredded cheese or hollandaise sauce for topping
Easy Hollandaise Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk or half & half
- 4 egg yolks*
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the Egg Cups:
- Trim asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper to taste. Lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 7-9 minutes until tender-crisp (depending on the thickness of your spears, it may take shorter or longer). Remove from oven.
- In an 4 or 8-cup glass measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout, beat eggs with the water or milk and season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Lightly coat a 6-cup muffin tin with oil and line each cup with a slice of ham, easing to fit as needed. Divide the roasted asparagus pieces between the ham-lined cups, and then pour the egg mixture evenly onto the ham in the cups (some may ooze outside of the ham and that's okay - it will all bake together).
- Add the muffin tin to the oven and bake for 15 minutes (or until desired doneness - test with a knife in the centers to make sure egg is cooked through). NOTE: if you don't want to top with the sauce, you can add shredded cheese to the tops of the egg cups during the last 5 minutes of baking
For Easy Hollandaise Sauce:
- Meanwhile for the sauce, place the butter in a 1-quart glass measuring cup and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute or until melted.
- Add the egg yolks and remaining ingredients to the measuring cup with the butter. Stir until smooth.
- Set microwave to “roast” (usually power level 6) and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and stir well.
- Cook for another 2 minutes on “roast” or level 6. Stir until smooth and serve.
To Serve:
- After removing the egg cups from the oven, let them sit for a few minutes and then remove them with a flexible spatula to individual plates. Drizzle with hollandaise sauce and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Asparagus Recipes to Try:
