Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Sautéed Kale Breakfast Bowl

Eggs and kale sounds boring I know! But this is my luxury (non-diet!) version, with creamy cheesy kale and soft golden egg yolks.
An easy one-pot breakfast or lunch – ready in under 10 minutes.
My absolute favourite grown-up version of dippy eggs and soldiers.

A toast soldier being dipped into the runny egg yolk in a pan of kale and fried egg.

Cheesy, creamy kale topped with a perfectly runny egg and a pinch of seasoning. That sentence pretty much covers the whole ingredient list. It’s so quick I often make this for lunch, and sometimes skip the toast entirely, using the kale stalks for crunch instead.

Fried egg in a pan with kale and cheese. Pan is on a wooden board with toast soldiers at the top of the shot.

I love munching on the stalks. Though I enjoy healthier recipes at times, I’m equally fond of chocolate, cake and pastries — I just really like kale. Sometimes I even daydream about chocolate-covered kale.

📋 What do we need?

Ingredients to make creamy eggs and kale on a wooden board.

🔪 How to make this creamy breakfast eggs recipe for one

Full recipe and quantities are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Heat the cream in a small frying pan over medium heat until hot but not boiling, then add chopped kale and most of the grated cheddar. Cover with a lid and let the kale wilt briefly.
Create a well in the center of the kale and crack an egg into the well.
Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and a pinch of salt and pepper, replace the lid and cook over low heat for 5–7 minutes until the white is set and the yolk is cooked to your liking.
Serve directly from the pan or with toast soldiers for dipping.

Close up of a toast soldier being dipped into a runny egg in a pan of egg and cheesy kale

Although simple, this is my fifth take on eggs and kale. Early attempts baked the eggs en cocotte and left the kale too crispy. Adding more cream made the dish too rich, and covering a pot in the oven took too long and overcooked the kale. Switching to a frying pan gave much better control over the heat, preventing crisping while allowing the egg to cook evenly — and that’s how this version was perfected.

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A toast soldier being dipped into a runny egg yolk in a pan of egg and cheesy kale

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Creamy Eggs and Kale Breakfast Recipe

By Nicky Corbishley

Creamy Eggs and Kale Breakfast – An easy one-pot breakfast or lunch – ready in under 10 minutes.

Prep Time:1 min

Cook Time:8 mins

Total Time:9 mins

Servings: 1 serving

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: British

Ingredients

4 tbsp heavy/double cream
35 g (1/3 cup) kale, chopped
25 g (1/4 cup) grated cheddar cheese
1 large egg
pinch salt and pepper

To serve:

toast ‘soldiers’ for dipping optional

Instructions

Heat the cream in a small frying pan over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
Stir in the kale and sprinkle on all but a pinch of the grated cheese.
Cover the pan and let the kale wilt on low heat for 1 minute.
Remove the lid and make a well in the centre of the kale big enough for the egg white to spread out.
Crack the egg into the well, sprinkle with the reserved cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Cover and cook on low heat for 5–7 minutes until the white is cooked and the yolk is done to your liking.
Serve from the pan, either on its own or with toast for dipping.

Video

Notes

Getting the perfect runny yolk

Make the well large enough so the egg white can spread out. If the white is compacted, it will take longer to cook and the yolk may harden.
Keep checking by removing the lid and giving the pan a gentle wobble to ensure the white is set and the yolk remains soft.
Once the yolk is perfect, serve immediately.

Can I make it ahead?

Sorry, no. This is best made and served right away.

Can I use single (half-fat) cream or crème fraîche instead?

Do not use single (half-fat) cream — it will split. You can substitute full-fat crème fraîche, which will give a slightly tangier flavour.

Can I add an extra egg?

Yes. Make two separate wells in the kale and cook for the same amount of time.

Making it for two people

Double the ingredients and use a larger frying pan. You’ll need more space, but the method is the same.

Nutritional information

Nutritional information is per serving without toast and should be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

This recipe was first published in November 2014 and updated in February 2021 with new information, updated photos and a video.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nutrition information is approximate.