Dippy soft eggs with parmesan-crusted soldiers
The eggs come just right for dipping, and the toast soldiers are crunchy, cheesy and full of flavour thanks to a good hit of parmesan.
We can’t get enough of this breakfast: soft-boiled eggs served with crisp sourdough toast sticks, slathered in buttery parmesan and a crack of black pepper. What makes this dish especially great is how hands-off it is. There’s no hovering over the stove or guessing if the eggs are done. The Instant Pot handles the timing, and the air fryer crisps the toast to golden perfection in minutes. It’s also a fun one to get kids involved in. They can help butter the toast or sprinkle on the cheese, and let’s be honest, dipping toast into eggs never gets old at any age.
Ingredients
- 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ cups cold water
- 2–3 slices sourdough bread
- 3 tablespoons/45g butter
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, divided
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Cut 2–3 slices of sourdough bread into slices around 1.5–2 cm thick. Trim the crusts and cut into toast soldiers.
- In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons butter, a generous crack of black pepper, and half of the ¼ cup parmesan with a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed—the butter should be well-seasoned and peppery. Spread the butter mixture over the toast soldiers and sprinkle the remaining parmesan on top. Set aside.
- Pour 1½ cups cold water into the base of the Instant Pot and insert the trivet. Gently place in 4 extra-large eggs cold from the fridge. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 1 minute.
- Once the timer beeps, allow a 1-minute natural release, then manually release any remaining pressure. As soon as the pin drops, transfer the eggs to cold running water or an ice bath to stop the cooking.
- While the eggs cook, place the prepared toast soldiers into the air fryer. Cook for 2–4 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp.
- To serve, crack the tops off the soft-boiled eggs and place in egg cups. Serve immediately with the hot parmesan toast soldiers for dipping.
Note: This recipe is designed for extra-large eggs taken straight from the fridge. Egg sizes vary slightly, so consider testing one egg the first time you try this method. If you’re using room-temperature eggs, release the pressure immediately after the timer beeps (do not wait for a full minute of natural release). Adjust timing slightly up or down depending on your preferred egg consistency.
