Giada De Laurentiis’ Low-Carb Eggs Florentine Is Perfect for Any Brunch Menu
Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis’ Eggs Florentine is the chef’s very own spin on the classic dish. It’s low carb, yet just decadent enough to put on any brunch menu.
De Laurentiis says eggs are an inexpensive powerhouse source of protein
In her book Eat Better Feel Better, the chef writes that eggs “are the ultimate comeback kid.
Once vilified as a high-cholesterol enemy, they’re now thought to be better protein sources than foods with high levels of saturated fat, and not a contributor to high blood cholesterol after all.”
Eggs’ other winning characteristic is that they’re “a true convenience food, always there in the fridge for a quick dinner omelet, breakfast frittata, or portable hard-boiled snack.”
De Laurentiis urges home cooks to “choose the cleanest, most humanely raised option you can.”
How to make Giada De Laurentiis’ eggs florentine
Traditionally served on English muffins with rich hollandaise sauce, here De Laurentiis prepares her version of the classic dish by serving it on sliced tomatoes with a lighter spinach/grated cheese sauce.
The chef’s recipe calls for thin prosciutto slices, olive oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, baby spinach, ground nutmeg, heavy cream, grated Pecorino Romano, kosher salt, fresh lemon juice, room temperature eggs, and sliced beefsteak tomatoes.
“I like to use baby spinach because the leaves are so much more tender,” De Laurentiis said in the Food Network video for this recipe. While the dish may call for five cups of spinach, she adds, “It seems like a lot of spinach, but it wilts down and it’s not much.”
She recommends using the heavy cream at room temperature, because “it creates a sauce faster if it’s at room temp.”
The grated cheese and nutmeg are stirred in and the mixture is simmered. In the meantime, the thick tomato slices are arranged on a platter. The spinach mixture is arranged on the tomatoes, followed by the poached eggs. They’re topped with the cooked, crispy prosciutto and this dish is ready to serve!
Get the complete recipe, video, and reviews on Food Network’s site.
Reviewers loved De Laurentiis’ lower carb spin on eggs florentine
By dropping the usual slice of English muffin and using a slice of tomato instead, De Laurentiis offers a healthier twist on the classic dish, as reviewers noted on Food Network’s site.
“This recipe was not only delicious but very easy to make. … using a tomato instead of an English muffin made the dish very light. I was impressed with how delicious this recipe was! It’s a great dish to make for a brunch crowd as you can make the spinach mixture ahead of time and just poach the eggs when you’re ready to eat. Yummy!!,” one home cook wrote.
Another person said, “First time I ever made Eggs Florentine and glad I picked this recipe. It was pretty easy and definitely delicious! The tomato is refreshing and not heavy like the English muffin would be.”
Lastly, one reviewer noted that the chef’s twist on the classic breakfast offering is a quick meal any time of the day: “Easy to make, tastes great, and a different way to use up some of those wonderful summer tomatoes! Will definitely make again and again.”
