Additional reporting and updates by Katherine Sacks.
Whether you are trying to work through your own egg glut from the market or a backyard flock, or you’re looking to help out a neighbor or local farmer who has too many, here are some ways (and a lot of great egg recipes) to use those eggs before they spoil.
Storing Eggs
Store eggs in their carton, which helps protect them and keep refrigerator smells away from their porous shells. Keep them on a shelf, rather than the fridge door, which fluctuates more in temperature. Eggs will last up to five weeks from the purchase date; to check their freshness, place the eggs in a bowl of water. If they float, they are past their prime and should be composted.
How to Use Extra Egg Whites
What about recipes that require you to separate egg whites and yolks? Use these recipes to use any extra whites.
Meringues
Meringues are crispy, light and gluten-free. Making them is a terrific technique to have up your sleeve for a treat that can suit varying dietary needs. Serve them piled high with some macerated stone fruits or berries.
Angel Food Cake
This iconic summer cake is fluffy thanks to a lot of whipped egg whites in the batter. Serve it with strawberries, grilled peaches or other summer fruits.
Use to Clarify Stock
When chefs wantcrystal clear stock, to serve asconsommé, for example, they clarify it with egg whites. The cloudy proteins in the liquid cling to the egg whites, and, once the whites solidify in the hot liquid, the mixture can be scooped out, leaving a clear liquid behind.
Add Gloss to Baked Goods
Tog et a nice brown color on your baked goods, paint raw doughs, like pie, cookies and breads with awash of eggwhites beaten with a little water to add a nice brown color without shine.
Egg White Omelets
A lot of health enthusiasts swear by egg white omelets. Use lots of fresh herbs to up the flavor quotient.
“Velveting” Chicken
This Chinese stir-fry technique tenderizes and flavors the meat: first soak sliced meat in a marinade of egg whites, cornstarch and rice wine, then quickly blanch in oil or water.
Royal Icing
Thisicingis the preferred medium of sugar cookie artists and is chock full of egg whites. It can be colored any hue of the rainbow, is easy to work with and dries hard and glossy to preserve the design.
Macarons
The Frenchsandwich cookie macarons are great egg white recipe that is a treat to eat and make a gorgeous gift.
Macaroons
Thesecoconut bundlesare a super addition to the cookie tray. Dip them in melted chocolate for bonus points.
Frothy co*cktails
That froth in your Ramos Fizz? Thanks egg whites. They make some of our favoriteclassic co*cktailscreamy and gorgeous.
How to Use Egg Yolks
When the opposite is true and a recipe calls for just whites, these recipes will help use up extra yolks.
Add an Extra Yolk into Your Omelet
Whisk an extra yolk into your omelet for an eggier and richer breakfast.
Carbonara
Classiccarbonara is made with eggs and egg yolks, no cream in sight.
Chocolate Mousse
No one is going to complain when a luxurious bowl of chocolate mousse comes to the table.
Lemon Curd
Light and bright, lemon curd is a real picture of spring flavor. All you need are lemons, egg yolks, sugar and butter for the recipe. It’s great for topping toast, served with cake or spooned over ice cream.
Crème Brûlée
The contrast of the soft,silky custardand the crackling burnt sugar crust of crème brûlée is an irresistible use of egg yolks.
Mayonnaise
Homemademayonnaiseis simple to make and much better than anything you will find jarred in the supermarket. Add fresh herbs or a squeeze of hot sauce to make it your own.
Hollandaise/Béarnaise
Hollandaise, one of thefive French mother sauces and its variation, Béarnaise, are two recipes that turn egg yolks into the stuff of dreams. They are perfect for serving with dishes like poached eggs, roasted potatoes or green beans.
What to Do with Extra Cooked Eggs
Have some extra cooked eggs on hand? Here’s how to use them up:
Deviled Eggs
As any Easter Egg decorator knows, the easiest way to use extra boiled eggs is to make deviled eggs. A Southern tradition, these are a true crowdpleaser. Jazz up the classic version by topping them with pesto, blue cheese or frizzled onions.
Egg Salad
Another go-to egg recipe for emptying out of the fridge — or using leftover deviled eggs — is egg salad. Add extra flavor with pickled vegetables, hot sauce or pesto.
Use Them as a Salad Topping
Hard boiled eggs are on the salad bar for a reason: they are a great way to add texture and protein to a salad. You can toss them in any salad, but asparagus gribiche is a classic recipe to try out, topping roasted asparagus with a chopped or grated hardboiled egg sauce.
Put Them on Top of Pizza
Instead of adding a fried egg to the top of pizza, use those extra hard boiled eggs. The Portuguese version adds the eggs before cooking, but you can also sprinkle them on top after the pie comes out of the oven.
Make Egg Curry
Coconut milk, tomatoes and spices create a silky broth for hard cooked eggs in an Indian egg curry. If you use already-boiled eggs, add them at the end of cooking the curry, so the eggs don’t overcook.
How to Use Egg Shells
You can’t break eggs without having some egg shells left over. To use them in any of the ways listed below first wash them, then either boil or bake them into a 160F oven for 15 minutes to pasteurize them.
In the Garden
Use crushed shells as fertilizer for plants, particularly tomatoes, which really benefit from the blast of calcium they bring to the soil. Egg shells also act as a pest deterrent, keeping slugs at bay.
Seed Starters
For the absolute cutest garden tool, use a half shell as a container to start seedlings. So Instagrammable.
Use to Scour
Crushed shells can act as an abrasive for scrubbing pots and pans.
Recipe: French Lentils with Poached Eggs
Sherri Brooks Vinton
Serves 4
This dish is a great addition to the brunch buffet but also makes a satisfying lunch or dinner. You can cook some sausage or bacon in the pan before adding the onion, but I like this meatless version just as well.
Ingredients
1 cup French lentils, rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cups fresh tender salad greens such as spinach, watercress or arugula
4 poached eggs
Method
- Boil the lentils until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook onion until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- Whisk mustard and vinegar into onions. Add lentils and stir to combine. Add greens and stir, allowing the heat from the pan to wilt them slightly.
- Arrange lentil mixture on a platter. Top with the poached eggs and serve.
Top photo by Erol Ahmed/Unsplash.
