Here’s my tried-and-true recipe for confit egg yolks, where we slowly cook egg yolks in olive oil until they become rich and creamy, creating the perfect topping for pasta, salads, or toast.
I love making these on Sunday afternoons when I’m meal prepping for the week ahead. They’re so handy to have in the fridge, and my kids always get excited when they see me pulling out the eggs to make a batch – they call them “fancy eggs!”
Why You’ll Love This Confit Egg Yolk
- Two-ingredient simplicity – With just egg yolks and oil, this recipe proves that sometimes the simplest ingredients create the most special dishes.
- Restaurant-quality result – This cooking method transforms ordinary egg yolks into silky, rich gems that you’d typically only find at high-end restaurants.
- Customizable – You can use any type of oil you prefer, from olive oil to vegetable oil, making it easy to work with what you have on hand.
- Make-ahead friendly – These confit egg yolks can be prepared in advance and stored in their oil, perfect for elevating your breakfast or dinner when you’re ready to serve.
What Kind of Eggs Should I Use?
For confit egg yolks, fresh eggs are absolutely key since the yolks will be the star of the show. Regular large chicken eggs from the grocery store work perfectly fine, but if you can get your hands on farm-fresh eggs, you’ll notice an even richer color and taste. The main thing to look for is eggs with firm, plump yolks that hold their shape well when separated from the whites. When separating your eggs, make sure they’re cold from the fridge – this makes it easier to keep the yolks intact and prevent breaking. Just be extra careful not to pierce the yolk membrane during separation, as you want those beautiful yolks whole for this cooking method.
Options for Substitutions
When making confit egg yolks, there’s not much room for substituting the egg yolks themselves, but you do have options with the oil:
- Egg yolks: This is the star ingredient that can’t be substituted – fresh egg yolks are essential for this recipe. Just make sure they’re as fresh as possible for the best results.
- Olive oil: You’ve got lots of options here! Try neutral oils like grapeseed or canola oil, which work great. Duck fat or clarified butter (ghee) are amazing alternatives that add extra flavor. Just avoid regular butter as it can burn at the low cooking temperature needed for confiting.
- Additional flavoring: While not in the original recipe, you can add herbs like thyme or rosemary, or garlic cloves to the oil while cooking to infuse extra flavor into your egg yolks.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest challenge when making confit egg yolks is temperature control – keeping your oil between 145-150°F (63-65°C) is crucial, as higher temperatures will cook the yolks too quickly and lower temperatures won’t achieve the desired silky texture.
Another common mistake is not being gentle enough when separating the yolks, as any broken yolks will spread in the oil and ruin the final presentation – try using your hands or an egg separator instead of passing the yolk between shell halves.
The timing is equally important: cooking for less than 20 minutes will leave you with undercooked yolks, while going over 30 minutes can result in firm, chalky centers instead of the creamy, jammy texture you’re after.
For the smoothest results, make sure your oil completely covers the yolks and keep them submerged throughout the cooking process, and remember to carefully remove them with a slotted spoon to avoid breaking them.
What to Serve With Confit Egg Yolks?
These rich, silky egg yolks are perfect for adding a luxurious touch to all sorts of dishes! I love serving them on top of warm toast with a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh herbs – it’s such a simple but satisfying breakfast. They’re also amazing when placed on top of a bowl of hot rice, stirred into fresh pasta, or used to crown a salad of fresh greens. Since the yolks are so rich and creamy, I usually pair them with something that has a bit of texture or crunch to create a nice balance in each bite.
Storage Instructions
Keep: Once you’ve made your confit egg yolks, you can store them right in their cooking oil in an airtight container. They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days. The oil helps preserve the yolks and keeps them from drying out.
Oil Storage: Don’t toss that flavored oil! You can strain and save the cooking oil in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It’s great for drizzling over salads or using in other dishes – just remember it has a shorter shelf life than regular oil since it’s been used for cooking.
Serve: Take your confit egg yolks out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving to let them come closer to room temperature. This helps the texture become perfectly silky again, just like when they were freshly made.
| Preparation Time | 5-10 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 60 minutes |
| Total Time | 65-70 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 400-500
- Protein: 10-15 g
- Fat: 40-50 g
- Carbohydrates: 0-2 g
Ingredients
- egg yolks (from large eggs)
- olive oil (good quality, like extra virgin)
Step 1: Prepare the Sous Vide Water Bath
Begin by heating a sous vide water bath to 145°F.
Ensure the water bath is set up securely and that the temperature is consistent for even cooking.
Step 2: Prepare the Canning Jars
In a clean 4-ounce canning jar, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Carefully add one egg yolk to the jar, making sure it’s completely covered by the olive oil.
Tighten the lid finger-tight to avoid over-tightening, which allows air and some expansion as they cook.
Prepare as many jars as you need, ensuring they all fit comfortably in the water bath.
Step 3: Cook the Egg Yolks in the Water Bath
Place the prepared jars into the heated water bath.
They might float, so weigh them down with a small plate or any sous vide weights to keep them submerged.
Cook the yolks for 1 hour to achieve a perfectly creamy texture.
Step 4: Remove and Serve the Yolks
After an hour, carefully remove the jars from the water bath using tongs, as they will be hot.
Unscrew the lids carefully to avoid any sudden steam.
Using a slotted spoon, gently remove the yolks from the jars and discard the olive oil.
Serve the yolks immediately as desired; they’re perfect for salads, toast, or as a topping for various dishes.
Step 5: Storage
If you’re not serving the egg yolks immediately, you can store the jars in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Simply keep the lids on tight until ready to serve, ensuring freshness during storage.
