This is an impressive dish that really only takes 10 minutes of your precious time to put together.
But – there are 3 things you have to get right in this recipe to earn the title of “impressive”.
Okay, well… there are only 3 ingredients:
- Perfectly crisp-tender asparagus (no overcooked, smushy, soggy spears of sadness)
- Perfectly fried egg, sunny-side up with still-runny yolk…
…..and crisp edges
- Hand-shaved good quality cheese (please, no cheese from a can)
This is a great recipe as a side dish for dinner or brunch even. If you cook your egg just right, when you break into the egg, the golden yolk pours out and slowly coats the asparagus spears.
The best way to have perfectly cooked asparagus is to start with good quality spears. After you cut or snap off the tough end of the stalk, the bottom-ends of the spear should look like this:
See how milky translucent the center of the bottom is? It should not be dried or hollow. The tips of the asparagus should be tight, firm and closed, like a brand new artist’s paint brush.
If the tips look all frayed like a 3-year old tried to paint the floor with them (ahem, lady with the undisciplined boy at the grocery store this morning)… well, then I advise you to pass.
Asparagus with Fried Egg and Parmesan Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (or butter)
- 1 egg (or more)
- Parmesan cheese
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In large frying pan, bring 1 inch of water with a large pinch of salt to boil. Lay asparagus in pan, cover with lid and cook for 2-4 minutes (depending on thickness of spears) on medium heat until just tender. Drain and plate asparagus on serving plate.
- Wipe frying pan clean. Heat the olive oil over medium heat . When hot, add egg(s) to pan and fry 2 minutes. Turn heat to low, cover pan and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until egg whites cooked through. Slide eggs on top of asparagus.
- Season with salt and pepper. Shave Parmesan cheese on top with vegetable peeler.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
Stay in touch with me in our 
This was a staple in my Italian Nonna and Mom’s kitchen. I still make this recipe any time I have nice fresh asparagus. Love this dish for dinner!!! Thanks for publishing it exactly as it should be prepared and enjoyed.
Hello Janice!
Glad you like this recipe that’s special to your Italian family. Enjoy making it with fresh asparagus whenever you can. Thanks for liking the recipe as it is meant to be made and enjoyed!
Steamy Kitchen Team
Yum! I’m going to make this next time I pick up good asparagus. I could also see topping everything with some bread crumbs (or serving it on toast as I often do).
I’ve never thought of adding a fried egg to asparagus. This sounds amazing.
So then it’s cool if I used canned asparagus right?
(kidding, just wanted to make you laugh)
wow those pictures sure make the recipe look even tastier. as a person who loves to cook and bake in my kitchen at home, I would simply offer a friendly recommendation. When using egg-based recipes, maybe try pasteurized shelled eggs. Especially when you have sunny-side eggs, (fried eggs,) raw cookie dough, anything to that affect which leaves some part of the egg raw. Only reason I say this is because I am concerned with what I eat,and also look at those who I’m cooking for. With all these recent egg recalls, you can never be to sure. You should check them out.
I LOVE this simple, but fabulous meal. I’m a big fan of asparagus and could eat eggs for every single meal (don’t even get me started on parmesan), so this is perfect 🙂
Sometimes the simplest things are the best! This is definitely a much-loved combination! And I so agree about the runny yolk-crispy edge egg perfection!
What a gorgeous and colorful dish! And all the better because of how quick it would be to throw together.
What a delicious dish, fried egg with asparagus, i can imagine this would also be great with some parma ham and maybe a slight touch of truffles.
And pictures look great.
Beautiful photography Jaden. My husband would LOVE this. I will give it a whirl for breakfast this weekend 🙂
Great photos and descriptions as always! I loved the part of the little boy using the asparagus as a paint brush on the grocery floor.
Yum! I love simple recipes like this. I have all these ingredients, and will try this tonight!
This looks so good!! I love asparagus!!
Simple but beautifully deliscious.
I am imagining the yolk running over the asparagus. Love it!
This could be breakfast,lunch or dinner!
Do you use a lightbox to take your photos?
Simply and yummy! Almost too beautiful to eat 🙂
This looks gorgeous!
Yum!
This looks lovely! I can’t wait until springtime. We always have so much asparagus and never quite enough ideas (though I love asparagus so much I could eat it plain w/ butter until forever). thanks for the ideas!
I LOVE this combination!! I usually do a poached egg, but fried sounds even better to me. Yum.
@Hannah, you’d have an egg for each serving, in my opinion, so that the eater can break the runny yolk over the spears and dig in.
Yes! This is my kind of dinner. I am a sucker for evening eggs — maybe it’s the Spaniard in me.
This looks really amazing. I think I just might have to make it for meatless Monday next week. I hope I can get my hands on some good looking asparagus! Thanks for sharing something so simple and fresh!
This looks tasty- three ingredients I really like. But I’m not sure what the right way to eat or serve this is!
This looks amazing – I need to try it tonight!