Avocado Soft-Boiled Egg Salad with a Raspberry Vinaigrette

Simple is best, and it’s exactly how this avocado poached egg salad feels like: simple, basic and healthy ingredients tossed together. Top it with a delicate raspberry vinaigrette and it immediately becomes a fancy dish that will soon amaze your taste buds.

With the Fall season going on and while the days are slowly getting darker, colder, and shorter, we need to fill up with vitamins to keep us alert and in good shape. In this context, greens are often neglected as we are mostly craving for heavier seasonal ingredients. Eating seasonal is mandatory and you should not give up pumpkins, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, etc. However, and as life is a question of balance, it is also important to eat raw ingredients.

In this mixed salad, you can use whatever salad ingredient you like (lettuce, arugula, kale, baby spinach, or even raw Brussels sprouts, or green or red cabbage). Add some avocados, which are often referred to as a superfood given to their numerous health properties. They contain more potassium than bananas and are loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (needed to fight and lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels). They are also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin K, copper, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin E and vitamin C.

The addition of protein is also important in this salad, and they are brought here by the eggs to keep it vegetarian. In this recipe I suggest soft-boiled eggs instead of hard-boiled eggs. So what’s the difference between them? Hard-boiled eggs are cooked so that the egg white and egg yolk both solidify, while for a soft-boiled egg the yolk, and sometimes the white, remain at least partially liquid. To crack them easier, the key is to use at least one week old eggs. Indeed, as eggs age, they gradually loose moisture through the pore in their shell and become easier to peel.

You could also make poached eggs instead of soft-boiled eggs. They often seem very tricky and fussy to make, but they are actually not at all. You want hot water but if it’s boiling a lot it doesn’t work well. Also, you don’t want your poached eggs overcooked (3 minutes it is only) in order to avoid rubbery whites and firm yolks. Keeping in mind these two principles will help you to avoid common mistakes. For the rest, just follow the instructions in the recipe note below.

Then top your salad with some pumpkin seeds and cranberries if desired. Pumpkin seeds contain a wide variety of nutrients ranging from magnesium and manganese to copper, protein and zinc. Cranberries are in season right now and they are also packed with health properties. They are a good source of vitamin C, dietary fiber and manganese, as well as a good source of vitamin E, vitamin K, copper and pantothenic acid.

The final touch of this salad and what makes it fancy and delicate in taste is the homemade raspberry vinaigrette. With their rich color, sweet juicy taste, and antioxidant power, they add some additional vitamin C to your salad. For a change, you can sometimes replace them with fresh cranberries in your vinaigrette, especially now while they are still in season. It would make a perfect starter or side dish on your Thanksgiving table!

Avocado Raspberry Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Salads
• Cuisine: Healthy
• Diet: Vegetarian

This vibrant avocado raspberry salad with soft-boiled eggs comes with a sweet and subtle raspberry vinaigrette. Fancy yet simple to make, it makes a beautiful starter or side.

Ingredients

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For the raspberry vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup (30g) raspberries, fresh or frozen 
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

• 2–3 cups (150-230g) mixed salad*
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 handful Brussels sprouts (about 8–10 pieces), washed and cut in half
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 handful dried cranberries
• 1 handful pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup fresh raspberries

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Instructions

1. For the raspberry vinaigrette. Place the raspberries in a food processor and blend until smooth. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the blended raspberries over a bowl to get rid of the seeds and put the raspberry mixture back to the food processor. Add the shallots, mustard, vinegar and olive oil, and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.**
2. For the Brussels sprouts. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the Brussels sprouts and sauté for about 5-7 minutes depending on size, or until tender and slightly golden on all sides.
3. Make the soft-boiled eggs (or poached eggs***). Gently place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Set the pan over medium-high heat and as soon as the water reaches a brisk simmer, start timing, cooking the eggs for 4-5 minutes maximum. Crack the shell gently, cut in half and dispose over the salad. The white must be solid while the yolk is still runny.
4. Add the salad in a large mixing bowl together with the avocadoes, the roasted Brussels sprouts, cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Toss with about half of the raspberry vinaigrette (keep some for serving). 
5. Divide the salad into shallow plates, add the soft-boiled eggs on top, the fresh raspberries, and pour some raspberry vinaigrette over the salad before serving. Enjoy immediately. Bon appétit!

Notes

* Lettuce, arugula, kale, baby spinach, any type will do. You can even add some thinly sliced white or red cabbage. For extra flavors, I like to add some chopped cilantro as well.

** This vinaigrette will keep refrigerated for one week. Whisk to remix the vinaigrette before using.

*** To make poached eggs, bring a medium pot of water to a simmer, then reduce heat until it is barely quivering. Carefully break 1 egg into a small bowl, then tip into a fine mesh strainer. Carefully swirl egg around strainer, using your finger to rub off any excess loose egg whites that drop through. Gently tip egg into almost simmering water. Swirl gently with a wooden spoon for 10 seconds, just until egg begins to set. Repeat straining and tipping with remaining eggs. Cook, swirling occasionally, until egg whites are fully set but yolks are still soft, about 3 to 4 minutes maximum. Carefully lift eggs from pot with a slotted spoon and place them onto a plate lined with paper towel.

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Lastly, if you make this Avocado Raspberry Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!