Make a classic diner breakfast for dinner tonight – Joe’s Special! Scrambled eggs with spinach, beef, onions, garlic and mushrooms. Ready in just 30 minutes!
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Have you ever heard of Joe’s Special? This is a classic San Francisco diner dish that dates back to the 1920’s. It’s a hearty scrambled egg made with eggs, ground beef, spinach, mushrooms and onions.
In the ’80s, my dad used frozen spinach, canned mushrooms, and granulated garlic in his version of Joe’s Special. The mushrooms were optional at the diner, but my dad always took them home.
A fresh, homemade take on a diner favorite
The recipe I’m making now is a fresh and modern take on my dad’s version. I use fresh baby spinach, sliced crimini mushrooms, and lots of freshly diced garlic. I buy the bags of triple washed baby spinach, which are almost as convenient as frozen spinach.
The whole thing cooks in one pan, with vegetables, meat and eggs being cooked one at a time. So easy and fast!
First cook the mushrooms, onions and garlic. Next, toss in some spinach and let it wilt. Then cook the ground beef and finally stir in the eggs. Stir everything together and dinner is served.
The Story of Joe’s Special
According to local San Franciscan lore, Joe’s Special was a dish created at New Joe’s Restaurant in North Beach. In 1937, one of the partners involved in founding New Joe’s opened his own restaurant and called it Original Joe’s, where Joe’s Special was still one of the most popular items on the menu.
This recipe includes mushrooms, but they weren’t always part of the dish. However, nutmeg was part of the original recipe. You can also add a dash of sherry if you like.
Joe’s Special was always served with a side of sourdough bread, sometimes with a glass of red wine and a small salad. For a hearty breakfast, Joe’s Special was served with orange juice and a side of hash browns.
More diner favorites
- Cincinnati Chili
- Classic Patty Melt
- biscuits and gravy
- Buttermilk pancakes
- fried potatoes
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Joe’s Special (scrambled eggs with spinach, beef and mushrooms)
ingredients
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2 tablespoon unsalted butter
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8th ounces Cremini mushroomscut
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1 Middle yellow onionrolled
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4 cloves garlicchopped
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1 teaspoon Saltdivided
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1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach (8 cups)
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1 lb 85% to 95% lean ground beef
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1 teaspoon Worcester sauce
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1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
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1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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6 big eggs
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1 teaspoon Tabasco sauceOptional
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cut Sour Dough Bread or buns, to serve
method
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Cooking mushrooms:
In a large (12 inch) skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and leave without stirring until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
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Cooking onions:
Add the onions, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and garlic has lost its raw bite, another 5 minutes.
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Wilting the spinach:
Add the spinach to the pan and stir it into the other ingredients for a few minutes to help it wilt and reduce its volume.
When the spinach has just wilted, transfer everything from the pan to a large, shallow serving bowl.
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Cook ground beef:
Place the ground beef in the empty skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the Worcestershire sauce, pepper, nutmeg and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt on top. Cook the beef and use your spatula to break it up into crumbles.
Continue cooking until beef is fully cooked through and no trace of pink remains, 8 to 10 minutes.
Place the cooked beef in the serving bowl with the sautéed vegetables. Drain off any remaining fat in the pan, leaving just a thin film to cook the eggs. (Add a teaspoon of cooking oil or butter if the pan seems dry.)
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Stir the eggs:
Place the pan back on the stove and reduce the heat to medium-low. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with Tabasco (if using) until well combined.
Pour the eggs into the pan and stir, stirring frequently, until the curds are barely moist and starting to break up, about 5 minutes.
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Mix everything and serve:
Return the cooked beef and vegetables to the pan, break the eggs into bite-sized pieces, and stir together until evenly combined.
Transfer everything back to the serving bowl and serve hot with a side of sourdough bread.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 305 | calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 6g | carbohydrates |
| 30g | protein |
