Learn how to fry an egg! This step-by-step guide will show you how to cook a fried egg just the way you like it, with crispy edges, firm whites and yolks.
Cooking a perfect fried egg is easy… but it’s also easy to mess up. A fried egg could stick to the pan, it could come out too hard rather than too easy, or — worst of all — its yolk could crack when you try to flip it. I’ve made all of these mistakes over the years. While they were disappointing at the moment, they paid off in the long run. Each taught me a valuable lesson on how to fry an egg, and over time I’ve come up with a foolproof fried egg recipe that I’m sharing below.
Follow him to make a quick and easy breakfast, or cook up a fried egg to serve over polenta, add to a cereal bowl, or add to fried rice. With crispy edges, easily set egg whites, and yolks to your liking, fried eggs are an easy, delicious way to add a protein boost to almost any meal.
How to fry an egg
Here are my top 3 tips for frying an egg perfectly every time:
- Choose the right pan. I recommend avoiding stainless steel and opting for a non-stick pan or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet instead. Fried eggs LOVE to stick to the pan, so choosing non-stick cookware increases your chances of fried egg success.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl or casserole dish instead of cracking it straight into the pan. That way you don’t end up with chunks of shell ending up in the pan, and you can gently slide the egg into the pan, reducing the chance of the yolk breaking or the albumen spreading too much.
- Cover the pan after 1 min. The lid catches the steam in the pan and cooks the egg from both the top and bottom. This is key if you like a fried egg where the white is firm but the yolk is still runny.
Cooking a fried egg is a breeze with these tips!
Heat the pan over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon butter or oil per egg, enough to prevent the egg from sticking and to help it cook with nice crispy edges.
Reduce the heat to low and carefully add the egg. Cook for 1 minute. Then cover the pan and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the egg whites are set.
Season with salt and pepper!
Variations on fried egg recipes
How do you like your fried eggs? Sunny side up, too easy, too medium or too difficult?
You can adapt this recipe to make any of these variations!
- For a fried eggAfter covering the pan, cook the egg over low heat until the egg white has just set, 2 to 3 minutes.
- For an egg that is too light, open the pan after 2 minutes. Use a spatula to gently turn the egg. Cook briefly on the second side, about 15 seconds, or until the egg whites are just set. Quickly remove the egg from the pan so it retains its runny yolk.
- For an over-medium sized eggcook the egg longer on the second side, for 15 to 30 seconds.
- And for hard-boiled eggscook eggs on second side until set yolk, up to 1 minute.
The full recipe with measurements is below.
How to serve a fried egg
This simplest way to serve fried eggs goes by itself. Along with toast, breakfast potatoes, and/or fresh fruit, they’re a classic American breakfast.
But your options don’t end here! You can sprinkle a fried egg on almost anything to make it richer and higher in protein. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
What is your favorite way to serve fried eggs? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Egg Recipes
If you enjoyed learning how to fry an egg, next try one of these basic egg recipes:
Fried egg
serves 1
Learn how to fry an egg perfectly every time! This easy recipe includes variations on sunny side up and plain eggs.
- 1 big egg
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or a small knob of butter
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Crack the egg into a small bowl or casserole dish.
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Heat the olive oil in a nonstick or seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, tossing to coat the bottom of the pan. Carefully pour in the egg and reduce the heat to low. Cook uncovered 1 minute, then cover and cook until egg whites are just set, 2 to 3 minutes. For an egg that is too light, gently flip the fried egg and cook until the whites are completely set, about 15 seconds, longer for an egg that is too medium or too hard. Place on a plate and season with salt and pepper.