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Master how to make fried eggs better than any diner. Whether you like them sunny side up or over easy, prepare to grab a skillet and get cracking!
Meggan’s notes
Frying eggs is a basic culinary skill that is easy to master. No matter how you like your fried eggs cooked, it helps to think of a fried egg on a spectrum of doneness.
Sunny side up eggs, with the softest yolks, take the least time to cook. Over hard eggs, with fully-cooked yolks and whites, are cooked the longest. All involve the same general fried egg technique, just employing different cooking times.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Eggs: Farm fresh or right out of the carton. Depending on the size of your eggs (medium, large, extra-large, or jumbo) you may need to cook them a little more or less than the recipe states.
- Butter: Or substitute oil, clarified butter, bacon fat, or a generous coating of nonstick spray.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small bowl, crack the eggs (risk takers of the world, feel free to crack your eggs directly into the pan!). In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming. When the foaming subsides, swirl the butter to coat the entire surface inside the pan. Add the eggs and cook, undisturbed, until the whites are set and no longer clear.
- For eggs sunny-side up, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For eggs over easy, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Flip the eggs over and cook until the surface of the yolk is set but the inside is still soft, 20 to 30 seconds longer. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For eggs over medium, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Flip the eggs over and cook until the yolks are starting to set but still soft in the middle, 30 to 60 second longer. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For eggs over hard, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Flip the eggs over and cook until the yolks are completely set, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Recipe tips and variations
- Make ahead: Eggs are best when made just before you plan to eat them.
- Pick the right pan: I recommend a good-quality non-stick skillet for cooking delicate eggs. If you love your cast iron skillet, though, by all means use it; just make sure it’s adequately seasoned (for a non-stick surface) and pre-heated before adding the eggs.
- Temperature check: I find medium heat works best so the eggs cook evenly.
- Don’t fear the fat: Flipping eggs can be tricky. Adequately oiling the skillet before cracking the eggs in can make the process easier, so don’t skip this step.
- Stagger cooking times: Once you get the hang of how to fry eggs, you can add the eggs to the skillet at different intervals so everyone can enjoy the egg they ordered at same time.
- Steam-basted eggs: Basting uses steam to cook the tops of the eggs without having to flip them and break the delicate yolk. Once the whites are set, pour 1 tablespoon hot water into the pan and cover with a lid for about 30 seconds. The steam will cook the tops of the eggs gently.
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How to Fry Eggs
Master how to make fried eggs better than any diner. Whether you like them sunny side up or over easy, grab a skillet and get cracking!
Ingredients
- 2 eggs (see note 1)
- 2 teaspoons butter (see note 2)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, crack the eggs (risk takers of the world, feel free to crack your eggs directly into the pan!). In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming. When the foaming subsides, swirl the butter to coat the entire surface inside the pan. Add the eggs and cook, undisturbed, until the whites are set and no longer clear.
- For eggs sunny-side up, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For eggs over easy, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Flip the eggs over and cook until the surface of the yolk is set but the inside is still soft, 20 to 30 seconds longer. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For eggs over medium, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Flip the eggs over and cook until the yolks are starting to set but still soft in the middle, 30 to 60 second longer. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For eggs over hard, cook until the whites are completely cooked but yolks are still soft. Flip the eggs over and cook until the yolks are completely set, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove immediately and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Eggs: Farm fresh or right out of the carton. Depending on the size of your eggs (medium, large, extra-large, or jumbo) you may need to cook them a little more or less than the recipe states.
- Butter:Or substitute oil, clarified butter, bacon fat, or a generous coating of nonstick spray.
Nutrition
Serving: 1eggCalories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 63mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 488IUCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.