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How to Make an Omelet

I am going to teach you how to master the basic omelet. In this guide, I will be sharing with you what pans to use, what three things make a good omelet, plus a bunch of filling & topping ideas and more!

Omelette on a plate served with toast, coffee & orange juice

Once you have mastered the technique, this recipe will only take 3-4 minutes to make and it uses 3 ingredients! This is the perfect go to breakfast or brunch when you need to whip up something easy and fast.

Some many different toppings and fillings go extremely well with omelets. So you can adjust the flavors however you like.

So What Is An Omelet?

An omelet is a dish made up of beaten eggs fried in either butter or oil that has not been stirred as much as scrambled eggs.

What Type Of Omelet Are There?

There are many different types of omelets, with each country and continent having its own version. Here are just a few of them…

French Omelette – An unbrowned omelet cooked with butter and commonly flavored with fresh fine herbs like chives, chervil, parsley & tarragon.

Tortilla Española – A thick Spanish omelet made with eggs & potatoes. It is often served at room temperature as a tapas.

Tamagoyaki – A Japanese omelet eggs beaten with mirin, soya sauce, bonito flakes, sugar & water cooked in a special rectangle pan.

Frittata – An Italian omelet that is slowly fried and then finished under the grill or baked. It may contain anything from cheeses, vegetables & meats.

Hangtown Fry – An omelet made famous from the California gold rush in 1850. It is said that when the miners hit gold they would treat themselves with expensive ingredients such as eggs, bacon & oysters.

Egg White Omelette – An omelet made with only the whites of the egg. A popular omelet for people following specific diets.

What 3 Things Make A Good Omelette?

The 3 things you will need to make a delicious omelet is good quality eggs, good technique and a good pan.

When it comes to buying eggs you want to buy the highest quality you can afford. It’s not necessarily the most expensive, just the highest grade.

United States has 3 grades, which are grade AA, A & B. Grade AA is the best & grade B is the worst.

Most of Europe have grade A & B. Grade A is the best & grade B is the worst. These egg grades are given to the quality of the egg, not the safety.

In the UK you should buy eggs with the British lion mark. This shows the company has followed strict guidelines to make sure their eggs are safe.

Here is an overview of the differences you may get

Higher Quality Eggs – Grade AA & A

  • The shell is clean & unbroken
  • Contains minimal air cells, which is a sign of freshness
  • Clear & thick egg whites

Lower Quality Eggs – Grade B

  • May be clean or slightly stained also may be an abnormal shape
  • Contains more air cells, which comes with age. (This is where the floating eggs in water test comes from)
  • Eggs white tend to be thinner & watery. Some may contain blood spots.
American diner style basic omelette with pea shoots & micro radish on top

What Pans Are Best For Making Omelets?

You can cook omelets out of pretty much any pan. That being said, you may run the risk of it sticking to the pan or cooking unevenly if you have not chosen the right pan. And there is nothing worse to omelet making then trying to roll an omelet that has stuck to the pan.

You want to use a fairly heavy, non stick pan that conducts heat evenly. This way you will decrease the risks of the omelette being stuck or cooking unevenly. Ideally, a steel non stick pan like this.

This pan should be kept only for omelets, crepes & pancakes to ensure it keeps to the highest quality. Whilst cleaning this pan 99% of the time you will only need to wipe it thoroughly with kitchen roll.

Omelet Topping & Filling Ideas

There are a few ways you can add ingredients to your omelet. The main 3 ways are, mixing them into the beaten eggs, adding them to the omelet before folding or adding them to the omelet after plating.

Add to the beaten eggs

  • Fine Herbs – Parsley, chives, chervil, dill & tarragon.
  • Tamagoyak style – Mirin, soya sauce, bonito flakes, sugar & water

Added before folding

  • Cheeses – Gruyere, cheddar, parmesan, ricotta, goats cheese
  • Cooked Meats – Bacon, pancetta, ham
  • Smoked Fish – Salmon & trout
  • Cooked Seafoods – Crab, shrimp, lobster
  • Sautéd Vegetables – Mushrooms, peppers, onions

Added after plating

  • Fresh Fine Herbs – Parsley, chives, chervil, dill & tarragon.
  • Crispy Cooked Meats – Bacon, pancetta, crispy prosuitto
  • Sour cream or Crème fraîche
  • Caviar
  • Fresh Truffle

How Many Calories Are In A 3 Egg Omelet?

  • 200 Calories with no cooking fat
  • 280 Calories with 1 knob of butter
  • 320 Calories with 1tbsp of cooking oil

More Recipes You May Like…

If you’re looking for a side dish to eat with this omelet, try smashed avocado on toast, bacon or this delicious hashbrown casserole recipe.

Omelette on a plate served with toast, coffee & orange juice

Basic Omelette

Jack Slobodian
This is the perfect go to breakfast or brunch when you need to whip up something easy and fast. There are many different topping and fillings that go extremely well with omelettes. So you can adjust the flavours however you like.
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Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American, French
Servings 1 Person
Calories 296 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Frying Pan
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Fork
  • Spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 knobs Butter
  • 3 Eggs best quality you can find
  • Sea Salt
  • Herbs optional

Instructions
 

  • Crack 3 eggs into a mixing bowl (removing any broken shell if necessary). Mix thoroughly with a fork until the egg yolk and white has fully incorporated.
  • Preheat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Melt the butter evenly over the pan (either using a spatula to spread it or by shaking the pan). Add the eggs and mix the mixture with a fork for 5-10 seconds whilst genetly shaking the pan. With a spatula gently spread any runny eggs over the more cooked parts. Leave to cook for 15-20 seconds, until the eggs have nearly set.
  • With your spatula gently roll the omelette (you may find it easier to tilt the pan in one hand whilst rolling the omelette with the spatula in the other hand). Leave to cook for 5-10 seconds.
  • Place the omelette onto a plate. Season with sea salt & add herbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 17gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 523mgSodium: 295mgPotassium: 186mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1088IUCalcium: 78mgIron: 2mg
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