The Perfect 5-Minute Omelet Is Easier Than You Think (2024)

Omelets are a popular breakfast dish but can also make a tasty and quick dinner. While they can be intimidating, they're really not difficult. If you can make scrambled eggs, you can learn how to make an omelet.

There are a few tricks to cooking the perfect omelet and, with practice, anyone can create a restaurant-quality omelet at home. Beginners will find it best to stick with a two-egg omelet. Once you've mastered the technique, you can move up to a three-egg omelet.

Ham and Cheese Omelet

One key to success is to choose the right pan. Any nonstick sauté pan will do as long as it's round with sloped sides and between 6 inches and 10 inches in diameter. The best choice for a two-egg omelet is an 8-inch omelet pan; use a 10-inch omelet pan for a three-egg omelet. Also, use a heat-resistant silicone spatula because it won't melt or scratch the pan's nonstick coating.

Keep the omelet plain or add any fillings you like. Stick with classics like cheese, ham or bacon, herbs, and vegetables, or get creative. Omelets are an excellent way to use leftovers, too. Just keep in mind that you don't want to overfill the omelet or you'll risk breaking the egg.

The Perfect 5-Minute Omelet Is Easier Than You Think (2)

"There are omelets, and then there are fluffy, decadent omelets like this. The milk whipped with eggs results in a supremely fluffy, tender omelet. I whisked my eggs and milk for a full minute while the pan preheated. Cooking it in clarified butter adds a level of buttery decadence. It tasted perfect." —Danielle Centoni

The Perfect 5-Minute Omelet Is Easier Than You Think (3)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 tablespoonclarified butter, or whole butter
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/8 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or white pepper, to taste
2 to 3 small mushrooms, sliced and sauteed (or filling of choice), optional
See Also
IHOP's Trick For The Fluffiest Omelet Is Totally Obvious And So Genius Does Pre-Salting Make for Tougher Scrambled Eggs and Omelets?How to make the perfect omelette
1/8 cup grated cheese, optional
3 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (reserve some for garnish), optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
In a glass mixing bowl, crack the eggs and beat them until they turn a pale yellow color.
Heat a heavy-bottomed 6- to 8-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt.
Add the milk to the eggs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Then, grab your whisk and whisk like crazy—you're going to want to work up a sweat here. If you're not up for that, use an electric beater or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whatever device you use, the goal is to beat as much air as possible into the eggs.
When the butter in the pan is hot enough to make a drop of water hiss, pour in the eggs. Don't stir. Let the eggs cook for up to 1 minute or until the bottom starts to set.
With a heat-resistant rubber spatula, gently push one edge of the egg into the center of the pan, while tilting the pan to allow the still liquid egg to flow in underneath. Repeat with the other edges, until there's no liquid left.
Your eggs should now resemble a bright yellow pancake, which should easily slide around on the nonstick surface. If it sticks at all, loosen it with your spatula.
Gently flip the omelet over, using your spatula to ease it over if necessary. Cook for another few seconds, or until there is no uncooked egg left.
If you're adding mushrooms, cheese, fresh herbs, or other ingredients, now's the time to do it. Spoon the filling across the center of the egg in a straight line.
With your spatula, lift one edge of the egg and fold it across and over, so that the edges line up. Cook for another minute or so, but don't overcook or allow the egg to turn brown. If necessary, you can flip the entire omelet over to cook the top for 30 seconds or so (again, don't let it get brown).
Gently transfer the finished omelet to a plate. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired.
Serve and enjoy.

Tips

Cooking an omelet on high heat may result in rubbery, overcooked eggs. Be patient and keep the stove on a medium-low heat setting.
Prepare all of your fillings before you start to beat the egg so they're ready to add to the omelet when needed.
It's best to keep the fillings under 1/3 cup for a two-egg omelet to make folding it easier. For a three-egg omelet, 1/2 cup should be more than enough.
Did you prepare too much? Add extra fillings on top of the omelet once it's on the plate.

Recipe Variations

There's no limit to the fillings you can use with this basic omelet recipe.

The most popular fillings include grated cheese, sautéed mushrooms, diced sautéed onions, chopped cooked bacon, and diced ham.
Add any variety of fresh, chopped herbs to your omelet.
Try other fillings like avocado, spinach, tomato, or potatoes.
Omelets are excellent ways to use up extra feta and goat cheeses, too.
For a western omelet, the fillings typically include green bell pepper, onion, and ham.
A classic Denver omelet uses green bell pepper and onion with Canadian bacon and cheddar cheese.

What's the Difference Between an Omelet and an Omelette?

Omelet is the Americanized spelling for omelette. They're made in the same way and with the same ingredients. A classic French omelette is rolled (or double-folded), while cooks in the U.S. typically fold the omelet in half.

Should Vegetables Be Cooked Before Adding Them to an Omelet?

When using vegetables such as onions, peppers, and mushrooms, the general recommendation is to sauté them first. This softens the veggies and brings out a little more flavor. Some people enjoy adding them raw because it gives the omelet a crunchy texture and garden-fresh taste. Softer veggies like spinach and herbs will cook perfectly within the omelet.

How Do You Flip an Omelet?

Eggs are not as stiff as pancakes so flipping them is a little tricky. With each omelet you make, you'll get better at recognizing when the eggs are cooked enough to allow for a clean flip. Get your spatula under the egg, make sure nothing is sticking to the pan, then flip your wrist with confidence in one motion. It may not come out perfect every time, but it will still taste great.

Why Isn't My Omelet Fluffy?

Whisking air into the eggs is one secret to a fluffy omelet. Also, if you cook the omelet in a pan that's too large for the number of eggs used, it will naturally be flatter. On the other hand, you don't want to overload a small pan. This only increases the time needed to cook the eggs and can lead to a rubbery omelet.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
275	Calories
23g	Fat
2g	Carbs
14g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories	275
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g	30%
Saturated Fat 12g	58%
Cholesterol 408mg	136%
Sodium 409mg	18%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 92mg	7%
Iron 2mg	10%
Potassium 179mg	4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

egg
omelet
breakfast
american