No flipping required!
Prep: 1 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 6 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 egg
Fried eggs make the ideal breakfast, of course, but they also transform noodle and rice dishes, salads, grain bowls, and sandwiches into tempting and satisfying meals. If the only thing stopping you from putting an egg on it is having to flip your fried eggs, then you need this no-flip recipe. Just heat some fat in a nonstick pan, and you'll have a delicious, nutritious fried egg in as little as four minutes. Here's how to baste or steam your fried eggs to perfection, no matter how you like your yolks.
The Best Pan for Frying Eggs
A nonstick skillet with slightly rounded sides is ideal for sliding eggs out onto a plate. A well-seasoned cast-iron pan can work as well, but you might need to add more fat to keep the eggs from sticking. Choose a pan large enough for the number of eggs you are cooking—an 8-inch pan is perfect for one or two eggs, but you’ll want to choose a bigger skillet for three or more eggs.
Which Fat Is Best for Fried Eggs?
Butter and bacon fat (always save those bacon drippings!) are both excellent choices for flavor, while vegetable oil is inexpensive and neutral. You can also use duck fat, sesame oil, avocado oil, or olive oil to fry eggs. And ghee is a great choice since it has the wonderful flavor of butter with a higher smoke point. No matter which fat you choose, heat it over medium heat—not higher—and add the eggs to the pan before the fat starts smoking.
«I usually flip my fried eggs, but I loved how easy these two no-flip methods were—no risk of breaking the yolks! Both methods delivered perfectly cooked eggs, and the steaming method is great for large batches.» — Megan O. Steintrager
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 large egg
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2 tablespoons olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, bacon grease, or other fat
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Salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Steps to Make It
Basting Method
This method is best for cooking a smaller number of eggs—if you are cooking more than four eggs, consider using the steaming method below.
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Gather the ingredients.
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Heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Break an egg into a small bowl or ramekin. When the fat is hot but not smoking, slide the egg into the pan.
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When the bottom of the egg looks opaque, tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to scoop some of the pooling fat. Spoon the hot fat over the egg white. Repeat until the white is firm, about 2 minutes. Spoon some fat over the yolk until it is as runny or firm as you like it.
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Use a spatula to move the egg to a plate. Season the eggs with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, and enjoy!
Steam-Frying Method
Use this method to cook one egg or several quickly without basting or flipping.
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Gather the ingredients.
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Heat just enough fat to coat a medium or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. One at a time, break the eggs into a small bowl or ramekin, then slide the eggs into the hot pan. Once all the eggs are in the pan, add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the exposed surface of the pan.
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Immediately cover the pan and steam the eggs for about 1 minute. If the eggs are still too jiggly, continue steaming until cooked as desired.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 311 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 32g | 41% |
| Saturated Fat 5g | 26% |
| Cholesterol 186mg | 62% |
| Sodium 653mg | 28% |
| Total Carbohydrate 0g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 6g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 29mg | 2% |
| Iron 1mg | 6% |
| Potassium 71mg | 2% |
| *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. | |
