The Perfect Fried Egg

Slicing into a sunny-side-up egg and releasing nature’s most delectable sauce feels a bit like a magic trick. But we’re here to tell you how to achieve this culinary feat—tender whites with golden, molten yolks—on your very first try. We’ve done all the practice in the GreenPan kitchen so you can make perfect fried eggs every time. Explore our tips and techniques!

Ingredients

For the perfect fried egg

  • Butter for the pan, about 1 teaspoon
  • 1 large egg
  • Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Spice it up

  • Red pepper flakes (a little goes a long way)
  • Hot sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Paprika
  • Chili powder or cayenne
  • Chopped fresh herbs
  • Sliced scallions
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • Bacon bits

Fried eggs go great on:

  • Toast
  • Fried rice
  • Burgers
  • BLTs
  • Salads
  • Sautéed asparagus
  • Pork chops
  • Steak

Preparation

Prep the skillet—Place an nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add butter and swirl to coat skillet evenly. Heat until butter starts bubbling.

Prep the egg—Crack egg into a ramekin.

Fry the egg—Gently pour egg into hot pan. Cook until whites are completely set, about 3 minutes.

Finish and serve—Slide egg from pan to plate and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Tips

Fresh Idea

A cracked yolk turns sunny-side-up into a sad situation. When frying eggs, use the freshest you can find. They’ll have firmer yolks that aren’t likely to break and whites that won’t spread as much. Pro tip: Save more elderly eggs for hard boiling—they’ll be way easier to peel.

Get Cracking

A cracked yolk turns sunny-side-up into a sad situation. When frying eggs, use the freshest you can find. They’ll have firmer yolks that aren’t likely to break and whites that won’t spread as much. Pro tip: Save more elderly eggs for hard boiling—they’ll be way easier to peel.

Don’t Overdo It

Eggs continue cooking even off the heat, so remove them from the pan as soon as the whites are set. Excess time on the stove will evaporate moisture and cause proteins to contract, leading to a rubbery, chewy, totally unappetizing waste of the chicken’s time. Respect the chicken, please!

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