The Complete Guide to Cooking Perfect Eggs Every Time

From scrambled to sunny-side up and everything in between, there is a multitude of ways to cook eggs. But have you perfected them all? If you want to expand your culinary repertoire, take some time to master these 10 methods for making perfect eggs every time.

Scrambled

Most of us know how to scramble eggs, but these tricks that could take your breakfast from good to great.

1. Preheat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until a splash of water sizzles in the pan.
2. As the skillet heats, crack 4 eggs into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of milk or cream, and whisk until light and fluffy, about 30 to 60 seconds.
3. Grease your skillet with butter, tallow or bacon grease for the best flavor.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and use a rubber or wooden spatula to gently move the eggs around, letting them cook low and slow.
5. When the eggs begin to come together but are still a little runny, incorporate your favorite add-ins like cheese, bacon or herbs.
6. Once the eggs are almost but not quite done, turn off the heat. The skillet will retain enough heat to finish cooking the eggs without overcooking them. Serve and enjoy.

See more: 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Eggs

Fried Eggs

Fried eggs can be served sunny-side up, over easy, over medium or over hard. Read on to learn the differences between each and how to make them perfectly.

Sunny Side Up

Sunny-side-up eggs are fried until the whites are cooked but the yolks are runny. Even though these are fried, you don’t have to flip them.

1. Preheat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over low heat and brush thoroughly with olive oil.
2. Crack each egg into an individual ramekin (or small bowl).
3. Once the oil shimmers, carefully pour each egg into the skillet and cover with a glass lid.
4. Allow eggs to cook for 2 minutes, until the whites are just set.
5. Immediately remove skillet from heat, season with salt and pepper, and use a rubber or wooden spatula to transfer eggs to a plate. Serve and enjoy.

Over Easy

An over easy egg is cooked on both sides but not long enough to cook the yolk, which results in a delicious fried egg that can be pricked with a fork to reveal a runny yolk inside.

1. Preheat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Melt butter in the skillet, swirling it around as it melts so it coats the entire bottom of the pan.
3. Crack eggs into small bowl and carefully pour them into the hot skillet.
4. Allow eggs to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, or until the egg whites are almost entirely set. You’ll know the whites are set once they are opaque everywhere except about a half-inch around the yolks.
5. Use a flat spatula to gently flip the eggs.
6. Allow them to cook another 30 seconds until the whites are completely set.
7. Slide the eggs onto a plate and season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy.

Over Medium

Over medium eggs are fried eggs that cook a little longer than over easy eggs. The yolk will run a bit, but not as much as one cooked over easy.

1. Preheat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Melt butter in the skillet, swirling it around as it melts so it coats the entire bottom of the pan.
3. Crack eggs into small bowl and carefully pour them into the hot skillet.
4. Allow eggs to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, or until the egg whites set and the corners begin to curl.
5. Use a flat spatula to gently flip the eggs.
6. Allow them to cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Slide the eggs onto a plate and season with salt and pepper.

See more: Egg-in-a-Hole with Avocado and Radishes

Over Hard

Over hard eggs are fried on both sides until the yolk is cooked through. The yolk tastes similar to an egg that has been hard boiled.

1. Preheat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium low heat.
2. Melt butter in the skillet, swirling it around as it melts so it coats the entire bottom of the pan.
3. Crack eggs into small bowl and carefully pour them into the hot skillet.
4. Allow eggs to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and completely opaque.
5. Use a flat spatula to gently flip the eggs.
6. Allow them to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the yolks puff up and the edges of the egg whites turn crispy.
7. Gently press the yolks with the spatula or fork to make sure the yolks have cooked through.
8. Slide the eggs onto a plate and season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy.

Poached

Poached eggs are cooked in water and taste delicious over avocado toast or rice bowls.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low.
2. Crack each egg into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and gently swirl around until the thinner, liquid whites drain out and only the yolk and thicker whites remains. Transfer the egg to a separate small bowl or ramekin. Discard the strained whites.
3. Stir a splash of vinegar into the simmering pot of water and swirl it around.
4. As the water and vinegar mixture swirl, gently drop the egg in the middle and allow it to cook for three minutes undisturbed.
5. Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg, dab it lightly with a paper towel to remove extra water and serve immediately.

Soft Boiled

Soft-boiled eggs have barely set whites and a yolk with a jam-like texture. They pair well with salads or ramen noodles.

1. Set eggs in a large pot and cover them with cool tap water.
2. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
3. When the pot reaches a rolling boil, lower the temperature to medium.
4. Allow eggs to boil undisturbed for 6 to 7 minutes.
5. Immediately turn off the heat and transfer the eggs to an ice bath.
6. Peel off the shells and serve sliced and sprinkled with seasonings of your choice.

Hard Boiled

Hard-boiled eggs are cooked until the yolk is firm but tender. They are often eaten as snacks, deviled, or chopped and incorporated into salads.

1. Set eggs in a large pot and cover them with cool tap water.
2. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
3. When the pot reaches a rolling boil, lower the temperature to medium.
4. Allow eggs to boil undisturbed for 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Immediately turn off the heat and transfer the eggs to an ice bath.
6. Peel off the shells and serve whole or sliced and sprinkled with seasonings of your choice.

See more: How to Hard Boil Eggs and Peel Them Perfectly

Omelette

Omelettes are fried eggs folded over themselves, often stuffed with fillings such as cheese, ham, bacon, peppers or mushrooms.

1. Soak eggs in hot (but not boiling) water for five minutes.
2. Preheat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Remove eggs from the water, crack them into a bowl and whisk with a fork for 30 seconds.
4. Add butter or olive oil to the skillet, swirling it around as it melts so it coats the entire bottom of the pan.
5. Pour eggs into the center of the pan and swirl around for 5 seconds to spread out the eggs.
6. Allow the eggs to cook undisturbed until curds begin to form.
7. Tilt the pan to remove excess liquid from the top of the curds.
8. Gently move a rubber spatula under the edges of the eggs to make sure they aren’t sticking and to shape them into a circle.
9. Let the eggs continue to cook for 10 seconds undisturbed to develop an outer crust.
10. Gently shake the pan to free the omelette. Fold the omelette into thirds, slide it carefully onto a plate, and season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy.

Baked (Shirred)

Baked eggs are cooked in the oven and can be easily customized with toppings like cheese, herbs or bacon. They are sometimes referred to as shirred eggs.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a nonstick muffin tin with butter or olive oil.
2. Crack eggs into the muffin tin, one per pocket, and add your seasonings of choice.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the yolks reach desired texture.
4. Remove the muffin tray and run a small spatula or butter knife around the edges of each baked egg.
5. Use a small spoon to gently lift each egg out of the tin and onto a serving plate.

Additional Tips

• Always start each of these cooking methods with the freshest and highest-quality eggs possible, preferably pastured.
• Always wait to add salt at the end, otherwise your eggs will sweat and lose moisture.