How to Cook a Basic Omelette

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: April 7, 2021 References Tested

You may have heard that the true test of a cook is whether or not they can make a good basic omelette. Fortunately, as long as you follow a few simple guidelines, you can easily whip up an inexpensive, filling dish that tastes like a pro made it. Fold your omelette in half for a traditional option or roll it up it for a softer, French-style dish. Feel free to customize your basic omelette by adding your favorite fillings just before you fold or roll it.

Ingredients

Folded Diner-Style Omelette

2 to 3 eggs
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of oil, such as vegetable, sunflower, canola, or olive oil
1 teaspoon (4 g) of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Makes 1 omelette

French-Style Rolled Omelette

3 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon (14 g) of unsalted butter, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon (3 g) of chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon, or parsley, optional

Makes 1 omelette

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a Folded Diner-Style Omelette

1
Whisk 2 or 3 eggs with salt and pepper. Crack as many eggs as you'd like into a small bowl or dish. Then, sprinkle in salt and pepper according to your taste. Take a whisk or a fork and beat the eggs until the mixture is a uniform yellow color. Whisk for at least 10 seconds so the omelette is consistent in texture.^{[1]
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- You could also flavor the omelet with dry seasonings of your choice. Sprinkle a little curry powder or cajun seasoning, for instance.
2
Melt 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of oil and 1 teaspoon (4 g) of butter in a skillet. Set an 8 or 9 in (20 or 23 cm) nonstick skillet on the stove and turn the burner to medium-low. Put 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of oil and 1 teaspoon (4 g) of butter into the pan so they melt and coat the bottom of the skillet.^{[2]
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- Use your favorite oil, such as vegetable, sunflower, canola, or olive oil.
- The oil prevents the butter from burning in the skillet. If you prefer, you could use all butter or all oil instead.
Tip: If you're trying to cut calories, spray the skillet with nonstick cooking spray instead of using the oil and butter.

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3
Pour the beaten eggs into the pan. Once the skillet is hot and the butter is foaming, slowly pour the beaten eggs into it. Hold the handle and slowly tilt the pan until the egg mixture coats the entire surface of the skillet.^{[3]
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- Keep the burner at medium-low heat so the omelette cooks evenly. If the burner is up too high, the omelette will become rubbery.
4
Cook the omelette and tilt the pan mixture until the omelette's almost set. Leave the eggs to cook for about 20 seconds before stirring the edges of the skillet with a rubber spatula. Scoot the curds along the edges towards the center of the skillet. Then, tilt the skillet so the egg mixture runs to the empty edges of the skillet.^{[4]
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- Cook the omelette until it's set, but still slightly glossy on top. This should take about 1 minute.
5
Add your choice of fillings if you want to make a heartier omelette. Although you don't need to add any fillings to a basic omelette, it's easy to customize one. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup (78 g) of fillings over 1/2 of the omelette. You could use:^{[5]
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- Shredded cheese, such as cheddar, monterey jack, or colby jack
- Sautéed vegetables, such as mushrooms, bell peppers, or onions
- Diced cooked meat, such as ham, sausage, chorizo, or bacon
6
Turn off the burner and fold the omelette in half. Take a rubber spatula and gently lift up the edges of the omelette on 1 side. Then, slide the spatula under the omelette and lift 1/2 of the omelette over to the other side. Slide the omelette onto a serving plate and enjoy it while it's hot.^{[6]
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- Although the omelette has the best texture immediately after cooking, you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making a French-Style Rolled Omelette

1
Beat 3 eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper. Crack 3 large eggs into a bowl and use a whisk or fork to beat the eggs. Keep beating until the yolks are incorporated into the whites and the eggs are a uniform yellow color. Whisk for at least 10 seconds to ensure that the omelette has a consistent texture and color.^{[7]
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- Avoid beating the eggs until they become foamy or they won't cook evenly.
Tip: To make a classic French omelette, add 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (3 g) of finely chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon, or parsley to the beaten eggs.
2
Melt 1 tablespoon (14 g) of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Set an 8 in (20 cm) nonstick skillet on the stove and put 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (14 g) of unsalted butter into it. Turn the burner to medium-high and tilt the pan a little so the butter coats the skillet as it melts.^{[8]
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- You could also use a seasoned carbon steel pan.
3
Pour the eggs into the skillet and stir them until they're softly set. Slowly pour the eggs into the hot skillet and begin shaking the pan gently to keep the eggs moving. Use a spatula or chopsticks to stir the eggs in the skillet for about 1 minute. This breaks up the curds so you get a smoother, softer omelette.^{[9]
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- Ensure that you stir the edges of the omelette since these usually cook faster than the eggs in the center of the skillet.
- Although you can add fillings, keep them to a minimum so the omelette is easy to roll.
Tip: If you want to fill the omelette with cheese, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons (14 g) of shredded cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella, across the entire omelette.
4
Roll the omelette over itself by 1 inch (2.5 cm) intervals. The omelette will probably crack if you try to roll it tightly. Instead, take a spatula and loosen the edges of the omelette. Tilt the handle of the skillet up while you lift the closest edge of the omelette up. Roll it towards the center of the omelette away from the handle. Keep lifting and rolling about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the omelette until you've rolled it to the side of the skillet that's opposite from the handle.^{[10]
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- If you're struggling to roll the omelette with the spatula, try using chopsticks for greater control.
5
Slide the rolled omelette onto a plate so the seam is facing down. Bring your serving plate over to the skillet. Slowly tilt the skillet up and over the plate so the rolled omelette lands on the plate seam-side down.^{[11]
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- Serve the omelette while it's hot. You could garnish it with more fresh herbs if you like.

Community Q&A
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Question

How do restaurants make their omelettes so fluffy?

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Adding milk will help fluff up your omelette, as will whipping your eggs. You can even separate a couple of the eggs and beat the whites until they form soft peaks. Adding a pinch of baking soda before you put the eggs in the pan will also help them rise a little.
Question

How many eggs go into an omelette?

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Typically, an omelette has 2-4 eggs in it. If you try to use more than 5, it might become too big and difficult to handle during the cooking process.
Question

What are the 4 types of omelettes?

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4 of the most common types are American style, French style, frittata, and souffle. American, French, and souffle omelets are all folded or rolled over, while the frittata is served more like a quiche. American omelets tend to be more thoroughly cooked than their European counterparts, and are usually folded in half rather than neatly rolled. Souffle omelettes are extra fluffy because the eggs are thoroughly beaten. French omelettes are very thin and neatly rolled, like crepes.