Pan-Fried Egg Recipe

This pan-fried egg recipe is just for you if you don’t know how to fry an egg or if you are interested in improving your frying skills.

All you need to do is follow these easy steps and recipes on how to make the perfect pan-fried egg with crunchy, golden edges and a perfectly runny yolk for sunny side up or a medium-hard yolk.

Personally, fried eggs and scrambled eggs are staples in my kitchen. I actually love both of them so much, and I alternate between the two based on whether they are being served on their own, along with something else, or just going with whatever suits my mood.

And the truth is that none of them has ever disappointed me. You simply can never go wrong with eggs; they are quick, simple, affordable, and delicious.

When it comes to preparing a fried egg, you don’t need much for that.

What you need is just a pan, a rubber spatula, butter (or oil), a small bowl, and a couple of minutes. Keep in mind that the details and execution are what matter, given that they perfect the fried eggs.

Fried Egg

Among all of the recipes out there, fried eggs are one of the most fundamental.

Generally, in the culinary world, cooking with eggs is very foundational, and frying eggs is an excellent and simple way to prepare and eat them.

Frying eggs is just cooking eggs in a small amount of fat in a hot skillet until you have achieved your desired internal yolk temperature.

What Kind of Pan Is Best for Frying Eggs?

I always opt for a cast-iron skillet when it comes to pretty much anything else.

However, when it comes to eggs, nothing actually works better than nonstick.

To be honest, I purchased a nonstick pan just for cooking eggs, and I can say that it’s well worth it.

That being said, keep in mind that nonstick skillets come with a shorter lifespan. I will suggest that you go with the ones on the inexpensive side.

Normally, you can make 1 to 2 fried eggs at a time with an 8” pan, but that is if you are like me.

But you can always go for something bigger if you cook breakfast for a crowd regularly.

Even so, you can still use a cast iron or carbon steel pan in a pinch if you don’t have a nonstick pan, but ensure that you up the amount of fat to avoid scraping burnt bits of egg off your pan.

Recipe for Pan-Fried Eggs

• Category: Breakfast
• Cuisine: Vegetarian
• Prep Time: 1 minute
• Cook Time: 4 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 fried egg.

With this simple recipe, you will get to learn how to make the best pan-fried eggs.

However, the trick is to cook them in hot olive oil; that way, they get to develop tantalizing lacy edges and plenty of flavor. Plus, you can cook 1 to 2 eggs at a time in a skillet.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil

Laid-Out Instructions

• If you want to cook 1 egg, just pull out a small skillet, preferably cast iron, and if there are 2 eggs, you can just use a medium-to-large skillet and then use 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• After that, proceed to get a small bowl or ramekin, crack an egg into it, and then place it near the stove. Afterward, warm your skillet over medium-high heat until it becomes hot enough that a drop of water sizzles in no time on contact.
• That being done, reduce the heat to medium and add the olive oil to the pan, then gently tilt the pan around so the olive oil covers the base of the pan. The olive oil should be so warm that it shimmers on the pan, but if not, give it a little more time to warm up.
• When that is done, carefully pour the egg into the skillet, and make sure that you watch out for hot oil splatters. You can also pour it onto the side if you are planning to add another egg to the same pan; that way, there will be room for another.
• Now, allow the egg to cook, gently tilting the pan from time to time to redistribute the oil until the edges have become crisp and golden and the yolk is cooked as you desire, which will take around 2 minutes for runny yolks or about 2 ½ to 3 minutes for medium yolks. Just go ahead and do it while the other is cooking if you are adding another egg to the skillet.
• Proceed to transfer the cooked egg(s) to a plate and add another drizzle of olive oil if you like to cook more eggs in the same skillet, then leave the heat on medium and add your next egg. However, keep in mind that you might need to dial the heat down a bit to avoid smoking. Repeat as required.

Storage Tips

Make Ahead

You should know that these are meant to be eaten as soon as they are done cooking.

How to Store

You can store your fried eggs, and they will still last for up to two days. But keep in mind that they will not freeze well. For this recipe, it does not matter what color of eggs you use.

How to Reheat

It’s actually quite difficult to reheat these, but you can still do so by gently frying them in some hot oil or the microwave.

Recipe FAQs

How Long to Fry an Egg?

To tell the truth, frying an egg can be quite tricky given that it can overcook very quickly, but keep in mind that the most important thing to center on when cooking eggs is on your burner or heat.

You can just use a medium-size cooking element that can get decently hot. However, it will cook more quickly, even on low heat, if you use a hotter burner.

This also goes on with a small burner, but it will take longer. Based on the medium-sized burner, below are the estimated timeframes:

Eggs Over Easy

For this, proceed to cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 45 seconds on one side, and then turn over and cook for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Sunny-Side Up Egg

If this is the case, cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 1 minute.

Over Medium Egg

When it comes to this, proceed to cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for 90 seconds per side.

Over Hard Egg

For this, just cook at low to medium heat in a pan with oil for around 2 to 2 ½ minutes on each side.

Should I Use Oil or Butter?

When frying eggs, there are some small nuances when you cook with oil or butter.

Butter will heat more quickly and can have a tendency to burn; however, it will enhance the flavor of the eggs.

On the other hand, oil has a higher smoke point and can cook your eggs at low temperatures, which will give them that perfect white color.

Below are my favorite fats to use:

• Unsalted butter
• Oil
• Rendered bacon fat

Conclusion

With just an egg atop cooked veggies and chili, a solitary diner can elevate a quick and filling supper.

In addition, fried eggs are at home in a simple bowl of pasta tossed with parmesan, olive oil, and a lot of pepper.

And you will be able to take your egg from the fridge to the plate in a matter of around four minutes.

Now, I’m quite sure that you can perfectly make your fried eggs with this best pan-fried egg recipe.