Fried eggs are usually thought of as diner breakfast fare, but they’re a easy way to add protein to all kinds of meals— salads, sandwiches, burgers or in a classic Huevos Rancheros. There a four basic styles of fried eggs—sunny side up, over easy, over medium and over well—indicating the level of doneness.
- Sunny side up: The egg is fried with the yolk up and is not flipped.
- Over easy: The egg is flipped and the yolk is still runny.
- Over medium: The egg is flipped and the yolk is only slightly runny.
- Over well: The egg is flipped and the yolk is cooked hard.
Once you master this technique at home, you’ll never think of a fried egg the same way again.
Things You'll Need
- A good non-stick frying pan
- Non-stick spatula
- Cooking spray, butter or oil
- Fresh eggs
- Salt and pepper (optional)
Instructions
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Step 1
Coat a non-stick pan with cooking spray or butter. Heat pan over medium heat depending on your stove (you may need experiment the first few times to get the right temperature). Making sure the pan is well-oiled is key to making sure the eggs don’t stick.
See AlsoBasic Microwaved Eggs -
Step 2
Once the butter is melted crack your eggs into a bowl and drop the egg in the pan. Season lightly with salt and/or pepper.
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Step 3
Let the eggs cook until white is set and the corners begin to curl ever so slightly, about 3 - 4 minutes depending on your heat source. No need to fuss with them either, they’ll turn out better if they’re left alone. For sunny side up eggs, simply slide the eggs onto a plate and season again if desired. For over easy or over medium eggs carry on to Step 4.
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Step 4
Using a very thin spatula, jiggle it gently under the egg and flip. You don’t need to get it all the way under, but make sure it’s under the yolk before you flip. Allow to cook for about another minute for over-easy, 2 minutes for over medium and so on. Flip once more and serve immediately.
And there you have it. Perfect fried eggs at home!
