I am full on obsessed with this 5 minute dinner. I recently discovered omelettes. Have you heard of them? Hey, woah! Fancy, you’re thinking! Feels a bit cutting edge! Like that time you talked us into trying potato pancakes. I felt the same way at first. I was all like “Omelettes??? What kind of uppity, cheffy hob snobbery is THAT?!.” Then one night when I was feeling particularly adventurous, I made one.
I estimate that night was about 15 years ago, and I’ve probably made 4 omelettes since then. All of them terrible. Much like riding a pig, Omelettes take practice.
I could never be bothered to get better at them. It didn’t seem like a worthwhile use of my time. Time, that up until recently, I’ve felt is better spent looking at pictures of cats I’ve never met on the Internet. One month ago that all changed and I am now an omelette making maniac for two reasons. They’re SO fast to make for dinner and when you make them properly they’re SO good.
HOW TO MAKE AN OMELETTE
I’ve had this very dinner 4 out of the past 7 nights: Omelette with cheese, mashed avocado with lime, refried beans, sliced fresh cherry tomatoes, torn cilantro. 4 time this week. FOUR. TIMES.
HOW TO MAKE A TERRIBLE OMELETTE
- Use too small of a pan.
- Use too big of a pan.
- Cook over high heat.
- Cook until browned.
- Use uncooked vegetables in the ingredients.
Do any of those things and I can guarantee you’ll have a terrible omelette, excellent for serving to that pig you ride.
HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT OMELETTE
- Use a pan the right size for your amount of eggs. 3 eggs = 7″ pan. (apx)
- Cook over low heat. Medium/low at the most.
- Pull eggs from outside of the pan to the inside for the first 30-40 seconds of cooking.
- Don’t let the omelette brown.
- Pre cook any diced vegetables you want to include.
That last tip is one that a lot of people don’t take the time to do but it makes all the difference. No matter how tiny you dice your red peppers or mushrooms, if you put them in the omelette just before you flip it, they’ll barely be warm let alone cooked. And that will be gross.
My 5 minute dinner doesn’t include vegetables in the omelette because that would make it take more than 5 minutes. Plus why add vegetables when cheese exists?
The other thing that takes these eggs from gross to GREAT is making sure you don’t brown the omelette.
You want the eggs to be silky smooth and they won’t t be if they’re browned.
To accomplish this you need to cook the omelette on very low heat and you need to STOP cooking when the centre has just barely set. It’ll be cooked, but not overcooked. This step is made easier if you use a slightly larger pan than you normally would. A larger pan means the egg will be spread thinner and cook in the centre faster, making unwanted browning less likely.
You. Need. A. GOOD. Non Stick. Pan. You need it. If you don’t have a good non stick pan, even if you do everything else right, your omelette will be a disaster. The pan I used is on its last legs and I’ll be picking up another one soon. If your eggs don’t slide around easily in the pan, it’s time for a new pan.
To make it a dinner and not just an omelette, add refried beans, a smashed avocado with lime juice squeezed overtop (that’s what makes it delicious), salt and pepper, a few cherry tomatoes and top everything with Maldon salt and cilantro. It’s a Mexi-inspired meal that’s filling, guilt free and full of goodness.
It might take you a few tries to get your omelette making technique down, but once you figure it out it’s like riding a bicycle. You’ll never forget.
You never forget riding a pig either, but for different reasons entirely.
I’m sure non-stick pans are lovely – but this is my go to omelette pan. If you like cast iron, you will love this pan. Same thing, but lighter. So, so, so good. I do a 2 egg omelette, though.
Here is the amazon link – http://amzn.to/2zcX3C2
Thanks for the info on the pan! I’ve been meaning to buy a new one, but there were too too many to choose from. I trust Karen’s readers because we are all SO dang smart! Should receive the pan in two days.
Thank you, Lianne! Really appreciate your suggestion! Have a great day!
Susan.
Love crepes too! I think this might be the pan I need, thank you!
If you are “seasoned” in cast iron, because this pan requires more TLC. If you like it fast and easy get a non-stick pan.
I’m glad I kept reading past “pre-cook your vegetables”. I’m going to try this with only cheese too. 🙂 Your swimgs betweem super-duper healthy and realistic-human are really quite encouraging!
Thanks Luanne! The great part is that it’s nice and filling. 🙂 ~ karen!
Now there’s an idea for a post – buying a non-stick pan. The last time I tried that I was so overwhelmed by all the choice. I thought a lot of the non-stick coatings weren’t safe. Something to do with off-gassing when hot. Then there were a host of other non-stick type finishes that I’d never heard of, not to mention if I should be concerned about where the pans were made. Yup, I think that would be helpful.
Yeah,.. that’s really only an issue if you heat up the pan when empty and leave it that way a. Otherwise, it’s a non issue. And if you are worried, turn on the vent or open a window and cook away.
https://www.treehugger.com/green-home/happy-teflon-day-stick-around-and-find-out-if-it-safe.html
There are alternatives but, again, there is not really any worry.
Unless you have birds/ parrots in the house..Then non stick is a death sentence to them. Stay away from anything that has PTFE or PFOA in the description.
This just reminds me of a very infuriating/funny story about another Karen and omelets.
Tuesday afternoon six years ago making omelets in class and placing all of the class omelets in a single baking sheet (not entirely sure why), this ” close to finish and start with something else before we could eat them when one of my dearest and oldest friends (who back then was having a very Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscar’s kind of luck – meaning of course she kept falling even while standing) decides the baking sheet has to be moved from its currently harmless resting place to anywhere else in the kitchen which unfortunately ends up being the wet and slightly dingy floor next to the sink. 3 or 4 dozen eggs to the garbage, a some minutes of hangryness towards her and a lifetime of making fun of her for it
I can’t cook but make a great omelette, normally with fried onion and mushroom inside and a bit of mustard in the egg mixture. When the bottom is set and lightly browned, I like to sprinkle cheese on the top then put it under the grill until the top puffs up. Yummy. (I’m English so when I say grill, I mean the elements inside your oven that cook from above; don’t know what you call it over there :-), a broiler maybe?)
Yes, a broiler. 🙂 Very intrigued with the mustard addition. I may have to try that!
Yep. Broil. At least in Canada that’s what we say. ~ karen!
Mustard is the best!
Whoa, don’t go crazy with all that cheese! (Said while rolling my eyes.)
No wonder you’re so thin and fit; I’d have put in at least 3 ounces!
I disagree with you on one thing, I like my omelette to be a little brown. I also flip it because any ooey, gooey egg makes me nauseous just looking at it let alone eating it.
Step One reminded me of my Grandad: if one of us grandkids did something a bit foolish we were told we were like “one egg in a three-egg pan.”
Several months ago I found myself in a kitchen shop lookin at non stick pans because my favorite pan was finally on its last legs. The salesgirl good-naturedly tried to convince my husband and I that we should get a different type of pan, and I stood, blinking. “But – omelettes!” And she replied that she didn’t really eat eggs, and other pans would work well too. I stood there flabbergasted, my husband grabbed the nonstick pan we were considering, and all was made right on my world. For if all else fails, an omelet and salad makes for a delicious dinner when hangry 😉
Your dinner looks delicious-except for the omelette. Can’t eat egg yolks, never was able to choke them down, but refried beans and avocado are my kind of meal. And I agree with others, a little help buying a non-stick pan would be great.
A lot of people eat egg-white omelettes, if you like the whites.
Ah, yes, pig riding…never did master that one. 😉
I’m slightly surprised that you didn’t throw in some hash browns…although it would not be a 5 minute meal then…unless you like them crunchy…which I don’t. Well actually the outside should be crisp and the inside soft but I digress. This is one of my go-to meals when I get home from work late and need to get everyone fed before it gets really ugly. 🙂
I also have been stymied about the whole non-stick pan thing… tried the ceramic alternative and was very disappointed. Very heavy and did not cook evenly. Going to check out the one you linked to and the one an earlier commenter mentioned. Wish me luck!
Breakfast for dinner is the bomb, but as it stands, our one year old and I split an omelette almost every morning for breakfast. The best!
I agree with the commenter above, I’m in the “a brown omelette is still ALSO delicious”, but I keep some zucchini prechopped in the fridge which helps cut down on time.
Then, zucchini in pan, chop some arugula and toss it in with the zucchini, put the eggs on top so the veggies/greens are inside the eggs, and THEN stuff the middle with cheese. Mmmmm…
Karen, thank for tonight’s menu! I’m throwing in some milk, herbes de Provence and gruyere so I can pretend so I can pretend I’m in France!
Where did my proofreader go? Argh????
I have an omelette every morning for breakfast, delish!
I needed an non-stick pan and bought this one:
https://www.starfrit.com/en/10-34-25cm-multi-pan
It’s certainly bigger than the one you suggest but it makes
great omelettes! No Teflon, no bad off gassing, perfect.
My husband is always on the quest for making the perfect omelet. I would say that he’s achieved it, myself. Especially when he makes it with caramelized onions and mushrooms (leftover from steaks the night before) and sharp white cheddar omg.
But your post reminds me that it’s about time to replace our omelet pan!
Now that we have a few chickens I have been making omelettes a lot more and usually for dinner. I just have two words to add – Smoked Gouda. Yum. (OK 3 words)
On most days, I have an omelette for breakfast. Whipped eggs (sometimes I add egg whites if the eggs are too small), a truckload of chopped fresh spinach, some diced red pepper, and sheep feta cheese. I don’t use any salt but I frequently start with a slice of bacon (chopped into tiny bits) – that and the feta cheese provide more than enough salt.
Avocado on the side. In an average week, this is my breakfast on 5 days. I usually cheat on the weekends.
Looks good to me!
I never was a fan of omelettes until I saw Jacques Pepin’s 5 min video on how to make the perfect french style one. Which, full disclosure, breaks many of the rules you laid out above. It doesn’t use a non stick pan and it’s done on medium high heat. But it’s OUTSTANDING. And the fastest easiest dinner ever!
https://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000001116746/jacques-pepin-makes-an-omelet-.html
Just eggs, butter, herbs completely changed my life.
Hi Codi! Um lol. I’m not sure where the confusion is, but he does indeed use a non stick pan (you can’t make an omelette without one), he’s probably cooking on medium heat from what I can see and he does not brown it. He also rolls it as opposed to simply folding it. Other than his crazy shaking technique (which looks fun) it’s pretty much the same way I’ve outlined. Maybe you linked to the wrong video? ~ karen!
OMG that is hilarious. You’re TOTALLY right and YES it’s the same video. I guess it’s been REALLY long since I watched it! Sooooo…. upon REwatching I see I’ve strayed dramatically over the years. I really DON’T use a non-stick pan and I really DO use high medium high heat. Crazy. Well, anyway, learning a new way to make omelettes changed my life and my dinner game, too, so it was fun to read your story. Thanks for keeping the comment wall honest and for getting me to rewatch that video and reflect on my omelette evolution.
I wondered what the hell was going on, lol. I really thought you’d linked to the wrong Jacque video. ~ karen!
When I was in college, we were over at a friend’s place for movie night. I was hungry and he said “there’s not much in the fridge but you’re welcome to what’s there.” I opened the door and found exactly four things in his fridge – half a carton of eggs, a quarter of a ham, the end of a carton of milk, and a block of cheddar cheese. I taught him how to make an omelette – made one for myself and then he made another. I couldn’t believe he didn’t know how to make an omelette! My dad had taught us his technique when I was 7. We have them regularly now, they’re great tying up what’s in the fridge. Pre cooking vegetables is key.
I have to have ketchup with my omelette – which my son says is just wrong – but I love it!
Also lots of uncooked green pepper for crunch.
Noticed the salt and pepper shaker in the picture. My mother had the same set when we were growing up!
She also made a fluffy omelette — separate the eggs, whip the whites, fold in the yolks and cook. I haven’t made one like that in a while, but I think you an give it one fold. I wasn’t a big egg lover then, but I liked that type of omelette.
I agree with Hanna, a post on non-stick pans would be good.
When I was in my late 20s, friends would “drop by” on Sunday mornings for a visit, knowing that I usually made an omelette on Sunday mornings. The method I used in cooking it was a hot pan, large glob of butter, throw butter in pan and start circling the lowered-heat burner with the pan, while the butter melted, add beaten eggs, continue circling energetically, breaking any bubbles that came up, which would then be filled with the remaining uncooked moving eggs. There was side scraping into the middle, the addition of warmed, cubed ham, LOTS of cheese, and just before folding in half, chopped tomatoes and sometimes avocado or mushrooms, depending on what was in the fridge.
The rotating of the pan while it cooked kept the omelette evenly thick. The omelette never burned, but usually very, very lightly browned. When the same people kept “dropping by” every Sunday for weeks on end, I figured it was a pretty good omelette. And it was a great way to spend a Sunday morning.
My mother found a Spanish omelette recipe that includes a tortilla torn into smaller pieces and added to the egg after it’s in the pan, lots of butter, diced mild green chiles, and lots of cheese, usually served with sliced avocado. To die for.
Nonstick pan, Minerva’s Amish butter made with sea salt, precooked sauteed mushrooms, spinach, thinly sliced onions and red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, garlic, cheese, eggs. Heat pan, add butter. Melt butter. Whip eggs and add to pan. Cool over low heat as you tilt pan to spread eggs. Flip once and immediately sprinkle cheese on eggs, allow to melt slightly, add warm vegetables, fold and serve! Yum!
After puchasing and destroying two expensive and supposedly non-stick Scanpans, i finally read an article on SerioUs Eats about how cheap nonstick pans were the only thing that really worked. After some comment reading and quick research, I bought a two-pack of Faberware skillets for $17 on Amazon. When they start to flake, in about 2 years, I guess I just toss them and buy new ones. I hate the waste but I’m tired of sticky skillets.
I personally don’t like the Téflon pans ( sure wipe clean ) but see to many that after a few uses are no longer flat, an I have never really trusted the surface… husband on the onther hand loves them , he has about 8 of them … I will do just about anything not to use them call me crazy if you wish or old fashioned. A well seasoned cast iron pan that you can keep your other half from a using high temperatures or scrub brushes on . Is most definitely a much better deal an , an one that will save you money as you will not be constantly having to replace it.
Omelettes , crepes To one dish meals what’s not to love about cast iron .
I love omelets but suck at making them. Must’ve been the damn pan. So I too followed Karen’s advice and mine should be on its way from Amazon soon. Two clicks – one on the link and one on click to buy. Yummers!
Grate the cheese first and it will melt more quickly. Omelettes are a great use for left-over cooked vegetables — mushrooms, spinach, kale, potato, anything. Heat the veggies first in the microwave, pop them in the omelette hot. That way the the center of the omelette doesn’t take as long to cook.
Thanks for recept 🙂
Lagostina non-stick pans are the best – get them at CDN Tire; they have great sales! I keep them scratch free by storing them with coffee filters between them. My fave omelet is a guacamole one; homemade quac, but I guess bought would work, if you have a fave. Sometimes I’ll precook some bigger pieces of peppers and onions to add to it. Or, add sliced tomatoes with the quac; no precooking needed for those. Add whatever you want. Topped with cheese, salsa and sour cream. Yum!