James Kenji Lopez-Alt

How to Make Buttery Fried Eggs

Added 2025-01-29 18:00:10 +0000 UTC

You can find this technique and a few others in my Youtube video Four Ways to Fry Eggs.

These are eggs the way my grandmother used to make them. Tender, bareley-set whites, yolks that are thoroughly liquid, and a buttery emulsified sauce enrobing all of it.

Buttery Fried Eggs

Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.

What I like about this recipe:

Adding water and covering ensure that the tops of the eggs get gently cooked, ensuring whites that are not liquid or clear.
Emulsifying the butter with water creates a sauce that coats the finished eggs.

YIELD: Serves 1 or 2

ACTIVE TIME: 3 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 3 minutes

Notes: use unsalted butter, or if using salted butter, go light when seasoning the eggs.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

2 to 4 eggs

2 tablespoons water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sliced chives or parsley (optional)

Procedure:

1. Place butter in a 8 or 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and swirl until melted and lightly foaming but not browned.

2. Add eggs to the skillet and cook without moving until the bottoms are lightly set but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add the water and cover with the lid. Increase heat to medium-high.

3. Cook until the eggs are as set as you'd like them, about 30 seconds for soft or 1 minute for jammy. Remove the lid and swirl the pan to loosen the eggs. Slide the eggs onto a plate and pour any remaining sauce over and around them. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives or other herbs if using. Serve immediately.