Omelette Recipe

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This easy, fail-proof omelette recipe is truly the best. With a variety of filling suggestions, you will learn how to make an omelet at home that’s even more delicious than your favorite breakfast restaurant (but so simple)!

an omelette on a plate with bacon and potatoes


In college, I often ate omelettes for breakfast lunch and dinner (thank you, cafeteria omelette station). Now, I eat eggs at all times of the day in many forms (like egg muffins, egg casserole, egg sandwiches and this frittata recipe)!

There’s nothing more filling, delicious and nutritious than a protein-packed omelet, any time of the day.

In this post, I share our favorite omelette recipe, many different filling suggestions, as well as troubleshooting tips to help you make a delicious & fluffy omelet every single time!

a vegetable omelette on a plate with a fork taking a bite

Omelette Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

There are only 4 main ingredients in this omelette recipe: butter, eggs, cheese and salt & pepper.

overhead photo of the ingredients in this Omelette Recipe.
  • Salted Butter. Unsalted and gee are good substitutes. You can also use olive oil, although I don’t recommend it because you loose that buttery, salty exterior which is just divine.
  • Eggs. Use organic, pasture-raised, large brown eggs for the best results.
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Choose your favorite cheese. We prefer sharp cheddar, but other suggestions include: gouda, mozzarella, Colby Jack, etc.

Omelette Filling Suggestions

The sky is the limit when making this omelette recipe. I walk through how to make a bacon omelette and a vegetable omelette in the steps below, but here are some additional suggestions:

two photos showing different omelet fillings.
  • Vegetables: zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, corn, broccoli (cut small), onions, leeks, tomatoes, etc.
  • Meats. crumbled and cooked breakfast sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon, ham, smoked salmon, leftover cooked chicken, smoked pork, shredded chicken, etc.
  • Starches. oven roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, mushrooms, etc.
  • Cheeses. My kids prefer their omelettes simply with extra cheese melted in the middle. These cheeses are great with any omelette: cheddar, Gruyère, Swiss, American, gouda, goat cheese, feta, Colby jack, etc.
  • Herbs/spices. add some herbs for extra flavor. Chives, dill, parsley, minced garlic, paprika, etc.
an omelet with bacon and chives with a bite taken out of it.

How to Make an Omelette

Now that we’ve discussed the ingredients, we will walk through how to make an omelette step by step.

Prepare the Filling

The first step in this omelette recipe is to prepare the fillings. There are endless possibilities when choosing fillings for your omelette, so I will walk through two: a vegetarian omelette and a bacon omelette. Of course, you can skip the fillings and just use cheese if you’d prefer.

It’s important to prepare the fillings before you start cooking the eggs for the omelette recipe because you want them ready to add to the center to avoid over-cooking the omelette.

a fork taking a bite of a vegetable omelette

Vegetarian Omelette

To make a veggie omelette, dice 1 cup of your favorite vegetables.

Then, over medium-high heat, sauté the vegetables and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes depending on the vegetables you choose.

Set them aside to use later.

two photos showing How to Make An Omelet with vegetables

Bacon Omelette

To make a bacon omelette, begin by cooking the bacon, garlic and onion over medium heat until bacon is cooked and onion is soft (5-8 minutes). Set aside.

You can use breakfast sausage in place of bacon.

two phots showing How to Make An Omelet with  bacon and onion

Cook the Omelette

Once the fillings are ready, it’s time to cook the omelette.

Begin by whisking the eggs vigorously until they are homogenous (uniform throughout).

This step is incredibly important, you want to beat those eggs until there are no pieces of whites separated from the yolks.

two photos showing How to Make An Omelet - whipping the eggs

Then, whisk in the salt and pepper.

How to Make An Omelet - adding salt and pepper

Next, melt the butter in an 8” nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. It’s very important that you use an 8″ pan. If you use a larger pan the omelet will be too thin, a smaller pan will yield a very thick omelet.

Then, add the whisked eggs and swirl them in the pan until they are evenly distributed.

two photos showing how to cook an omelette

Next, cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the eggs begin to set. Please don’t rush the process, low heat is important when cooking omelettes so they don’t overcook.

an omelette cooking in a pan with the lid on

Once they begin to set, use a spatula to gently push the edges in slightly and swirl the pan so that any uncooked eggs on the top pour over the sides to the edges of the pan and cook.

Once the omelette is mostly set (about 5-6 minutes), carefully flip it and turn off the heat.

two photos showing how to cook an omelette

Then, sprinkle the cheese over the top of the omelette and add the toppings on one half of the omelette.

two photos showing How to Make An Omelet - filling with cheese and vegetables
two photos showing How to Make An Omelet - filling with bacon, cheese and onions.

Then, gently fold the other half over the toppings.

two photos showing folded omelettes in a pan

Serve

Serve the omelette immediately. You can garnish with herbs, chives, additional toppings, extra cheese, etc.

Here are some other recipes I suggest serving with this omelet!

a vegetable omelette on a plate with a side of arugula

Store

Store leftover omelettes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven set to warm until heated through.

an omelette with bacon, herbs and a  side of potatoes.

Omelet FAQs

What ingredients do I need to cook an omelette?

You only need a few simple ingredients: eggs, butter, salt & pepper and cheese!

What are good fillings for omelettes?

Vegetables: zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, corn, broccoli (cut small), onions, leeks, tomatoes, etc.
Meats. crumbled and cooked breakfast sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon, ham, smoked salmon, leftover cooked chicken, smoked pork, shredded chicken, etc.
Starches. oven roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, mushrooms, etc.
Cheeses. My kids prefer their omelettes simply with extra cheese melted in the middle. These cheeses are great with any omelette: cheddar, Gruyère, Swiss, American, gouda, goat cheese, feta, Colby jack, etc.
Herbs/spices. add some herbs for extra flavor. Chives, dill, parsley, minced garlic, paprika, etc.

Should you add water or milk to omelette?

No, I don’t recommend adding any liquid ingredients to this omelette recipe.

How do you know when to flip an omelette?

When middle of the eggs just being to set, it’s time to flip.

Why are my omelette not fluffy?

Here are some reasons your omelette might not be fluffy:
Eggs aren’t fully beaten. You need to whip the eggs until the mixture is completely homogenous (uniform throughout).
A dirty bowl. If you whip your eggs in an oily, dirty bowl, it will cause them to not be fluffy when cooked.
A pan that’s too large. If you use a pan that is larger than 8″ your omelette will be too thin and not fluffy.

a vegetarian Omelette Recipe on a plate.

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Best Omelette Recipe

Laura
This easy, fail-proof omelette recipe is truly the best. With a variety of filling suggestions, you will learn how to make an omelet at home that’s even more delicious than your favorite breakfast restaurant (but so simple)!
5 from 11 votes
Course Breakfast, dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 1 Omelette
Calories 323
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients 
 

  • ½ Tablespoon salted butter
  • 3 large eggs
  • Pinch salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded

Fillings:

    Vegetables

    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1 cup vegetables diced small (bell pepper, zucchini, onion, etc.)
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Onion bacon, garlic:

    Instructions 

    Prepare the Filling

      Vegetables

      • Dice 1 cup of vegetables.
      • Over medium-high heat, sauté the vegetables and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes depending on the vegetables you choose. Set aside.

      Bacon/Sausage

      • Cook bacon (or sausage), garlic and onion over medium heat until bacon is cooked and onion is soft (5-8 minutes). Set aside.

      Make the Omelette

      • Whisk eggs vigorously until they are homogenous (uniform throughout). Whisk in salt and pepper.
      • Melt butter in an 8” nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
      • Add whisked eggs and swirl the pan until they are evenly distributed.
      • Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the eggs begin to set. Once they begin to set, use a spatula to gently push the edges in slightly and swirl the pan so that any uncooked eggs on the top pour over the sides to the edges of the pan and cook.
      • Once the omelette is mostly set (about 5-6 minutes), carefully flip it and turn off the heat.
      • Sprinkle cheese over the top of the omelette.
      • Then, add the toppings on one half of the omelette, and fold the other half over the toppings.
      • Serve immediately.

      Video

      Notes

      Ingredient Substitutions
      • Salted Butter. Unsalted and gee are good substitutes. You can also use olive oil, although I don’t recommend it because you loose that buttery, salty exterior which is just divine.
      • Eggs. Use organic, pasture-raised, large brown eggs for the best results.
      • Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Choose your favorite cheese. We prefer sharp cheddar, but other suggestions include: gouda, mozzarella, Colby Jack, etc.
      Omelette Filling Suggestions
      • Vegetables: zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, corn, broccoli (cut small), onions, leeks, tomatoes, etc.
      • Meats. crumbled and cooked breakfast sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon, ham, smoked salmon, leftover cooked chicken, smoked pork, shredded chicken, etc.
      • Starches. oven roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, mushrooms, etc.
      • Cheeses. My kids prefer their omelettes simply with extra cheese melted in the middle. These cheeses are great with any omelette: cheddar, Gruyère, Swiss, American, gouda, goat cheese, feta, Colby jack, etc.
      • Herbs/spices. add some herbs for extra flavor. Chives, dill, parsley, minced garlic, paprika, etc.
      How to Store an Omelette
      Store leftover omelets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven set to warm until heated through.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1omelette | Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.4g | Protein: 24.5g | Fat: 23.1g | Saturated Fat: 10.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.6g | Cholesterol: 525mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 207mg | Sugar: 0.6g | Vitamin A: 1041IU | Calcium: 297mg | Iron: 2.4mg

      Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

      Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

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      Recipe Rating




      5 Comments

      1. 5 stars
        I am a life long food enthusiast who once ran a small restaurant together with my wife. I am retired now for more than a decade but continue to cook at home of course. I have made omelettes many times but it is more than 10 years since last time. I thought it might be a good idea to brush up on it first. So I looked on the web for recipes. I found yours and noticed it had been updated today so I knew it had to be the absolute latest in omelette making 😄. As I was cooking I recognized almost all the steps except a few that were slight variations. I am glad I found your recipe. It turned out to be the best omelette I’ve ever made. But I took your recipe to heart, including the brown farm raised eggs. I have a neighbor who raises chickens. He is happy to deliver fresh eggs any time I call him…

        1. Thank you so much! What a gift to have such a generous neighbor! I did, in fact, update this post yesterday! I’m so glad you were able to enjoy a delicious omelette at home!

      2. 5 stars
        Hello Bruce here
        First time making an omelet
        Awesome results
        Fluffy
        I like spicy foods so I put a drop of hotsauce
        Next time I try a piece of a hotpepper
        Keep up the good work

      3. 5 stars
        I can make omelettes now! Your instructions are clear & photos help a visual learner. I now have 2 omelette pans for my husband & I to make omelettes together. We’re not quite at the flipping ability- we fold-but they are tasty and we love being able to customize to our tastes. Enjoying your blog and working our way through many of your recipes.

        1. I always fold too! 😉 I am scared I’ll ruing the omelette if I flip (for now). I”m so glad this recipe was helpful for you!