[Photographs: Sydney Oland, J. Kenji López-Alt, Daniel Gritzer]
We love eating eggs any time of day, but they're still most closely associated with breakfast and brunch in our heart of hearts. Full of protein, versatile, easy to work into even dishes that aren't usually eaten for breakfast, and a snap to cook once you have a little practice, eggs are tailor-made for a satisfying meal that won't place too many demands on your groggy brain. Every cook who eats eggs can and should master them in their most basic forms—fried, scrambled, poached, and omelette—and we're here to help you do just that. From crispy, lacy-edged fried eggs and fluffy scrambled ones to migas tacos made with Doritos (a great hangover helper) and eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and dill Hollandaise, these 24 recipes will ensure a delicious start to your day.
Crispy Fried Eggs
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Slow-cooked eggs with snowy whites make pretty pictures, but when we eat fried eggs, we want them really fried—crispy, lacy brown edges framing still-tender whites and runny yolks. To get them that way, use a hot pan with plenty of oil, giving you enough to spoon over the tops of the whites until they're puffy and cooked through.
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Mushrooms, Bacon, and Asparagus Topped With Eggs
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
Once you've mastered the art of crispy fried eggs, there's no limit to the ways you can use them. One simple accompaniment is this hash of mushrooms, smoky bacon, and bright asparagus. Crisping up the bacon before cooking the mushrooms allows the 'shrooms to soak up all that flavorful fat. Try to find slender asparagus spears that will cook quickly, with no need for parboiling.
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Chilaquiles Verdes With Fried Eggs
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Chilaquiles are essentially soggy breakfast nachos, which doesn't sound very appealing, but it's a remarkably tasty dish. Heat a combination of salsa and chicken stock (or water); add tortilla chips, which will soften slightly in the liquid ingredients; then serve with a fried egg and garnish with Mexican crema, onions, cilantro, and cheese. It's vital that you use freshly fried tortilla chips—store-bought ones will get too mushy.
Get the recipe for Chilaquiles Verdes With Fried Eggs »
Eggy Puds (Breakfast Yorkshire Puddings With Bacon and Fried Eggs)
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
If you're planning to make our airy, golden Yorkshire puddings, scale the recipe for a little extra batter, and save a few cups for the next morning. You can use it to make what we've lovingly termed "eggy puds"—a bacon-studded Yorkshire pudding, topped with fried eggs and Hollandaise sauce. The trickiest part of the recipe? Timing it just right so that the eggs finish as the puddings come out of the oven.
Get the recipe for Eggy Puds (Breakfast Yorkshire Puddings With Bacon and Fried Eggs) »
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
These are the scrambled eggs you're likely to be served at the average American diner: fluffy and cloud-like, relatively dry, with large curds. To get that result, use high heat, and stir the eggs just enough to scramble them without breaking up the curds too much. And if you've ever heard that you shouldn't salt your eggs before cooking, forget it—pre-salting is what makes them extra moist and tender.
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Soft-Scrambled Eggs
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
If you, like me, prefer your eggs softer and creamier than the diner-style ones, you'll want to use lower heat—in fact, we start the eggs in a cold pan to keep them from seizing—and stir frequently to keep the curds small. To avoid overcooking from residual heat, take the eggs off the stove just before they're done.
Get the recipe for Soft-Scrambled Eggs »
Menemen (Turkish-Style Scrambled Eggs With Tomatoes, Onions, and Chilies)
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Warming and satisfying menemen is a classic Turkish breakfast of lightly beaten scrambled eggs cooked in an olive oil–rich sauce of peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Shishito or padrón peppers make a good substitute for the Turkish peppers traditionally used in the dish. Serve it with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the tomatoey sauce.
Get the recipe for Menemen (Turkish-Style Scrambled Eggs With Tomatoes, Onions, and Chilies) »
Shakshuka (North African-Style Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Shakshuka, the North African answer to menemen—though it's ubiquitous throughout the Middle East, and, increasingly, in coastal-city breakfast spots in the US—differs from its Turkish counterpart in that the eggs are poached in the sauce instead of folded in and scrambled. The dish is endlessly adaptable and customizable; our version incorporates a mix of hot and mild peppers, sautéed with onions until they're fully soft and lightly caramelized. When it's time to add the eggs, form little wells in the sauce, drop an egg into each, and spoon some of the sauce over the whites to help them set faster.
Get the recipe for Shakshuka (North African-Style Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce) »
Scrambled Eggs With Sumac, Pine Nuts, and Parsley
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
This Middle Eastern–inspired recipe seasons scrambled eggs with sumac, a lemony, vivid-red spice, and finishes them with bright parsley and toasted pine nuts. Use larger Middle Eastern pine nuts if you can find them, and toast them in the microwave (it's easier than using a skillet). Our basic medium-heat, soft-scrambled-egg approach works best when it's time to cook the eggs themselves.
Get the recipe for Scrambled Eggs With Sumac, Pine Nuts, and Parsley »
Tex-Mex Migas With Scrambled Eggs, Tortilla Chips, and Chilies
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
A common breakfast-menu item in Texas, migas are somewhat like chilaquiles in taco form: scrambled eggs cooked with onion, chilies, and tortilla chips, then stuffed into tortillas. We fry our chips fresh for better flavor and texture. Save some to add at the very end, when the eggs are just about done; you'll preserve a little crunch that way.
Get the recipe for Tex-Mex Migas With Scrambled Eggs, Tortilla Chips, and Chilies »
Doritos Migas With Pepper Jack, Tomatoes, and Jalapeño
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Migas are renowned as hangover breakfast fodder, yet, when I'm truly hung over, there's no way I'm going to fry up fresh tortilla chips! For those mornings when you can't be trusted with a pot of hot oil, you'll need this lowbrow migas recipe, which replaces the tortilla chips with crumbled Doritos (great idea, right?). Melted pepper Jack adds another layer of cheesy, alcohol-soaking comfort.
Get the recipe for Doritos Migas With Pepper Jack, Tomatoes, and Jalapeño »
Breakfast Tacos With Charred Zucchini and Red Pepper
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
For a brighter, fresh-flavored take on breakfast tacos, bolster the egg filling with charred strips of sweet zucchini and red peppers. Here, we like to cook the eggs slowly, leaving them creamy and moist. Divide them between warmed tortillas, then top with the charred vegetables, avocado, Cotija cheese, and crema.
Get the recipe for Breakfast Tacos With Charred Zucchini and Red Pepper »
Scrambled Egg and Cheese Drop-Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches
[Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]
Once you realize how easy it is to make fluffy, tender drop biscuits, you'll be making them, and eating them, all the time. A topping of Sausage Gravy is always a good idea, but these delicious and simple scrambled-egg sandwiches, flavored with grassy minced dill, are closer to a complete meal. And man, are they ever cheesy—packed with so much mozzarella and feta cheese, the filling almost resembles queso fundido.
Get the recipe for Scrambled Egg and Cheese Drop-Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches »
Classic French Omelette
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
French omelettes—silky-smooth and golden on the outside, with a tender, soft-scrambled interior—have a reputation for trickiness, so much so that they're sometimes used as a test of skill for young chefs. But the truth is that, with the help of a nonstick pan and the right technique, they aren't all that difficult. Use moderate heat to reduce the risk of browning the eggs, and stir with a plastic fork to protect the pan's nonstick surface. When the omelette has taken shape, simply hold the skillet directly over the plate and gently turn the omelette out onto it. Once you feel comfortable with the basics, try gussying up your omelette by adding cheese or fines herbes.
Get the recipe for Classic French Omelette »
Diner-Style Ham and Cheese Omelette for Two
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Thick, hearty, frequently overstuffed, American diner-style omelettes are a far cry from their pale and dainty French cousins. While a French omelette is stirred vigorously, American omelettes should be agitated relatively little, in order to encourage the formation of those big, fluffy curds. And, while a French omelette should never be allowed to brown, we like to get a little color on these. There'll be plenty of room in the puffy interior for whatever fillings you like, but diced ham and grated cheddar are fine choices.
Get the recipe for Diner-Style Ham and Cheese Omelette for Two »
Foolproof Eggs Benedict
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
The old brunch standby eggs Benedict—poached eggs on an English muffin with Canadian bacon and Hollandaise sauce—can be intimidating to make at home, since both poached eggs and Hollandaise are known for being tricky. But follow our technique for perfect poached eggs, which requires straining off the loose whites and cooking in water just shy of a simmer, and you'll never have reason to fear them again. With the help of an immersion blender, the Hollandaise is even easier, and takes just two minutes of your precious time.
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Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict With Dill Hollandaise
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
So you're already an old pro at making poached eggs and Hollandaise? Time to start talking variations! This recipe replaces the traditional Canadian bacon with rich smoked salmon. Using one of the most common accompaniments for salmon, we infuse the Hollandaise with the grassy flavor of chopped fresh dill fronds.
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Homemade Egg McMuffin
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
We tested every facet of the iconic McDonald's breakfast-menu (now all-day-menu) item to compose the upgraded version you see here. Fried and poached eggs are out of the question. Instead, we find that the lid and screw top from a Mason jar work best as a mold: We break the egg into the lid, pour water into the pan, and cover it to let the egg steam. From there, the sandwich is assembled with a toasted English muffin, browned Canadian bacon, and good old American cheese.
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Eggs en Cocotte With Tomato and Goat Cheese
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Delicate and elegant-looking, eggs en cocotte are individually portioned baked eggs, nestled in a bed of (or topped with) all manner of other ingredients and seasonings. In this version, we place the eggs on a layer of rosemary-scented tomato jam, then top them with tangy goat cheese and finish with a drizzle of olive oil just before serving. Check out our recipes for eggs en cocotte with mushrooms and Gruyère or crabmeat, too.
Get the recipe for Eggs en Cocotte With Tomato and Goat Cheese »
Portuguese Baked Eggs With Chorizo and Ricotta
[Photograph: Jennifer Olvera]
For a hearty baked-egg dish with a less fussy presentation, try these rustic Portuguese baked eggs, cooked in one large vessel on a bed of sauce and creamy ricotta. The sauce's assertive spiciness comes from two whole serrano peppers, joined by onion, garlic, bell pepper, and Spanish chorizo. The dollop of ricotta cradling each egg provides a cooling counterpart to all the heat.
Get the recipe for Portuguese Baked Eggs With Chorizo and Ricotta »
Crispy Potato, Chorizo, and Green Chili Hash With Avocado and Eggs
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Baking eggs right into a hash is a terrific way to make a satisfying breakfast (or lunch, or dinner, for that matter). This one starts with meaty diced chorizo, crisp potatoes fried in chorizo fat, and seared green chilies. Scoop a few wells into the potato mixture, then crack in the eggs. After 10 minutes in the oven, the eggs should be just set, and you should be ready to top with avocado, cilantro, and salsa and dig in.
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Singapore-Style Soft-Cooked Eggs With Kaya Jam and Toast
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Soft-cooked eggs are a popular breakfast in Singapore, where they're typically served with crunchy toast and coconut-based kaya jam. A sous vide cooker makes preparing the eggs a snap—just cook them at 140°F for 45 minutes, and you're set. Without any fancy equipment, though, you'll still get good results by cooking the eggs in water that's slowly cooling down from a boil.
Get the recipe for Singapore-Style Soft-Cooked Eggs With Kaya Jam and Toast »
Flipped Frittata With Asparagus, Spinach, Ham, and Cheese
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Many frittata recipes call for starting the eggs on the stove and finishing them under the broiler. Instead, this recipe skips the oven and calls for flipping the frittata midway through cooking, a technique that has the benefit of browning both sides of the frittata and producing a creamier, denser texture. To flip, just place a plate over the skillet, then invert the pan on top of it in one quick motion.
Get the recipe for Flipped Frittata With Asparagus, Spinach, Ham, and Cheese »
Easy Mixed-Cheese Quiche
[Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]
At any given point, I'm almost guaranteed to have a sizable collection of leftover odds and ends of cheese in my fridge, all of them swiftly turning stale. One of the best ways to use them up is in this simple, no-frills quiche: Gather together eight ounces' worth of cheese nubbins, scatter them into a pie crust, and pour on a custard. Pop it in the oven for 35 minutes, and you'll have both a flaky-outside, melty-inside quiche and the priceless satisfaction of a cleaner fridge.