Crispy Fried Eggs Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Aug. 29, 2018
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Fried eggs that are really fried. Photographs: J. Kenji López-Alt. Video: Serious Eats Video
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How to Make Extra-Crispy Fried Eggs

Why It Works

  • Using relatively high heat gives the eggs a crispy texture.
  • Basting the eggs with hot fat allows them to cook on the outside in record time, while staying moist on the inside.

The first time I tasted eggs that were truly fried was in the streets of Thailand, where a lady with a mobile wok burner served me a plate of rice topped with phat ka-phrao (pork with holy basil). She handed the plate over, but held her hand up, indicating I should wait. As I held the plate, she added more oil to the empty wok, heating it up until it looked like it was just about to start smoking, before slipping an egg into it. The egg immediately started sputtering and spitting as she used her spatula to help the hot oil flow in waves over the top of the egg. Thirty seconds later, it was deposited on my plate with crisp, lacy edges, a tender center, and a runny yolk to mix in with my rice.

It was a revelation.

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Recipe Facts

5

(6)

Active: 2 mins
Total: 2 mins
Serves: 1 serving

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) vegetable or olive oil

  • 2 eggs

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a 10-inch cast iron, carbon steel, or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. (A small drop of water dropped into it should immediately sizzle.) Carefully break eggs into hot oil, dropping them from right above the surface to prevent hot oil from splashing. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Tilt the skillet toward you so oil pools against the side of the pan. Using a spoon, baste eggs with hot oil, aiming at the uncooked portions of the egg whites and avoiding the yolk. Continue basting until eggs are puffy and cooked, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and serve.

Special equipment

10-inch cast iron skillet or carbon steel skillet or nonstick skillet

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
382 Calories
37g Fat
1g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 382
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 372mg 124%
Sodium 243mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 56mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 138mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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