4 Delicious Ways To Cook Fried Eggs

Frying eggs in a pan is probably the first thing anybody learns to do in the kitchen. Although that method is super easy and delicious, you can savor fried eggs in many other cool ways. 

A delicious way to cook fried eggs is to crack ten eggs in a baking sheet and bake at 425°F. Remove after 5 minutes for a runny yolk or 12 minutes for a creamier one. For a healthier recipe, fry in an air fryer at 350°F for 6–9 minutes. Microwave your egg for quicker cleaning.

Keep reading to know all the ins and outs of each frying method. I’ll also go over the four doneness levels of eggs, so make sure to check them out if they often confuse you¹.

1. How To Cook Fried Eggs in Cast Iron Skillet

I know some of you have already mastered frying eggs in a skillet². I still couldn’t exclude it from the post since it’s technically the best way to fry an egg³.

There are four doneness levels for fried eggs: 

• Sunny-side up: Fried without flipping. The yolk stays runny and shiny, while the white barely starts hardening and maintains a faint sheen.
• Over easy: Similar to sunny-side up, except that you flip the egg and cook it for a few more seconds to fully set the white. The yolk stays runny, though. 
• Over medium: Also flipped but cooked for a minute or two. The yolk partially sets, becoming less runny and more creamy. 
• Over hard: You flip the egg and cook it for 3–4 minutes until the yolk sets completely. It’s pretty comparable to a hard-boiled egg. 

Alright, now that we’ve taken care of the jargon that still confuses many people, we can hop into the ingredients and instructions⁴. 

Ingredients

You will need the following items:

• Avocado or extra virgin oil for greasing 
• One large organic egg 
• Pepper or hot sauce to taste

Main First Steps for All Doneness Levels

The following steps are applicable to all doneness levels:

1. Grease your cast-iron skillet with oil. 
2. Place the pan over medium heat. 
3. Wait until the oil starts simmering, then crack the egg into the skillet and season it with pepper or hot sauce to taste. 
4. Pick your desired doneness level from the following sections and proceed with its instructions. 

To Make a Sunny-Side Up Egg

1. Cover the pan immediately after you add the egg. 
2. Check on the egg after 1 ½ minute. The white should look glossy with brown edges, but it shouldn’t be too runny. 
3. Move the skillet to the cool side of the stove and leave the cover on for a few more seconds if you want the yolk to be a bit creamier. 
4. Add more pepper or hot sauce if needed, and serve. 

To Make an Over Easy Egg

1. After cracking the egg, let it fry in the skillet without moving it for 2 minutes. 
2. Once the white starts to set, flip the egg with a spatula. 
3. Cook for 10–15 seconds, or until the white becomes opaque. Remember, the yolk should still be runny.
4. Add more pepper or hot sauce if needed, and serve. 

To Make an Over Medium Egg 

1. After cracking the egg, let it fry in the skillet without moving it for 2 minutes. 
2. Flip the egg as soon as the white starts setting. 
3. Cook for 1–2 minutes, or until the white becomes opaque. The yolk should have a creamy center. 
4. Add more pepper or hot sauce if needed, and serve. 

To Make an Over Hard Egg

1. After cracking the egg, let it fry in the skillet without moving it for 2 minutes. 
2. Once the white starts to set, flip the egg with a spatula. 
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
4. Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the white becomes opaque. The yolk should be entirely set with no creamy spots. 
5. Add more pepper or hot sauce if needed, and serve. 

2. How To Cook Fried Eggs in the Oven

Are you cooking for a large crowd? Or perhaps you’re prepping breakfast sandwiches for the whole week? In either case, frying eggs in the oven should be your best bet. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also incredibly fast — you can get 12 eggs ready in less than 15 minutes! 

Ingredients

Here are the things that you will need:

• 10–12 large organic eggs
• Avocado or extra virgin olive oil for greasing 
• Pepper or hot sauce to taste 

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Grab a large, rimmed baking sheet and grease it with oil. 
3. Start cracking your eggs into the baking sheet. Be careful not to break the yolk and try to space the eggs apart as evenly as you can. 
4. Add pepper or hot sauce to taste. 
5. Put the baking sheet in the oven and let it bake at 425°F.
6. Remove the eggs after 5 minutes if you like the yolks a bit jiggly. 
7. Keep them baking for 12–15 minutes if you’re after over-medium or over-well eggs. 
8. Slice up the eggs as needed, then serve and enjoy. 

Pro tip: If you’re having a hard time spreading eggs evenly on a baking sheet, use a non-stick muffin pan. You’ll be making cute little egg bites — perfect for your kids’ lunch boxes!

Disclaimer: Some links in this article are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

3. How To Cook Fried Eggs in Air Fryer

Don’t care for butter or oil? Well, you can set them aside for now and fry your eggs in your air fryer! It’s easy, quick, and the most delicious way to eat eggs if you’re on a diet.

Ingredients

You will need the following items:

• 2–4 organic eggs
• Aluminum foil
• Non-stick avocado cooking spray.

Instructions

1. Cut four 10-inch long sheets of aluminum foil. 
2. Curl the foil’s edges to make some sort of a muffin cup. Make sure no foil sticks into the middle or blocks the top to allow the air to circulate well inside the fryer. 
3. Coat each foil cup with non-stick cooking spray. Then crack one egg into each cup. 
4. Cook at 350°F. 
5. Remove after 6 minutes for a runny yolk or after 9 minutes for more doneness.  
6. Use a spatula to scoop the eggs off the foil. 
7. Serve and enjoy. 

Pro tip: When cooking eggs in an air fryer for the very first time, keep checking on them every two minutes or so to make sure you get the desired doneness. 

Given the varying sizes, power, and capacities of air fryers, you have to try and fail a couple of times until you get the ideal temperature/cooking time combination. 

Air fryers have gone down in price. Check out some affordable ones on Amazon, air fryers.

4. How To Cook Fried Eggs in a Microwave

I know that microwaving an egg might seem a bit strange and even scary to some. There’s no need to worry — it’s actually one of the best ways to fry an egg if you want to enjoy a quick breakfast without having to clean any pans afterward. 

Ingredients

Here are the things that you will need:

• One large organic egg
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Pepper or hot sauce to taste

Instructions 

1. Spritz some cooking spray on a microwave-safe bowl. 
2. Crack the egg in the bowl, and season with pepper or hot sauce. 
3. Microwave for 30 seconds at 30% power and check on the egg for doneness. 
4. Keep microwaving in 10-second increments until you achieve the desired doneness. 
5. Slide the egg out of the bowl, onto a plate and serve. 

Important note: Never microwave eggs in their shells. The pressure will build up inside the egg until it explodes.

If you have any questions about this article don’t hesitate to comment below or email us. You can find an email on our contact page.

Read Next – More Articles About Eggs!

How to Store Your Eggs in Lime Water: 6 Easy Steps

Can You Store Eggs in Tupperware?

Organic Eggs Vs. Free Range Eggs

Organic Eggs Vs Pasture Eggs: A Comparison

Eggs vs Oatmeal – Which is Better? Let’s Compare

1. Get Cracking: How to Fry the Perfect Egg [↩]
2. PennState News: Expert says frying pan may be best weapon against Salmonella in eggs [↩]
3. The University of Kansas: The Science of Cooking Eggs [↩]
4. Carnegie Mellon University: How to Fry Perfect Eggs [↩]