Learn how to make perfect sunny side up eggs every time! Enjoy them for breakfast, or top them onto bowls, burgers, avocado toast, and more.
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Sunny side up eggs have to be one of the simplest foods to cook. Nevertheless, we’ve all had ones that are scorched on the bottom and raw on top, rubbery, or just plain greasy. So today, I’m sharing my tried-and-true method for how to cook sunny side up eggs. It’s quick and easy, and it doesn’t require any fancy equipment or special ingredients. All you’ll need is olive oil, eggs, and a good nonstick skillet!
Still, the eggs come out perfectly every time, with tender, just-set whites and runny yolks. Make a few for breakfast, or add one to any meal for extra protein. No matter how you serve them, they’re guaranteed to be delicious.
How to Make Sunny Side Up Eggs
Making a flawless sunny side up egg is easy! Just follow these simple tips:
- Use a good nonstick pan. Eggs that stick to a frying pan might be bad, but cleaning said pan is even worse. To avoid mangled eggs and a messy pan, cook sunny side up eggs in a nontoxic, nonstick skillet with a lid. I almost always use my GreenPan skillets for cooking eggs.
- Or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. If you don’t have a nonstick pan, a well-seasoned cast iron skillet will work here too. Use more oil than you would with a nonstick skillet – enough to generously coat the bottom of the pan. To prevent sticking, make sure the oil is hot before you add the eggs.
- Crack each egg into an individual bowl or ramekin.To avoid breaking the yolks before you add the eggs to the pan, crack each one into an individual bowl or ramekin. When you’re ready to cook, heat a pan over low heat, and brush it with olive oil. Then, carefully pour each egg into the pan.
- Cook them low and slow.If you cook the eggs at too high a temperature, the bottoms will burn before the whites are cooked through. Low heat is essential for evenly cooking the whites and still getting a perfect runny egg yolk.
- Cover the pan.Covering the pan is key for cooking the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. If you can, use a pan with a glass lid so that you can keep an eye on the eggs without uncovering them.
Use a spatula to transfer the cooked eggs to plates, being careful not to break the yolks. Season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Sunny Side Up Eggs
Sunny-side up eggs are a fantastic healthy breakfast! Make them a full meal by pairing them with avocado slices, tempeh bacon, and/or fresh fruit, and don’t forget the toast to sop up any yolk that gets left behind on your plate. For a bigger brunch, serve the eggs alongside banana pancakes, gluten-free pancakes, or French toast with mimosas, orange juice, or a smoothie to drink.
But sunny-side up eggs aren’t just breakfast food. Top one onto avocado toast for lunch, or add one to a bowl of creamy polenta and sautéed mushrooms for extra protein. They’re also a key ingredient in bibimbap, a spicy Korean rice bowl. Look for my recipe on Sunday!
More Favorite Breakfast Recipes
If you love these sunny side up eggs, try one of these healthy breakfast recipes next:
- Steel-Cut Oatmeal
- Whole Oat Porridge
- Best Shakshuka
- Easy Veggie Frittata
- Homemade Granola
Then, check out this post for 60+ healthy breakfast ideas and this post for my top brunch recipes!
Sunny Side Up Eggs
Prep Time: 2 minutes mins
Cook Time: 2 minutes mins
Serves 3
This method for how to make sunny side up eggs yields perfectly cooked whites and runny yolks. Enjoy them on their own, or top them onto avocado toast, veggie burgers, rice bowls, and more!
Instructions
Crack each egg into a ramekin or small bowl.
Brush a nonstick skillet with olive oil and heat over low heat. Pour in the eggs, cover with a clear glass lid, and continue to cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, or until the whites are set.
Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Notes
Note: use a large skillet or cook each egg separately if you don’t want the egg whites to run together.
FAQs
The albumin, or protein structure inside an egg, reacts with acid from the lemon juice to create a sturdier inner structure that holds air bubbles. As the eggs cook, the air bubbles cause them to become lighter and fluffier.
What happens if you put lemon juice in eggs? ›
The albumin, or protein structure inside an egg, reacts with acid from the lemon juice to create a sturdier inner structure that holds air bubbles. As the eggs cook, the air bubbles cause them to become lighter and fluffier.
How to make sunny side up eggs without burning the bottom? ›
Simple Tips
- Heat over low heat. Cooking too high will overcook or potentially burn the egg whites without cooking the yolk enough.
- Depending on the size of your skillet, you may only want to do one or two eggs at a time. ...
- To get the perfect sunny side-up egg, use fresh eggs. ...
- Cover your skillet while the eggs cook.
Add a little lemon juice before—or after—cooking.
A wee bit of acid encourages the egg's proteins to hook up and be creamy and tender. You don't need much juice—just about ½ teaspoon per 2 to 3 eggs.
When should lemon be added to eggs? ›
But, according to this food scientist, there's a very scientific reason why this combo works so well. You see, adding a few tablespoons of lemon juice (AKA acid) to your eggs before you whisk them gives the eggs more structure and helps to create air pockets when you begin scrambling them in the pan.
How much lemon juice for egg whites? ›
How to substitute for cream of tartar: When recipes call for a pinch to 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar per egg white, use 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to start, Molly advises.
How to make lemon scrambled eggs? ›
Instructions. Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, lemon zest, mustard, and thyme in a bowl. Cook egg mixture in hot oil on a large skillet over medium heat, without stirring, until beginning to set on bottom. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and set.
How to mix egg white and lemon? ›
Add one egg white and the juice of half a lemon to a bowl. Whisk the mixture together thoroughly until the mixture becomes frothy. Wash face with warm water. Apply a thin layer to the face using a clean facial brush or cotton pad.
What are the benefits of lemon and egg? ›
Lemons are rich in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients. Lemons are also low in calories and contain a variety of antioxidants that can help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. There are many vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants found in raw eggs.
How do you know when a sunny side up egg is done? ›
You shouldn't hear a hiss, and the eggs should lie flat and still. If you hear sizzling or the whites flutter or bubble at all, turn down the heat. Cook 3 minutes or until the whites are mostly set, with some still-runny whites near the yolks.
Sunny side up: The egg is fried with the yolk up and is not flipped. Over easy: The egg is flipped and the yolk is still runny. Over medium: The egg is flipped and the yolk is only slightly runny. Over well: The egg is flipped and the yolk is cooked hard.
Do you use butter or oil for sunny side up? ›
The biggest benefit to frying your sunny-side up or over-easy eggs in oil is the way the egg white gets wonderfully crispy when fried in oil. Coating the skillet with oil can also give a slightly nutty or almost fruity flavor to your eggs, depending on the type of oil you use.
Does lemon juice make raw eggs safe? ›
Benjamin Chapman, a food safety expert with N.C. State University agreed that the acidity in the lemon juice might not affect salmonella if it is already present in the egg.
What happens when we eat egg and lemon together? ›
Lemon juice can denature the proteins in eggs, altering their texture and potentially causing a curdled or uneven appearance. If using lemon in egg-based recipes, it should be done cautiously and in proper proportions.
Does lemon juice curdle eggs? ›
Another way to guard against lumps is to stir the eggs and sugar together thoroughly before adding the lemon juice (citric acid, or any other acid, will curdle eggs unless they are protected by the addition of sugar).
What happens when you leave an egg in lemon juice? ›
Lemon Juice Egg: The egg soaked in lemon was not nearly like the egg in the vinegar. The shell was still covering the egg, however, it was not smooth, it was rough and had many tiny small bumps all around it. I also noticed the shell was a little softer and less strong than it was originally.
