Sunny-Side Up Eggs

When you think of a fried egg, chances are you’re picturing sunny-side up eggs. That clean, bright white surrounding a vibrant yellow-orange yolk couldn’t be anything else. Once you learn how to make sunny-side up eggs, you’ll put them on any food, from avocado toast and burgers to kimchi fried rice and breakfast pizza. More than a breakfast staple, eggs sunny-side up will transform any mundane bite into an extraordinary meal.

Simple egg recipes usually require only a few ingredients, like butter, eggs and salt. But to truly master how to cook sunny-side up eggs, you need a bit of patience and a balance of heat, timing and steam. The key is a tight-fitting cover for the pan so that the whites of the eggs cook quickly before the yolks are set and the moisture steams the surface area of the egg. The result: Perfectly set whites with a luxuriously runny yolk.

What is a sunny-side up egg?

A sunny-side up egg is a fried egg with a set white and a runny, exposed yolk that resembles the sun in all its gleaming glory. It differs from other fried eggs, such as over-easy and over-hard, which get flipped so that the yolk comes into contact with the hot pan. Properly made sunny-side up eggs should have a yolk that runs when you pierce it with a fork.

Ingredients for Sunny-Side Up Eggs

• Butter: Sure, butter helps keep the egg from sticking to the pan, but when learning how to make a sunny-side up egg, the butter’s moisture is crucial for steaming while your pan is covered. Butter also adds a bit of flavor.
• Eggs: This is the main character of our sunny-side up fried eggs story. Choose eggs that are as fresh as you can find them for the most flavor and gorgeous deep orange yolks.
• Salt and pepper: Even a perfectly cooked egg needs seasoning. There are many types of salt, but try flaky sea salt for a little more texture. The same goes for pepper: Use a pepper grinder set to coarse for larger chunks or set to fine for a more powdery texture.

Directions

Step 1: Heat your pan and add the eggs

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Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

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Crack the eggs into the skillet, and then season with salt and pepper.

Editor’s Tip: Let the butter melt and sizzle before cracking your eggs so the bottoms of the eggs cook on contact. If you are worried about shards of eggshell or breaking the yolks, try breaking the eggs into a small bowl or ramekin so it’s easier to retrieve any shells, and then you can gently lay the eggs in the pan. Place a cookie cutter in the pan if you want an egg to cook in a particular shape—it’s a great hack for making a perfectly round egg to top an English muffin or bagel for the ultimate breakfast sandwich.

Step 2: Cover, wait and serve

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Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for two to three minutes or until the whites set fully and the yolks are runny.

Serve hot.

Editor’s Tip: Covering the pan is key. It keeps all the heat and moisture inside, cooking all sides of your eggs. After a few minutes, check if the whites are firm; remember, they will continue to cook as they cool. If you want your yolks slightly less runny, leave the eggs on the heat for an extra minute or two with the cover on and the yolks will begin to film over. If you use olive oil instead of butter, add a tablespoon of water before covering. Oils don’t have the same moisture as butter.

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How to Store Sunny-Side Up Eggs

Sunny-side up fried eggs are best eaten hot out of the pan. If, for some odd reason, you need to save them, you can put them in the fridge in an airtight container, but the texture of the whites will turn rubbery and the yolks will be gooey—maybe not in a good way. Sunny-side up eggs will last up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheat them in a pan with a bit of water.

Sunny-Side Up Egg Tips

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Should you use room-temperature eggs for sunny-side up eggs?

Using room-temperature eggs means your yolks won’t overcook as you wait for cold egg whites to warm up in the pan, so yes, if you are aiming for perfection, take them out of the fridge a few minutes before cooking. If you simply can’t wait, cold eggs will work just fine.

What can you serve with sunny-side up eggs?

For a classic diner breakfast, pair fried eggs with buttery toast, breakfast sausage, bacon, crispy hash browns or pancakes.

How else can you use sunny-side up eggs?

Eggs sunny-side up aren’t just for breakfast and avocado toast. Slide one onto a Gruyere and egg burger, nestle it atop a stir-fry rice bowl or let it crown a breakfast pizza. The yolk creates a rich, velvety sauce for many dishes with an egg on top.

What are other ways to make sunny-side up eggs?

Beyond the stovetop, you can learn how to make eggs sunny-side up in the microwave or oven. The microwave is a quick option—just heat a plate, coat it with butter or oil, crack an egg and cook it for less than a minute. The oven is great for batch-cooking—simply grease a baking sheet or muffin tin, add your eggs and bake them until the whites are set. Both methods are easy and deliver perfectly cooked eggs with minimal effort!