You're Using The Wrong Oil For Frying Eggs — Here's The Best One

Whether you prefer them sunny side up or over hard, there's more than one way to fry an egg. Various seasonings can upgrade the humble ingredient, as can using different types of oil to cook it. Folks often debate over which type of fat is best, but according to Adam Gallagher, co-founder and recipe developer at Inspired Taste, you can't go wrong with a classic.

"If I'm not using butter, I reach for olive oil," Gallagher said. "It gives you lightly crisp edges and a savory finish and helps the whites settle gently without sticking." A fried egg is about as basic as culinary achievements get, but the details matter. Perfection lies in a harmonious contrast of a rich, sunny yolk with a slightly crusty perimeter, offering a balanced creamy and crispy mouthfeel in every bite. The nature of olive oil helps to produce both of those crucial characteristics.

"It handles a bit more heat than other oils and encourages beautiful browning around the whites," Gallagher said, later adding, "The hot oil bubbles up around the edges and creates a lacy, golden rim." If you're looking for the crispiest fried eggs, baste them in oil as well. However, if the ideal fat isn't sitting in your pantry when eggs are calling your name, Gallagher said there are a couple of substitutes that will suffice.

If you're not following Martha Stewart's oil tip and keeping two kinds of olive oil on hand, you might find yourself without one morning when you go to cook breakfast. While olive oil reigns supreme, Adam Gallagher pointed out a couple of neutral oils he likes as alternatives: sunflower and avocado oil. "They have a clean taste and a higher smoke point, so you can cook your eggs a little hotter. You'll still get tender whites with a set bottom, but you won't find the added flavor olive oil brings to the table," he explained. "They're great choices when you're looking to top the eggs with something like salsa."

That unblemished flavor is essential. It's easy to get caught up in trying to season fried eggs for better flavor, but doing so may take the spotlight away from the main attraction. "I like to add a pinch of salt right on top of the whites," Gallagher said, adding that he sometimes also includes simple seasonings like black pepper or fresh herbs.

Still, using the best oil and being conservative with seasonings is pointless if you don't start with the right equipment. According to Gallagher, that means having a quality nonstick pan and a silicone spatula at the ready. "The nonstick pan doesn't have me worrying about slippage, and I don't have to use as much fat to keep the egg gliding," he said. "The silicone spatula works beautifully because it's flexible and lets you get right under the egg for the perfect flip."