Omelette

Omelette Collection: 5 French Classics

Plain

Cheese

Mushroom

Fines Herbes

Spanish Tortilla

Omelette Collection: 5 French Classics

Master the perfect French omelette — silky, tender, and ready in minutes

The French omelette is a thing of beauty: soft, creamy, and slightly runny in the center. All recipes use the same 3-egg base and classic technique. Cook in a hot non-stick pan with butter, roll gently, and serve immediately. Breakfast, lunch, or late-night supper — omelettes are always the answer.

Golden rolled French omelettes with various fillings

Silky, buttery, and endlessly versatile — the art of the omelette.

Prep Time
2 min

Cook Time
3 min

Total Time
5 min

Servings
1 per omelette

Plain French Omelette

Ingredients

3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt & white pepper
Optional: 1 tsp chives, finely chopped

Method

1. Crack eggs into a bowl. Season with a pinch of salt. Whisk vigorously with a fork until fully combined (~30 seconds).

2. Heat an 8-inch non-stick pan over medium-high. Add butter; swirl to coat.

3. When butter foams, pour in eggs. Stir rapidly with a fork in small circles while shaking the pan.

4. When eggs are 80% set but still creamy (~60–90 sec), stop stirring. Let set 10 sec.

5. Tilt pan; use fork to roll omelette from one side to the other. Slide onto warm plate, seam-side down.

6. Brush with a little melted butter. Sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately.

Pro Tip: Use room-temperature eggs and a hot pan for the silkiest texture. The center should be baveuse — slightly runny.

Cheese Omelette

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 tbsp butter
30 g Gruyère or Comté, finely grated
Salt & white pepper

Method

1. Follow plain omelette steps 1–3.

2. When eggs are nearly set, sprinkle cheese down the center.

3. Fold one third over cheese, then roll to enclose. Slide onto plate.

4. The residual heat melts the cheese perfectly.

Pro Tip: Use finely grated cheese for even melting. Try Emmental or sharp cheddar for variety.

Mushroom Omelette

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 tbsp butter + 1 tsp for mushrooms
80 g mushrooms (cremini or button), thinly sliced
1 small shallot, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt & pepper

Method

1. Sauté mushrooms and shallot in 1 tsp butter over high heat until golden and dry (~4 min). Add thyme. Season. Set aside.

2. Make plain omelette (steps 1–3). When nearly set, spread mushrooms down center.

3. Fold and roll. Serve with extra thyme.

Pro Tip: Cook mushrooms until no liquid remains — prevents soggy omelette. Reheat filling gently if needed.

Omelette aux Fines Herbes

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp mixed fresh herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, chervil — finely chopped
Salt & white pepper

Method

1. Whisk eggs with half the herbs and seasoning.

2. Cook as plain omelette (steps 2–5).

3. Sprinkle remaining fresh herbs over just before rolling.

Pro Tip: Fines herbes = equal parts parsley, chives, tarragon, chervil. Use fresh only — dried won’t do.

Spanish Tortilla (Omelette Twist)

Ingredients

4 eggs
300 g waxy potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
100 ml olive oil
Salt

Method

1. Fry potatoes and onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender but not brown (~15 min). Drain; reserve oil.

2. Beat eggs with salt. Stir in potato-onion mix.

3. Heat 1 tbsp reserved oil in 8-inch pan. Add egg mix. Cook low 8–10 min until edges set.

4. Flip using a plate; cook other side 5 min. Serve warm or room temp, cut in wedges.

Pro Tip: Not a French omelette, but a beloved cousin! Cook low and slow for creamy center. Perfect with aioli.

French Omelette Master Technique

For all omelettes (except Spanish):

Use 3 fresh eggs per person
8-inch non-stick pan, curved sides
High heat at start, then medium
Stir + shake until small curds form
Roll, don’t fold — use fork and tilt
Serve immediately on warm plate