This is how to cook PERFECT sunny-side up eggs like a pro, resulting in soft whites and runny yolks. You'll get them right every single time!
Watch our quick video on how to make sunny-side up eggs the easy way!
Table of Contents
- 1 Perfect Sunny Side Up Eggs
- 2 How to Cook Sunny-Side Up Eggs
- 3 Ingredients and Substitutions for a Sunny Side Up Egg
- 4 Tips for Making Sunny Side Up Eggs
- 5 What To Serve With
- 6 Calories in Eggs Sunny Side Up
- 7 Sunny-Side Up Eggs vs. Over Easy
- 8 Recipe FAQs
- 9 How to Store
- 10 Other Egg Recipes
- 11 PERFECT Sunny-Side Up Eggs
Perfect Sunny Side Up Eggs
Eggs are a touchy topic for many people. They are an ingredient that nearly all of us share, no matter what corner of the globe we are from...
They are a constant in baking and are often enjoyed at our breakfast tables as well as at other mealtimes.
In Brazil, we love to serve them on top of a grilled steak which we call Bife à Cavalo (Eggs and Steak).
I wrote a tutorial here last year on how to hard boil eggs, with a great response.
So I decided this time to present a simple and easy method for how to cook PERFECT sunny-side up eggs (also known as fried eggs).
Why? Well, many just cannot seem to get them to come out soft and silky instead of getting crispy whites ends with hardened yolks...
With the simple method that I am about to show you (my fave of several), we are going to wind up with set yet soft whites, and runny yolks.
You will see... Time and temp play a big role in how to cook a PERFECT sunny side up egg.
Ready to cook them like a pro? So then come along with me!
How to Cook Sunny-Side Up Eggs
Learn how to make sunny side up eggs step-by-step and get it right every single time as follows:
- Heat and then lightly coat the bottom of a nonstick skillet with oil of your choice, butter, or bacon fat (about 1 Tablespoon). If using butter, let it melt. You don't need a large amount of fat to fry the eggs because the pan is non-stick and you don't want the eggs to turn out greasy.
- Crack the eggs gently into a non-stick skillet to keep the yolks intact (Note: Do not overcrowd the pan! Rather, keep a space between the two eggs). TIP: An egg ring can be used to keep the eggs round and yolks centered if desired. As the eggs cook, their color will change from clear to opaque white.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the tops of the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. This will take about 2 to 2½ minutes. You can cover the pan with a glass lid to speed up the process! Meanwhile, if the oil starts to spit it is a sign that the oil is too hot...In this case, please turn the heat down to low to avoid overcooked yolks.
- When sunny-side up eggs are ready, remove the pan from the heat. Use a large, metal spatula (not rubber) to remove the eggs from the pan one at a time and place them on a serving plate. The large size of the blade will give more optimal support to keep the soft egg yolk intact while moving from the pan to the plate. NOTE: Some people like to dab them gently with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil but I don't dab mine because fat is flavor!!! 😉
- Season with salt and ground black pepper -- and also fresh or dried herbs if desired. Serve right away and enjoy! As you can see, it is simple to make a perfect sunny side up egg or how to cook a runny egg!
Ingredients and Substitutions for a Sunny Side Up Egg
To make perfect sunny-side up eggs, you'll need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or bacon grease or fat, unsalted butter, or clarified butter)
- 2 large eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste (you may also add some red pepper flakes for a kick)
Tips for Making Sunny Side Up Eggs
- If you follow all the cooking tips above, you will obtain perfect sunny-side-up eggs every time.
- Crack the eggs gently into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or a non-stick pan.
- Cook them over medium-low heat using a no-stick skillet. You can cover the pan to speed up the cooking process!
- It takes about 2 minutes to cook them, or until the whites are soft and the yolks are runny.
- Keep in mind that not using the egg ring will cook eggs faster. The ring shapes or makes the eggs round. I prefer to cook mine without the ring!
- Love eggs? Get the recipe for air fryer hard boiled eggs.
What To Serve With
You can serve sunny eggs with different sides! Here are a few options:
- Toasted easy sourdough bread or avocado toast
- Baked coconut flour pancakes for a keto breakfast.
- French toast also makes a great pair with it!
- Bacon or homemade breakfast sausage is not the only thing that you can serve with eggs!
- Air fryer asparagus for a low-carb side!
- Serve them in breakfast sandwiches.
- Iced vanilla latte
- Korean rice bowl
Calories in Eggs Sunny Side Up
Nutrition is key for those on a healthy diet. Here is its breakdown for a large sunny-side up egg:
- Calories: 123kcal
- Protein: 5g
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 163mg
- Potassium: 60mg
- Vitamin A: 240IU
- Calcium: 25mg
Sunny-Side Up Eggs vs. Over Easy
Some people get confused because they are types of fried eggs and think they are the same, but they are not.
An egg “over easy” egg is fried on both sides, although not for very long on the second side, so the yolk stays runny. To make one, cook the raw egg just until the white is set enough on the bottom to be quickly flipped over to cook the other side. “Over” refers to flipping the egg, and “easy” refers to the doneness of the yolk which must be soft and runny.
But using the same method, you can cook the white and then flip the egg to cook the yolk “over medium” or “over hard,” depending on the level of doneness of the yolk.
On the other hand, a “sunny-side up egg” means that it is fried just on one side and so never flipped. The egg white is soft and the yolk is both soft and runny. There is no flipping or cooking on the other side.
Recipe FAQs
Sunny side up eggs (also written sunny-side up eggs) are a type of fried egg that is cooked only on one side and never flipped over, differing from over-easy eggs. They have soft whites and runny yolks which are still raw and translucent. But it is safe to eat right away! You can call them dippy eggs because you can dip a piece of bread into the yolks -- although it refers more to soft-boiled eggs.
Yes! A small to medium raw egg has about 54-66 calories, and is a rich source of protein, vitamins A and B, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. They are perfect for those on a keto diet!
It takes about 2 to 2½ minutes to cook a sunny side up egg over medium-low heat.
How to Store
- Fridge: If you have leftover sunny-side up eggs, let them cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. According to the FDA cooked eggs can be refrigerated for serving later but must be thoroughly reheated to 165° F before serving.
- Reheating: Grease and heat a microwave-safe plate for 30 seconds, and then heat your egg in it for another 30 seconds. Reheating sunny-side up eggs may change their texture and flavor.
Other Egg Recipes
- How to Make Omelette Easy
- Starbucks Egg Bites
- Quindim
- Deviled Eggs
- Breakfast Quiche
- Keto Egg Muffins
- Caprese Breakfast Egg Cups
- German Meatloaf
PIN AND ENJOY!
PERFECT Sunny-Side Up Eggs
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- 1 Metal spatula
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil bacon fat, unsalted butter, or clarified butter
- 2 large eggs
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.A large pan would be spacious enough to hold 2-3 eggs at a time with a bit of space between them and thereby prevent generating steam.
- Pour about ½ teaspoon of water into the heated frying pan. If water sizzles and evaporates on the pan, it means the pan is hot enough to hold the eggs in the right form.
- Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with oil of your preference, butter, or bacon fat (about 1 Tablespoon). If using butter, let it melt. You don't need a large amount of fat to fry the eggs because the pan is non-stick and you don't want the eggs to turn out greasy.
- Crack the eggs gently into the pan to keep the yolks intact (remember: do not overcrowd the pan! Rather, keep a space in between the two eggs). Note: An egg ring can be used to keep the eggs round and yolks centered if desired. As the eggs cook, their color will change from clear to opaque white.
- Cook until the tops of the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. This will take about 2 to 2½ minutes. Meanwhile, if the oil starts to spit it is a sign that the oil is too hot...In this case, please turn the heat down to low.
- When sunny-side up eggs are ready, remove the pan from the heat. Use a large, metal spatula (not rubber) to remove the eggs from the pan one at a time and place them on a serving plate. The metal spatula blade is thin enough to slide underneath the eggs without tearing them.
- The large size of the blade will give more optimal support to keep the soft yolk intact while transferring from the pan to the plate. Some people like to dab them gently with paper towel to soak up any excess oil but I don't dab mine because fat is flavor!
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper -- and also fresh or dried herbs if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- If you follow all the cooking tips above, you will obtain perfect sunny side-up eggs every time.
- Keep in min that not using the egg ring will cook eggs faster. I prefer to cook mine without the ring!
- Love eggs? Learn also how to hard boil eggs!
- Fridge: If you have leftover sunny-side up eggs, let them cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. According to the FDA cooked eggs can be refrigerated for serving later but must be thoroughly reheated to 165° F before serving.
- Reheating: Grease and heat a microwave-safe plate for 30 seconds, and then heat your egg in it for another 30 seconds. Reheating sunny-side up eggs may change their texture and flavor.
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
This post was first published on January 4, 2014.
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Whether the egg is sunny side up or boiled, I love adding eggs to the meal - over rice, over meat, over anything! So it's very crucial for me to make a good looking sunny side up to present the best egg on top of the other food. 🙂 Great tutorial post, Denise!!
Denise Browning says
Me too, Nami! Eggs have been a constant on my table since I was a child... Portugueses and their descendants make heavy use of eggs. 🙂
Raymund says
Thanks for sharing your tips, definitely it will be handy every morning 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Raymund! The good thing about these tips is that will permit a constant great result every single time.
Mi Vida en un Dulce says
Perfect explanation Denise. Boil and fry eggs may sound simple, but not always we have a greta result, like your fried eggs.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Nydia! Before learning how to properly cook both hard-boiled and sunny-side up eggs, I could not accomplish to have great results. I am glad that these simple guidelines will benefit everyone.
Amira says
I like my eggs to be firm not runny but my real problem is that it always starts to burn - the down side- while it is not completely done- the upper side- Do you have any suggestions? I've tried to lower the heat but still get the same result... It takes ages for that kind of eggs to get the yolk done the way I want :(. Yours look great though... very cool pictures as always.
Denise Browning says
Hi, Amira! Your eggs wind up burning because you cook them in high temperature. If you make them over medium-low heat, they won't burn. To get firm yolks, you follow the same guidelines above, but letting the eggs cook for a longer time turning them once if desired.
Amira says
Thanks for the advice ... I'll try this next time 🙂
Denise Browning says
My pleasure!!!!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
I like these tutorials - they can be really helpful, especially to learn new techniques. I love a good egg - but rarely make them sunny-side up. I should try it now!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Amy!
Ash-foodfashionparty says
That is one gorgeous looking egg Denise. Perfect.
Thanks for some great tips and I can't wait to make them for hubby who love sunny side eggs.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, my friend! I hope he enjoys them.
The Café Sucre Farine says
I'm trying your method for breakfast tomorrow Denise, they look perfect!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Chris! You will see... It is easy and will produce good results.
Liz says
Excellent tutorial, Denise! My hubby is the egg maker in the house, but I'll file this away in case I ever need to make him breakfast 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Liz! Wishing you a great week!
Juliana says
Nice Denise...your fried egg looks just perfect, thanks for the post.
Have a great week ahead 😀
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Juliana! Likewise.
sallybr says
Great post, Denise! I had to smile reading the comments, I do exactly as Maureen, except that I usually don't add butter, just olive oil, but the trick of the water works for me. I usually make only one egg, though - that makes the method more feasible, as you pointed out.
It is one of my favorite lunches, a fried egg - I grew up with my Mom making it for me, I was SUCH a picky eater... that 90% of my lunches were fried eggs with "paozinho frances quentinho da padaria" (lembra? 😉
Denise Browning says
Sally: I still remember those wonderful warm French rolls from Brazil. With eggs and/or cheese, they are even more delicious!
Asmita says
Hi Denise,
Thanks so much for this tutorial. The eggs look perfect! In love with the happy yellow!
Denise Browning says
It is my pleasure, Asmita! I have never thought that people was so interested in these techniques until I published one for how to hard boil eggs properly.
Deb says
The egg is indeed a very important component of my cooking! My husband prefers scrambled eggs but I will try your method of sunny-side-up as an alternative! Who knows, he may change his mind!
Denise Browning says
Deb: The only ones that eat sunny-side up eggs at my home is my youngest and I. My husband only likes his eggs either scrambled or with well cooked, hard yolks (as well as my eldest daughter). Good luck! Thanks a lot for stopping by!
Sugar et al says
What a lovely and useful tutorial Denise! I learnt it through trial and error but at times, still don't get it right. I LOVE the vibrant photos.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Sonali! Now you have easy steps to follow that you will help you to get your eggs right all the time.
John@Kitchen Riffs says
I tend to cook eggs over-easy more than sunny-side up (mainly because I love flipping the eggs over in the pan!), but sunny-side up ones look better. Great method! I usually use 7-inch nonstick pans, the perfect size for two eggs. And then just slid them from the pan right onto the plate. Good post - thanks.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, John!
Coffee and Crumpets says
Beautiful! Perfect eggs, Denise! I have to admit though, I like my eggs with frazzled edges 🙂 Such lovely, sunny photos!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Nazneen!!!! To get eggs with frizzle edges, heat the oil very well and let eggs cook on medium heat. 🙂
Little Cooking Tips says
Making the perfect fried eggs, is a task that's difficult to accomplish, even for professional Chefs with years of experience, as many things can go wrong, resulting a 'failed' fried egg:)
So, your instructions are very very useful both for amateur and experienced cooks:)
Thank you Denise!
Denise Browning says
Thank you, LCT! Wishing you a wonderful year!
Lail | With A Spin says
Great tips, Denise. I never knew to sprinkle water to test the hotness of the pan. I've always used a plastic spatula as well as I tend to make my sunny side up in a non-stick pan. However, it makes sense to use a thin metal one to avoid accidental tearing. Thanks for sharing the tips.
Denise Browning says
My pleasure, Lail!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I must try your method. I put a bit of oil and a bit of butter in the pan, melt til frothy and then put the eggs, season and add a teaspoon of water and cover.
Denise Browning says
This is also a great method too, Maureen! The only thing is with the covered method, eggs need to be watched carefully. Because I usually prepare several things at the same time, I avoid covering mine... I forget about them and the yolks wind up overcooked. 🙂
Anne@FromMySweetHeart says
Oh what a beautiful and perfect egg, Denise! Honestly, I tend to have my pan too hot or just rush them in general. So I'm guilty of those crispy edges and dried yolks! Sometimes it's just good to have someone walk you back to the basics! And since my goal this year is not to skip breakfast...this is a great place for me to start! Wishing all the best in the New Year! : )
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, my dear Anne! It is so good to have you visiting me here again... Wishing you a wonderful new year! xx
Laura King says
Love these simple, easy-to-understand directions Denise! Nothing as comforting as a perfect sunny side up egg and a crispy slice of toast. My Grandma Lamp used to make me and my younger brother "up eggs" with toast every morning on our summer break visits. Love those memories!
Denise Browning says
I am so happy to have you visiting me here, Laura! I am glad that you enjoyed these easy-to-follow directions...What great memories of your Grandma you have! xx