Fried eggs are one of the most essential yet basic recipes out there that’s easy to master. Cooking with eggs, in general, is very foundational in the culinary world, and frying eggs is a great and easy way to prepare and eat them, especially with some sliced avocado on toast or some crispy bacon.
The thing about fried eggs is, they require just a little fat to fry correctly. It’s the fat in the pan that keeps the egg from sticking to the surface as it heats. But the type of fat you use to fry your egg does more than just protect the surface of the egg while it cooks. It can also impact everything from taste to its appearance. While everyone has their own preferred method for frying eggs, in the great fried egg debate, the ultimate question comes down to: Should you be frying your eggs in butter or oil?
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, three chefs have shared which ingredient they prefer to fry an egg with – and that’s butter.
Jessica Randhawa, owner and head chef at The Forked Spoon, said: “The number one ingredient to upgrade fried eggs has to be the fat, which is used to make them fried.
“For me, that means high-quality salted butter, which gives it a rich, nutty flavour while creating a crisp, golden edge.
“The light salt in the butter enhances the natural flavour of the eggs without overpowering them.”
In agreement with Jessica, Joanne Gallagher of Inspired Taste also recommends using butter. She said, “Butter is my go-to for making fried eggs taste extra special.
“When it melts and foams in the pan, it gives the eggs lacy, golden edges while keeping the yolk rich and runny—perfect for scooping up with toast.”
She noted that the fat helps the eggs set gently without losing that silky yolk, and the result is an egg that’s “simple, flavourful, and irresistible”.
Culinary expert Kathy Berget, behind the blog Beyond the Chicken Coop, pointed out that “the number one ingredient to upgrade a fried egg is butter, ” regular salted butter to be specific.
She said, “You want the taste of the egg to shine through, and butter adds the perfect touch to any fried egg.”