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    Home » Breakfast

    Fried Egg with Perfect Runny Egg Yolk

    4.80 from 5 votes
    Published by Rebecca Eisenberg ⁠— April 6, 2020 (updated August 30, 2022) — 7 Comments

    299 shares
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    how to get a perfect fried egg with runny yolk every time

    A perfectly fried egg, should have a bright, slightly crispy-edged egg white and a thick, runny egg yolk that bursts when you cut into it with the side of your fork.

    This sunny side up fried egg technique is a bit unconventional — some people hate it (they're sticklers for tradition), but The Practical Kitchen community knows and loves it. At the end of the day, you absolutely cannot argue with these results!

    an overhead close up of a fried egg with molten golden egg yolk on top of a slice of toast on a plate with two slices of canadian bacon and a fork

    Try serving this runny yolk fried egg on top my small batch mini baguette or homemade English muffins topped with a sprig of dill or sprinkle of paprika. It's also great on top of a slice of toasted no-knead bread or on the side with my small batch recipe for a single skillet pancake!

    🍳 Who This Egg Technique is For

    Frying eggs is one of those cooking skills that is both super easy and also very technically complex. It all depends on how precise you want your results to be.

    This fried egg technique is for anyone who will accept nothing less than the perfect fried egg with soft yolk — the kind that bursts with golden yellow goodness at the slightest pressure from your fork.

    fried egg with soft yolk that has just burst

    I'm actually not that picky about my fried eggs — mostly I use the low-and-slow technique I shared in my paprika fried egg recipe.

    The traditional culinary school method of frying eggs also involves a low, slow heat to get that fried egg emoji look (no browning around the edges).

    But even those methods can sometimes results in an egg yolk that has cooked through slightly on the bottom.

    Which, honestly, I'm fine with. But my husband Jimmy is far, far pickier about what his ideal sunny side up runny egg yolk should look like. The egg whites have to be cooked, but the yolks still completely runny, which is how he came up with this method.

    Jimmy eats his fried egg, toast, and bacon breakfasts in a very specific order. First he cuts the white away from the yolk with near-surgical precision, then he assembles an egg white and bacon sandwich before finally bursting the soft egg yolks with a slice of toast, which he uses to mop up all the golden goodness. He enjoys this ritual.

    So if achieving the perfectly runny fried egg yolk is as important to you as it is to him, you're going to want to give his method a try. It is a little bit extra, I'll admit. But it works!

    a close up of a fork slicing sideways through a perfectly runny fried egg yolk on top of a slice of bread

    🔪 How To Get A Runny Egg Yolk Every Time

    Instead of cracking the egg directly into the pan, you're going to first separate the yolk from the white. Set the yolk aside in the egg shell or a small bowl. Make sure the yolk doesn't break! If it breaks, you'll need a new egg.

    Heat the pan, then heat the oil on the surface until it starts to shimmer. Make sure there's enough oil to fully coat the surface of the pan.

    Gently tip the egg white into the pan and cook until it's opaque and mostly set. It's okay if there's still a little bit of uncooked egg white on top, as long as it's mostly set and cooked through.

    Season the egg white with salt and pepper while it cooks.

    Then, carefully add the yolk back into the pan on top of the white. Cook a few minutes longer, just so it's not completely raw and has set in place on the white.

    To tell when the yolk has attached to the white, look at the edges of the yolk. When you first tip it onto the white it will be very round and have edges that curve under. As it settles and warms up the edges will slope outwards instead of curving under.

    You can also tilt the pan slightly — if the yolk stays put, it's done.

    Boom. Perfectly soft, runny egg yolks. Every time.

    This method also gives you two opportunities to season your egg: Season the white in the pan with a pinch of salt and pepper while it cooks, then sprinkle another pinch over the egg yolk once you add it to the white.

    seasoning an egg yolk

    You can also add any other seasonings (like paprika, za'atar, berbere, harissa, or everything bagel topping) to the egg white before adding the yolk.

    Use a thin, flexible spatula — like a fish turner spatula — to carefully remove the egg from the skillet without damaging the edges.

    a spatula slides under a fried egg on a skillet

    🥣 Ingredients & Equipment

    Here's what you'll need to use this perfectly runny egg yolk technique:

    • Egg - This will work with pretty much any size egg! I use large eggs, but you do you.
    • Salt - Whatever kind you like.
    • Pepper - Freshly cracked is best, but a pinch of pre-ground black pepper will also work.
    • Oil or butter - Whatever your preferred fat for your pan is. We're cooking low and slow so you don't need a super high smoke point oil here. Just make sure you have at least enough to coat the entire bottom of your pan in a thin layer (you can have more than that if you want crispier edges).
    • Small bowl(s) - You'll need one bowl for the egg white and another for the egg yolk (if you aren't keeping the egg yolk in the shell).
    • Skillet - Non-stick pans are great for frying eggs. If using stainless steel pans, make sure you give the pan time to preheat before adding the oil or else the egg will stick. A well-seasoned and preheated cast iron pan will also work.
    • Egg separator - This is optional. To separate the egg yolk from the egg white you can either use an egg separator, or you can use the egg shells as an egg separator by transferring the egg yolk back and forth between the two halves of the shell.
    fried egg on toast

    ⏲️ Practical Tips and Recipe Notes

    • To crack an egg, whack it firmly against a hard, flat surface, then use your thumbs to separate the two halves of the shell. Do not crack it against the edge of a bowl or cup, because that pushes the shards of the shell inside the egg where they risk piercing the yolk.
    • To get rid of the watery part of the egg white, crack the egg over a small wire mesh strainer set over a small bowl. This will strain out the watery bits of the egg white that tend to spread out everywhere in the pan. Don't let the white sit in the strainer for too long or the wires will start cutting through the delicate white.
    • If your stove or burners are uneven, you may need to tilt the pan to keep the yolk in the center of the egg while it fries. To test if the yolk has attached to the white, set the pan back down. If the yolk starts to slide, it needs more time.
    • Eggs are easiest to separate when they're cold because the yolk is firmer and less likely to burst.
    • As the egg yolk heats up and thickens it will start to change shape and color. Some spotty discoloration is normal, but if the yolk starts turning pale yellow, your yolk will not be runny. There will always be some carryover cooking, so if you're unsure, turn the burner off or remove the egg from the pan and let the egg sit for a minute or two before serving. This is a low, slow cooking method so as long as you don't wander away from the stove, you should be able to pull the egg off the heat before the yolk completely cooks through.
    • To use this technique on a pizza like my breakfast pizza with white sauce, season the egg white and tip it onto the surface of the pizza. Let it cook for 2 minutes, then tip the yolk on top of the white for the final 30-60 seconds under the broiler.
    • When the egg is fried with the yolk in the center like this and hasn't been flipped that's called a "sunny side up" egg. That's what this technique will give you — a sunny side up egg with a perfectly runny egg yolk. "Over easy" is when the egg has been flipped just briefly and the yolk is still runny. "Over medium" is when the egg has been flipped and the egg is barely runny. You could try combining this technique with a flip, but since the egg yolk is a little more fragile here I wouldn't recommend it.
    • The technical name for the egg white is the albumen.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Food Safety — Is eating runny egg yolks safe?

    There are a lot of variables to answering this question, but generally yes. If you're serving runny or soft cooked eggs, pasteurized eggs are the safest option. These are a bit harder to find and cost more money.

    According to the official Egg Safety Center, egg yolks coagulate and thicken between 144-158°F and fried eggs should "cook until whites are completely set, and the yolks begin to thicken but are not hard." This is why it's important to wait for the egg yolk to adhere to the egg white when using this cooking method — when the yolk doesn't move on top of the white, that means the yolk has warmed up and started to thicken but is still liquid inside. You don't want a pure raw, uncooked egg yolk on your egg.

    Note: The CDC and FDA both recommend pregnant women, adults older than 65, infants, young children, and people with compromised immune systems avoid eating raw (or undercooked) eggs.

    📖 Recipe

    a fork cuts into a runny egg yolk on a fried egg

    Fried Egg with Perfect Runny Egg Yolk

    Rebecca Eisenberg
    For a fried egg with a perfectly runny egg yolk, this simple two-step technique will ensure you get a soft, liquid golden center every time.
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Email
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 7 minutes mins
    Total Time 12 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 egg

    Equipment

    • Flexible fish turner spatula
    • Non-stick pan (stainless steel or cast iron will also work)
    • Egg separator (optional)

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 egg
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 1 pinch freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon oil (or cooking spray)
    • other seasonings (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Prep the egg: Separate the egg yolk from the egg white using your preferred egg separation method. Set the white and yolk aside until ready to cook.
    • Heat the pan: Preheat skillet over low-medium heat. When a few droplets of water flicked onto the surface of the pan sizzle immediately, you’re ready to add the oil. When the oil shimmers and easily coats the bottom of the pan in an even layer, you're ready to add the egg.
    • Cook the egg white: Gently tip the egg white into the pan. Use a spatula to collect any watery bits and pull them toward the white. Sprinkle the egg white with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. When the egg white is mostly firm and no longer translucent (about 3-4 minutes), slide the spatula under the edges to make sure it’s not sticking to the pan and reposition it if needed.
      Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a low cooking temperature — there shouldn't be a lot of sizzling and popping happening here.
    • Add the yolk: Carefully tip the egg yolk onto the center of the cooked egg white. Be gentle and delicate. Tilt the pan slightly if needed to keep the egg yolk centered on the white. Season the yolk with salt and pepper.
    • Finish cooking: Cook the egg for an additional 2-4 minutes until the yolk has set in place and doesn't slide on the white if you tilt the pan. The edges of the yolk should flatten out slightly and slope downward without curving under.
    • Remove the egg to a pan, plate, or directly onto a piece of toast. Enjoy!

    RECIPE NOTES

    • If you want to be even more extra, crack your egg white into a round 4″ cookie or biscuit cutter (sprayed with cooking spray) to get a perfectly circular fried egg shape.

    YOUR NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes. Only you can see these.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let me how it was!
    BreakfastCooking TipsUnder 30 MinutesOne panSmall batch
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    Comments

      4.80 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kristijan

      November 12, 2020 at 5:41 am

      5 stars
      I can't believe I never thought of this! My partner and I eat eggs for breakfast almost every morning, and we really like them fried. Both of us also like runny yolks, but we HATE that part of the white clinging to the yolk that always stays undercooked, unless you fry the bejeesus out of the eggs, which, of course, sets the yolk firm. I will try this tomorrow and see if it takes care of the problem - it should. Great! Thanks for this tip 🙂

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        November 12, 2020 at 7:00 am

        Let me know how it goes!! Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Spence

      February 13, 2022 at 10:50 am

      I had a dream last night that was almost this same thing, but I poached (145 degree water for about 90 seconds) the yolk. It's obviously kind of too much work, but I just did it and it was great.

      Reply
    3. Chris

      February 07, 2024 at 3:38 pm

      What if I’m trying to avoid a mess on the stove and am cooking my egg in the microwave? I’m using the two paper plate method but can’t seem to get the egg white from being runny with having the yolk get hard.

      Reply
      • Rebecca Eisenberg

        February 08, 2024 at 12:03 pm

        I'm sorry but I have no idea — I never cook my eggs in the microwave and I don't know what the two paper plate method is! You'll have to play around with the process of microwaving the white before adding the yolk to get the timing right. Good luck!

        Reply
    4. Helen Perryman

      February 27, 2024 at 6:39 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you thank you thank you. These are the best eggs I have ever made and they turned out perfectly for the first time and I’m a senior I will be passing this recipe along to others. Love it!

      Reply
      • Rebecca Eisenberg

        February 28, 2024 at 10:15 am

        Oh, I'm so glad to hear that! Enjoy your eggs! 🙂

        Reply

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