Fried egg (Αυγό τηγανητό)

The best way to fry an egg is the Greek way – in plenty of olive oil. What you end up with are crispy edges, a perfect yolk that is still a bit runny and olive oil flavour that is present, but not overpowering. A light seasoning with salt and pepper is all you need.

Fried egg

This is such an easy way to fry eggs. There is no flipping of the egg required, just a simple technique to ensure that your egg yolk is the perfect degree of doneness, for you. I love quick and easy meals such as this one. Sometimes I make eggs fried in olive oil for breakfast. Other times I place a fried egg on a plate of pasta, or top homemade french fries with a fried egg for a wonderful Greek meal.

Why I love this recipe

Growing up there were very few things that only one of my parents would make; generally they worked together to prepare their delicious meals and desserts.  But some things…some things belonged to only one of them, and fried eggs belonged to my father.

On weekend mornings my father would often greet us all with a fried egg or two.  Αυγά μάτια (which literally translates into eggs eyes – bizarre!) are a variation of sunny-side up eggs made more delicious because they are fried in olive oil.  This cooking technique results in an outer edge of crispy egg white and a yolk which is cooked just perfectly.  Sprinkled with just a touch of salt and pepper, they are a simple way to start the day. Add a cup of mountain tea or a cold beverage like chamomile and basil iced tea, and you are set for a beautiful day!

Fried egg

Key ingredients

Egg I use large, free-range and organic eggs whenever possible.

Olive oil Greek extra-virgin olive oil is best

Salt & pepper Basic seasonings, to taste

Cooking spray (optional) If I am using a pan which is not non-stick, I like to spray the surface with a bit of cooking spray before adding the olive oil. I find that this helps prevent sticking.

How to make

Preparation

Choose your frying pan. If it is not a non-stick surface, spray it with some cooking spray.

Instructions

Step 1
Add olive oil to your frying pan. The oil should be about 1 cm deep.

Step 2
Heat oil over medium-high heat for about one minute until it gets quite hot.

Step 3
Crack your egg into a bowl and gently slip it into the hot oil. The egg should start to cook immediately, with the egg white turning opaque very quickly.

Fried egg (Αυγό τηγανητό)

Step 4
Turn the heat down to medium and cook egg carefully. Tilt your pan to one side occasionally to pool the hot oil into one side of the pan. This will help stop any oil splattering. Also, with a tablespoon, scoop up some of the hot oil and carefully pour it over the egg yolk. Repeat this several times, depending upon how runny (or not) you want your yolk.

Fried egg (Αυγό τηγανητό)

Step 5
Continue to cook your egg until you have a nice, golden, crispy outer edge to your egg white.

Fried egg (Αυγό τηγανητό)

Step 6
Using a slotted spatula, carefully remove your egg from the frying pan.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.

Cooking tips and helpful hints

Crack your eggs into a bowl before frying

Don’t crack your egg directly into the frying pan.  Instead, crack it into a bowl and then slip it carefully into your frying pan. Cracking your egg this way is very handy for the times that you may accidentally end up with a piece of shell with your egg.  You can easily remove the shell from the bowl, but not so easily when your egg is in the hot pan.

Make sure the oil is very hot before adding your egg

Heat the olive oil until it is very hot prior to adding the egg to the pan.  Once you add the egg however, turn the heat down to medium as the oil tends to spatter.  Be careful not to get hot oil on you!  One good trick to prevent, or stop, the oil splattering is to slightly tilt your pan so that the oil pools to one side, and your egg stays on the other side of the pan. This is also what you need to do in order to scoop up some of the hot oil with a tablespoon and drizzle it over the egg yolk.  This will help cook the yolk.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of pan should I use to fry my egg?

I use a non-stick pan, but you don’t have to.  If you don’t use a nonstick surface I recommend that you lightly grease your pan with cooking spray before adding the oil; this will prevent any sticking (which you would think wouldn’t happen given the oil used to cook the egg in…but it sometimes does).

How many eggs can I make at the same time?

Even if you have a very large frying pan and many hungry mouths to feed, we wouldn’t suggest cooking more than two eggs at a time.  It may become too difficult to control any oil spattering.  Take your time.  Make breakfast in batches.

What can I do with the leftover olive oil?

You will have oil left over after cooking your egg.   You can place it into a small glass container once it is cooled and store it in your refrigerator.  This oil can then be used again in cooking or frying.

Fried egg
Fried egg

If you love eggs, you will love these great Greek, and Greek-style recipes:

Greek-style hard boiled eggs I absolutely love this recipe. The lemon, olive oil and feta may seem like odd toppings for hard boiled eggs, but trust me, it works!

Eggs with loukaniko and potato A great meal! With the Greek sausage (loukaniko), potato and eggs, this is a really filling and satisfying recipe.

Viral fried egg with feta Everyone was making this recipe on TikTok, so I needed to too! It actually is pretty delicious.

Greek style hard boiled eggs
Eggs with loukaniko and potato
Viral fried egg with feta

Serving size

Usually I serve one egg per person, although some heartier appetites can use two eggs.

How to serve

I like to serve my fried egg with a piece of toast. If I want to have it for lunch I will often serve pasta topped with a fried egg or French fries topped with a fried egg

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Fried egg

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Fried egg

Fried egg

Easy and delicious fried egg cooked in olive oil.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Light meal, Snack
Cuisine: Greek
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 63kcal
Author: miakouppa

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • cooking spray if not using a non-stick pan

Instructions

  • Choose your frying pan. If it is not a non-stick surface, spray it with some cooking spray.
    cooking spray
  • Add olive oil to your frying pan. The oil should be about 1 cm deep
    olive oil
  • Heat oil over medium-high heat for about one minute until it gets quite hot.
  • Crack your egg into a bowl and gently slip it into the hot oil. The egg should start to cook immediately, with the egg white turning opaque very quickly.
    1 large egg
  • Turn the heat down to medium and cook egg carefully. Tilt your pan to one side occasionally to pool the hot oil into one side of the pan. This will help stop any oil splattering. Also, with a tablespoon, scoop up some of the hot oil and carefully pour it over the egg yolk. Repeat this several times, depending upon how runny (or not) you want your yolk.
  • Continue to cook your egg until you have a nice, golden, crispy outer edge to your egg white.
  • Using a slotted spatula, carefully remove your egg from the frying pan.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.
    salt and pepper to taste
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Thanks for sharing!

17 Comments

  1. i love fried eggs anytime. i remember reading an archie comic when i was young and he had a fried egg sandwich with a glass of milk and i could not wait to make that sandwich. that is a beautiful plate. part of enjoyable eating is the memories.

    1. miakouppa says:

      Completely agree with you! these recipes are very nostalgic for us. 🙂

  2. lillyevechristie says:

    Fried eggs are my favourite! love your blog.

    1. miakouppa says:

      Oh wow! Thank you so much, we really appreciate that 🙂

  3. MARILYN E HART says:

    This is exactly how my father cooked his eggs, many years ago. You have brought back a good memory. Thank you

    1. miakouppa says:

      We’re so happy to be able to bring up happy food memories. We always say that nostalgia is delicious 🙂 Hope you find more to love here! xoxo Helen & Billie

  4. Lori Erokan says:

    I wasn’t even going to read this recipe–I mean, I know how to make a fried egg! But I did read it–and it brought back a memory of how my dear mother-in-law made her delicious fried eggs. Yes, she used olive oil. Yes, she spooned the oil over the cooking egg. I bet you won’t be surprised to learn that her name was Athena!

    1. miakouppa says:

      Dear Lori,
      Thank you! Thank you for taking the time to read the post (and we get it…we even have a post on how to make a soft-boiled egg and we wonder if anyone has read that one! LOL)
      We are so happy to hear that our post brought back memories of your mother-in-law. We suspect that you will be reminded of Athena quite a bit if you read through our blog 🙂
      Thank you again for your comment; you really have made us so happy.
      xoxo
      Billie & Helen

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