How to Make the Perfect Western Omelette

Western Omelette

Whether you know it as a Western Omelette or a Denver omelette, one thing’s for certain: this is THE recipe for when you’re craving a hearty, satisfying breakfast. With diced bell peppers, ham, and melty cheese, this might just be the best way to enjoy eggs in the AM.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Western Omelette Recipe

• Breakfast for One. Recipes like Crockpot Breakfast Casserole and Potato Frittata are fabulous, but not exactly a great option when you’re dining solo. I love this Western omelette because I can whip one up for myself—but it’s also easy to scale so if Ben wants in on the eggy action, I can double the recipe and divide it into two pans.
• Supremely Satisfying. This is not a delicate French Omelette or lighter than air Egg White Frittata—it packs serious satisfaction with savory ham, bell peppers, and plenty of cheese.
• Customizable. The glorious thing about omelettes is the opportunity to make them your own. (Of course, if you make TOO many changes, you don’t really have a Western omelette anymore. But if it tastes good, that’s all that matters.)
• Easy to Make. While there are a few steps involved, there’s nothing difficult about making an omelette. This is one of those Cooking 101 skills that everyone should master!

How to Make a Western Omelette

The Ingredients

• Eggs. You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.
• Unsalted Butter. Essential to prevent sticking. You could use oil, but I like butter because it adds a rich flavor to this Western omelette.
• Bell Peppers. Red bell pepper and green bell pepper are the typical combo, but since yellow and orange bell peppers have a similar sweet flavor to red, you can swap those in if you’d like. 
• Ham. Use cubed leftover ham (Crockpot Ham and Baked Ham are both great options) or diced deli ham.
• Green Onion. Some for the omelette, some for garnish.
• Melty Cheese. Pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or cheddar all work well. I recommend shredding them yourself for the meltiest results.

The Directions

1. Beat the Egg and Salt. Whisk until pale and foamy, then rest for 5 minutes.

2. Cook the Peppers. Sauté in the butter until they’re softened.

3. Add the Ham. It’s already cooked, so it just needs to heat through.

4. Pour in the Egg. Reduce the heat to low.

5. Cook. Pull the edges of the eggs to the center of the pan a few times, then spread the remaining uncooked eggs over the top.

6. Cover. Steam until the eggs are almost set, about 2 to 4 minutes.

7. Make It Cheesy. Sprinkle half of the omelette with the cheese.

8. Fold and Finish. Use a spatula to fold the omelette over the cheese, then cover and cook for another minute or two. Plate and serve your Western omelette with additional green onions. ENJOY!

Variations and Topping Ideas

• Use a Different Protein. Feel free to swap out the ham for cooked bacon (I like this Air Fryer Bacon) or sausage, or make it a vegetarian Western omelette by using your favorite plant-based breakfast meat.
• Add More Veggies. Toss in some spinach, mushrooms, or diced Roma tomatoes.
• Top It. Avocado, a scoop of guacamole, salsa (this Salsa Roja would be great), hot sauce, cilantro, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt—whatever you like!

What to Serve with Western Omelette

• Fresh Fruit. Keep it simple with some fresh fruit, or make a Fruit Salad to serve on the side.
• Potatoes. Serve your Western omelette restaurant-style with Home Fries, or make a batch of Roasted Fingerling Potatoes. Sweet Potato Hash Browns are excellent too!
• Toast. I love mine with this 3 Ingredient Strawberry Chia Jam.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Let the Eggs Rest. Whisking the eggs with salt and letting them sit for 5 minutes is key to achieving a light and fluffy Western omelette. The salt breaks down the proteins in the eggs a bit, which keeps them from cooking up tough.
• Use a Non-Stick Skillet and Don’t Skimp on the Butter. This will make it easier to flip the omelette.
• Pull the Edges to the Center. We’re not making pancakes here! After you pour the eggs in the skillet, use a rubber spatula to pull the edges towards the center. This also helps you achieve fluffy omelette perfection.
• Don’t Overcook. Remove the omelette from heat once it’s just set. Overcooking can result in a dry, tough omelette.
• It Doesn’t Have to Look Perfect. It will still taste delicious and that’s the most important part!

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Western Omelette

For an easy, hearty breakfast, you can't do better than this Western omelette recipe! Bell peppers, ham, and melty cheese make it satisfying.

Course Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 omelette

Calories 546kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup cubed ham or 2 slices chopped diced deli ham
• 1 green onion thinly sliced, plus additional for serving
• 1/4 cup shredded melty cheese pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or cheddar all work well

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and salt vigorously until they are pale and foamy (this will take at least a few minutes and some elbow grease). Let sit for 5 minutes — this is MANDATORY. Resting the eggs with the salt makes them fluffier.
  
• Heat a small nonstick skillet (8 inches will yield a thick omelet; 10 inch works, it will just be thinner) over medium heat. Add the butter and let melt. Add the bell pepper and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ham and green onion cook to heat through, about 1 minute.
  
• Reduce the heat to low. Once the eggs have rested, pour them into the skillet. With a rubber spatula, pull the edges of the eggs in towards the center of the pan. They’ll begin to stick to the bottom. Repeat a few more times until the eggs only have about one-third of their liquid remaining, then spread the remaining liquid eggs into an even layer to create a “seal”. Cover the pan, and let the eggs steam until they are nearly set but just a bit shiny, about 2 to 4 minutes depending upon your skillet.
  
• With a rubber spatula, loosen the edges of the omelet and shake the pan a bit to loosen it so no part is sticking (if it’s still too liquidy to loosen, recover and let cook a bit longer). Sprinkle half with the cheese, then use your spatula to fold the empty side of the omelet over so the omelet is in half with the cheese inside. Recover, turn off the heat, and let cook another minute or two to melt the cheese. Slide out of the skillet and onto a plate. Sprinkle with additional green onions if desired. Enjoy immediately.
  

Notes

• Adapted from my French Omelette
• TO STORE: Store leftover omelette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• TO REHEAT: Gently reheat in the microwave or on the stove over low heat until warmed through. Add a little extra cheese and toppings for a fresh twist.

Nutrition

Serving: 1omelette | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 592mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3054IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 3mg

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