Breakfast is simple and routine in our home. There’s no reason to overthink an already stressful part of the day. Developing a predictable breakfast routine has been important for our family, allowing us to keep things simple and nutrient-dense during the busy week.

Today, let’s talk about one of our favorite breakfasts: the best and easiest way to cook sunny side up eggs without sticking (and without a non-stick pan!).

Best and Easiest Way to Cook Sunnyside Up Eggs

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I’ll send it straight to your inbox. And you’ll get new recipes & tips each week.

Save Recipe

We eat eggs almost every day of the week, sometimes with fruit, other times with a smoothie or sourdough toast. Easy, simple, and super nutrient dense. There are 15 different ways to cook eggs for breakfast: sunny side up eggs, Instant Pot eggs, eggs in a basket, and fluffy scrambled eggs are on constant rotation.

Whenever I post a sunny side up egg on Instagram, the messages pour in: How do you make eggs like that without sticking?

Eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense real foods you can consume. And they are relatively inexpensive when you consider the nutrients you get for just a few dollars per dozen.

Eggs are high in fat and protein, so they’re a great breakfast choice as the fat and protein keeps you satisfied and full for longer. Eggs are also rich in calcium, iron (helps with energy levels), zinc (aids in strengthening the immune system), iodine (thyroid health), selenium, B Vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E.

Eggs are a clear favorite in our home and with over 16 different egg styles, there’s no way to ever get bored with this real-food staple ingredient.

Best and Easiest Way to Cook Sunny side Up Eggs

What to look for when buying eggs…

Most eggs are produced in giant hen houses by mass retailers where the chickens are given very little room to roam (their natural behavior) and peck and scratch at the ground (chickens are not vegetarians, they peck at the ground and consume bugs). Living in this environment not only leads to disease (which leads to a greater need for antibiotics) and a less nutrient-dense food (hence the need to add to the chickens’ diet and entice the consumer with marketing: omega 3 eggs, vegetarian fed, etc.)

Look for eggs from pasture-raised chickens. Just like with meat, don’t focus on organic as much since this doesn’t tell you how the chickens are raised. Vital Farms is one of my favorite brands that you can easily find in stores, even Target. Also, look in your local area so you can talk directly with the source (farm). Check out a farmers’ market or eatwild.com for options. As Michael Pollan says, “Shake the hand that feeds you.”

  • Pasture Raised: Chickens should be raised on pasture where they can scratch and peck, consuming a wide variety of grasses, bugs, worms, and then supplemented with grain. A great brand found in many stores is Vital Farms. The color of the eggs doesn’t matter. Contrary to popular opinion, brown eggs aren’t the healthiest. The color of an egg’s shell simply indicates what breed of chicken that egg came from. Some chickens lay white eggs, others brown eggs, and some green and blue eggs.
  • Local Eggs: If you can, find a local source for your eggs. Literally shake the hand that feeds! Find local eggs at a farmer’s market, through a neighbor (lots of folks have chickens now), or online (check out eatwild.com). (My favorite local and farm-to-table food sources.)

How to cook Sunny Side Up Eggs Without Sticking (or Using a Non-Stick Pan)

Best and Easiest Way to Cook Sunny side Up Eggs

What You’ll Need to Make Sunny Side Up Eggs

  • Skillet: Any size will work, I usually go with a 9 or 12-inch skillet. Avoid non-stick pans for cooking, as they can leach various chemicals into food that are linked to serious health issues (read more). Instead, stick with either cast iron or enamel cast iron (Lodge, Staub, and LeCreuset are my favorite brands) or stainless steel.
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter: A nutrient-dense, traditional fat that’s great for medium-heat cooking and preferably comes from grass-fed cows (Kerrygold is my favorite). Go with real butter, not a processed “plant-based” margarine (one of the best healthy food swaps you can make). If you can’t tolerate butter, ghee is the next best choice (butter that’s been heated to remove the milk casein proteins). You can make your own ghee or buy it.
  • Eggs: You can make just one sunny side up egg or make multiple at one time. I can usually fit about 4 eggs in my 9-inch skillet at one time.
  • 1 Tablespoon Water: This is the secret ingredient that makes this the easiest and best way to cook sunny side up eggs! Water prevents the eggs from sticking to the pan by lifting the eggs and also steaming them during the last couple of minutes.
Best and Easiest Way to Cook Sunny side Up Eggs

Step 1: Melt 1 Tablespoon Butter 

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the skillet so the butter evenly coats the surface.

sunny side up eggs non stick skillet

Step 2: Crack the Egg and Cook 

Once melted, crack the egg (or eggs) directly in the sizzling butter in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the egg, uncovered, until the whites turn from opaque to white (about 1-2 minutes).

sunny side up eggs non stick skillet

Step 3: Add Water 

Once the whites have transitioned from transparent to a white appearance, add the water to the skillet (around the eggs), then immediately place the lid on the skillet. You don’t need to use all the water, just enough to lift the eggs from the skillet and lightly steam them to finish cooking.

sunny side up eggs in non stick skillet

Step 4: Cook the Eggs

Cook the eggs for 2-4 minutes, or until the yolk is cooked to desired consistency. I like a runny yolk so will go about 2 minutes. For a fully cooked yolk, you’ll need to go a bit longer.

sunny side up eggs

Step 5: Season and Serve Eggs

Uncover the skillet and remove the egg(s) with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I also love to add a sprinkle of chopped parsley or chives, if available. 

How to Serve Sunny Side Up Eggs for Breakfast

You’ve cooked the perfect sunny side up eggs without using a non-stick pan or any sticking issues (so easy, right?), now let’s talk about some ideas for how to serve those perfect eggs. Of course, you can enjoy the eggs as-is on their own, or you can change things up with the ideas below.

cooked sunny side up egg
Best and Easiest Way to Cook Sunny side Up Eggs
5 from 4 votes

How to Cook Sunny Side Up Eggs Without Sticking

How to cook perfect sunny side up eggs every time without sticking to the pan or using a non-stick pan.
Kristin Marr
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 1 egg, cook as many as will fit in your skillet
Calories 163 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 TB salted or unsalted butter or ghee
  • 1 egg or as many eggs as will fit in your skillet
  • 1 TB water for a large skillet with more than 4 eggs, you'll probably need about 2 tablespoons of water
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a skillet (such as: cast iron, cast iron enamel, or stainless steel) over medium-high heat. Swirl the skillet so the butter evenly coats the surface.
  • Once melted, crack the egg (or eggs) directly in the sizzling butter in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the egg, uncovered, until the whites turn from opaque to white (about 1-2 minutes).
  • Once the whites have gone from translucent to a white appearance, add the water to the skillet (around the edge of the eggs) and immediately place the lid on the skillet. You don't need to use all the water, just enough to lift the eggs from the skillet and lightly steam them to finish cooking.
  • Cook the eggs for 2-4 minutes, or until the yolk is cooked to desired consistency. I like a runny yolk so will go about 2 minutes. For a fully cooked yolk, you'll need to go a bit longer.
  • Uncover the skillet and remove the egg(s) with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immeadiately.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 194mgSodium: 163mgPotassium: 64mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 587IUCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Take the Guess Work OUt of meal planning

Free 64 Rotational Meals Ideas Cheat Sheet

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes to rotate week after week. Put healthy meals on auto-pilot.

What to Serve With This Recipe

This is a great protein-rich breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Serve this recipe on its own or with a breakfast side. Here are a few of my favorite side dishes:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

6 Comments

  1. Hi Kristin . Just signed on , Like to cook , senior bachelor , interested in any tips aimed at reducing some recipes down to 1 or 2 serves.
    Also new Air-Fryer to use ! Some difficulty for some chicken proteins , ( Leg quarters – Back attached with skin and bones .) Any suggestions ?
    Thanks for your site , Jim.

  2. 5 stars
    This seems like an amazing trick! Thank you for sharing. Do you think you could do a similar thing with scrambled eggs? We’re weaning ourselves off non-stick, but eggs are definitely the last hold out! 🙂

    1. Hey Summer, I’m so glad it is helpful! For scrambeled eggs, I find using a good about of butter, like maybe 2 tablespoons, melting it, then using a low heat to scramble the eggs works perfectly!