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How to Cook Perfect Sunny-Side Up Eggs (w/ VIDEO)

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Easy method for how to cook PERFECT sunny-side up eggs, resulting in soft whites and runny yolks. You’ll get them right the very first time!

PERFECT Sunny-Side Up Eggs in a skillet

Eggs are a touchy topic for many people.  They are an ingredient that nearly all of us share, no matter what corner of the globe we are from…  

They are a constant in baking, and frequently enjoyed at our breakfast tables as well as at other mealtimes.

In Brazil, we love to serve them on top of a grilled steak which we call Bife à Cavalo (“Horseback-Riding Steak”), or make Breakfast Egg Cups.

I wrote a tutorial here last year on how to hard boil eggs properly, with great response.

So I decided this time to present a simple and easy method for how to cook PERFECT sunny-side up eggs (also known as fried eggs).

Thus it’s not the same as over easy eggs or over medium eggs because sunny side up eggs are never flipped over. 

How to Cook Perfect Sunny-Side Up Eggs

Learn how to cook sunny side up eggs and get it right every single time. 

Essentials for Sunny-Side Up Eggs

For some, cooking perfect sunny-side up eggs is as easy as riding a bike… but for many others, not so much!  

Why? Well, many just cannot seem to get them to come out soft and silky instead of getting crispy whites ends with hardened yolks….

With the simple methode that I am about to show you (my fave of several), we are going to wind up with set yet soft whites, and runny yolks.

You will see… Time and temp play a big role in how to cook PERFECT sunny-side up eggs.

PERFECT Sunny-Side Up Eggs with runny yolks and a piece of toast in a skillet

Ready to cook PERFECT sunny-side up eggs like a pro? So then come along with me!

Method for Sunny Side Up Eggs:

Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with oil of your choice, butter, or bacon fat (about 1 Tablespoon). 

If using butter, let it melt. You don’t need a large amount of fat to fry the eggs because the pan is non-stick and you don’t want the eggs to turn out greasy.

Crack the eggs gently into the pan to keep the yolks intact (note: do not overcrowd the pan. Rather, keep a space in between the two eggs). 

Note: An egg ring can be used to keep the eggs round and yolks centered if desired. As the eggs cook, their color will change from clear to opaque white. 

a sunny side up egg being cooked in a skillet -- using a ring

Cook until the tops of the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. This will take about 2 to 2-1/2 minutes. 

Meanwhile, if the oil starts to spit it is a sign that the oil is too hot…In this case, please turn the heat down to low.

When sunny-side up eggs are ready, remove the pan from the heat. Use a large, metal spatula (not rubber) to remove the eggs from the pan one at a time and place on a serving plate. 

The metal spatula blade is thin enough to slide underneath the eggs without tearing them.

And the large size of the blade will give more optimal support to keep the soft yolk intact while moving from the pan to the plate.

Some people like to dab them gently with paper towel to soak up any excess oil but I don’t dab mine because fat is flavor!!! 😉

sunny side up egg almost cooked in a pan -- without a ring
 

Sprinkle salt and pepper — and also fresh or dried herbs if desired. Serve right away and enjoy!

Horizontal image of perfect sunny side up eggs with runny yolks in a pan

Recipe Notes 

  • If you follow all the cooking tips above, you will obtain perfect sunny side-up eggs every time. 
  • Keep in mind that not using the egg ring will cook eggs faster. I prefer to cook mine without the ring! 
  • Love eggs? Learn also how to hard boil eggs properly! 
How-To-Cook-perfect-Sunny-Side-Up-Eggs
5 from 13 votes
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How to Cook Perfect Sunny-Side Up Eggs

Easy method for how to cook PERFECT sunny-side up eggs, resulting in soft whites and runny yolks. Learn how to cook them like a pro!

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword eggs, how to cook, method, sunny side up
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 123 kcal
Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil bacon fat, or butter
  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  1. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. A large pan would be spacious enough to hold 2-3 eggs at a time with a bit of space between them and thereby prevent generating steam. 

  2. Pour about 1/2 teaspoon of water into the heated pan. If water sizzles and evaporates on the pan, it means that pan is hot enough to hold the eggs in the right form.

  3. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with oil of your preference, butter, or bacon fat (approximately 1 Tablespoon). If using butter, let it melt. You don't need a large amount of fat to fry the eggs because the pan is non-stick and you don't want the eggs to turn out greasy.
  4. Crack the eggs gently into the pan to keep the yolks intact (remember: do not overcrowd the pan. Rather, keep a space in between the two eggs). Note: An egg ring can be used to keep the eggs round and yolks centered if desired. As the eggs cook, their color will change from clear to opaque white. 

  5. Cook until the tops of the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. This will take about 2 to 2-1/2 minutes. Meanwhile, if the oil starts to spit it is a sign that the oil is too hot...In this case, please turn the heat down to low.

  6. When sunny-side up eggs are ready, remove the pan from the heat. Use a large, metal spatula (not rubber) to remove the eggs from the pan one at a time and place on a serving plate. The metal spatula blade is thin enough to slide underneath the eggs without tearing them. 

  7. And the large size of the blade will give more optimal support to keep the soft yolk intact while transferring from the pan to the plate. Some people like to dab them gently with paper towel to soak up any excess oil but I don't dab mine because fat is flavor!!! 😉

  8. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper -- and also fresh or dried herbs if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • If you follow all the cooking tips above, you will obtain perfect sunny side-up eggs every time. 
  • Keep in min that not using the egg ring will cook eggs faster. I prefer to cook mine without the ring! 
  • Love eggs? Learn also how to hard boil eggs properly! 
Nutrition Facts
How to Cook Perfect Sunny-Side Up Eggs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 123 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Cholesterol 163mg54%
Sodium 62mg3%
Potassium 60mg2%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 240IU5%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

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Comments

  1. Laura King

    5 stars
    Love these simple, easy-to-understand directions Denise! Nothing as comforting as a perfect sunny side up egg and a crispy slice of toast. My Grandma Lamp used to make me and my younger brother “up eggs” with toast every morning on our summer break visits. Love those memories!

    Reply

  2. Anne@FromMySweetHeart

    Oh what a beautiful and perfect egg, Denise! Honestly, I tend to have my pan too hot or just rush them in general. So I’m guilty of those crispy edges and dried yolks! Sometimes it’s just good to have someone walk you back to the basics! And since my goal this year is not to skip breakfast…this is a great place for me to start! Wishing all the best in the New Year! : )

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      This is also a great method too, Maureen! The only thing is with the covered method, eggs need to be watched carefully. Because I usually prepare several things at the same time, I avoid covering mine… I forget about them and the yolks wind up overcooked. 🙂

      Reply

  4. Lail | With A Spin

    Great tips, Denise. I never knew to sprinkle water to test the hotness of the pan. I’ve always used a plastic spatula as well as I tend to make my sunny side up in a non-stick pan. However, it makes sense to use a thin metal one to avoid accidental tearing. Thanks for sharing the tips.

    Reply

  5. Little Cooking Tips

    5 stars
    Making the perfect fried eggs, is a task that’s difficult to accomplish, even for professional Chefs with years of experience, as many things can go wrong, resulting a ‘failed’ fried egg:)
    So, your instructions are very very useful both for amateur and experienced cooks:)
    Thank you Denise!

    Reply

  7. John@Kitchen Riffs

    I tend to cook eggs over-easy more than sunny-side up (mainly because I love flipping the eggs over in the pan!), but sunny-side up ones look better. Great method! I usually use 7-inch nonstick pans, the perfect size for two eggs. And then just slid them from the pan right onto the plate. Good post – thanks.

    Reply

  9. Deb

    The egg is indeed a very important component of my cooking! My husband prefers scrambled eggs but I will try your method of sunny-side-up as an alternative! Who knows, he may change his mind!

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Deb: The only ones that eat sunny-side up eggs at my home is my youngest and I. My husband only likes his eggs either scrambled or with well cooked, hard yolks (as well as my eldest daughter). Good luck! Thanks a lot for stopping by!

      Reply

  11. sallybr

    Great post, Denise! I had to smile reading the comments, I do exactly as Maureen, except that I usually don’t add butter, just olive oil, but the trick of the water works for me. I usually make only one egg, though – that makes the method more feasible, as you pointed out.

    It is one of my favorite lunches, a fried egg – I grew up with my Mom making it for me, I was SUCH a picky eater… that 90% of my lunches were fried eggs with “paozinho frances quentinho da padaria” (lembra? 😉

    Reply

  13. Liz

    Excellent tutorial, Denise! My hubby is the egg maker in the house, but I’ll file this away in case I ever need to make him breakfast 🙂

    Reply

  17. Amira

    I like my eggs to be firm not runny but my real problem is that it always starts to burn – the down side- while it is not completely done- the upper side- Do you have any suggestions? I’ve tried to lower the heat but still get the same result… It takes ages for that kind of eggs to get the yolk done the way I want :(. Yours look great though… very cool pictures as always.

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Thanks, Nydia! Before learning how to properly cook both hard-boiled and sunny-side up eggs, I could not accomplish to have great results. I am glad that these simple guidelines will benefit everyone.

      Reply

  20. Nami | Just One Cookbook

    5 stars
    Whether the egg is sunny side up or boiled, I love adding eggs to the meal – over rice, over meat, over anything! So it’s very crucial for me to make a good looking sunny side up to present the best egg on top of the other food. 🙂 Great tutorial post, Denise!!

    Reply

  21. Bunni

    Most un-useful info on sunny side up eggs. If You want to be helpful, please address the issue of getting the egg whites opaque without overcooking the yolk. Want the yolk not runny, but smooth, silky and thick like gravy. No offense. I just found your tips redundant.

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      It may be not useful for you but it is certainly useful for many others who continue to visit this specific post and found the tips helpful for them. There are recipes and how-to here for every cooking level. The time stated in the post to cook the eggs is for perfectly cooked sunny side-up eggs, that means, not overcooked, got it?

      Reply

  22. Cilla

    I just bought an egg ring, and tried it out. My first egg had a hard yolk after 3 minutes – I covered the pan so the top would cook. Then I found your site on google. My second egg cooked for 2.5 minutes uncovered. Much more tasty! However, the whites were still clear and runny towards the center. What should I do next time? Was the heat too low? The water steamed, and I turned down the heat when the oil started to splatter. Thanks for a MUCH tastier egg!!

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Hi Cila! Thank you for trying out my method. Is your stove top electric or gas? If electric, the burner that you used was dual or single? If gas, was the burner large or small? I ask bc the cooking time will vary according to these. I cooked mine on medium-low heat on a gas stove top over a large burner. I also did not use a ring which usually can make the cooking time longer bc the whites are not spread out. The size of the ring also matters. A larger ring make the whites cook faster than a smaller ring. I hope these help you to get your eggs perfectly cooked. Remember the whites cannot be clear otherwise they are not cooked. Yet the yolk has to be set but still runny. Please try to cook your eggs without the ring over medium-low heat (large burner if stove is gas) or over dual burner if electric. If cooking over single electric burner or a small gas burner, set temp to medium. Please try and see they will cook better and faster than using the ring. When you perfect the method, try again with the ring.
      Remember with the ring eggs will need to cook longer so the whites can cook well. Use medium-low heat at first and lower the heat only if oil start to splatter.

      Reply

  23. Joseph Kyle

    5 stars
    These are great instructions Denise! Thanks for posting this, and I’m glad so many have complimented you. It’s beautiful! I’ve also heard/and learned that if you use SUPER fresh eggs, or eggs that are almost out of date, they will hold together better when you cook them, as opposed to eggs just purchased from the market-which tend to spread pretty wide and crisp at the edges. —One more tip that has been helpful to me is, you never want to crack an egg on the side of a bowl or pan. Always on a hard flat surface. You’ll almost always avoid breaking the yolks and avoid broken pieces of shell. Thank you once again, as this was very helpful. Happy cooking!

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Joseph, thank you so much! I am glad this has been helpful to you. It has certainly for me. I get them right every single time following these simple instructions. Have a wonderful week!

      Reply

  24. Healthy Kitchen 101

    5 stars
    Sunny side up eggs are the first things my mind can think about for breakfast. It’s simple and fast to make. Yummy~
    – Natalie Ellis

    Reply

  25. Amy

    5 stars
    This was my first time making sunnyside up eggs and they turned out perfect after following your recipe! Thank you- I’m going to be making them on the regular now!

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Amy: I am so glad you enjoyed this method. I have been using it for years and mine always turn out perfect too. Enjoy! Have a yummy day!

      Reply

  26. Adele

    5 stars
    Hi! I am an 11 year old, and u love eggs. But I don’t like making my own breakfast. These eggs are so good that they motivate me to make my breakfast! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Adele, my dear! You made my day. It is so good to hear that you are motivated to make your own breakfast in such an early age. Most of all, you enjoyed this method. I have an 11 year old daughter and just like you, she loves these eggs. Please, keep cooking. Wishing you a delicious week!

      Reply

  27. Travis Terrell

    I cannot help but notice that these pictures show the egg yok not intact! This is always the demise of your eggs. I am quite curious as to why you didn’t do it again, with pictures following your advice

    However, now that your pictures have broached the topic, I wonder if you have any tips for dealing with cracked yolks? I feel like the best policy is to simply trash them. (I generally go ahead and cook them the best they are, but they are certainly far from “sunny side up.”

    In any case, any advice? (Also, why did you use these pics?!

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Travis, if you take a second look you will see the first picture shows the egg yolk intact. The second picture shows it runny because I pricked it to purposely get the runny effect. Have a good day!

      Reply

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