Diner-Style Asparagus, Bacon, and Gruyère Omelette for Two Recipe

Updated March 27, 2019

Why It Works

Whisking the eggs with salt and letting them rest breaks down their protein structure, allowing the omelette to retain more moisture and stay tenderer as it cooks.
Combining the warm sautéed vegetables and bacon with the cheese gives it a head start on melting.
Finishing the omelette off-heat keeps it tender and moist.

Just as with scrambled eggs, the method by which the eggs are heated and stirred is the primary factor that determines what kind of omelette you end up with. This smoky version, perfect for spring, uses my basic technique for diner-style omelettes with large, tender, browned curds and plenty of space for fillings.

A diner-style omelette stuffed with bacon and asparagus. . Photographs: J. Kenji López-Alt. Video: Serious Eats Video

This recipe is excerpted from my book, The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

How to Fill an Omelette | The Food Lab

Recipe Details

Diner-Style Asparagus, Bacon, and Gruyère Omelette for Two Recipe

Active 15 mins

Total 15 mins

Serves 2 servings

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Ingredients

4 or 5 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small bunch chopped chives, tarragon, or parsley
4 ounces (120g) bacon, diced
6 ounces asparagus (170g; 6 to 8 stalks), trimmed and sliced thinly on a bias
1 large shallot (about 2 ounces; 60g), thinly sliced
2 to 3 ounces (80g) grated Gruyère cheese
1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter

Directions

Combine the eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in a medium bowl and whisk until homogeneous and frothy, about 1 minute. Allow to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. The eggs should darken in color significantly.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring until crisp and browned, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and shallots, season to taste with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until asparagus is tender and starting to brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, add the cheese, and toss to combine. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and return it to medium heat.
Add the butter to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Re-whisk the eggs until foamy, then add to the skillet and cook, using a silicone spatula to push the edges in toward the center as they set and tilting the pan to spread the uncooked egg underneath. Continue pushing in the edges of the eggs and tilting the skillet, working all around the pan, until the omelette is almost set, about 45 seconds.
Sprinkle the asparagus and bacon over half of the omelette, remove from heat, cover, and let the omelette sit until it reaches the desired consistency, about 1 minute.
Using a silicone spatula, loosen the edges of the omelette from the skillet and shake the skillet to ensure that it's not stuck. Carefully fold the omelette in half, then slide it onto a serving plate and serve immediately.

Special equipment

10-inch nonstick skillet, silicone spatula

This Recipe Appears In

The Food Lab: A Quick Guide to Stuffing Omelettes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
689	Calories
55g	Fat
10g	Carbs
38g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	689
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 55g	70%
Saturated Fat 23g	116%
Cholesterol 565mg	188%
Sodium 1084mg	47%
Total Carbohydrate 10g	4%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 10mg	49%
Calcium 511mg	39%
Iron 4mg	20%
Potassium 621mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.