Western Omelette With Bell Pepper, Onion, Ham, and Cheese Recipe

Thanks to nicely browned onions, bell peppers, ham, and a pinch of smoked paprika, this omelette truly tastes like the West.

Daniel Gritzer

Updated March 21, 2023

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A Western omelette with bell peppers, onion, ham, and cheese on an oval plate. — Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer

Why It Works

Seasoning the eggs with salt first allows the salt to break down the eggs' protein structure, leading to a more tender omelette.
Mixing the cheese with the sautéed ham and vegetables gets a jump-start on its melting.
Adding a pinch of smoked paprika enhances the campfire aroma a Western omelette should have.

In some parts of the United States this omelette is known as a Western omelette; in others it's a Denver omelette. Either way, the names tell us everything we need to know about how to make this diner classic truly sing. It's not enough to just stuff some cooked onions, bell peppers, ham, and cheese into eggs; we need to harness the spirit of this creation. It should taste like you've just woken up on the prairie, the cows are grazing on dewy grass while your horse swats gnats with its tail; you set a cast iron skillet on the campfire and roast those vegetables over the smoky flames, charring them in spots. That's the flavor this omelette should evoke.

How do we do that? For starters, we make sure to cook the onion, bell pepper, and ham hard enough to brown them in spots, so that they start to pick up a smoky flavor all on their own. Then we add just a pinch of smoked paprika, which adds more peppery depth and a real kick of campfire smoke. (Don't have smoked paprika? Try one drop of liquid smoke, or just skip it—the omelette will still be very good.)

To make the omelette itself, we follow Kenji's method for a classic American-style one, with big, fluffy curds and some browning on the outside.

Take note, this recipe makes one whopper of an omelette, and while a hungry cattle driver could probably gobble the whole thing up all on their own, this is something most people (lookin' at you, city slickers!) will want to split in two.

June 2020

Recipe Details

Western Omelette With Bell Pepper, Onion, Ham, and Cheese Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Cook 20 mins

Active 20 mins

Total 25 mins

Serves 2 servings

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Ingredients

5 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
2 ounces (55g) grated cheddar, pepper Jack, or Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, divided
Half of one large green, red, or yellow bell pepper (4 ounces; 110g), stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
One quarter of one medium yellow onion (2 ounces; 55g), cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 1/2 ounces (70g) ham (about 3 slices), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Pinch smoked paprika

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, season eggs with salt and pepper, then whisk until homogeneous and frothy. Set aside.
Meanwhile, add cheese to a medium heatproof mixing bowl. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat, swirling, until lightly browned. Add bell pepper and onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and ham are browned in spots and smell pleasantly smoky, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in smoked paprika and freshly ground black pepper. Scrape vegetables and ham into the cheese and stir to combine.
Wipe out skillet and set over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook until melted and lightly browned. Re-whisk eggs until foamy, then add to 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 omelette is almost set, about 45 seconds.
Sprinkle ham, vegetables, and cheese over half of omelette, remove from heat, cover, and let omelette sit until mostly or fully cooked through on top (depending on your preferred consistency), about 1 minute.
Using silicone spatula, loosen the edges of the omelette from skillet and shake skillet to ensure that it's not stuck. Carefully fold omelette in half to enclose the filling, then slide it onto a serving plate and serve immediately.

Special Equipment

10-inch nonstick skillet, silicone spatula

Make-Ahead and Storage

This omelette is best made right before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
477	Calories
35g	Fat
8g	Carbs
31g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	477
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g	45%
Saturated Fat 17g	86%
Cholesterol 548mg	183%
Sodium 1023mg	44%
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 102mg	512%
Calcium 289mg	22%
Iron 3mg	16%
Potassium 482mg	10%
*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.