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Fluffy Diner-Style Cheese Omelet

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on June 13, 2013

Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Fluffy Diner-Style Cheese Omelet

Ingredients

3 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled5 large eggs, room temperature¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Before You Begin

Although this recipe will work with any electric mixer, a handheld mixer makes quick work of whipping such a small amount of cream. If using a standing mixer in step 1, transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl, wipe out the mixing bowl, and then beat the eggs in the clean bowl. Assemble with Sausage and Pepper Filling for Fluffy Diner-Style Omelet, if desired.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Set whipped cream aside. Beat eggs and salt in clean bowl on high speed until frothy and eggs have tripled in size, about 2 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into eggs.
  2. Melt butter in 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, swirling pan to completely coat bottom and sides with melted butter. Add egg mixture and cook until edges are nearly set, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese (and half of filling, if using) and transfer to oven. Bake until eggs are set and edges are beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
  3. Carefully remove pan from oven (handle will be very hot). Sprinkle with remaining cheese (and remaining filling, if using) and let sit, covered, until cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute. Tilt pan and, using rubber spatula, push half of omelet onto cutting board. Tilt skillet so that omelet folds over itself to form half-moon. Cut omelet in half. Serve.

Fluffy Diner-Style Cheese Omelet

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled
5 large eggs, room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled
5 large eggs, room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled
5 large eggs, room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Typical omelets make a fine breakfast or light dinner, but diner-style omelets can satisfy the biggest of appetites. We wanted to make our cheese omelet to be impossibly tall and fluffy and loaded with cheese and other fillings, but the recipes we tried left us with flat and flabby eggs. Incorporating air into the eggs with a mixer made our cheese omelet tall and fluffy. The cream’s fat made it impossible to whip air into the eggs, but we found a way to work around this: We whipped the cream first and then folded it into the whipped eggs. After letting the bottom of the omelet set on the stovetop, we popped the skillet into a preheated oven, and just six minutes later had a puffy, fluffy omelet, cooked to perfection.

Before You Begin

Although this recipe will work with any electric mixer, a handheld mixer makes quick work of whipping such a small amount of cream. If using a standing mixer in step 1, transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl, wipe out the mixing bowl, and then beat the eggs in the clean bowl. Assemble with Sausage and Pepper Filling for Fluffy Diner-Style Omelet, if desired.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Set whipped cream aside. Beat eggs and salt in clean bowl on high speed until frothy and eggs have tripled in size, about 2 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into eggs.
  2. Melt butter in 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, swirling pan to completely coat bottom and sides with melted butter. Add egg mixture and cook until edges are nearly set, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese (and half of filling, if using) and transfer to oven. Bake until eggs are set and edges are beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
  3. Carefully remove pan from oven (handle will be very hot). Sprinkle with remaining cheese (and remaining filling, if using) and let sit, covered, until cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute. Tilt pan and, using rubber spatula, push half of omelet onto cutting board. Tilt skillet so that omelet folds over itself to form half-moon. Cut omelet in half. Serve.

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