How to Perfect an Egg Omelet in a Mug
For a long time, I fantasized about flipping personalized scrambled eggs onto my kiddos’ plates each morning, and gathering around the breakfast table as a family to start the day. My fantasy usually included me wearing coordinated pearls and pumps like June Cleaver while we enjoyed our healthy, well-balanced meal together.
Cut to my real life and the chaos of a morning as it really is: three kids in constant motion, moving in opposite directions, with two grown-ups trying desperately to adult as we all attempt to get out the door in one piece. Complete anarchy. Ironically, you could say eggs are the only thing NOT in our breakfast scramble each day. Needless to say, my fantasy was fried.
But I do still cling to the hope that everyone starts the day with his or her belly full of something relatively healthy. So I’m always looking for something as easy to eat as it is easy to prepare. Something simple enough for my picky eater and packed with enough protein for my athletes.
Enter the mug omelet.
So simple, so quick, so delicious! Here’s how to make it even better.
Omelet in a Mug Recipe
Fascinating, right? An omelet in a mug? The recipe is absolutely brilliant, too—easy to tailor to individual taste and simply delicious. Here’s the basic recipe:Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper
- Cooking spray
- A coffee mug
Instructions:
- Grease your favorite coffee mug.
- Crack the eggs into the mug and season with salt and pepper; whisk together with a fork.
- Place the mug in the microwave and cook for 90 seconds. Microwave longer, in 15-second increments, if needed. Larger mugs and more eggs will require a longer cook time.
- Let cool for at least one minute before serving.
5 Pro Tips for Breakfast-in-a-Mug Makers
So simple, so quick, so delicious! Here’s how to make it even better.
- Grease it Up. There are very few ways to mess up this recipe, but not spraying the mug is one of those ways. For the love of breakfast: Spray. The. Mug. Or butter it, or oil it. Just make sure it is sufficiently greased before you drop anything into it.Bottom line: you don’t want to ruin this beautifully simple breakfast by having to scrub caked egg out of your favorite mug. Or worse yet, have a leftover egg chunk float to the top of tomorrow’s coffee. Yuck.
- Give ‘Em a Fluff. For super fluffy eggs, add a little milk or cream before you scramble them. If you’re looking to cut calories, use only the egg whites.
- Season ‘Em. Start with salt and pepper, as the basic recipe directs you, and personalize with spices a new way each time – fresh herbs from your kitchen window box, BBQ sauce, even chili mixes are all wonderful additions. For maximum flavor, add your seasonings when the eggs are still raw.
- Play With the Fixins’. That is, have fun with toppings to incorporate into your mug omelets. Offer up shredded cheddar cheese and ketchup on the side for your pickiest eater; maple sausage, diced potatoes and chopped onions and peppers for your adventurous eaters; and a hash of last night’s leftovers for the grown-ups.Want even more ideas? A crumbled taco meat stir-in with a finishing dollop of sour cream is delicious too, as are shredded BBQ and caramelized onions. My personal favorite is an Italian take: herbaceous pesto with freshly-grated Parmesan and diced tomatoes.
- Chill Out. Even the fanciest mug omelet takes about 5 minutes to make from prep to dig in, so take your time and let it cool. You can’t enjoy your delicious concoction with a burnt tongue.
