Easy Denver Omelet (Baked Omelet Recipe!) - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between an omelet and a Denver omelet? ›

Denver omelet, an omelet with ham, onion, and bell pepper; cheese is sometimes included. Historians have speculated that the dish was originally served on bread as a sandwich, created by 19th-century cattle drivers in the American West or by Chinese railroad cooks as a sort of transportable egg foo yong.

Whisking air into the eggs is one secret to a fluffy omelet. Also, if you cook the omelet in a pan that's too large for the number of eggs used, it will naturally be flatter. On the other hand, you don't want to overload a small pan. This only increases the time needed to cook the eggs and can lead to a rubbery omelet.

The Denver omelet — a diner classic of eggs, bell peppers, onions, ham and often cheese — actually began as a sandwich made with those ingredients in the American West in the late 19th century.

Smoked salmon, scallion, tomato, avocado, & cream cheese..

Cheese: Almost any cheese you love will work, but be aware some cheeses melt better than others. Cheddars, mozzarella, and alpine cheeses like Gruyère all melt perfectly for an omelet, but other cheeses like feta, parmesan, or manchego will work too.

For a perfect omelet, he recommends using two eggs plus 2 tablespoons water. "Water lightens the omelet and makes it more mobile." As he explains it, in an omelet, it's the filling, not the eggs, that's the star. For scrambled eggs, use milk, half-and-half or heavy cream, which will make the eggs thick and rich.

If you want a lighter (not lighter in calories) and fluffier omelette, you can add a splash of water to the eggs which will create steam as it cooks. Or if you want a richer omelette, you can add a splash of milk or cream.

Omelettes should be cooked in the medium-low range on the stovetop. The temperature you cook an omelette on will depend on the heat of your stove and the type of pan you are using, but a medium heat is usually appropriate. The goal is to cook the omelette slowly, so that it sets properly and becomes fluffy.

How many eggs should be in an omelette? ›

Beat the eggs: Use two or three eggs per omelette, depending on how hungry you are. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Melt the butter: Use an 8-inch nonstick skillet for a 2-egg omelette, a 9-inch skillet for 3 eggs.

According to this theory, it's believed that the Denver Omelette was actually an evolution of egg foo young consumed by Chinese laborers working on the railroad. Others insist that the Denver Omelette started out as a sandwich which later took omelette form. Over time, we simply lost the bread but held onto the name.

But you may not known how it came to be. A plaque on California Street downtown says, "The Denver omelet was developed to mask the stale flavor of eggs shipped by wagon freight." A plaque on California Street in downtown Denver celebrates the city's namesake dish... and offers a recipe.

French omelets are served plain or with light fillings, folded tightly with a soft interior. American omelets are thicker and crispier and often served with heavier fillings. Although the ingredients are often the same, every other part of the process is different.