Dinner Omelet

Omelet with vegetable bits and melted cheese on a plate

The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Yield: 1 large omelet

Omelets are an easy and nutritious choice for a quick meal, especially on a weeknight. Many people don't think of serving breakfast for dinner, but dishes like omelets are healthy, budget-friendly, and are easily adaptable to what you have at hand. Ham, cheese, veggies, or grains—anything and everything is fair game in the omelet-building business. You simply need to choose a flavor profile, like earthy mushrooms, vibrant crunchy vegetables, or creamy and tangy cheese. Then beat your eggs and eat dinner in 20 minutes or less.

They're beautiful as breakfast or brunch fare, but we should heed the French tradition and use more eggs for dinner. They're filling and quick to make. Serve with a fresh salad, bacon, cooked vegetables, a small bowl of soup, bread, biscuits, tortilla chips, smoky sausages, naan, or anything that suits your appetite. Omelets are a fantastic choice that's also kid-friendly.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup milk

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms

  • 1/2 cup chopped tomato

  • 3 tablespoons minced green onion

  • 1/2 cup shredded havarti cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for dinner omelet recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  2. Combine the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and beat well to mix.

    Foamy egg and milk mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  3. Place a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Starting the omelet with a hot pan helps the omelet form a golden-brown crust.

    Egg mixture poured into a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  4. Reduce the heat to low. As the eggs cook, pull the mixture to the center of the pan with a rubber spatula and gently lift the cooked portions to allow the uncooked egg mixture to flow underneath​​. Be careful not to break up the omelet shape.

    Partially cooked egg mixture in a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  5. Cook until the eggs are just set and the bottom is barely lightly golden but the top is still shiny and moist.

    Egg mixture with a shiny and moist top in a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  6. Sprinkle the mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, and cheese evenly over the eggs.

    Vegetables and cheese sprinkled over eggs in the pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  7. Fold the omelet in half using a rubber spatula. Cover, and cook for one minute longer to allow the cheese to melt.

    Omelet folded over the vegetables and cheese filing in the pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  8. Cut in half, plate, and eat immediately.

    Omelet with vegetable bits and melted cheese on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  9. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

There are no rules for omelet fillings! Making one can be a great way to use up leftover cooked veggies, bits and pieces of raw veggies, small chunks of cheese, the last slices of ham, and even cooked grains like quinoa or barley. Use our egg base and choose from these tasty ideas:

  • Green omelet: Use a mixture of zucchinis, green peppers, spinach, white onions, and kale as your vegetable base and top with a generous amount of grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.
  • Red omelet: Use a mixture of halved cherry tomatoes, red peppers, chili flakes, chopped radicchio, and red onions as your vegetable base and top with a couple of slices of fresh mozzarella.
  • Meaty omelet: Use a mixture of sweet onions and red and green peppers as your vegetable base and add cooked sausage, bacon, or cubed ham. Top with shredded cheddar.
  • Cheesy Omelet: Use a simple mixture of onions and peppers as your vegetable base and add generous amounts—1/2 to 3/4 cup—of the cheese of your choice. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Gruyere, Swiss, Colby, or even goat's cheese goes great with eggs. Serve with a fresh green salad.
  • Grain Omelet: Use a mixture of onions, zucchini, kale, and chili flakes as your vegetable base. Stuff the omelet with cooked and seasoned quinoa, farro, or barley. Fold and serve with a side of ricotta.
  • Faux Spanish tortilla omelet: Use 1/2 cup of cooked potatoes and onions as your vegetable base. Add the eggs and let the omelet set a little further than usual so it browns on the bottom. Flip and let cook for 1 minute. Fold and serve with a mini charcuterie display of ham, olives, and cubed Manchego cheese.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
344 Calories
25g Fat
7g Carbs
22g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 344
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Cholesterol 418mg 139%
Sodium 505mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 9mg 45%
Calcium 314mg 24%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 486mg 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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)