Weird Ways to Cook Eggs You Haven’t Thought of Yet

The humble egg isn't above being poached, scrambled, hard-boiled, fried — even pickled. But isn't it time we found new tricks for this fan favorite.

Eggs need no introduction. They've shown up to breakfast as a luxurious, custardy scramble. Made an otherwise boring salad a revelation just by being there — all soft-boiled and jammy. They’ve also arrived sunny-side up, ready to save dinner on more occasions than you can count.

So it makes sense that at this point, you may think you know everything there is to know about the humble egg. But you'd be wrong. The egg is a powerhouse of protein and healthy fats ripe for culinary invention. And here are 5 more ways to put an egg on just about anything.

Soft-Cook Them

Enjoy the satisfaction of cracking a soft-cooked egg (or Onsen Tamago in Japanese cooking) right into your bowl of ramen — no magical hot spring or sous vide machine required. Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil, then remove the pot from the stove. Dilute the boiling water with 3/4 cup room temperature water (the magical temperature here is 167 degrees F). Drop in your egg and cover the pot. Let it sit for about 17 minutes. Chill the egg in an ice bath to save for later, or use immediately, cracking the soft-cooked egg over pasta, soup, porridge or even a slice of avocado toast. 

Brulee Them

Like a creme brulee, minus all the hassle of making a silky-smooth custard. Just soft-boil some eggs, then peel and slice in half. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and a healthy pinch of sugar, then torch them. The caramelized sugars will transform the egg into a sweet, crunchy bite. Serve immediately to your hungry friends waiting for a sweet bite to end dinner (that is, if they make it out of the kitchen).

Cure Them

The lip-smacking power of cured egg yolks won't disappoint. Combine equal parts sugar and kosher salt — enough to fill a wide, shallow container (reserve some of the cure for topping the yolks). Make shallow wells in the cure mixture, and fill each well with an egg yolk. Cover with more of the salt-sugar cure, cover the container and refrigerate for about 1 week. Once the yolks have sufficiently cured — they will be solid and just a little pliable — dust them off and bake in a 200 degrees F oven for about 30 minutes to finish the drying process. Grate the yolks over pasta, vegetables or anything else that would benefit from a salty bite.

Separate Them

Have you felt the disappointment of sinking your fork in a chalky, overcooked yolk? Never again with this hack. First step, separate your egg. Then add the whites to a hot pan greased with butter. Once the whites start to set, top with your yolk. Cover the pan and cook for about a minute. Slide your perfectly-cooked sunny-side up egg onto your breakfast plate and marvel at just how easy that was.

Bag Them

The secret to an impeccably cooked omelet is a plastic bag. All you need for this foolproof method is a pot of simmering water, a resealable plastic bag, eggs and your favorite fillings. Crack two or three eggs into the bag, give it a shake and sprinkle in your fillings and seasonings. Put the bag in the water until the eggs set. Voila! Easiest omelet ever.