Eggs are the one ingredient every cooking culture has figured out its own way to use, and the differences are bigger than poached versus fried. A steamed Korean side dish, a Persian herb bake, a French tart, and a Chinese breakfast stir-fry all start from the same two or three eggs and end up nowhere near each other.
Here are 20 dishes that show that range, from a five-minute pan of scrambled eggs to a soufflé that needs its own timer. Every one links to the full recipe, with the specific technique that makes it work.
1. Eggs Benedict, United States
Poached eggs and Canadian bacon on toasted English muffins, draped in rich, buttery hollandaise.
Recipe: Poached eggs and ham on toasted muffins, topped with hollandaise.
Get the full recipe: Eggs Benedict.
2. Shakshuka, North Africa
Eggs poached in a thick, spiced tomato and pepper sauce, finished with feta and fresh herbs.
Recipe: Eggs simmered in a spiced tomato-pepper sauce, served straight from the pan.
Get the full recipe: Shakshuka.
3. Tortilla de Patatas, Spain
A thick Spanish potato omelette, slow-cooked potatoes and onion bound in egg, soft in the middle.
Recipe: Thinly sliced potatoes slow-cooked in oil, bound in egg, set into a thick omelette.
Get the full recipe: Tortilla de Patatas.
4. French Omelette, France
A delicate, softly set omelette rolled into a smooth, pale cylinder with a creamy center.
Recipe: Eggs whisked smooth, cooked low and stirred constantly, rolled into a soft cylinder.
Get the full recipe: French Omelette.
5. Çılbır, Türkiye
Poached eggs over garlicky yogurt, finished with a sizzling spoonful of warm chilli butter.
Recipe: Poached eggs set over garlicky yogurt, finished with hot paprika butter.
Get the full recipe: Çılbır.
6. Menemen, Türkiye
Eggs softly scrambled into jammy tomatoes and green peppers, cooked and served in one pan.
Recipe: Tomatoes and peppers cooked down, eggs stirred through and left softly set.
Get the full recipe: Menemen.
7. Huevos Rancheros, Mexico
Fried eggs on lightly fried tortillas, covered in charred tomato-chile salsa, with refried beans.
Recipe: Fried eggs on tortillas, topped with tomato-chile salsa and refried beans.
Get the full recipe: Huevos Rancheros.
8. Scotch Eggs, United Kingdom
A soft-boiled egg wrapped in seasoned sausage meat, breaded and fried until deep golden.
Recipe: Soft-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, breaded and fried until golden.
Get the full recipe: Scotch Eggs.
9. Tamagoyaki, Japan
A rolled Japanese omelette built in thin layers, lightly sweet, savory, and custardy inside.
Recipe: Thin layers of seasoned egg, rolled one at a time into a tall, even log.
Get the full recipe: Tamagoyaki.
10. Omurice, Japan
Ketchup fried rice with chicken, wrapped in a soft omelette and finished with more ketchup.
Recipe: Ketchup fried rice wrapped in a soft draped omelette, finished with ketchup.
Get the full recipe: Omurice.
11. Gyeran-jjim, South Korea
Fluffy, savory steamed eggs, puffed well above the rim of a hot earthenware bowl.
Recipe: Whisked eggs and stock, steamed in a hot bowl until puffed and wobbly.
Get the full recipe: Gyeran-jjim.
12. Chinese Steamed Eggs, China
Silky eggs gently steamed with stock, finished with soy sauce and a little sesame oil.
Recipe: Whisked eggs loosened with warm stock, steamed low and slow until silky.
Get the full recipe: Chinese Steamed Eggs.
13. Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry, China
Soft scrambled eggs folded through juicy, lightly sweet stir-fried tomatoes, served over rice.
Recipe: Eggs scrambled separately, folded into saucy stir-fried tomatoes.
Get the full recipe: Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry.
14. Egg Bhurji, India
Scrambled eggs cooked down with onion, tomato, green chile and spices, loose and crumbly.
Recipe: Eggs scrambled into a spiced onion-tomato base, broken into small curds.
Get the full recipe: Egg Bhurji.
15. Egg Curry, India
Boiled eggs simmered in a deeply fried onion-tomato gravy, finished with warm spices.
Recipe: Boiled eggs simmered in a slow-fried onion-tomato masala gravy.
Get the full recipe: Egg Curry.
16. Kuku Sabzi, Iran
A thick, herb-packed Persian egg dish, bound by just enough egg to hold its shape.
Recipe: Fresh herbs and egg, baked or pan-set into a thick, green-flecked dish.
Get the full recipe: Kuku Sabzi.
17. Quiche Lorraine, France
A savory pastry tart with a silky egg-and-cream custard and smoky bacon, no cheese required.
Recipe: Blind-baked pastry filled with bacon and a silky egg-and-cream custard.
Get the full recipe: Quiche Lorraine.
18. Œufs en Cocotte, France
Eggs gently baked in cream over sautéed mushrooms, served straight from the ramekin.
Recipe: Eggs baked in a water bath with cream and mushrooms, soft yolks intact.
Get the full recipe: Œufs en Cocotte.
19. Frittata di Zucchine, Italy
An open-faced egg dish with tender, golden courgettes, Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Recipe: Courgettes cooked until golden, set in egg and Parmesan, finished under the broiler.
Get the full recipe: Frittata di Zucchine.
20. Soufflé au Fromage, France
An airy baked cheese soufflé with a golden crown, best served the moment it leaves the oven.
Recipe: A cheese béchamel lightened with whisked egg whites, baked until risen and golden.
Get the full recipe: Soufflé au Fromage.
good to have in the kitchen
A handful of things come up again and again across this list. None are strictly required, but they make the difference between a good version and the real one.
A a tamagoyaki pan, the right straight-sided shape for rolling tamagoyaki, and useful for any thin omelette on this list.
A a fine-mesh sieve, straining whisked eggs is what gives Chinese steamed eggs and gyeran-jjim their silky, bubble-free texture.
A a deep-fry thermometer, the only reliable way to keep Scotch eggs at the right oil temperature so the sausage cooks through without overdoing the yolk.
A a set of ceramic ramekins, built for œufs en cocotte, and handy for individual soufflés too.
A a fluted tart tin, what a proper Quiche Lorraine needs under its pastry.
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