Here's Our Simple Secret to an Amazing Omelet

Omelets can be scary: it's like the entire population of France is watching, just waiting for you to mess up. But the good news is there's no one way to make a "perfect" omelet. Your preferences should guide you—and this is the case with everything we eat, by the way. While classic French technique calls for a pale yellow omelet without a hint of brown, for instance, I like my omelet—and all of my eggs for that matter—to have a little more color.

Last week, Justin Chapple, friend of the Live, stopped by to talk omelets with us. Well, he was here to teach us how to make cauliflower rice. But, as often happens when we invite friends into the kitchen, he dropped some useful and unexpected knowledge. We've already covered his ginger peeling tip and food processor vs. blender theories, and now we're proud to serve up his super smart and easy technique for making a fluffy omelet with ease—and without all the stress.

We used the Golden Omelet (that's what I'm calling it) in Justin's wickedly tasty Cauliflower Fried "Rice" with Ginger and Soy, but I just made one for lunch and it was delicious on its own (with a little cheese, of course). Here's how to make it:

Beat 2 to 4 eggs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil (or vegetable oil or butter) in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.

Swirl the fat around and add your eggs. As soon as they start to set, and starting at the 4 o'clock spot on the skillet, use a spatula to push the eggs gently toward the center.

Tip the skillet back in the direction that the eggs came from so that uncooked egg runs back to cover the surface of the skillet. Repeat this motion all the way around the skillet. The eggs should gently pleat and start to look like a rose.

You'll notice that the eggs are set around the edge but pretty raw and loose on top. That's a good thing.

Now comes your freestyle moment. You can scatter the top of the omelet with chopped herbs, some grated cheese, or a small handful of cooked and leftover vegetables. Or leave it as is.

Next, fold the omelet over itself into a half moon shape to reveal a dappled golden exterior. Worried about the uncooked egg? Don't worry. It will "carry over cook" thanks to the heat trapped between the top and bottom layers.

Dismount your Golden Omelet onto a plate, top with an herb and onion salad and grab a fork. Or transfer it to a board and chop into pieces for that stir fry, a salad, or little kid fingers. Easy, right? Better to not be so focused on someone else's idea of perfection, right? That's what I thought.

Simple is always my first choice, but for an over the top version, this Crispy Potato Omelet with Smoky Aioli can't be beat.