Healthy Eating 101 Healthy Cooking How-Tos 50 Inspiring Omelet Filling Ideas Get ideas for healthy omelet ingredients to jazz up your egg breakfast. By Chris Hughes Updated on September 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article View All In This Article The Best Cheeses for an Omelet The Best Meats for an Omelet The Best Vegetables for an Omelet The Best Herbs for an Omelet Other Delicious Omelet Fillings Delicious Omelet Combinations to Try In the breakfast hierarchy, the omelet ranks up there with the waffle, eggs Benedict and the breakfast taco. Ready in minutes, it's the perfect protein-packed vehicle for all kinds of ingredients, whether you're hungry for an over-the-top brunch or a lean weekday power breakfast. Cooking an omelet couldn't be easier. Just whisk together some eggs, cook them in a nonstick pan with a little oil or butter, add the filling of your choice, fold and serve. That said, there is some finesse involved in making a successful omelet. Get step-by-step instructions here. To help inspire your next omelet-making endeavor, we've put together some quick tips and five omelet ingredient categories to help construct countless winning combinations. The anatomy of a truly great omelet is broken down below, so even the most kitchen-averse can get out of a breakfast rut and serve up an omelet with flair. Try These: Healthy Omelet Recipes Pictured Recipe: Avocado & Kale Omelet The Best Cheeses for an Omelet Besides eggs, cheese is the most integral ingredient in an omelet. No matter how straightforward or eclectic you want to get with your fillings, this creamy buffer helps hold it together. There's nothing wrong with choosing classic grated Cheddar to complement some crispy bacon or well-seared breakfast sausage, but a softer cheese, like chèvre or an herby Boursin, amplifies the gooey factor and leaves you with creamy bite after creamy bite. Softer cheeses, stirred together with your proteins and cooked veggies, also help with ingredient integration, assuring that every bite has a little bit of everything. BoursinRicottaCream cheeseChèvreFetaPimiento cheeseGruyèreCheddarFontinaMozzarellaParmesan Read More: 5 Reasons Cheese Is Actually Good for Your Health Pictured Recipe: Avocado & Smoked Salmon Omelet The Best Meats for an Omelet You can stuff an omelet with just about any cooked meat: bacon, crab, sausage, sliced ham from your fridge's deli drawer, even lobster. Chef John Currence of Big Bad Breakfast in Oxford, Mississippi, admits that he sometimes throws in leftover fried chicken or shrimp and grits. The easygoing versatility of the omelet is part of its appeal. But here are a couple of things to keep in mind when adding your preferred meat(s): First, most of them already have lots of salt, so go easy when seasoning your eggs. Second, smaller cuts are better. Nobody wants to bite into a massive piece of fish, or accidentally pull out an entire strip of bacon in one bite. Whatever your protein of choice, take the time to cut it into manageable pieces. Smoked salmon or troutBaconPancettaChorizoCrabDeli hamProsciutto or country hamBreakfast sausageGrilled shrimpLobsterThinly sliced steak Read More: 20 Low-Carb Breakfasts Ready in 15 Minutes Pictured Recipe: Vegetable Omelets The Best Vegetables for an Omelet A lot of the same rules outlined in the meat section also apply here: namely, smaller equals better. So, slice those shiitakes, dice your tomatoes and smash your potatoes. Also, reserve the raw veggies for crudité and salads. Everything-from leeks and bell pepper to spring vegetables-needs to be cooked, preferably with good-quality butter or olive oil and a little bit of kosher salt. The one exception is avocados, which can be added in any form, whether thinly sliced, dolloped in guacamole or grilled and cubed. Sautéed mushroomsSpinachAvocadoTomatoesArtichoke heartsRoasted potatoes or hash brownsSautéed asparagusLeeksScallionsCaramelized onionRed or yellow bell pepperChile peppers (such as jalapeño or poblano) Try These: Breakfast Recipes with Eggs Pictured Recipe: Goat Cheese & Fresh Herb Omelet The Best Herbs for an Omelet Do you know what separates most home-prepped omelets from the fancy ones at your local bistro? Fresh herbs. Seriously, it's that simple. Omelets inherently veer toward the heavier side, so balancing them out with a pop of bright freshness is crucial. ChivesParsleyBasilDillThymeCilantro Your Ultimate Guide to Growing Herbs Indoors Pictured Recipe: Avocado & Arugula Omelet Other Delicious Omelet Fillings We expend so much energy thinking about what goes inside an omelet that we often fail to think about the outside. But if you really want to push your omelet creation to the next level, consider the extras. Think stewed tomatoes or okra ladled over a Cajun omelet brimming with blue crab. Or a schmear of sour cream and caviar to enhance a smoked salmon omelet with dill. Leftover veggie chili going to waste? Go full hangover-buster by serving it alongside an omelet stuffed with Cheddar, scallions and hash browns. The idea is to go fridge- (and pantry-) diving to upgrade even the most well-thought-out dish. Sour creamCaviarKimchiMixed greens (for a simple dressed salad)PestoHot sauceCrushed red pepperStewed okraChiliOld Bay seasoning Try These: Healthy Egg Recipes Carson Downing Pictured Recipe: 10-Minute Spinach Omelet Delicious Omelet Combinations to Try The options for omelet fillings are endless, but these mini recipes will kick you off toward your own creative combinations. Make an an Italian-style omelet by adding crispy pancetta, red bell pepper and ricotta. Toss in a few leaves of fresh basil.Take it Tex-Mex with chorizo, Cheddar and home fries. Sprinkle some chopped cilantro over the top.For the classic French omelet, add a judicious swipe of Boursin. Complement it with sliced chives, an egg's best friend.If you can't get enough of Korean flavors, consider a kimchi-stuffed omelet with a dollop of cream cheese or sour cream to cool off the potent punch of fermented cabbage.Go California-style with avocado, goat cheese and lightly dressed microgreens.Surprise even yourself with a big, bold omelet: thinly sliced steak, caramelized onions and a sprinkle of Gruyère. (If you're really feeling it, use a crumbly blue cheese instead.) Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit