Fry Your Eggs In This Unlikely Ingredient For The Perfect Subtle Flavor Boost

Jazzing up a fried egg is often something we do, whether it's adding a drizzle of hot sauce or garnishing with chopped herbs. But if you really want to add flavor to the egg itself, it needs to start during cooking. Set aside your butter or neutral oil and instead reach for the sesame oil.

Sesame oil has a unique nutty flavor that will add an umami boost. Regardless of how you use this egg, frying it in sesame oil will ensure there's flavor in every bite. Sesame oil comes in two varieties: regular and toasted sesame oil. Regular sesame oil will provide a mild nuttiness, but the fuller flavor is found in the toasted oil. You may have been advised not to fry with this oil due to its low smoke point, but the medium heat required for the perfect fried egg won't be enough to burn it.

If you want to double down on the sesame flavor, you can also sprinkle sesame seeds into the oil before cracking the egg into the pan. These will toast as the egg cooks, giving you a textured, crunchy base.

The flavor added by the sesame oil (and perhaps a sprinkling of salt) means this egg is delicious in even the simplest settings. Add to a bowl of white rice with a bit of chili crisp and you have a comforting snack perfect for late-night cravings.

Sesame oil's prevalence in Asian cooking makes this a natural addition for some of your favorite Chinese, Japanese, or Korean dishes. It's an easy way to add extra depth of flavor to bibimbap, a new element to stir-fried greens, or to turn your instant ramen into something more gourmet.

The sesame flavor is also a common feature in dishes around the Middle East and Mediterranean, meaning you can build layers with the taste. An egg fried in quality sesame oil would be the perfect finishing touch to a grain bowl with fresh vegetables, hummus, and a sprinkling of sesame-laden za'atar.

If fried eggs mean breakfast to you, then slide this sesame egg on top of avocado toast and sprinkle with sesame seeds for a plate worthy of an upmarket cafe. An extra drizzle of sesame oil to finish would really bring it all together. Or you could stick with Asian flavors and build a Korean-style breakfast sandwich, with kimchi, cheese, and the fried egg.