This article was updated on 10/07/2023 for clarity.
You can’t get much better than a freshly cooked omelet, but every minute in the morning counts.
So if you can shave a few off by cooking your omelet the night before and reheating it, perfect.
I’ve experimented with several different omelet reheating techniques to find out which one keeps the eggs soft on the inside and, most importantly, not rubbery.
The best way to reheat an omelet is by using a skillet. Heat some butter in a pan on a low-medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the omelet and heat it for 1-2 minutes on both sides. You can sub butter for oil, but butter gives the omelet a better flavor.
How I tested reheating an omelet
One evening I cooked up a batch of my favorite omelets – using a blend of onions, mushrooms, and parsley
(I might have had one for dinner – breakfast for dinner is the best right?!).
I left the omelets overnight and set about reheating them the following day. I tested four different reheating methods:
- In a skillet: the best method
- In the microwave: very convenient
- In the oven: slowest method
- In an air fryer: okay
I took notes on the texture of the omelets once I’d reheated them, as well as how they tasted.
Tip on make-ahead omelets
If you know you’re going to store your omelet to reheat later, avoid filling it with watery vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, or zucchini. These will get soggy quickly during storage and also release water while you’re heating the omelet. It’s better to go with more sturdy ingredients like mushrooms, meat, peppers, or potatoes.
You can also just prep all the fillings you want, store these in the fridge or the freezer, and then cook the eggs fresh (I stole this idea from ‘the batch lady‘). You’ll save a load of time not having to chop veg every morning!
How to reheat an omelet in a skillet
Time: 2-3 minutes
Rating: 9/10
- Melt some butter (or oil) in a pan on a low-medium heat.
- When the butter has melted, add the omelet.
- Heat the omelet for 1-2 minutes on both sides until it’s warmed all the way through.
Take the omelet out as soon as it’s heated all the way through, you don’t want to leave it too long or the eggs will overcook.
You may notice some water leaking out of the omelet as it heats, this is perfectly fine and you can just leave it to evaporate. You could even put a lid on the pan and use the steam to speed up the reheating process.
I always use butter as my source of fat in the pan because I like the flavor it adds to the omelet. But you can also use oil. Or bacon fat if you’re feeling really indulgent.
Results: This was the best reheating method for me. The butter re-invigorated the flavors of the omelet and the eggs didn’t dry out. You’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a reheated omelet and a fresh one from the stove.
How to reheat an omelet in the microwave
Time: 30 seconds
Rating: 6/10
- Line a microwave-safe plate with a dry paper towel (optional).
- Place your omelet on top of the dry paper towel and cover it with a damp paper towel.
- Reheat the omelet for 30 seconds before checking on it. If the omelet needs longer, add on an extra 10 seconds.
The bottom paper towel soaks up any excess water that the omelet releases as it cooks. This isn’t necessary, but be aware that the plate can get very watery if you have lots of vegetables in your omelet.
The damp paper towel creates steam in the microwave, which helps keep the omelet moist. If you don’t have any paper towels, then put a glass of water next to the omelet in the microwave.
Be very careful with the timing in the microwave. Omelets are easy to overcook, so go slowly and check often.
Results: There was no denying that the microwave was the quickest and easiest reheating method, but the texture of the omelet suffered. It was a lot chewier than the original omelet, but it still tasted fine. The microwave is okay for a speedy breakfast.
How to reheat an omelet in the oven
Time: 4-5 minutes
Rating: 7/10
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spray some non-stick oil on a baking tray or line it with parchment paper.
- Place the omelet on the baking tray. and cover it with aluminum foil.
- Put the omelet in the oven and heat it for 4-5 minutes until it’s heated through (less in a toaster oven).
You don’t want the eggs to stick to your baking tray, which is why you need some grease or fat. And covering the omelet with foil helps it retain moisture so it doesn’t dry out too much.
Results: For me, this method was too slow, it was almost longer than cooking the omelet from scratch! But the quality of the omelet was good, the eggs weren’t tough and it still tasted delicious. If you have a big family and everyone wants omelets for breakfast, I can see the oven coming in useful.
How to reheat an omelet in the air fryer
Time: 1-2 minutes
Rating: 6/10
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
- Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick spray or line it with some parchment paper.
- Place the omelet in the air fryer basket.
- Heat the omelet for 1-2 minutes.
Check on the omelet after a minute to see how hot it is. I always check early with an air fryer because they work so quickly.
If your omelet doesn’t fit in your air fryer basket, you can cut it in half. Layering stuff doesn’t always work out in an air fryer, so you’ll have to heat each half separately.
Results: The air fryer produced a nice omelet (but maybe a little overcooked) and it was very quick. However, a potential downside is that your omelet might not fit in the air fryer basket. This means you lose the speed advantage because you have to heat it in two rounds.
How to reheat a Spanish omelet
The best way to reheat a Spanish omelet is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and then cover the omelet in foil before baking for 5-10 minutes. Thicker omelets will take longer to reheat. You can also use the microwave. Cover the omelet with a damp paper towel and nuke it for 1-2 minutes.
How to store a leftover omelet
To store an omelet, put it in an airtight container lined with paper towels. You can keep an omelet in the fridge for 3-4 days or up until the use-by date of any perishable ingredients (e.g. ham). The paper towels soak up any excess moisture that leaks out of the omelet, so it doesn’t get too soggy.
If you need to store several omelets in one container, separate the layers with parchment paper or more paper towels.
Psst… if you know you’re going to store the omelet, it’s better t0 use sturdy fillings rather than watery ones.
Can you freeze omelets?
Yes, you can freeze omelets. Wait for your omelet to cool to room temperature before wrapping it in plastic wrap and putting it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. You can freeze several wrapped omelets in one bag. Squeeze the air out of the bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Omelets can last for up to a year in the freezer, but I find they start to lose some quality after three months. Getting as much air out of the bag as possible slows the development of freezer burn.
When you’re freezing omelets, opt for freezer-friendly fillings. Meat and cheese fillings freeze well, but with vegetables, you need to be more careful. Mushrooms, onions, and peppers freeze well. Tomatoes are a popular omelet ingredient but turn to mush upon thawing. Cooked spinach can also be really watery, but fresh spinach freezes well.
How do you thaw and reheat a frozen omelet?
To thaw an omelet, simply leave it on the counter to come to room temperature. This shouldn’t take long, but if you’re in a rush and want to speed the process up, you can submerge the sealed omelet in cold water.
If you want to use the frozen omelet as soon as you wake up, leave it in the fridge overnight or consider reheating it straight from frozen.
To reheat an omelet from frozen, you can use the oven or the microwave. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and heat the omelet for 8-10 minutes until it’s heated through. Or microwave the omelet for 45-60 seconds. The omelet will probably expel a lot of moisture during the reheating process. Drain this away before serving.
The BEST Way To Reheat An Omelet [Tested]
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 portion omelet
- 1 tbsp butter or oil
Instructions
- The stove is an excellent way of reheating an omelet because you can control the heat and make sure it doesn’t get too hot.
- Melt some butter (or oil) in a pan on a low-medium heat.
- When the butter has melted, add the omelet.
- Heat the omelet for 1-2 minutes on both sides until it’s warmed all the way through.Take the omelet out as soon as it’s heated all the way through, you don’t want to leave it too long, or the eggs will overcook.
- You may notice some water leaking out of the omelet as it heats, this is perfectly fine and you can just leave it to evaporate.You could even put a lid on the pan and use the heat from the steam to speed up the reheating process.
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