Knowing how to fry an egg is one of the most useful skills to learn in the kitchen. Fried eggs are a must-have for breakfast, or really any meal. As long as you can fry an egg, you can take a piece of buttered toast, a bowl of salad greens, or a scoop of steamed rice to the next level. Here’s a step-by-step guide to cooking fried eggs exactly the way you want them, whether it’s sunny-side-up, over-easy, over-medium, or over-hard.

Why you’ll love it

Key ingredients in fried eggs

What to serve with fried eggs

Fried Egg

Serves 1

1 teaspoon neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola

1 large egg

1 pinch kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

1. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for about 1 1/2 minutes. Wipe the bottom of the skillet with a paper towel dipped in 1 teaspoon neutral oil.

2. Crack 1 large egg into a small bowl, and gently tip into the center of the skillet, letting the white begin to set before the yolk hits the pan. (Alternatively, you can slowly crack the egg directly into the skillet.) Sprinkle with 1 pinch kosher salt, and let the egg cook undisturbed until the whites close to the yolk start to set, about 2 minutes.

For sunny-side-up:

1. Cover and cook until the white is set and the yolk is done to your preference, about 30 seconds for runny and 1 1/2 minutes for set.

For over-easy:

1. Carefully flip the egg with a thin spatula and cook briefly until the white and yolk touching the pan are set, but the yolk is still runny, about 30 seconds.

For over-medium:

1. Carefully flip the egg with a thin spatula. Cook until the white is completely set and the yolk is creamy and partially set on the outside and slightly thickened but still runny on the inside, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.

For over-hard:

1. Carefully flip the egg with a thin spatula and cook until the white and yolk are completely set, 4 to 4 1/2 minutes.

2. Transfer to a plate and top with a few grinds of black pepper if desired.

Recipe note: Fried eggs are best eaten immediately after cooking.

(Patty Catalano is the food editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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