Fines Herbes Omelet

Recipe from Jacques Pépin

Adapted by Jeff Gordinier

Updated June 4, 2026

  • Sang An for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
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Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(488)
Comments
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A proper French omelet is all about (you guessed it) technique. Luckily, Jacques Pépin is the master. Note that Mr. Pépin cracks eggs on his cutting board, not against the rim of the mixing bowl. (This prevents any bacteria on the surface of the shells from getting into the bowl.) In the pan, Mr. Pépin maintains a kind of Tilt-a-Whirl shaking and spinning and scraping of the pan, keeping the eggs constantly in motion. —Jeff Gordinier

Featured in: There’s the Wrong Way and Jacques Pépin’s Way

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 10 large eggs, preferably organic

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon pepper

  • ½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh herbs (¼ cup parsley, and ¼ cup combined tarragon, chives and chervil)

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

2 grams carbs; 480 milligrams cholesterol; 264 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 328 milligrams sodium; 16 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Using a fork, beat the eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the herbs.

  2. Step 2

    Heat half the oil and butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. When the oil and butter are hot, add half the egg mixture. Stir continuously with a fork, shaking the pan, for about 2 minutes to create the smallest-possible curds. When most of the egg is solid, cook it without stirring for 10 seconds to create a thin skin on the underside.

  3. Step 3

    Roll the omelet by folding over one side and then the opposite site, and invert it onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make a second omelet. Cut each omelet in half.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
488 user ratings
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Comments

Judy Epstein

I would dearly love to know what kind of non-stick surface survives this onslaught of metal fork...so I can buy a set!

Elf

You can buy a silicone coated whisk and use that instead of the fork

Lynn

Any good pan with do this if you make sure the pan is hot before you put anything in it. Get the pan hot, add oil, swirl to coat, add the eggs and let them set up a little before you stir up the bottom.

Simple single omlet with fresh herbs

Late December 2925Easy and delicious

peppermill

The choice of herbs makes this. Chives are great.

Summer

Instead of metal fork, I used wooden chopsticks to achieve small curds without scratching the nonstick coating.

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Credits

Adapted from “Essential Pépin” by Jacques Pépin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011)

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