Fried eggs will be tastier when you cook them with 1 simple ingredient 3 chefs all love

Fried eggs remain one of the most fundamental yet straightforward dishes to perfect. Working with eggs generally forms the backbone of culinary expertise, and frying them offers a simple and delicious preparation method, whether served alongside sliced avocado on toast or accompanied by crispy bacon.

The secret to properly fried eggs lies in using just a small amount of fat. This fat prevents the egg from adhering to the pan's surface during cooking. However, your choice of fat does far more than simply act as a non-stick barrier. It influences everything from flavour to visual appeal. Whilst everyone has their preferred technique for frying eggs, the great fried egg debate ultimately boils down to one question: Should you be frying your eggs in butter or oil?

In an exclusive conversation with Express.co.uk, three chefs have revealed their preferred ingredient for frying eggs - and that's butter.

Jessica Randhawa, owner and head chef at The Forked Spoon, said: "The number one ingredient to upgrade fried eggs has to be the fat, which is used to make them fried.

"For me, that means high-quality salted butter, which gives it a rich, nutty flavour while creating a crisp, golden edge.

"The light salt in the butter enhances the natural flavour of the eggs without overpowering them."

Echoing Jessica's sentiments, Joanne Gallagher from Inspired Taste also advocates the use of butter. She stated, "Butter is my go-to for making fried eggs taste extra special.

"When it melts and foams in the pan, it gives the eggs lacy, golden edges while keeping the yolk rich and runny-perfect for scooping up with toast."

She highlighted that the fat aids in gently setting the eggs without compromising the silky yolk, resulting in an egg that's "simple, flavourful, and irresistible".

Kathy Berget, a culinary expert behind the blog Beyond the Chicken Coop, emphasised that "the number one ingredient to upgrade a fried egg is butter," specifically regular salted butter.

She added, "You want the taste of the egg to shine through, and butter adds the perfect touch to any fried egg."