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Quick answer: Extra virgin olive oil is the best oil to fry eggs for most people. It tastes good with eggs, gives crispy edges, and held up best in a heating study of common cooking oils. If you want a neutral taste, use avocado oil, but pick a brand that tested as pure, like Chosen Foods. Butter tastes great but burns faster, so keep the heat low or use ghee. Everyday oils like canola are fine too: the American Heart Association lists them as healthy cooking oils.
Table of Contents
Best Oils to Fry Eggs, Compared
| Fat | Taste | Heat | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra virgin olive oil | Fruity, peppery | Low to medium | Everyday eggs, crispy edges |
| Avocado oil | Neutral | Low to medium-high | A clean egg taste |
| Butter | Rich | Low only | Soft, tender eggs |
| Ghee (clarified butter) | Nutty, buttery | Low to medium | Butter flavor without burning |
| Canola or vegetable oil | Neutral | Low to medium | A cheap, everyday option |
Frying Eggs in Olive Oil: Our Top Pick
Yes, you can fry eggs in olive oil, including extra virgin. Eggs cook at low to medium heat, so you don’t need an oil with a very high smoke point. What matters more is how well the oil holds up when heated.
A 2018 study heated ten common cooking oils, including canola, sunflower, avocado and coconut. Extra virgin olive oil produced the fewest breakdown compounds, and an oil’s smoke point didn’t predict how stable it was. One thing to know: the lead researcher works for an Australian olive oil company, so treat it as one useful study rather than the final word.
For olive oil with plenty of flavor, Atlas Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Morocco is a well-reviewed pick. The maker markets it as high in polyphenols, the natural antioxidants in olive oil. Any fresh extra virgin olive oil you enjoy the taste of will fry an egg well, so you don’t need the priciest bottle.
How to Fry an Egg in Olive Oil
- Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned pan over medium-low heat.
- Add about 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and let it warm until it shimmers. Don’t let it smoke.
- Crack the egg into the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the white is set.
- For crispy, lacy edges, use a little more oil and medium heat, and spoon the hot oil over the white as it cooks.
- Season with salt and pepper, then serve sunny side up or flip for over-easy.
Avocado Oil for Frying Eggs
Yes, frying eggs in avocado oil is a healthy choice. According to USDA nutrition data, avocado oil is about 71% monounsaturated fat, 12% saturated and 14% polyunsaturated, a fat profile similar to olive oil, and it has a neutral taste, so the egg tastes like egg. The catch is quality. A 2020 UC Davis study found that at least 82% of the avocado oil samples it tested were stale or mixed with other oils, and some bottles labeled pure were almost entirely soybean oil. Chosen Foods Avocado Oil was one of only two brands whose samples were both pure and fresh.
If you want a cheaper bottle, this store-brand pure avocado oil is well rated, though we don’t know whether it has been independently tested for purity.
Avocado Oil or Olive Oil for Frying Eggs?
Both are good choices, and their fats are close. USDA data puts olive oil at about 73% monounsaturated fat and 14% saturated fat, against about 71% and 12% for avocado oil. Pick extra virgin olive oil if you like its flavor with eggs, since it held up best in the 2018 heating study above. Pick avocado oil if you want a neutral taste, and buy a brand that has tested as pure.
Butter or Oil for Fried Eggs?
Butter gives the richest flavor, but the milk solids in it brown and burn at a lower temperature than oil. Use it for soft, tender eggs over low heat. For a buttery taste at a slightly higher heat, use ghee (clarified butter), which has the milk solids removed. Many cooks use a mix: a little oil for heat and a small knob of butter for flavor.
What about beef tallow? It fries eggs well and adds a savory taste, but it’s about half saturated fat. Read our research on whether beef tallow is healthy before you make it your daily fat.
Is It Bad to Fry Eggs in Vegetable or Canola Oil?
No. The American Heart Association lists canola, corn, soybean, sunflower and other plant oils as healthy cooking oils, and in 2024 it published an article explaining that there’s no reason to avoid seed oils. These oils have more polyunsaturated fat than olive or avocado oil, which breaks down more easily with long, high heat, but frying an egg is quick and gentle. Choose olive oil for flavor and heat stability, not because canola is dangerous.
The Best Pan for Frying Eggs
A non-stick pan lets you use less oil and flip eggs without breaking the yolk. Cast iron works too once it’s well seasoned, but it needs a little more oil. Here are three well-reviewed options, one for each type of pan. Whatever you use, keep the heat low to medium and don’t heat an empty non-stick pan.
Tramontina Professional 8-Inch: Classic Non-Stick
See the Tramontina Professional 8-inch pan
An 8-inch pan is the right size for one or two eggs. Tramontina says its reinforced non-stick coating lets you cook with less oil, and the pan is NSF-certified, oven-safe to 400°F and comes with a lifetime warranty. It uses a traditional (PTFE-type) coating and doesn’t work on induction stoves.
SENSARTE 8-Inch: Ceramic Non-Stick
See the SENSARTE 8-inch ceramic pan
If you’d rather avoid PTFE coatings, ceramic non-stick is the popular alternative. SENSARTE says its pan is free of PTFE and PFAS and works on induction stoves. Use low to medium heat and soft utensils to help the coating last. For a full set, the CAROTE 5-piece ceramic pan set covers the rest of your kitchen.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron: No Coating
See the Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet
Cast iron has no coating to wear out. Lodge’s skillet comes pre-seasoned and is made in the USA, and the maker says the seasoned surface gets more non-stick with use. It’s heavy and needs a little more oil than a non-stick pan, so it suits people who also want one pan for searing and oven cooking.
The PrimeDigger Verdict
Use extra virgin olive oil for everyday fried eggs: it tastes good and holds up well to heat. Choose a tested-pure avocado oil like Chosen Foods if you want a neutral taste, and save butter for low-heat cooking or use ghee. And don’t worry if canola is all you have. It’s a perfectly healthy way to fry an egg.
Want to compare oils for all your cooking, not just eggs? See our guide to the healthiest cooking oils.
Frying more than eggs? See our guide to the best oil for frying, from deep frying to pan frying.
Want the full kitchen guide? Our ebook The Kitchen Truth Bible covers every common cooking oil, why smoke point charts mislead, how to spot stale or fake bottles, heavy metals in everyday food, and how to read a label in two minutes, with 5 printable checklists. Get the ebook ($19) → See all our ebooks →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best oil to fry eggs?
Extra virgin olive oil for most people: it tastes good with eggs, crisps the edges and holds up well to heat. Avocado oil is the pick for a neutral taste, and butter or ghee for a rich flavor at low heat.
Is it safe to fry eggs in olive oil?
Yes. Eggs cook at low to medium heat, and extra virgin olive oil holds up well at those temperatures. In a 2018 heating study of common cooking oils, it produced the fewest breakdown compounds.
Is frying eggs in avocado oil healthy?
Yes. USDA data shows avocado oil is about 71% monounsaturated fat and 12% saturated fat, similar to olive oil, and it handles normal egg-frying heat well. Buy a brand that has tested as pure, since a 2020 UC Davis study found many avocado oils were stale or mixed with cheaper oils.
Is butter or avocado oil better for frying eggs?
Avocado oil copes better with heat and has a neutral taste. Butter tastes richer but its milk solids burn at a lower temperature, so use it over low heat, or use ghee for a buttery flavor with less risk of burning.
Is avocado oil always pure?
No. A 2020 UC Davis study found that at least 82% of the avocado oil samples it tested were stale or mixed with other oils. Chosen Foods was one of only two brands whose samples were pure and fresh.
Is it bad to fry eggs in vegetable or canola oil?
No. The American Heart Association lists canola, soybean, corn and sunflower oils as healthy cooking oils. Olive oil is more heat-stable and tastier, but canola is a fine, budget-friendly choice for a quick fried egg.
What is the best pan for frying eggs?
An 8-inch non-stick pan is easiest, such as the Tramontina Professional. A ceramic non-stick pan like the SENSARTE 8-inch is a popular choice if you want to avoid PTFE coatings, and a pre-seasoned Lodge cast iron skillet works well with a little more oil. Keep the heat low to medium either way.
Sources
- de Alzaa, Guillaume and Ravetti (2018): Evaluation of Chemical and Physical Changes in Different Commercial Oils during Heating
- UC Davis: Study finds 82 percent of avocado oil rancid or mixed with other oils
- USDA FoodData Central: Oil, avocado (nutrient profile)
- American Heart Association: Healthy cooking oils
- American Heart Association: There’s no reason to avoid seed oils
This article is for general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medication, talk to your doctor first. Read our Health Disclaimer.
