Denver Omelet Recipe

Dice the ham into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Small-dice the green bell pepper and yellow onion so they cook quickly and evenly. Shred the cheddar if not pre-shredded.

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, add the milk, salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is homogenous and slightly frothy (about 20–30 seconds). This yields a tender omelet.

Heat a 10–12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp neutral oil and swirl to coat. When shimmering, add the diced onion and cook 1–2 minutes until it begins to soften.

Add the diced green pepper and continue to cook for another 2–3 minutes until peppers are softened but still have a bit of bite.

Add the diced ham and cook 1–2 minutes more until ham is heated and edges begin to brown slightly. Remove the filling to a plate and wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel if necessary.

Return the skillet to medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt, swirling to coat the pan so the butter foams but does not brown.

Pour the beaten egg mixture into the skillet and let sit undisturbed for about 10–15 seconds until edges begin to set.

Using a heatproof spatula, gently push the set edges toward the center while tilting the pan to allow uncooked egg to flow to the edges. Repeat a few times until the top is mostly set but still slightly glossy (about 45–60 seconds total).

Spread the cooked ham, peppers and onions evenly over half of the omelet. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the filling.

Loosen the omelet edges with the spatula. Carefully fold the empty half over the filled half to form a semicircle. Cook for another 30–45 seconds to melt the cheese and finish cooking through (internal temperature should be hot but eggs remain tender).

Slide the omelet onto a plate, seam-side down. Let rest 30 seconds, garnish with chopped chives or parsley if using, and serve immediately with hot sauce or ketchup if desired.