We’ve all seen them, a pale white floppy omelet with little appeal and no flavor. But it is easy to remake a classic omelet that is satisfying and still heart healthy.
Since my husband’s heart attack last year, we’ve been cautious about saturated fat and cholesterol in our diet. Cautious is probably not the right word, we were quite fearful at first about eggs, or rather the egg yolks.
Since he loves eggs for breakfast, I thought a redux of a classic omelet would be in order.
No matter how healthful, it’s got to taste good!
My number one rule when making healthful swaps in dishes is that it has to taste good! But looking good is also important.
Eye appeal
First of all, the color. Pallid, cooked egg whites are not appealing unless there is a bright orange yolk sitting in the middle. I knew that was the first step, or the omelet wouldn’t even be tried.
No demons here
Egg yolks add a lot of richness, but the egg whites lend much of the ‘egg’ flavor, so that is an advantage if you are making an omelet with just the whites. Close your eyes! Most of the protein is in the egg whites, but the yolks contain many beneficial minerals and vitamins including B vitamins, so they are certainly not a demon food, just one that has to be limited if you’ve had clogged arteries. The yolks also add flavor and richness.
A bit of experimentation
I used turmeric first, and that lent a medicinal taste to the omelet and no real egg color. I experimented, and mixed in some salsa to the whites, but that was just lumpy and weird. However, the color was closer. I finally settled on one of my favorite hot sauces Cholula Chili Lime Sauce with its vibrant orange color. It tinted the eggs to a nice yellow, and added a little zip and flavor, making up for loss of flavor the egg yolk usually adds.
Options
The omelet was cooked in a flavorful, fruity olive oil that added a bit more flavor as well, and, of course, an omelet is all about what you stuff into it. You can also use a vegan butter. I’ve made this now dozens of ways, often using a bit of fish from supper the night before, or whatever veggies were left over. One of our personal favorites is sautéed mushrooms and onions.
Don’t forget the cheese
Of course, there needs to be cheese. Most of the vegan cheeses are not good at melting, and don’t really taste that great. The one I settle on most of the time is a smoked provolone, mild in flavor with just the right amount of smoke to add interest. My husband likes a pepper jack, also packed with lots of zing. You can also skip this and add just a sprinkle of Parmesan or vegan Parmesan on top after removing from the oven.
What’s on hand?
This time around, I used the last of the cherry tomatoes from the garden and some local watercress, as well as the last little scallion in the crisper drawer.
Don’t overcook and scorch the omelet for the best flavor, and to keep it tender. While I don’t usually finish my omelets in the oven, the vegan cheeses take longer to melt, and I don’t want it to overcook!
The bottom line
The result are quite amazing, with little sacrifice in flavor. Egg white omelet: 271 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat, zero cholesterol. Classic three-egg omelet: 21 grams of saturated fat, 603 mg. of cholesterol, over 200% daily recommendations for normal diet.
He still has a whole egg twice a week, all things in moderation, but whenever he gets the urge for more eggs, especially for supper, this omelet is quite satisfying, both in the visual and taste.
Egg White Omelet with Watercress and Cherry Tomatoes
- 3 large egg whites from local organic source if possible
- 4 or 5 shakes of Cholula Chili Lime Hot Sauce
- Pinch of salt and few grates of black pepper
- 1 tbsp. fruity extra-virgin olive oil or 1 tbsp. vegan butter
- 5 or 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup watercress, chopped
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Separate the eggs (save the yolks for another use or freeze them). Place the whites in a small bowl and add the hot sauce, salt, and pepper. You can also add a few herbs at this stage as well, a bit of tarragon is nice as is parsley or chives.
Beat the whites together well.
Over medium high heat, add the olive oil to the pan, swirl it around, and add the eggs. Let sit undisturbed for about 10 seconds, then, using a silicone or rubber spatula, gently move the eggs from the outside to the middle, letting the egg run under. Do this just until it starts to set, the top will still be quite loose.
Remove from the heat and add the filling ingredients evenly, then top with cheese. Place in the warm oven until the cheese melts, then invert the omelet onto a warmed plate. Garnish, and serve with a lovely slice of wholegrain bread.
We had leftovers from a cod in tomato sauce dinner. Sunday morning, the cod filled the omelet, and the sauce gave this egg-white omelet a boost of even more flavor. Just a little grate of Parm, and we had aa feast!
Always look for the freshest, local eggs, organic if possible. It really makes a difference. They are worth the price, and still a bargain meal.
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Well, yours looks beautiful! I just prefer to include the yolk.
Oh, me too. But this is a good alternative if one must watch the cholesterol.
Looks delicious.
Thank you Jovina!
Very clever. I always found the yolk of the egg to be tastier. Your experimentation has given the traditional egg, a taste of competition. Wishing you a sunshiny bright day. ☕️☕️❤️
Thank you! I hope yours is as bright as a beautiful orange yolk!
Thanks! You too. I an inspired by your ingenuity.
Ah, thanks again!
You are one of the few cooking blogs, that knows how to take food pictures. Now I want an omelet.
Well, I’ll be right over!
Those eggs are so pretty!
See, the first bite with your eyes!
If one has to make an omelet without the yolks, I guess this is better than the ones that make your guests scurry for the door to go to a diner, but it needs some hamburger or pork thrown in to really make it flavorful again. Just sayin’. 😂
Yes, there are those in the family who would like a bit of sausage here!
Love this!
Thank you! They are delicious!
Love how you got the color!
Thank you! The sauce adds just enough to fool the eye!
Everything’s better with cheese (and bacon lol)!
Yes, but these swaps are pretty good if you’ve overdone it with other meals!
This looks wonderful. I’ve never liked egg whites in an omelet. Now I’m going to try your recipe!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
That does look tasty! I would have this omelet even though cholesterol is not an issue for me. It just looks good!
Thank you Anne Marie! They are really delicious!
I’m not a fan of egg white omelets but this sounds really tasty. And that bread! 😋 Your title made me laugh out loud! 😂
Well, we’ve all seen or eaten those pale little excuses for an omelet, one of the least appetizing breakfasts! This one is good, especially with tomato sauce or salsa!
I’m thinking this just might be dinner tonight!
Lovely post
Your hubby is lucky that you are such a great cook that you can tweak a recipe and make it equally as tasty…x
Thanks Carol! They are always tasty, and the possibilities are endless!
You get my vote, Dorothy, for adding a little egg white to your favorite hot sauce. 🤣 Some days I think I could drink the stuff. 🍃🌶
Oh, indeed it is all about the hot sauce!
🤣🌶🤣
You can put the hot sauce in with the raw eggs! I didn’t know you could do that, figured that the sauce would curdle the eggs or something weird. I’ll try this.
It works like a charm Ally! Adds both flavor and color, and doesn’t affect the texture.
Excellent post
Thank you! I am happy to share it with all.
These look delicious! And why not give them a try I say. Thank you!
I think you will be surprised at how flavorful!
I never thought of using “a few shakes of Cholula Chili Lime Hot Sauce,” with my eggs! Yum. How do you come up with this stuff? I have no imagination when it comes to mixing unusual ingredients and making it cook out eatable. Thank goodness I follow two amazing cooks: You and Diane! You two are why I rock in the kitchen. Hugs, C
I love Diane’s posts too, I am always learning some funny little twist that really works!
Truth be told, I probably use more like six shakes of the Cholula! Love that stuff!
What beautiful eggs, great for Easter and they won’t need coloring. I admire your love for your hubby to learn a whole new way of cooking. The omelet has so much flavor it has to taste good!
They are really delicious Diane, no one misses the yolks!
So clever Dorothy! I hope your husband appreciates all you do for him!
Oh, I think he does…thank you!
I cannot wait to try this!
I think you’ll be pleased!
It looks really good and it checks all the boxes😉 My go to breakfast is always a good omelet with mushrooms, ham, cherry tomatoes and loooots of cheese 😆
This keeps all the flavor, and keeps my husband on track!
Well this does look delicious and a great option for those watching calories. I thought that eggs and the cholesterol connection with heart health had been debunked a year or so ago? Is that not correct?
The egg industry works really hard with its studies and has been pretty successful with its PR, in part I think because as I said in the article, the yolks do have some really beneficial nutrients. According to my husband’s cardiologist, and my primary doctor, even if you have a normal cholesterol level and no heart problems, you should still watch your animal saturated fat intake. That doesn’t mean eliminating eggs, just monitoring how many you consume in a week, four to six yolks I think is the recommendation for those without any health problems. For someone who has had a heart attack and a severely clogged artery, or high cholesterol levels, the saturated fat intake must be limited even more.
Looks like a great way to make up for lost color, Dorothy. And the little pepper kick certainly adds flavor! Didn’t you do something similar when you made some not-so-deviled eggs?
I sure did Terrie! I keep lots of little tricks in my back pocket to calm the natives!
Dorothy, I am so glad you posted about egg white omelettes! I always end up with extra egg whites from making custards. The egg whites sit in my fridge, and i can only make so many macaroons or pavlovas! I was hesitant to try an egg white omelette, but I do love the idea of adding the hot sauce. I love that brand too! Thank you!
Thanks Angela! The Cholula hot sauce is my favorite because it has such a lovely flavor. It’s not terribly hot, but the heat hesitant in my family usually enjoy it as well.
I love custards!!!!
This looks delectable and I prefer to add egg yoke.
Of course! Everyone can have it their way, or at least the way they need or want to!
I love omelets and I really should be eating egg-white omelets because of my cholesterol! What a great idea–this looks delicious! 🙂
Thanks! I hope you give it a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Hi Dorothy, this sounds very good. I am interested because Michael is on a weight reduction eating plan (to much cortisone has cause big fluctuations in his weight) and my husband has high cholesterol.
Thank you Robbie! Surprise him, I doubt he’ll know there are no yolks!