Western Omelette, Prairie Style

About This Recipe

The Western omelette — sometimes called a Denver omelette in the United States — is a diner classic just as beloved across the Canadian prairies, where truck-stop and small-town diners serve it as a hearty breakfast built for people heading out to a full day of farm or ranch work. Diced ham, green bell pepper and onion are sautéed until softened and slightly caramelized before being folded into beaten eggs, giving every bite a mix of savory ham and sweet, slightly charred pepper. The technique that separates a good diner-style Western omelette from a mediocre one is cooking the filling ingredients fully before adding the eggs — raw or undercooked pepper and onion inside an omelette turn watery and crunchy in an unpleasant way. Once the filling is ready, the eggs cook fast over medium-high heat so the outside doesn't overcook while the inside sets. Served with hash browns and toast, it remains standard fare on prairie diner breakfast menus from Manitoba to Alberta, unpretentious and reliably filling.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 0.75 cupdiced ham
• 0.5green bell pepper(diced)
• 0.25onion(diced)
• 2 tbspbutter(divided)
• 6eggs
• 2 tbspmilk
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 0.75 cupshredded cheddar

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the filling

   Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan over medium heat. Cook ham, pepper and onion together for 6-7 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Set aside.

2. 2

   Beat the eggs

   Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together until well combined.

3. 3

   Cook the omelette base

   Heat remaining butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Pour in eggs and let set around the edges, pushing cooked egg toward the center.

4. 4

   Add the filling

   When the top is mostly set, scatter the ham mixture and cheese over half the omelette.

   Cook the filling fully before adding it — undercooked pepper stays watery and crunchy inside the finished omelette.

5. 5

   Fold and serve

   Fold the omelette over the filling, let the cheese melt for a minute, then slide onto a plate and serve with toast and hash browns.

Variations

• •

  Add diced tomato with the pepper and onion for extra juiciness.

• •

  Use crumbled cooked bacon instead of ham for a smokier version.

• •

  Serve open-faced, diner-style, topped with salsa instead of folding it closed.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. The cooked ham-pepper filling alone can be refrigerated up to 3 days for making fresh omelettes quickly on busy mornings.

Frequently Asked Questions