Recipe: Chef José Andrés’s 1-Minute 1-Egg Microwave Omelet is brilliant

By Sheryl Julian | April 23rd, 2025, 2:41 AM

Serves 1

José Andrés is known internationally for his nonprofit organization, World Central Kitchen, which has fed millions in regions that have been affected by natural disasters or conflict. His new book, a series of memoir-ish essays, contains a handful of recipes, this one-egg microwave omelet among them. ‘’You cannot live your life without a Spanish tapa or three to get you through the day,’’ writes the Spanish-American chef and humanitarian in ‘’Change the Recipe.’’ ‘’I don’t care where you are, or how old you are. It’s a necessity. And there is no greater tapa than the Spanish tortilla, or omelet.’’ He created this quick version for a moment when you’re stretched for time. To make it, you whisk an egg with a spoon of mayonnaise and microwave it in a small bowl, at which point it rises like a souffle. He suggests turning it out, but it’s nice right in the bowl (even though it deflates seconds after it’s out of the oven), sprinkled with Parmesan or Manchego cheese. It takes 1 minute and it’s a brilliant technique.

1 egg

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan or Manchego cheese, or more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a 1-cup microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, combine the egg and mayonnaise. Whisk until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and push all the mixture to the bottom.

2. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute. The omelet will rise like a souffle and be slightly firm on the edges but still creamy and loose in the center.

3. Leave it in the bowl or turn it out: Run a knife around the insides of the bowl to separate the omelet and invert it onto a plate. Top with grated cheese and black pepper.

Sheryl Julian.

Adapted from “Change the Recipe’’

Sheryl Julian can be reached at sheryl.julian@globe.com.