What do you get when you combine two breakfast classics into one delicious brunch meal? If you were going to say Denver Omelette Waffles then you would be right because that is exactly what you get. Savory crispy waffles topped with cheese, sautéed ham, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms and a fried egg. It’s all the things you love about Denver omelettes on top of a delicious fluffy Belgian waffle and I can’t stress enough just how much you need to give these a try very soon. They’re a great weekend breakfast or brunch dish but would also make a killer weeknight breakfast for dinner situation. And if you’re looking for even more savory waffle inspiration, these Falafel Waffles with a Mediterranean slaw are still a very good idea.
Let’s start by making the waffles. These are crispy Belgian style waffles that are savory. It’s really just my go-to regular waffle recipe but I’ve omitted the sugar and vanilla. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
**Tip: If you want to make normal waffles on another day, I would add 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar at this point.**
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil and egg yolk. Set aside as well.
**Tip: I love using buttermilk for waffles and pancakes and cake, but if you don’t have any on hand just use whole milk and add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.**
In a third bowl (the final bowl I promise) beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. You can either do it by hand or use an electric hand mixer to speed the process up.
**Note: I know that it’s a hassle to separate the egg and beat the white and then fold it BUT I promise it’s the only way to get the crispiest and fluffiest waffles. I can’t recommend enough. The cornstarch also helps too.**
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Make sure not to over-mix the batter at this point or else your waffles will be dry and tough.
Add in the beaten egg white and gently fold with a rubber spatula until combined.
**Tip: You don’t want to stir the mixture rapidly because you might run the risk of loosing the air from the egg white.**
Heat a waffle iron and grease lightly with cooking spray. Once hot, add about 1/3 cup of batter to the iron and cook according to your machine’s directions. The amount of batter will vary on the type of waffle iron you have. I used a Belgian waffle iron and so they’re much thicker and bigger. You’ll get four waffles if you use a Belgian waffler iron as well.
**Tip: Transfer the cooked waffle to a wire rack, set over a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you continue to make the rest.**
To make the topping: set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the butter. Once hot, add the ham and sauté until browned, about 3 minutes.
**Note: This is just a fully cooked ham steak from the grocery store and so we’re just looking to brown it to develop some flavor and color.**
Add in the onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Season with salt and black pepper and cook until the moisture has evaporated and the vegetables have softened and just begun to caramelize, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Once the veggies are done, lower the flame as low as it’ll go and keep warm while you continue with the last step. Don’t cover with a lid because too much moisture will accumulate and they’ll get soggy.
Set another large skillet over high heat with the oil. Once hot, carefully crack in the eggs one at a time. Cook until the whites have set and the yolks are bright yellow. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Remove the waffles from the oven and now you’re ready to assemble.
To serve, top each waffle with shredded Cheddar cheese, the vegetable and ham mixture, a fried egg, and scallions. Serve with hot sauce on top if desired.
If you’d like to make these ahead of time, you can make the waffles in advance and keep them in the fridge in an airtight container, with layers of wax paper in between each waffle. Then just rewarm in a low oven until crispy once more. Or in a toaster oven if you have one.
If you don’t want to make these waffles as written and just want to make classic plain Belgian waffles, you can add 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the dry ingredients and a splash of vanilla to the wet ingredients. Then just serve with butter, maple syrup and fruit.
If you’re a huge fan of classic Denver omelettes then I highly recommend you give these waffles a try. They make for a great breakfast or brunch dish and are a real crowd pleaser. My mom was over when I made these and so she tried it and gave it her official stamp of approval. Which is saying a lot because she knows what is good. Just saying. Let me know what you think below!
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 large egg, separated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 (7-ounce) ham steak, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- hot sauce, for serving
- To make the waffles: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil and egg yolk. Set aside as well. In a third bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Make sure not to over-mix the batter. Add in the egg white and fold in with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Heat a waffle iron and grease lightly with cooking spray. Once hot, add about ⅓ cup of batter to the iron and cook according to your machine's directions. The amount of batter will vary on the type of waffle iron you have. I used a Belgian waffle iron and so they're much thicker and bigger. You'll get four waffles if you use a Belgian waffler iron as well. Transfer the cooked waffle to a wire rack, set over a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you continue to make the rest.
- To make the topping: set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the butter. Once hot, add the ham and sauté until browned, about 3 minutes. Add in the onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Season with salt and black pepper and cook until the moisture has evaporated and the vegetables have softened and just begun to caramelize, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Set another large skillet over high heat with the oil. Once hot, carefully crack in the eggs one at a time. Cook until the whites have set and the yolks are bright yellow. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
- To serve, top each waffle with cheese, the vegetable and ham mixture, a fried egg, and scallions. Serve with hot sauce. Enjoy!
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