The perfect fun new way to eat eggs, these Western Omelet Waffles aka ‘Chaffles’ are savory and so tasty! They’re easy to make, naturally gluten-free, and a protein-packed way to enjoy breakfast. You can make these with just eggs and cheese, then top the chaffles with the Western omelet toppings, or add them right into the egg mixture. So here’s to weekend breakfasting at a whole new level!
Flavor is key for me to avoid boredom at mealtimes. Enter egg waffles, also called chaffles. I first saw these when my cousin made them during our visit, and I figured I’d dig my waffle iron back out again. In fact, it was sitting way up on the top shelf and needed a good cleaning before I could even use it after being neglected for a couple of years.
So I took my favorite omelet, and just put all the ingredients into my waffle maker. Then I topped them with avocado, (of course) and a new tradition was born. I love Western omelets, but for some reason, I rarely make an omelet at home.
Actually, I think the reason is because I tend to break them at least half of the time when folding them over. Omelet waffles are so much easier because there’s no flipping involved, just lower the waffle iron lid and let it do all the work.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Eggs – farm-fresh eggs make for the best color and flavor, but just use whatever eggs you normally do.
- Bell pepper – green bell pepper is traditional but I like to go with the sweeter red bell pepper. Orange and yellow bell peppers work as well.
- Ham – I like to use thinly sliced deli or ‘lunchmeat’ ham because it’s the easiest to chop up. But you can use any ham you’d like as long as it’s finely chopped.
- Green onion – is the perfect amount of onion flavor in these egg waffles without being too overwhelming.
- Cheddar cheese – gives you lots of flavor, but grated Swiss cheese, Havarti, or any other cheese that melts well works here.
How to make this Western Omelet Waffles or Chaffles recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by finely dicing the bell pepper and ham, thinly slice the green onions, and grate the cheese.
Step 2: Next in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs with sea salt and pepper until completely combined.
Step 3: Preheat the waffle iron, then choose 1 of the 2 options.
- Mix in the cheese, bell pepper, green onions, and ham to the egg mixture.
- Or mix in only the cheese to make chaffles, then in a small skillet sauté the bell pepper, green onions, and ham to use as a topping for the chaffles.
Step 4: Pour the egg mixture into a well-greased waffle iron, adding only enough to barely fill the bottom, the egg mixture will puff up as it cooks.
When the egg waffles/chaffles are just done, remove them from the waffle iron and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture being sure to grease the waffle iron really well in between each set.
Ways to serve this
- With Restaurant Style Salsa, Pico de Gallo, or fresh chopped tomatoes. Or try your favorite hot sauce like sriracha.
- Or with a side of fresh fruit like strawberries & blueberries, or pineapple and mango.
- Add something baked like my Paleo Peach Streusel Muffins, Cardamom Blackberry Muffins, or Paleo Blueberry Muffins in the warmer months.
- Or try my Paleo Morning Glory Muffins, Cranberry Orange Muffins, or Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins in the colder months.
- Add a side of my Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes and/or my Rosemary Breakfast Sausage Patties.
FAQ’s
The traditional Western Omelet is filled with ham, green bell pepper, and onion. Cheese is often added as well. We’re using the sweeter red bell pepper and milder green onions in this chaffle recipe.
They are the same thing, and these 2 names are interchangeable. They also go by the name Southwestern Omelet as well!
Storing leftovers
- To store – place any leftovers into an airtight sealed container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat – I place the leftover waffles into a non-stick skillet with a touch of butter and gently reheat covered until heated through. You can also microwave.
- Freeze – these don’t freeze well because of the bell pepper, they tend to come out a bit soggy.
Tips & Tricks
- Try making these with just egg and cheese and briefly sauté the bell pepper, green onions, and ham on the stovetop as a topping. This really helps with cleanup if your waffle iron is losing its non-stick capacity or doesn’t have the removable plates option.
- If your waffle iron doesn’t have removable plates as mentioned above, consider topping the waffles with bell pepper, green onions, and ham to avoid possible cleanup issues. Any pieces left behind have been really easy to clean in my waffle maker, but that’s not always the case depending on your brand of waffle maker.
- Be sure to grease the waffle iron really well to avoid sticking, I can’t overstate this enough!
I really hope you enjoy these Western Omelet Waffles aka ‘chaffles’! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, please leave a rating below, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Western Omelet Waffles
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup finely diced ham
- 1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - or to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- butter or avocado oil
Top with:
- 1 ripe avocado - thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Optional serve with:
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat a waffle iron on the medium heat setting, I use the Cuisinart 4-slice Belgian waffle maker.
- Prep the green onions, red bell pepper, ham, and cheese, and set them each aside in small bowls.
- Whisk together the eggs, sea salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl, and set aside.
- Lightly grease the waffle maker with butter or oil, and sprinkle a small amount of the green onions, red bell pepper, and ham over the surface of the 4 sections.
- Then pour 1/4 of the egg mixture over the top of the onions, pepper, and ham, using a spatula to move the egg into the corners.
- Be careful not to overfill the waffle maker, it's better to have a smaller waffle than overflow. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese over the top of the egg and close the waffle iron.
- Cook the egg mixture until it's thoroughly done and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Repeat the process, greasing the waffle iron each time, until you have 4 full waffles.
- You can serve the omelet waffles as you go, or keep them warm in the oven as you cook the rest.
- If you have leftovers, these reheat very well over the next 3-4 days.
NOTES
nutrition facts
This recipe was originally published in 2017 but has been updated in 2022 with new photos, more information, helpful tips for your waffle iron, and nutritional information.
What an awesome idea Kari!! Can’t wait to try this sometime!
Thank you, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it whenever you get a chance to try it out! It’s a great way to break up egg boredom that’s for sure!
oh, wow! my husband and I were prepared to go to Denny’s if the waffle maker decided to destroy our omelet waffles… but we followed the recipe exactly, and these turned out really well!!! these are awesome! I’m totally digging your site, and can’t wait to try more of your recipes. 🙂
Yay!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! These waffles have been such a fun way to eat eggs differently and they make a great breakfast for dinner too! 🙂 Be sure and let me know which one you try next, I love to get feedback to try and improve the site!
What a unique idea! I can see that all those little egg waffle pockets could be filled with chopped veggies and cheese to make a true power breakfast!
They do make a good power breakfast, especially with a little avocado added!