You've just woken up. You've barely taken a sip of your coffee, your brain is half-asleep, and yet you need to know how to make scrambled eggs that are perfectly buttery, not too runny, and definitely, definitely not rubbery, hard, or dry.
Ahead we'll teach you exactly how to make scrambled eggs that come out pillowy soft every single time, without any fuss, complicated technique, or oddball ingredients. Let's get cooking.
1. Crack, season, and whisk in a mixing bowl
Crack three fresh eggs into a medium bowl and whisk them with a good pinch of kosher salt until just incorporated. As long as you’re whisking, throw in some black pepper or cayenne pepper (or both!) if you like.
These ingredients are all you need for the best scrambled eggs. Nothing else belongs in the egg mixture—and that includes whole milk. There's a misconception among some home cooks that adding milk to scrambled eggs can yield a fluffy, creamy finished product, but it's simply not true. Adding milk will do nothing but dilute your egg mixture, thus rendering it rubbery and sad. Simply put: Don't do it.
2. Heat some butter in a pan
Slice off a pat of unsalted butter and place it in aceramic or nonstick skilletover medium-low heat. Swirl the pan until the butter has melted and is starting to foam. You should hear a very soft sizzle emanating from the pan.
3. Add your egg mixture to the pan
Pour the whiskedeggsinto the skillet and immediately start pushing them across the bottom of the nonstick pan with a rubber spatula.
4. Keep the eggs moving
Continue to stir the eggs with your spatula, paying attention to every corner of the skillet. Your goal here is to keep the eggs in perpetual motion. These arealmostdone. Keep those eggs moving and get ready!
5. Wait until the eggs begin to set
Your pan is still over low-medium heat, right? That's why it will take a few minutes before the eggs start to form large curds. Resist turning up the knob to high heat—the low-and-slow cooking is what makes the scrambled eggs a creamy dream.
6. Don't let your eggs dry out
When your eggs look like this—set, but still a bit runny—remove them from the pan. Even though they're not fully done, the eggs will continue to cook a little bit on your plate. A final hit of black pepper is all these eggs need.
7. Eat your perfect scrambled eggs!
That’s all you have to do. You now have perfectly scrambled eggs. We recommend topping with flaky salt—plus whatever else you want. A squeeze of lime juice, a slice of country ham, a shaving of Parmesan, some cooked spinach or, really, all of the above are welcome here.
How to turn scrambled eggs into dinner
Now that you know how to make scrambled eggs with the best of them, you've got to think beyond breakfast. Perfectly cooked eggs come in handy for every meal, dinner included.
To serve beautifully soft scrambled eggs as a proper supper, pair them with a quality carbohydrate and plenty of vegetables—raw or cooked.
Now it's time to make your meal a little special—a little fancy. Grab some cheese, but not just any cheese. Pick a cheese that's creamy and luxe. A good fresh mozzarella, ricotta, or feta. Or a hard cheese that packs a punch, like a crumbly aged Gruyère. Pick your cheese like you would for a cheese platter, not as a mix in; it can be a star alongside the eggs.
But the options, really, are limitless. Here are a few more of our favorite ways to make it happen.
Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on both sides of a pita and then lightly toast it in a skillet; meanwhile, soft scrambled a few eggs as directed above. Top the pita with some chile flakes, then the eggs. Round the whole thing out with a few generous handfuls of arugula and a little drizzle of yogurt mixed with harissa.
Use a wooden spoon to transfer your soft scramble onto a plate and top with torn fresh mozzarella. Chop lots of fresh chives and sprinkle them over the dish; add big, chunky sea salt. A piece of toast to the side for scooping up the eggs is essential.
Make a soft scramble and cook a pot of farro or any of your favoritewhole grains. Plate the eggs in a shallow bowl filled with cooked grains, a generous sprinkling of chopped olives and fresh herbs, and somecrispy roasted kale.
We admit, this might seem like breakfast/brunch fare at first glance. But it's special enough to be worthy of dinner as well—and a roasted spring vegetable brings it solidly into dinner territory.
Top a toasted piece of baguette with herby mushrooms sautéed in butter or olive oil, followed by your soft scramble and plenty of grated Parmesan.
Plop your scramble into a warmed tortilla with crisped potatoes and spicy chorizo—or just lots of greens and grated cheese. A few slices of avocado and a drizzle of your ownhomemade hot sauce? Yes, please.
