How to make scrambled eggs
How to make scrambled eggs
How to Make Scrambled Eggs
Learn how to make scrambled eggs! With this 5-ingredient recipe, they come out soft, creamy, and flavorful every time. An easy, delicious breakfast.
Scrambled eggs are one of the little luxuries of everyday life. When I make them, I savor every bite. They’re soft and creamy, rich and flavorful, and they just so happen to cook in under 5 minutes. Seriously, how amazing is that?
If you poke around the internet in search of the best scrambled eggs recipe, you’ll find a million sites claiming to have it. Don’t be fooled – when it comes to scrambled eggs, “best” is a matter of personal taste. You can load them up with butter or sour cream, or just keep them simple like me.
The recipe below is for my “best” scrambled eggs. I don’t add any fancy ingredients, so they’re easy to whip up on regular weekday mornings. Still, they’re fluffy, tender, and all around delicious. I love them, and I think you will too.
Scrambled Eggs Recipe Ingredients
To make this scrambled eggs recipe, you’ll need 5 basic ingredients:
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Scrambled Eggs
So, you have your ingredients. Now it’s time to cook! Here’s my easy method for how to make scrambled eggs:
First, beat the eggs. Place them in a medium bowl, and whisk until the yolk and whites are thoroughly combined.
Add the milk or water, and whisk again! The beaten eggs should be an even yellow color, with no translucent spots or streaks.
Next, gently preheat the pan. Brush a small nonstick skillet with olive oil, or melt a little butter inside it. Warm the skillet over medium heat.
Finally, cook. Pour in the egg mixture, and let it cook for a few seconds, undisturbed. Then, pull a rubber spatula across the bottom of the pan to form large, soft curds of scrambled eggs.
Continue cooking over medium-low heat, folding and stirring the eggs every few seconds. As you work, make sure to scrape your spatula along the bottom and sides of the pan to continue to form curds and to prevent any part of the eggs from drying out.
For a soft, creamy scramble, stop when the eggs are mostly set, but a little liquid egg remains. Remove the pan from the heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
That’s it! The whole process will be over in under 5 minutes.
Scrambled Eggs Serving Suggestions
For an easy, delicious breakfast, garnish the scrambled eggs with chopped fresh chives, and dig in! For a larger meal, serve them with toast, a bagel, or avocado toast, breakfast potatoes, or your favorite fresh fruit. Scrambled eggs are also a great choice for a laid-back weekend brunch. I like to serve them with something sweet, like one of these recipes:
For more brunch ideas, check out this post!
And now that you’ve learned how to make scrambled eggs, you can add them to other breakfast recipes, too! I especially love folding them into breakfast tacos and burritos. Find my go-to breakfast taco recipe here and my best breakfast burrito recipe here.
More Basic Breakfast Recipes
If you love this recipe, try making one of these breakfast basics next:
For over 60 more healthy breakfast ideas, check out this post!
Scrambled Eggs
How I make Scrambled Eggs – soft and creamy
One might assume that everyone knows how to scramble eggs – until you see someone frantically stirring and you peer into the skillet to see a pile of crumbly mound of tortured yellow stuff that used to be eggs….😩
So today I’m sharing how to cook scrambled eggs well, like the way diners make them.
I’m not here to tell you how you should take your scrambled eggs, just how to make them well! Choose your desired level of doneness:
soft and custardy (as pictured) – the status quo served at bistros if you don’t specify otherwise;
ever so slightly underdone; or
100% fully cooked and set (it’s almost like an omelette, except in scrambled egg form. And still NOT dry and crumbly!).
Good scrambled eggs is a life essential that takes all of 60 seconds. I like to make mine soft and custardy. But who am I to judge? Make yours as you please!
What you need for scrambled eggs
Here what you need to make scrambled eggs:
Eggs – 2 per serving is my standard. Organic free range is better than normal free range is better than caged. The hen’s diet determines the colour of the yolks. Pasture diets (ie. free range) tend to produce eggs with the most deeply coloured orange or yellow yolks.
Butter – for flavour and greasing the skillet;
Milk – makes the eggs extra moist and creamy but it’s not essential, scrambled eggs can still be creamy without. Use 1/2 tablespoon per egg – eggs can’t hold any more than that, it makes them runny. Some people use cream – I personally find it too rich, you get that creamy mouthfeel; and
Salt and pepper (let’s pretend it’s in the photo).
How to make scrambled eggs
Great scrambled eggs is all about slow, sleepy strokes and low heat:
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper;
Melt butter in a non stick pan or well seasoned skillet over medium heat (or medium low if your stove is strong);
Add egg mixture, wait 5 seconds (for the base to just start setting) then start leisurely (not frantically!) running a rubber spatula or flat edge wooden spoon in long strokes back and forth across the pan, and around the edges. This technique pushes the cooked egg off the base and piles them up (which creates those beautiful soft curds you see) and lets the raw egg spread out into the pan to cook;
After 30 seconds, also start gently folding the eggs over (ie scoop and gently flip). Keep pushing/folding for 60 seconds total cook time or until raw runny egg no longer spreads out onto the pan and you have a pile of soft, custardy egg, ever so slightly underdone;
Remove from the stove, stir / fold for another 10 seconds or until cooked to your taste. If you want it cooked more, return it to the stove briefly. Photo below shows the eggs just off the stove, ready for serving.
Perfect Scrambled Eggs…
The scrambled eggs in the photo above are finished, just ready for serving. Notice how:
all the egg pushes into a pile and stays together, indicating it’s cooked ie. there’s no raw, runny egg leaking around the edges;
the surface is shiny so you can tell it’s still custardy and moist;
how the egg on the rubber spatula is semi transparent but sticking to the rubber – this is a small bit of semi cooked egg (if it was fully raw, it would not stick to it it just slides off) that will finish cooking in the time it takes for the egg to go from the skillet onto the toast and into your mouth. Egg cooks super fast; and
you can pile the eggs up high on toast – unlike crumbly overcooked scrambled eggs that scatter everywhere!
Scrambled Eggs Tips
Stove heat – eggs cook super quickly. Use medium for a standard stove, or medium low if your stove is strong/hot/big burner.
Use a smaller skillet if cooking less eggs.
25cm/10″ for 4 eggs,
20cm/8″ or less for 2 eggs.
Non stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet highly recommended for ease – eggs are the ultimate food glue.
Rubber spatula is best, follow by a flat edge wooden spoon (or similar shaped utensil), so it can scrape along the skillet to create beautiful soft curds.
Scrambled eggs should not be browned or crispy at all, it should be yellow and creamy all the way through.
DO NOT viciously stir around in circles, or zig zag frantically back and forth! This will create rough, “chopped up” dried scrambled eggs (like pictured at the top of the post), rather than soft and creamy. Use gentle, leisurely, sleepy strokes.
Use pushing / folding / turning motions with the rubber spatula so you get soft, creamy scrambled egg curds, rather than crumbly eggs.
This is what perfect creamy scrambled eggs looks like inside
And here’s a close up of what soft and creamy scrambled eggs look like inside – shiny with moisture but not a single droplet of raw egg running down the cut face bitten face of the toast.
Serve on starch of choice, though for me, I can’t go past a hot buttered slice of toasted Artisan Bread which I’m pretty sure we can now officially call the world’s easiest yeast bread, being that it’s no knead and incredibly flexible and the astonishing number of people who have made and left lovely messages on it.
To make a full English breakfast, add a side of bacon, sausages or sausage patties*, garlic butter mushrooms and sautéed spinach. Devour and weep with joy. – Nagi x
* Use the patties in the Sausage and Egg McMuffins recipe – the seasoning is terrific (and so it should be – it’s a McDonald’s copycat!)
Watch how to make it
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How to Make Scrambled Eggs Without Milk
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Scrambled eggs make for a quick and delicious meal, but many recipes call for milk. If you are allergic to milk, can’t digest lactose, or ran out of milk and need to come up with a substitute, you can still make a tasty plate of scrambled eggs. Add any meat or veggies that you enjoy for a complete and appetizing breakfast.
Makes 1-2 servings
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About This Article
To make scrambled eggs without milk, first crack 1-2 eggs into a mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs until the whites and yolks are combined. The longer you whisk them, the fluffier your scrambled eggs will be. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of oil or butter over medium heat, then turn the heat to low. This will prevent your eggs from drying out. Pour the eggs into the pan and use a spatula to stir them around as they begin to cook. As they cook, fold the eggs and break up large pieces with the spatula. Once the eggs look like they’re nearly done, season them with salt and pepper and turn off the heat. Transfer them to a plate with a spatula and enjoy! For tips on adding vegetables and cheese to your eggs, scroll down!
Soft and Creamy Scrambled Eggs
How to make the best scrambled eggs! I’m sharing how I make them in my own kitchen so that the eggs are soft, creamy and delicious. Jump to the Creamy Scrambled Eggs Recipe
How I Make The Best, Creamiest Scrambled Eggs
I’ve been making scrambled eggs since my father taught me at 10 years old so I like to think I’ve been perfecting them for over 20 years! When it comes to scrambled eggs, I look for the eggs to be soft and creamy. You won’t believe how simple our recipe is. Follow my tips and you’ll be making the best eggs of your life in no time! I honestly consider these be the best scrambled eggs:
Use a nonstick pan and a silicone spatula — When scrambling eggs, we use a high-quality nonstick pan. I also love using my silicone spatula since the flexibility lets me swirl and sweep the eggs as they cook.
I only use eggs, butter, and salt — no milk or cream! I’ve never understood why people add extras like milk, cream, and even sour cream to eggs before cooking them. Milk and sour cream water scrambled eggs down and to us, the cream is just unnecessary.
If you use quality, fresh eggs and cook them low and slow (more on that below), you don’t need anything else. Just a touch of salt and a grind of black pepper. By the way, I love scrambled eggs cooked in butter, but I will often switch it up and use a fruity olive oil.
Don’t crack eggs directly into the pan — It does add another dish to clean, but it’s really important that you crack eggs into a bowl and whisk before adding to your pan. The eggs don’t need to be whisked forever, just do it until the egg white and egg yolks are blended.
I make my scrambled eggs without milk or cream and keep the recipe simple by only whisking quality eggs and salt together.
Use Low Heat — The trick to making your eggs creamy is most definitely low heat. Making scrambled eggs over high heat kills them — they become dry and bland. Scrambled eggs are all about cooking low and slow — that’s how you can achieve creamy eggs.
For perfect scrambled eggs, cook the whisked eggs over low heat in a non-stick skillet.
Swirl then Sweep — We prefer scrambled eggs with larger curds than small, but love them to be extra creamy. The moment the eggs hit the pan, I use our silicone spatula to rapidly swirl in small circles around the pan — we do this, without stopping, until the eggs look slightly thickened and very small curds begin to form (this achieves the creamy part). Then I change from swirling in circles to making long sweeps across the pan, making larger, creamy curds.
Don’t Forget About Carryover Cooking — Eggs are delicate and cook very quickly. Even over low heat eggs can go from liquid to overcooked in seconds. It’s important to take the pan off of the heat before your eggs have finished cooking.
The scramble should look softly set and slightly runny in places. Even though you’ve taken the pan off the heat, the eggs will still continue to cook (that’s carryover cooking). Give the eggs a few seconds in the hot pan (off the heat) and you’ll find the eggs turn out to be perfectly cooked — not dry, not too wet.
When the egg scramble looks softly set and slightly runny in places, slide the pan off the heat. The eggs will still continue to cook (carryover cooking).
Scrambled Egg Variations
My favorite way to enjoy scrambled eggs is on top of a slice of toast and topped with a few grinds of black pepper, a little extra salt, and freshly chopped chives.
You can also add extra ingredients to the scramble itself. In our dill scrambled eggs, we swirl in fresh chopped dill to the whisked eggs. If you’ve never had eggs and dill together, I highly recommend it.
For a cheesy egg scramble, add soft or shredded cheeses like goat cheese or shredded cheddar to the eggs just as they finish cooking. The heat from carryover cooking will be enough to melt the cheese into the eggs. We add feta to these scrambled egg, spinach, and feta breakfast burritos and love it.
For scrambled eggs with sausage, take a look at our chorizo egg scramble. I love the spice of chorizo, but you can always substitute something else, like Italian sausage. If you love bacon, then take a look at how we add bacon and shredded potatoes to the eggs in these easy breakfast tacos. We also love these easy breakfast quesadillas with green chilies.
More Easy Egg Recipes
Recipe updated, originally posted December 2015. Since posting this in 2015, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear and added a quick recipe video. – Adam and Joanne
How to Make Scrambled Eggs, Step by Step
The secret to making scrambled eggs is all about patience. and the proper pan. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to show you how to make scrambled eggs, plus we’ll answer your most frequently asked questions.
1. Gather ingredients
To make scrambled eggs for two, you’ll need 4 to 6 eggs, 4 to 6 tablespoons of milk (figure 1 tablespoon of milk for every egg), and salt and pepper to taste. Chopped fresh parsley and other herbs add flavor and visual appeal, but they’re completely optional.
2. Break some eggs
Crack eggs on a flat surface (helps ensure shells stay out of the mix) into a bowl that’s deep enough for some serious whisking.
3. Add liquid (optional)
If you wish, you can thin the scrambled egg mix with milk, cream, lemon juice, or even a little water. This optional step makes gently cooked scrambled eggs tender, almost custardy. Add up to 1 tablespoon of liquid per egg. Whisk thoroughly. Using a fork to whisk is perfectly fine; just be sure to whisk the eggs until all of the yolks and whites are thoroughly mixed together.
4. Heat the skillet
To make scrambled eggs on the stove, melt a teaspoon of butter or olive oil — or a combination of both — in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Butter and oil add rich flavor to the eggs and help prevent sticking, but you can also use cooking spray.
5. Add the eggs and stir
When the butter starts to bubble, or a drop of water added to the pan sizzles, slowly pour in the egg mixture. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and as soon as the eggs begin to «set» or form a slightly solid base (a minute or two), gently stir with a rubber spatula.
6. Add more flavor
As soft curds begin to form, add minced herbs, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped scallions, sautéed mushrooms, chopped tomato, or anything else you like. Gently fold those ingredients into the eggs. Season with salt and pepper.
7. The big finish
Gently scrap the bottom of the pan, turning the eggs until almost all of the egg mixture has cooked through but there are still a few wet areas. Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir until the eggs finish cooking using only the residual heat from the pan. This helps prevent the eggs from overcooking. Serve immediately, ideally on plates that have been warmed in the oven. Your perfect scrambled eggs are ready to be tucked into a breakfast burrito, placed onto toast or an English muffin, or on top of your favorite green salad for a French-inspired brunch dish.
Scrambled Eggs FAQ
What’s the best pan for scrambled eggs?
Cooking scrambled eggs is easiest in a nonstick skillet (and it cleans up quickly, too). Here’s how to care for nonstick pans so you get many years of use.
How much milk do you put in scrambled eggs?
Adding milk or plain water to scrambled eggs is an optional step that affects the texture of your finished dish. For creamy scrambled eggs, you’ll add up to 1 tablespoon of milk for every egg. For fluffy scrambled eggs, you’ll add up to 1 tablespoon of water for every egg.
How long does it take to make scrambled eggs?
The time it takes to make scrambled eggs depends on how many eggs you are scrambling at one time. If you’re going to make scrambled eggs for one, you might be using only 1 to 3 eggs, it might take you 3 to 5 minutes from the time you pour the egg mixture into the pan. If you’re scrambling more eggs, it will take longer. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat to speed up the cooking. If your heat is too high, your eggs could turn out rubbery instead of tender.
How do you make scrambled eggs in a microwave?
The most common way to make scrambled eggs in a microwave is by placing one or two whisked eggs in a microwave-safe cup or bowl (wipe with oil to keep the mixture from sticking). Microwave on medium-high until cooked through, stirring every 15 seconds. Or follow the users’ manual that comes with your microwave. Try this recipe for Scrambled Eggs in a Mug, or get a little fancy with Margherita Mug Eggs.
Browse our entire collection of scrambled egg recipes.