Scrambled eggs are one of those seemingly simple, underrated dishes that can immediately rustle up warm memories. For most, it’s one of the first things we learn to cook. I remember “helping” Mom with breakfast before I was tall enough to reach the stove, learning how to use a fork, then chopsticks, to turn eggs into a thick yellow curtain that would blur into a whirlpool in a mixing bowl.
A platter of scrambled eggs can make me think of Saturday mornings with my grandma and cousins. As a teen and college student, they were midnight cheap eats at the diner after a night out or bleary-eyed morning cure-alls. The quality can remind me of past vacations, from resort buffets to room service, or the catch-up brunches with friends that don’t seem to happen enough in adulthood.
Eggs are more than just an affordable source of nutrition, the base of many a delicious breakfast recipe, or an easy thing to meal prep. When eggs are scrambled just right, it’s a connection that can fill you up as figuratively as it does literally.
So we asked five renowned and professional chefs from across the country how to make the most perfect scrambled eggs.
What Makes Perfect Scrambled Eggs “Perfect”?
For our panel of chefs, it’s all about texture.
“I like a soft scramble just barely set,” says James Beard Award-winner Anne Quatrano of Bacchanalia. What that means to Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas Chef Alex Mobsby is “light, fluffy and what I call a ‘pillow’ consistency.” Executive Chef of Hartley Kitchen & Cocktails at the Kimpton Shane Hotel Mark Alba says it comes down to “velvety texture with no hard-cooked pieces or edges [where] all curds are not tiny, but more medium-size and have the same consistency.” Kyle Mendenhallsenior director of culinary innovation at popular brunch chain-with-a-conscience Snooze AM Eateryagrees that curd size is important, since “the smaller the curd is, the lighter the texture will be when eating.”
On the other hand, “Eggs cooked quickly on high heat taste overcooked with an unpleasant mouthfeel,” Alba says, which can make them verge on rubbery or tough. As Mendenhall describes it, “there’s a bounce to the bite.” But with a softer scramble, the flavor that emerges is naturally “creamy, buttery and savory,” per Remi Grangerexecutive chef of The Select in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
Does the Type of Egg Matter?
Across the board, a unanimous yes. Quatrano serves only eggs from her farm, Summerland, which directly correlates with Mobsby’s advice to “try to source locally, if you can, sustainable free-range eggs.”
“Farm eggs are the best because of their freshness, and they have more flavor,” Granger says, while Alba stresses that “free range is the most humane way to raise chickens, on open pastures with no hormones and antibiotics.” When he can’t get farm-fresh eggs, he’ll look for the Nellie’s Free Range brand, he confides.
“At Snooze, we always use cage-free eggs that adhere to our Snooze-Approved standards,” Mendenhall says, a pledge that the provider takes a responsible stance on issues such as fair labor standards, ethical animal treatment, business integrity, climate change and toxins. “These eggs are not only more sustainable, but they’re also better in taste and quality than the average carton of eggs you’ll find in the grocery store,” he explains.
As for color, the intense orange Alba loves to see in his yolks is the only one that matters to him when it comes to choosing eggs. “There’s actually no nutritional difference between white and brown eggs. The hen’s breed determines the color of the eggs. For example, breeds like Leghorn, White Rock and Cornish lay white eggs, while Rhode Island Reds are known for laying brown eggs. Some eggs can even be blue!”
What Cooking Techniques Contribute to Scrambled Egg Perfection?
The first and most important one begins outside the pan.
“A common mistake that leads to dense, less-fluffy scrambled eggs is that the raw yolk and white are not mixed together enough before cooking,” Mendenhall says. “They cook very differently and will have different textures, so it’s important to make sure the two are combined well before pouring [them] into a pan.” And while a fork or a whisk is typically used, I was delighted to find that my mom and grandma were onto something, as he shared that he, too, personally prefers to use chopsticks. After that, low heat, constant movement and a nonstick pan are your best friends for restaurant-quality scrambled eggs.
“The ratio of egg per pan size is important as well. More surface area in a large skillet for a small number of eggs (two, for example) will cook your scrambled eggs too quickly,” Alba explains. “For two to four scrambled eggs, it’s best to use an 8-inch pan versus a 10- to 12-inch pan and allow a thicker level of raw egg to cook more slowly.”
Then use butter versus oil to cook, which will add richness to the eggs. Alba recommends clarified butter or ghee, “as it does not contain fat solids,” which also makes it a heart-healthier choice and easier for those with lactose sensitivities to digest. “But if you must use oil, I suggest avocado oil,” he offers, which is a good oil for cooking due to its neutral flavor and high smoke point.
After that, put away the whisk and “add eggs and gently move with a spatula or wooden spoon from the outside of the pan inward until all just barely set,” Quatrano advises. It’s important to keep the eggs in motion, as the introduction of air will help them achieve that pillowy texture, and “don’t forget to pull the egg off the edges of the side of the pan as well,” Alba says. According to Alba, two scrambled eggs should take 3 to 6 minutes to reach a soft scramble.
The time to add a pinch of salt and pepper will be while it’s still cooking, Quatrano and Mobsby say; Mobsby recommends using freshly cracked pepper “to release those natural oils.”
What About Adding Water or Milk?
This practice is where our panel of experts break their solidarity. “No water! No way!” exclaims Granger. “Please do not add water, as it will reduce the flavor,” Mobsby pleads, adding, “If you want them more liquid-based, please use butter or cream.”
However, Mendenhall argues that while “Some chefs will caution you against adding water or dairy products for various reason—runniness, compromising flavor, etc.—you can achieve lighter, fluffier scrambled eggs by adding a tablespoon of water or milk per egg into your mixed liquid eggs before you start to cook them. The added moisture will keep the eggs from curdling too fast, and as the water evaporates, the eggs will cook lighter.” The caveat, though, is that it’s “important to ensure you’re adding the right amount of water or milk.”
Any Special Tricks for Zhuzhing Up a Scramble?
Alba’s secret for a well-beaten egg mix? Room-temperature eggs whipped in his Vitamix blender. “It seems to increase the cooking volume for even lighter cooked eggs,” he says, with virtually no “unwanted cooked white bits in your eggs.”
Mendenhall finds that finishing scrambled eggs with a little butter or olive oil helps lift the curds as well. “For 3 eggs use about 1 tablespoon of butter. Just before the eggs are done cooking and are removed from direct heat, stir in the butter. This adds flavor and gives the eggs a smooth tasty texture. Créme fraîche or a little sour cream will also yield creamier, delicious eggs.”
To avoid overcooking, he recommends starting on low heat, not high, and removing the eggs from the heat “one level below where you want them to finish on your personal done-ness scale” as the residual heat left in the pan will finish the cooking process. “Don’t be afraid to pull your scrambled eggs off the heat even if they look a little runny; wetter, less cooked scrambled eggs will eat lighter!” Granger adds, “You can add butter or cream at the end to stop the cooking process.”
Finally, save your salt, pepper, chives, chili crisp or other flavor enhancers for the end only. Quatrano says. “With low heat, lots of butter and well-whisked eggs seasoned at the end, anyone can make perfect scrambled eggs!”
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