How to Scramble an Egg

Guide Note:How to Scramble an Egg offers tips, tricks and variations on how to make scrambled eggs.

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Introduction

  • Scrambled eggs make a delicious breakfast or anytime meal. The best part is that they're incredibly easy to make and take only a couple of minutes to prepare from start to finish. So, what are you waiting for? Get cracking.

What You'll Need

Incredible and edible! Creative Commons photo by Jeremy Keith
Incredible and edible! Creative Commons photo by Jeremy Keith
  • Eggs are both easy to make and infinitely customizable. All you really need are the eggs and something to coat the pan you're cooking in. You can get fancy with the addition of créme fraîche and freshly-cut chives, or add whichever meats, vegetables and seasonings you choose.

Ingredients

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk or Fork
  • Medium-Sized Frying or Sauce Pan
  • Spatula or Wooden Spoon
Notes on Equipment
  • Your technique affects the taste of your eggs much more than your equipment. Here, however, are a few notes on how different utensils and cooking implements will affect your cooking and clean-up:
Non-stick pans make clean-up a breeze. Photo by Craig Jewell
Non-stick pans make clean-up a breeze. Photo by Craig Jewell
  1. Spatula vs. Wooden Spoon: The difference is in the clean-up and scrambling technique. A spatula makes folding eggs inward easier, and a wooden spoon or non-stick spatula is easier to clean up than a metal spatula. In the end though, it's a matter of personal preference and won't affect the taste of your eggs.
  2. Whisk vs. Fork: It doesn't matter whether you use a whisk, fork or even food processor to mix your eggs so long as they achieve a pure yellow color and frothy texture. The only difference is that using a fork takes longer than a whisk.
  3. Type of Pan: Some cooks like to use a copper pan because it heats evenly. For eggs, a non-stick pan is best because the eggs are less likely to stick to the pan's surface and burn. The most important element of the pan is that it not be too large as your eggs will spread thin and cook too quickly.

How to Scramble an Egg

  • There's more than one way to scramble an egg. Some recipes call for low heat; some for high. Some say season in the beginning; some say season at the end. The only thing that's for sure is that you know how you like your eggs. Whether you choose the "poor, tired and lazy" recipe or the "impress the person who slept over last night" recipe, cook the eggs to the consistency that you like them.
You've got to break a few eggs to make great eggs. Photo by Antonio Alonso
You've got to break a few eggs to make great eggs. Photo by Antonio Alonso

The Quick and Dirty Version

  • This recipe calls for nothing more than the eggs and something to coat the pan you're making them in. Adding milk, salt and pepper is entirely optional.
  1. Heat pan over a low to medium heat.
  2. Break eggs into a bowl.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon of milk per egg. (Don't have milk? Use water.)
  4. Lightly beat eggs with fork or whisk until blended. (The mixture should be frothy; the bubbles large.)
  5. Once pan is warm, add enough butter to coat the bottom of the pan.
  6. Once butter melts, add eggs.
  7. Allow eggs to set slightly.
  8. Take a wooden spoon or spatula and scrape eggs from side of the pan, folding into the middle of the pan.
  9. Continue this folding motion until there is no runny liquid, but eggs are still moist. Approximately 2 minutes.
  10. Remove the pan from heat.
  11. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  12. Serve.

Note: In testing this recipe, we found that the type of equipment mattered less in terms of taste and more in terms of clean-up. A non-stick pan and a wooden spoon or non-stick spatula is the way to go to avoid an egg-y mess after the fact.

The Fancy Pants, Gourmet Version

  • Gourmet types treat scrambled eggs like a risotto. Once your eggs hit the heat, you can't stop stirring them! Doing this will give your eggs a nice fluffy texture.
  1. Break eggs directly into pan.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of butter.
  3. Mix eggs and butter with a spatula over a medium heat for 10-15 seconds. Stir continuously.
  4. Take the mixture off the heat for 10-15 seconds. Keep stirring!
  5. Continue taking the mixture on and off the heat 3-4 times. Do not stop stirring.
  6. Let the eggs finish cooking in the pan OFF THE HEAT.
  7. Mix in 1/2 tablespoon of créme fraîche to the eggs.
  8. Fold in 1/2 tablespoon of freshly-cut chives.
  9. Serve.

Sublime Scrambled Eggs by Gordon Ramsay


Note: In testing the gourmet version of this recipe, we found that it produced delicious, creamy eggs without much effort. Whether or not you like your eggs that creamy is all about personal preference. It's certainly not the consistency you're used to if you usually eat Denny's Moons Over My Hammy.

Popular Scrambled Egg Add-Ins

Scrambled eggs with cavier, salmon and chives. Creative Commons photo by Jess Lander
Scrambled eggs with cavier, salmon and chives. Creative Commons photo by Jess Lander
  • You can literally add anything to scrambled eggs. For vegetables or meat that require cooking, fry them in a pan, add your whisked eggs to the same pan and cook your scrambled eggs as you normally would. As for seasonings and cheeses, add them to your eggs toward the end of the cooking process.
  1. Grated Cheese: Add as the eggs are cooking.
  2. Onions: Fry chopped onions in oil or butter, then add eggs.
  3. Dill or Parsley: Season eggs towards the end of their cooking process. Fresh herbs taste best.
  4. Diced Tomatoes: Fry a chopped onion in olive oil, add diced plum tomatoes and then your eggs for Tuscan Scrambled Eggs.
  5. Mushroom or Peppers: Fry chopped vegetables in oil or butter, then add eggs.
  6. Shrimp: Fry diced or whole shrimp in oil or butter, then add eggs.

Scrambled Egg Variations

  • Try more than one scrambled egg add-in with one of these scrambled egg recipes:

Tips, Tricks and Warnings

  • You can't go terribly wrong scrambling an egg, but here are a few tips to help you in the process:
  1. Use a small or medium-sized saucepan or skillet to cook eggs. Never use a large pan as the eggs will spread thin and cook too quickly.
  2. Eat your eggs as soon as they're ready so they don't overcook or harden.
  3. To maximize the fluffiness of your eggs, incorporate as much air as possible into the whisking process by whisking in a "tilted wheel" instead of vertical stirring motion.
  4. Rinse your bowl, pan and utensils in cold water right after cooking to prevent the egg from hardening.
  5. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling raw eggs.

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