No one should tell you how to take your eggs. But everyone should know how to make scrambled eggs well! 60 seconds, soft, creamy, custardy. Perfection! Serve on homemade crusty Artisan bread for the ultimate eggs on toast – now officially the world’s easiest yeast bread.👌🏻
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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Scrambled eggs – soft and creamy, just as they should be!
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp milk , any fat % (optional, Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 grinds black pepper
- 1 tbsp / 15g butter (or margarine or oil)
For serving:
- 4 slices bread , toasted & slathered with butter
Instructions
- Use a non stick skillet or well seasoned cast iron pan (about 25cm / 10") and a rubber spatular (or flat edge wooden spoon).
- Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
- Melt butter over medium heat (Note 1), then pour egg in.
- Wait 5 seconds, then start leisurely pushing the rubber spatula back and forth in long strokes, and all around the skillet edges, to push the set egg out of the way and let raw egg run onto the skillet to cook. After 30 seconds or so, start adding some folding action too.
- Cook for 60 seconds in total until you have a pile of soft, custardy scrambled egg folds ("curds") and no raw egg leaking on the edges of the pile.
- Take it off the stove when it's still a bit undercooked for your taste.
- Gently push /fold the eggs for another 10 seconds – it will finish cooking with residual pan heat – then slide onto hot toasted crusty bread slathered with butter.
- Sprinkle with extra pepper then devour immediately! For a touch of garnish, look no further than an 80's style sprig of curly parsley. 👌🏻
Recipe Notes:
- World’s easiest crusty Artisan bread
- No yeast sandwich bread
- Irish soda bread (a no yeast bread)
- Stove heat – use medium low if your stove is strong/hot.
- 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.
- 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, rather than soft and creamy. Use gentle, leisurely strokes.
- Use pushing / folding / turning motions with the rubber spatula so you get soft, creamy scrambled egg curds, rather than a raggedy chopped up dry pile of scrambled eggs.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
The only one happy about overcooked, tortured scrambled eggs – because he gets to have them!
Nagi, what can I say?! I discovered you a month ago and now I’m only looking to you for recipes. Everything I’ve tried have turned out well and family of 6 are happy campers!
Thanks so much HoneyC, that’s so great to hear! N x
Make them extra tasty by adding some grated cheese at the last moment, simply stir in
Nagi, you hit the nail on the head with this recipe for creamy, custardy scrambled eggs. The latest craze on the cooking shows is “fluffy” scrambled eggs. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines “fluffy” as light, airy, puffed up. That describes cotton, a pillow or a nerf ball and I prefer not to eat any if those nor do I want my eggs to resemble them.
One responder recommended water in lieu of milk since the water will boil and steam the eggs. Since milk is 87.7 percent water it will boil just the same as pure water so it seems to be a moot point.
Nagi, thanks for all the help and inspiration you’ve provided those of us in the world wide cooking community. Love ya kid and that nutty, Dozer too.
Yes good point Don! Never thought of it that way – I prefer milk (or cream) anyway, seems to make it slightly more rich! N x
This is how I learned to cook eggs in my Home Economics class in 8th grade. I am now 54. I do the same for omelets, just stop mixing sooner add fillings and fold. My daughter says Dozer is spoiled rotten, just like our dogs. Ran out of wet food once made them each a scrambled egg to add to the dry food. So spoiled. 🙂
You are so nice, Nagi! Even though I have my scrambled eggs down to a science, not everyone knows how to make them well. I think it’s just terrific how you cover the basics on even the most, shall I say, basic of foods?? 😉👍🏼😁 Thank you!
Thanks so much Angie 🙂 N x
The advice from two home-economics teachers and a few TV chefs was to use water and never use milk as milk makes your eggs tough and water steams the eggs to make them fluffier. This is just going to be another “which way to mount your toilet paper roll” dilemma. 🙂
Hi Nancy, milk is made up of almost 90% water 🤷🏻♀️ something to think about! N x
So for the last 100 yearsI have been making what I thought was scrambled ages all wrong. Who knew? I thought if I added more milk it would be creamier. Wrong! Your email came at breakfast time so that was my delicious creamy soft scrambled egg breakfast today. Yum. Thank you.
I love hearing this Carol! N x
These eggs look lovely…. Like Shifa I would like to know some of the brands you like – especially the skillets you use, and what would be the most useful size? Thanks again for your lovely well researched recipes 👍
Hi Sara, sounds like I need to to a post on this!! Thanks for the idea! N x
Great, look forward to it! I know you’ve put links to equipment in answers to questions – but I can’t find them now! 🤣 I think a 10 inch skillet would be a good all rounder…. 🤔
I usually wake up late but today I woke up early to make these eggs for the kids before my meetings. Super delicious. Please share more breakfast recipes. Plus where to buy your kitchen equipment
Hi Shifa, you can find a stack of breakfast ideas here: https://discountspot.info/category/breakfast-recipes/%3C/a%3E 🙂 N x
Thanks for the breakfast idea. I, for some unknown reason, have a knack for making perfect scrambled eggs. Carbon steel pan, high heat, and a fork. Never, ever, made a bad batch. Straight eggs, or milk, or heavy cream. If you want cheesy scrambled, gouda is the best. Never sticks to the pan.
Perfection Mikes!!! N x
Please take note of this, my new email adress,!!
Stop using the hotmail please!
Love getting your recipies
Hi Lia, if you want to update your email preferences, there’s a link at the bottom of my newsletter. N x
Finally how to make real scrambled eggs! Thankyou Nagi! I’ve always made the mistake of adding too much milk. Can’t wait to try it out.
Give it a go Neil – I’d love to know what you think!! N & D x ❤️
I love eggs, looking at the recipe you make so appealing. thanks
You’re so welcome Ngon! N x
“I like to make mine soft and custardy. But who am I to judge? Make yours as you please!” > Nice point!
As you defined, my scrambled eggs is tortured xD Anyway, I will try yours to see how it is 🙂
Love to know if I can convert you Luna 😂 N x
I often heard in Japan they NEVER add milk to scrambled eggs, is that true and if it is why? I also heard from Oz chefs not to whisk too much cos of texture – any comments?
Hi Sergey, some advice from my Mother here! When Japanese people cook the Western-style scrambled eggs like this, they do use milk, or even cream in some cases. But when they make Japanese-style scrambled eggs, which is called ‘iritamago’ (炒り卵), they don’t.
Iritamago is dried scrambled eggs that you see on Sanshoku Bento, It is seasoned with sugar, cooking sake and salt.
Hope this helps!! N x
this is how I have made scrambled eggs for years (I used to be a breakfast cook) except for one small change, I use water instead of milk. I sometimes add a tiny bit bit of grated cheese at the end. Super recipe 🙂
Sounds great Harry! N x
Hi I’ve made dry scrambled eggs for years! Just made these and what a difference! So thrilled! Thank you, love all your recipes, Elaine from Spain!
Thanks so much Elaine, I love hearing that! N x
Just made your scrambled eggs for breakfast. Like you say, they are so creamy. The milk really makes a difference to the texture. Not rubbery at all because of the stirring method. Can’t believe I’ve been making scrambled eggs wrongly for years. Thanks for the recipe…
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Joanne!! N x
Love the simplicity. I have to admit to thinking it can’t be that easy – and thus run the risk of creating rubber. But it really is perfect as is. (I also have to admit to being partial to sprinklings of fresh parsley and parmesan). Duchess says hi to Dozer.
Yes there are so many fabulous add ins here Douglas – the world is your oyster! N x
This is so timely, I was only just explaining to my husband this morning the difference between good scrambled eggs and grainy eggs. This is how I make mine! Occasionally I’ll swap milk for sour cream and add in some grated cheese for extra ooziness.
Now I can share your video with him, thanks x
Yum, love this idea Semara!!! N x