How to Scramble Eggs – NYT Cooking

Whether your go-to scrambled eggs are big diner-style curds, custardy and French, or whatever happens in five minutes before the coffee kicks in, there’s a chance they could be doing more for you. Because eggs are a basic, lifesaving kind of food — few ingredients, short cook time, no special gear — even simple tweaks and small additions can amplify their rich, silky comfort. Here are seven upgrades to make the most out of them.

1. Add cornstarch

For creamy scrambled eggs that don’t require attentive stirring, beat in a bit of starch. Whether you make a slurry with corn, tapioca or potato starch, it’ll keep the eggs’ proteins from linking and tightening under the heat, which means they will be soft and creamy, even if you overcook them a little.

Need a recipe to start? Extra-Creamy Scrambled Eggs

2. Brown the butter

For mornings that call for luxury, you don’t need to spring for fancy butter or coffee drinks with all the bells and whistles. Instead, cook your butter until brown flecks emerge before adding your eggs. Doing so takes just an additional minute or two but will give the eggs a nutty lilt — a little something special — without affecting texture.

Need a recipe to start? Brown Butter Scrambled Eggs

3. Add spices

Scrambled eggs are a fairly neutral base, one that easily leans warm and savory when you add spices. While you could whisk the spices — whole or ground — into the eggs, stirring them into the warm butter first carries their flavor further. You can use a mix of spices, ranging from earthy (cumin, coriander) to smoky (smoked paprika) to hot (cayenne, crushed red pepper).

Need some recipes to start? Migas | Aloo Anday (Potatoes and Scrambled Eggs) | Menemen (Turkish Scrambled Eggs With Tomato)

4. Turn off the heat early

Blink, and your scrambled eggs can go from tender to chalky and dry, especially if you leave them in the pan, where the residual heat can keep cooking them. One key way to keep them tender is to start plating before they look done. (You’re looking for them to be half wet and half solid.) Their own heat will continue to cook them gently so that, by the time you eat them, they’ll be just right.

Need some recipes to start? Cheesy Eggs on Toast | Scrambled Eggs for a Crowd | Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggs

5. Finish with something acidic

To balance the richness of eggs, pair them with something acidic. Options include a squeeze of lemon or lime, a dash of vinegar or hot sauce, a scattering of pickled onions or kimchi, chopped fresh tomatoes, or a tangy cheese like feta.

Need some recipes to start? Cheesy Potato Breakfast Tacos | Chinese Stir-Fried Tomatoes and Eggs

6. Freeze them into breakfast burritos

Even on hurried days when cooking is out of the question, scrambled eggs can still be there for you. Anytime you have a spare hour, fold scrambled eggs into big flour tortillas along with cheese, beans and vegetables, and let them cool. Then wrap each burrito in heavy-duty foil, and freeze. When you’re hungry, unwrap them and reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts or in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Need some recipes to start? Breakfast Burritos | New Mexico Breakfast Burritos

7. Bulk them up for dinner

Scrambled eggs can get along with so much more than toast. Promote them to dinner protein and enjoy their softness in everything from rice and noodle dishes to tofu scrambles and taquitos.

Need some recipes to start? Mapo Tofu Scramble | Oyakodon (Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl) | Paneer Fried Rice | Chicken Mei Fun | Chorizo Taquitos | Pad Woon Sen | Tomato and Egg Noodles | Bacon and Egg Don