You’ve just woken up, you’ve barely taken a sip of your coffee, your brain is half-asleep, and all you want is a plate of scrambled eggs. But, like many of the simplest foods, scrambled eggs leave little room for error—they can go from soft and luscious to tough and rubbery in an alarmingly short amount of time.
When I polled the Epi staff, we agreed our ideal scrambled eggs have large, thick, just-set curds and a soft, custardy texture. But when each of my colleagues began to describe their technique, it was clear: There’s more than one way to get there. Below, I’ll break down a few foolproof methods so you can make your ideal scrambled eggs any day, no matter how much sleep is still in your eyes. First, let’s break down the equipment you need for the job.
What you need to make perfect scrambled eggs:
You don’t need any fancy equipment to make the best scrambled eggs at home. The only non-negotiable is a good nonstick skillet or a well-seasoned carbon steel pan to prevent the eggs from sticking and developing an undesirable crust. Otherwise, the only tools you need are a bowl, a whisk (for a small amount of eggs, a fork will do fine), and a spatula.
The ingredient list is similarly streamlined: All you need are eggs, oil or butter, and salt. As for the type of eggs—pasture or farm-raised, grade A or B—it doesn’t matter all that much, so long as they’re fresh. When eggs sit around a little too long, the egg whites turn thin and runny, producing watery scrambled eggs. Fresh eggs have firmer, more jelly-like egg whites, which create a creamier scramble. The type of salt doesn’t matter much either—you only need a pinch: kosher salt or sea salt works well here, and you might want some flaky salt to finish.
A few commonly asked questions:
Should I use butter or oil for scrambled eggs? Both butter and oil serve the same practical purpose: they prevent the scramble from sticking to the pan. Butter also adds flavor, and in a dish as simple as scrambled eggs, that extra push can make a difference—especially if you make it brown butter. But if you’re scrambling over very high heat, a high smoke point oil is best, as butter is more likely to burn.
Should I add milk, cream, or water to the egg mixture? It depends on what you’re going for. A splash of heavy cream will add richness to your scrambled eggs, while a splash of water will yield a fluffier finished product (our colleagues at Bon Appétit recently praised this method). Milk will land you somewhere in the middle. Want to switch things up? Senior SEO editor Joe Sevier favors a dollop of Greek yogurt in his scrambled eggs, noting that the addition brings fluff and richness, plus a pleasant tang.
