How to Make the Best Scrambled Eggs, According to Chefs

Scrambled eggs might be one of the easiest dishes to make. Whip together eggs, add them to a pan with oil or butter, and scramble them until done. And yet, chefs and home cooks alike have strong opinions about what makes the best scramble.

“For me, scrambled eggs should be minimalistic, and may take a lifetime to perfect,” says 2017 F&W Best New Chef Rico Torres.

You can scramble eggs in countless ways — soft or hard, over low heat or high heat, with or without cheese, using olive oil or butter — but there are a few chef-approved techniques that are guaranteed to take your eggs to the next level. Here are five tips to consider for your next scramble.

When they’re nearly done, turn off the heat

If there’s one tip that chefs recommend most frequently, this is it. “My biggest rule for scrambled eggs is to turn off the heat before the eggs are done cooking,” says Torres. 2015 F&W Best New Chef Katie Button agrees. “I think the most important thing to scrambling eggs is removing them while they are still custardy, and getting them out of the pan onto the plates right at that moment,” she says. 

2013 F&W Best New Chef Michael Hudman also follows this step for his scrambled eggs, which he cooks with foamy butter. “Keep the eggs moving with a rubber spatula and fold in [more] cold butter,” he says. “When that melts, take off the heat for the last 30 seconds.” Because your eggs will continue to cook in the pan, pulling them from the burner early helps you to avoid a hard, overcooked scramble.  

Use a nonstick pan

No matter how much butter or oil you use, the likelihood that your scrambled eggs will stick to the pan really comes down to the pan. To avoid the risk altogether, Button makes her scrambled eggs in a nonstick skillet with “a fair amount of butter.” 2015 F&W Best New Chef Bryce Shuman specifically uses a Made In Nonstick pan, which we can vouch for — our testing lab rated the Made In ProCoat 10-inch Nonstick Frying Pan as the best nonstick pan on the market.

Start them from cold

2016 F&W Best New Chef Bradley Kilgore doesn’t start the burner until his eggs are in the pan. “[I cook my eggs] from cold with a splash of cream, shredded white cheddar, shredded smoked gouda, diced butter, a micro pinch of garlic powder, and good sea salt,” he says. He then cooks the eggs over low heat, gently scrambling them until they’re just cooked, to maintain control of the cooking temperature.

Low and slow is not always best

“Contrary to popular opinion, the best way to scramble eggs is fast and furious,” says 2011 F&W Best New Chef Wylie Dufresne. He cooks his eggs over medium heat, whisking constantly. “Remove from the heat and whisk further for 30 seconds to form tiny curds and let off some heat. Fold in your favorite cheese and enjoy!”

Add cottage cheese

2014 F&W Best New Chef Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton swears by cottage cheese in her scramble.

“I began scrambling eggs with cottage cheese for a sweet little boy I used to babysit while I was in college, and I’ve enjoyed my eggs that way ever since,” she says. “I start with a little melted butter in a pan over medium-low heat and then slowly scramble the eggs with whole fat cottage cheese, a little sea salt, and a combo of freshly ground white and black pepper. The eggs turn out so fluffy and tender with just a hint of tang and richness from the cottage cheese.”