How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

By
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
and
Emma Christensen
Emma Christensen
Emma Christensen

Emma Christensen is the General Manager for Spruce Eats and Simply Recipes, the author of three books on home brewing, and a graduate of The Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. 

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/8/23
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Whether you eat them plain, load them up with cheese, or pile them on toast on your way out the door, scrambled eggs are one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to start your day. You don't need much more than a whisk and a hot pan — and of course a few eggs — to have breakfast ready in minutes.

The Secret to Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

The secret ingredient for perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs is whisking the eggs thoroughly and vigorously before cooking them. Whisking incorporates air, which produces fluffier scrambled eggs, and fluffy eggs are the end goal.

These eggs are whisked twice: once to blend the eggs together and a second time once you add the milk. For best results, whisk until your wrist is tired! The mixture should look pale yellow and frothy with bubbles.

How to Avoid Overcooked Eggs

Another tip is to turn off the heat before the eggs are all the way cooked. This helps prevent overcooking, which will make your eggs rubbery and dry.

Scrambled eggs also continue cooking for a few moments after transferring them to the plate. This phenomenon is known as residual or "carry-over" cooking, and you want to transfer the eggs to the plate when they're slightly softer than the way you ultimately want them.

Upgrade Your Scrambled Eggs

While a plate of plain scrambled eggs will get the job done, it's really the mix-ins that make this meal special. Here are some favorites:

  • Cheese! Grab whatever you have in the fridge and gently stir it into your eggs in the last minute or so of cooking. Firm cheeses like cheddar or Swiss melt best if shredded. Cream cheese or other soft cheeses can be folded right in.
  • Chopped Vegetables! This is a great place to use up some leftover vegetables from last night's dinner. If you're using fresh vegetables, it's nice to cook them for a few minute alone in the pan before adding the eggs (otherwise they'll be raw). Onions, bell peppers, broccoli, wilted spinach — literally any vegetable will work well with scrambled eggs.
  • Cooked Meat or Protein! Warm leftover steak, pulled pork, ground beef, crumbled bacon, or other cooked meat in the pan for a minute before adding the eggs. Plant-based proteins like crumbled tofu or beans are great, too.
  • Fresh Herbs! Add fresh herbs like cilantro or basil in the last few seconds of cooking or sprinkle them over the plate just before serving. (Pro tip: use a pair of cooking shears and snip them right on top of the eggs!)
A plate of fluffy, scrambled eggs topped with salt and pepper

 The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

"This recipe really will give you the most perfect scrambled eggs. Whisking them with some milk helps break the eggs up. Cooking them in butter, slow and steady, using a rubber spatula helps them stay soft. Lastly, taking them off just when they are about done is key, leaving your eggs freshly scrambled and soft!" —Tracy Wilk

Perfect fluffy scrambled eggs on a white plate
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 8 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup whole milk

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground white or black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons butter

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Perfect fluffy scrambled eggs ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  2. Crack the eggs into a glass mixing bowl and beat them until they turn a pale yellow color and you see a lot of bubbles on the surface.

    Scrambled eggs whisked together in a measuring cup with a whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  3. Add the milk to the eggs and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Whisk the eggs like crazy. If you're not up for that, you can use an electric beater or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whatever device you use, you're trying to beat as much air as possible into the eggs.

    Note that it may be easier and quicker to beat the eggs in two batches (4 at a time) to make sure you don't have any lumps.

    Milk added to eggs in measuring cup and whisked until foamy

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  4. Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt.

    Butter melting in a cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada 

  5. When the butter in the pan is hot enough to make a drop of water hiss, pour in the eggs. Don't stir. Let the eggs cook for up to a minute or until the bottom starts to set but doesn't brown.

    Scrambled egg mixture in cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  6. With a heat-resistant spatula, gently push one edge of the egg into the center while tilting the pan to allow the still liquid egg to flow in underneath. Repeat with the other edges, until the eggs are almost entirely set but still look a little wet. (Cook a little further if you prefer dry eggs.)

    Scrambled eggs in a cast-iron skillet being stirred with a rubber spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  7. Turn off the heat and continue gently stirring and turning the egg until all the uncooked parts become firm. Don't break up the egg, keeping the curds as large as possible. If you're adding any cheese, add it now.

    Scrambled eggs gently turned and stirred in a cast iron pan with a rubber spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  8. Transfer to a plate when the eggs are set but still moist and soft. Eggs are delicate, so they'll continue to cook for a few moments after they're on the plate. Serve immediately and enjoy.

    Two plates of fluffy scrambled eggs with two forks and a napkin

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

Recipe Tips

  • Finely ground white pepper is traditionally used in French-style scrambled eggs, omelets, and cream sauces because it blends in. Black pepper is a fine substitution.
  • Additional ingredients, especially ones with a lot of moisture like tomatoes or onions, can throw off the timing, and your eggs may turn out watery. To prevent this, sauté those items separately to cook off the water before adding them to your eggs.
  • Have any ingredients you'd like to mix into your scrambled eggs chopped and/or cooked and ready to go before starting.
  • Make it easy on yourself and cook your eggs in a nonstick sauté pan. Use a heat-resistant silicone spatula so it doesn't melt or scratch the pan.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
189 Calories
13g Fat
3g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 189
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 383mg 128%
Sodium 323mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 93mg 7%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 180mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)