The Unassuming Addition That Takes Scrambled Eggs To The Next Level

Eggs are the quintessential breakfast food item. Not only are they "among the most nutritious foods on the planet," per Healthline, but they are also cost-effective, and you can enjoy them in so many different ways, including boiled, fried, poached, in an omelet, frittata, or burrito, just to name a few. They're also a component of other breakfast favorites, including many baked goods. However, one of the easiest, and most popular, ways to enjoy eggs in the morning is scrambled.

And while you can certainly enjoy eggs scrambled as is, there are all sorts of things you can add for a tastier dish. Gordon Ramsay likes to add crème fraiche for creamier and fluffier scrambled eggs. For light and creamy eggs, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt adds both diced-up cold butter and a slurry made from milk and cornstarch. Adding seltzer water is another trick for airy and fluffy scrambled eggs. Some people like to add a dash of orange juice to enhance the color of scrambled eggs. However, there is one unassuming addition that will really elevate your scrambled eggs, from a textural, flavor, and visual perspective.

According to Cook's Illustrated, all you need for the richest and creamiest scrambled eggs is to add something you're likely to already have on hand if you're making scrambled eggs: extra egg yolks. You don't need a lot of extra yolks either — for every four eggs, aim to add one extra egg yolk.

When eggs are heated up, the protein inside them "unfold and bond together." The more the proteins bond, the tougher the eggs will get. Adding in extra yolks adds more fat and emulsifiers to the mix, which raises the temperature at which the egg proteins bond. You're less likely to overcook your eggs this way, leading to "fluffy, moist curds," which is exactly the texture you want for scrambled eggs. It's the same reason some people recommend adding water to scrambled eggs, as the water helps prevent the proteins in eggs from bonding too quickly. However, adding water, while helpful from a texture perspective, serves to dilute the flavor of the eggs, while adding in extra egg yolks actually leads to a richer flavor. As a bonus, adding extra egg yolks will also result in scrambled eggs with a brighter and more vibrant yellow color.