Your Scrambled Eggs Need Capers For An Umami Blast

Capers are the underrated, umami-packed buds of the culinary world, and they're good for so much more than sprinkling on your lox bagel. You can fry them, grind them, and crisp them up to add juicy bursts of tangy flavor to a multitude of savory dishes, but as we know from smoked salmon sandwiches, they shine on breakfast items in particular. So if you're looking for a new way to use these little green gems, try including them in your next batch of scrambled eggs.

They may sound like an unlikely pair, but capers and scrambled eggs are a match made in heaven. These eggs are typically thick, fluffy, and creamy, but they can admittedly be a little one-note. When you tuck capers in between their folds, you get pops of briny goodness in every bite, which not only adds a greater depth of flavor but serves to brighten up your breakfast. Plus, this addition opens the door to incorporating even more complementary ingredients, featuring Mediterranean flavors, to round out your meal.

The best part about adding capers to your meal? They're packed full of umami flavor, but they're so tiny that they're extremely easy to incorporate, and they don't require any prep at all. After you beat your eggs, with any milk if you're using it, simply add your capers into the bowl and stir. Then when you go to pour the mixture on a pan, the buds (along with any of their juice that's still clinging on) will infuse into your breakfast. If you want to give the capers a little extra attention, however, you can let them sizzle in a pan for a few minutes before adding your beaten eggs. It only takes three minutes to fry them in a little oil, which opens up additional nutty flavor notes. But if you go with this option, you'll want to dry them first so liquid doesn't splatter.

If you want to ease your way into capers' briny flavor, you can also dehydrate and grind them, which makes a seasoning perfect for stirring into your whisked eggs. Whichever way you prefer to incorporate this ingredient, feel free to take your dish a step further and add in herbs like basil or oregano, seasonings like Italian or lemon pepper, or cheeses like parmesan or feta. And don't sleep on tasty mix-ins or breakfast additions like olives, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, or lox for a morning meal that's anything but boring.