For Fancier, More Flavorful Scrambled Eggs, Add This One Ingredient

Scrambled eggs routinely appear on everyday breakfast plates, and for good reason. They're simple to make, relatively healthy, and go from eggshell to pan to plate in mere minutes. They can also be bland, blasé, boring, and definitely taken for granted. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to snaz up scrambled eggs, even elevating them to gourmet status. A single unexpected ingredient can make that happen, fancifying your egg-making skills while flavor-packing an ordinary breakfast.

That one ingredient comes from the elusive truffle, available only in limited regions during truffle hunting and extraction periods. Luckily, your scrambled eggs don't need to wait months on end for a very expensive fresh truffle infusion. Some of the best ways to get that earthy, woody, umami flavor into ordinary recipes is through truffle derivatives. An expert on the topic, Nelson Serrano-Bahri, chef and director of innovation at the American Egg Board, tells Tasting Table how easy that can be. "Truffle oil or truffle salt adds an earthy, luxurious flavor to scrambled eggs," Bahri explains.

Truffle oils and salts are relatively easy to find and implement into dishes, including scrambled eggs. However, not every truffle oil is created equal; in fact, many versions employ synthetic truffle flavors, aromas, and chemicals, bypassing the 300-plus natural compounds in real, fresh truffles. It's worth some extra diligence to avoid those wannabe truffle teasers. Check labels for ones comprised of real truffle chips and extra virgin olive oil. Other compatible oils include hazelnut, grapeseed, and walnut oils.

Truffle oil can be transformative in scrambled eggs as it contributes to a creamy consistency. A small amount has an oversized influence, so think in terms of roughly a teaspoon or less for a skillet of six scrambled eggs. Keep that coveted flavor at the forefront by stirring in the truffle oil about halfway through the cooking process. This is also a good time to toss in some grated cheese per preference, either a standard cheddar, firm pecorino, aged gouda, goat cheese, Camembert, or any type you enjoy. However, some cheeses pair better according to whether there's white or black truffles in the oil, so do some research for flavor pairings that appeal to you.

As expert Serrano-Bahri mentioned, truffle salt is a viable alternative for many chefs. It's simple to use, allowing ultimate control over the amount of truffle flavor in scrambled eggs. Sometimes, a mere hint of truffles is enough, so sprinkle it lightly when the eggs are fully cooked or stir in more for extra depth. Truffle salt can last a year or more in the pantry, so it's readily accessible for umami-rich truffle flavor. 

Oil and salt aren't the only truffle-infused flavorings for scrambled eggs. Truffle carpaccio is genuine truffles, sliced and jarred for convenience. Dice them up as you would fresh truffles and stir them into your eggs; remember to check ingredients for authenticity. Then there's also truffle butter for extra creaminess, and truffle honey to sweeten your morning.