Have you ever thought that scrambled eggs are just for breakfast? Well I used to be the same.
Then one day I was thinking how much the texture of scrambled eggs was like an oozy risotto. But so much more nutritious. And it got me thinking about the flavour possibilities for the humble egg scramble.
When you have bacon, parmesan and onion you can’t help but have a flavour explosion situation on your hands.
Ooh and… the secret to creamy scrambled eggs is to salt the eggs before cooking. The salt changes the structure of the proteins so they retain moisture as they cook.
Flavour Explosion Scrambled Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 large onion
- 100 g bacon
- 50 g grated parmesan cheese
- 1 bag salad leaves
Instructions
- Crack eggs into a medium bowl and whisk in a pinch of salt (see note above) and 2 tablespoons water.
- Peel and dice onion. Heat a little oil in a medium frying pan on a medium heat and cook onion, stirring every few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Increase the heat to high. Chop bacon and add to the pan to brown for 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat back to medium. Pour in the eggs and cook stirring constantly for about 2 minutes or until the egg has set into a creamy soft mass.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan. Quickly divide eggs between 2 warm plates. And serve salad leaves on the side.
Nutrition
Variations & Substitutions
pantry-friendly – serve with frozen spinach warmed with a little butter.
short on time – skip the onion.
vegetarian – bacon = feta or sun dried tomatoes or grilled peppers or mushrooms.
dairy-free – skip the cheese and serve with roast almonds or pine nuts on top.
more substantial (carb lovers) – serve on toast.
more substantial (low carb) – serve with almond bread or roast pine nuts. Serve with extra shaved parmesan.
Low FODMAP – skip the onion.
different vegetables – feel free to go to town with your vegetable accompaniments. Mushrooms are lovely cooked with the onion.
more fancy / for entertaining – serve with a reliable cabbage salad, or Best Ever Broccoli Salad or Asparagus with Ricotta and Mint.
hot! – serve with your favourite hot sauce.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
eggs – will keep in the fridge for weeks or use for another meal.
onion – will keep in the pantry for months. Best if in a dark corner in a brown paper bag.
bacon – freeze it.
parmesan – wrap in baking paper and store in the fridge in a sealed paper bag or airtight container. Will keep for months. Can be frozen if you’re going away.
salad leaves – are highly perishable. My first path would be to use them for another meal (salad for breakfast!) but if that isn’t possible you can pop them in the freezer. They will wilt down but can then be used anywhere you’d use wilted greens.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – more salt! more parmesan! hot sauce.
watery – if there is liquid oozing out onto the plate it’s overcooked eggs. Next time get it out of the pan earlier.
sticking to the pan – eggs love to stick! For now just scrape out as best you can. Next time use a non stick pan or a well seasoned cast iron pan. And make sure you heat the pan and the oil before adding food.
Prepare Ahead
No best when freshly made. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Don’t freeze.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Sometimes I make lox and onions in scrambled eggs. Lox = Jewish smoked salmon. Question: What is the purpose of adding water to the eggs?
The water creates extra steam as the eggs cook so you get a lighter fluffier texture Paul.
I LOVE Lox! Your combo sounds really good.
Once again Jules, thank you, thank you and thank you.
I didn’t want to go to the shops and I had all the ingredients.
So tasty and easy, the onion was a pleasant addition, I would not usually add to my scrambled eggs.
A nutritious meal made quickly with little cleaning up, perfect after a busy day.
So glad you enjoyed Kath!
I FINALLY cooked something from the weekly plan! Loved that these were all items I keep around (no special trip to the store.) I served with steamed asparagus because that is what I had, but think I would do salad greens in the future. Thanks, Jules, for making this easy!
Fantastic Catherine! Keep up the excellent work 🙂
I made a half batch because I didn’t fancy the idea of left-over scrambled egg (one way in which it is quite different from risotto, which is usually as good if not better as leftovers). I started off by frying garlic rather than onion, because I haven’t made anything with garlic for some time, then a few flat mushrooms rather than bacon, which I then removed from the pan to give the eggs room. I had the result with Cacio e Pepe Broccoli as vegetable – I cannot imagine having the latter on its own as dinner. Quite good.
You know I’ve never tried leftover scrambled egg – I suspect you might be right – but will have to give it a shot – sometimes these things surprise us.
This idea stuck in my mind all week. For breakfast this morning, we fried up some diced bacon and chopped spring onions. Then added 4 eggs beaten with a small handful of Parmesan. So, so tasty!
Excellent Sharon!