5 Ingredients or Fewer

Soft Mascarpone Scrambled Eggs

by:
September 14, 2010
4
4 Ratings
Soft Mascarpone Scrambled Eggs
Photo by Kristy Mucci
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

First, a confession: I used to hate scrambled eggs. They reminded me of sulfur-infused cardboard. Or insulation. Years later, I learned how to make creamy, soft scrambled eggs, and now I crave them regularly.

Good, free-range eggs are paramount to this recipe, for both taste and safety reasons, and they require very little embellishment: I add a small lump of mascarpone or creme fraiche, a dribble of cream, or whatever is around (not milk, which makes them tough), a dash of salt and pepper and nothing else. But I do believe that excellent scrambled eggs need to be cooked in butter -- even in a non-stick pan -- and while we're on the subject, salted butter is my preference. The recipe makes enough for two people, but I usually get it all to myself, as I'm married to someone who is egg averse -- what's more, leftovers can be gently reheated in the microwave, and they still won't remind you of cardboard! —Merrill Stubbs

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 large free-range or organic eggs
  • 1 tablespoon mascarpone, creme fraiche, cream, what have you
  • Dash of salt and freshly ground pepper, plus more for serving
  • Knob of salted butter
Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, mascarpone, salt and pepper. Be thorough, but don't worry if there are little bits of mascarpone flecking the egg.
  2. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over a medium-low flame. Add the butter and wait until it melts before adding the egg. If the egg starts to cook right away, turn the heat as low as it will go. Using a wooden spatula or spoon, stir the eggs constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan all over in a long, continuous motion. Do this for about 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary (raise it a little if the egg touching the pan isn't cooking at all; lower it if it starts to cook quickly or look at all dry).
  3. Pull the eggs off the heat when they're still a little custardy-looking, but not runny -- they'll cook a bit more as you pile them onto your plate. Divide the eggs among two warm plates and serve immediately, with toast if you like, and more ground black pepper.
Tags:

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Caitlin Nickas
    Caitlin Nickas
  • Brooke
    Brooke
  • Bernard Campanella
    Bernard Campanella
  • Christina DeLouise
    Christina DeLouise
  • lizaH
    lizaH

Popular on Food52

41 Reviews

Adrián F.
Adrián F. August 1, 2017
In Mexico they barely know you can add cream to eggs. But take my advice and try this eggs with a nice ans spice mexican, you won't regret it.
 
Caitlin N.
Caitlin N. March 20, 2016
Made this today with the suggestions of Cream cheese and Dijon. So good! I was never a big egg person, unless loaded with cheese and you couldn't actually taste the egg. This has been a wonderful surprise and I can't wait to make it again!
 
Brooke
Brooke January 27, 2016
Love this recipe! I have taught virtually all of my friends and family to cook scrambled eggs "low and slow". One tip I give novices to create little pillows of scrambled egg love is to use a spatula as if they were "mowing a lawn". I tell them to slowly move the spatula across the pan in rows and turn the eggs over at the end of the row until done as described in the recipe. Yummy.
 
Bernard C.
Bernard C. January 24, 2016
Snowed in today...made these egs with a grind of fresh coriander! Magnific!
 
Ron
Ron June 7, 2015
Use a few drops of Worcestershire sauce with the Dijon and WOW what a flavor to remember ...
 
Christina D.
Christina D. March 21, 2015
I've heard of a recipe for soft, creamy scrambled eggs over a double boiler, with just butter.... Anyone tried this?
 
Tobias B.
Tobias B. March 17, 2015
I use a big tablespoons of guacamole instead... the avocados make everything super smooth and the lime flavour works great too!
 
lizaH
lizaH December 19, 2014
Tried these this morning with a dash of dijon - excellent!
 
Suzanne L.
Suzanne L. May 31, 2014
Chinese restaurants - soft creamy Chinese scrambled with 12 BIG shrimps - 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 inches for $5.99 - $7.99. 6 shrimps this size is $18.99 in steak houses. Glad I found this site - all you guys have yummmie recipes that I have to try. The secret to stir-fry is always al dente never over-cooked.
 
Murray
Murray October 20, 2013
Burn the butter! A little cream cheese in the mix works fine.
Remove pan from heat. Scramble soft. The burnt butter gives a great taste.
 
Charlie
Charlie October 20, 2013
Scrambled eggs, using small curd cottage cheese!
Been making my scrambled eggs for over 25Y with cottage cheese.
An all but guaranteed tasty recipe for moist scrambled eggs!
Start with a few eggs and scramble about a tablespoon of cottage cheese in it, (can add bacon, ham, mushrooms....most anything you'd put in scrambled eggs)..... no 'exact' measurement for the cottage cheese.
Find your 'texture' and 'taste', then enjoy!
 
DragonFly
DragonFly June 23, 2013
Sounds great, I will try this tomorrow morning. I sometimes make scrambled eggs and when they are almost done I blend in a nice homemade cheese sauce, very creamy and good! Thank you for sharing.
 
dndndn
dndndn May 20, 2013
Greetings...just found this one, is exceptionally good ! Have used cream cheese and dijon as commented, this is now requested every weekend by my wife who (formerly) didn't care for scrambled. Thanks so much! Great website btw :)
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. May 20, 2013
So glad you liked them, and thank you!
 
Chris L.
Chris L. December 27, 2012
I found a neat trick for cooking scrambled eggs, chopsticks!
They let you have nicely scrambled eggs, and the eggs come off the pan as they cook, rather than being rolled around by a spatula.
 
EmFraiche
EmFraiche March 5, 2012
I used cream cheese and they turned out great!
 
mcs3000
mcs3000 January 17, 2012
I have always struggled to make perfect scrambled eggs until recently when i discovered this water bath method by Daniel Patterson - it works great: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/08/magazine/08food.html - now I can't wait to try your method.
 
bugbitten
bugbitten January 12, 2012
This is a perfect recipe for scrambled eggs, which in my family used to be called scribbled eggs. I'm always surprised to see good cooks reaching for a skillet to make these. They're just as easily prepared in a saucepan, with less evaporation of the moisture the creator put in them. My secret ingredients are white pepper and nutmeg. I'm fairly sure that my scribbled eggs was one of three reasons my wife agreed to marry me.
 
Cookie16
Cookie16 August 2, 2011
I was just watching an episode of "Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home—Eggs" and Julia used a method where she added some raw scrambled eggs to the cooked scrambled eggs in the pan just at the end to keep them creamy and soft.

I wonder how this compares to adding cream in terms of creaminess...?
 
Burntoffering
Burntoffering July 25, 2011
Combining the recipes of two uncles, I use cream cheese and curry powder. Always a huge hit!
 
janine V.
janine V. May 9, 2011
i just ended work famished, and i didn't have mascarpone. so i used a delicious fresh chevre with basil + softened with greek yogurt, added to the black pepper/salt some snipped chives and cilantro :)... i'm venezuelan so i ate my delicious herby creamy yummy eggs with a flat arepa ( cornmeal flatbread indigenous to venezuela) i'm sooo happy. la al alalalallaá...janine
 
GIOVANNI50
GIOVANNI50 February 16, 2012
Mi amiga! What is the best ratio of harina PAN and water to make arepas? Do you add butter? Venezolano importado !
 
littleknitter
littleknitter May 6, 2011
Merrill, you are an absolute genius! I always hated scrambled, eggs (admittedly, most of my experience with them came from breakfast buffets, but I still hated them when cooking them at home) and I simply couldn't understand what the appeal of scrambled eggs were.

I saw this recipe yesterday and got inspired. I tried them this morning and they were the best scrambled eggs I'd ever eaten! I'm totally a convert now :-) SO delicious!
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. May 6, 2011
So glad you liked them!
 
aargersi
aargersi February 11, 2011
I am 46 years old and I JUST made REALLY GREAT scrambled eggs for the first time ever. Yum! Thanks Merrill!!
 
Cookie16
Cookie16 August 2, 2011
That's so cute—a breakthrough in breakfast at 46. Your comment made me smile :)
 
peanutbutterjellygirl
peanutbutterjellygirl January 23, 2011
I put the eggs and butter into a cold pot (not non stick) onto a burner on med low, stir constantly with a spatula pulling the pot on and off of the heat to make sure it doesn't cook hard. Pull the pot off when eggs are starting to curd but still creamy, add a bit of creme fraiche to stop the cooking and a bit of sea salt and fine ground pepper. It's very similar to a Parisian scrambled egg. It's amazing how the flavor of the egg is so altered by changing up the cooking process.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour December 23, 2010
I'm eating these eggs on some whole grain toast, and it makes a perfect simple supper. I added the mustard as suggested by mescobosa. Delish.
 
beachgirlfoodie
beachgirlfoodie December 23, 2010
Ijust discovered adding a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream to my free range scrambled eggs - makes all the difference in the world! And the butter too - love your recipe!
 
java&foam
java&foam December 23, 2010
merrill....its a wonderful recipe. i have always used 2% milk but I'm sure the mascarpone would give it a luxuriously creamy texture. as a possible add-on to your recipe that I have always done, once i whisk the eggs before I add anything else, I send it through a wire sieve. my grandma taught me to do this, since the chalazae (connective tissue that helps hold the yolk in the center of the albumen was always a pet peeve of hers, and it has always given my scrambled eggs a silky edge they don't seem to have if I skip that step. admittedly it does add an extra step and is something else that has to be cleaned, but I always found it was worth it.
 
AlainB
AlainB October 14, 2010
Thanks for this, my kids loved it!
 
mescobosa
mescobosa September 19, 2010
I am stunned that no one has added a comment mentioning the ultimate secret ingredient for the best tasting soft-scrambled eggs around. Add a half teaspoon or so of french country style (whole grain) dijon mustard! You will not taste the mustard (too little to impart a strong mustardy flavor) but something magical will happen to the eggs and you will be transported to a Parisian café. Try it!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames September 19, 2010
Such a great idea! Thank you posting/sharing it!!! ;o)
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. September 19, 2010
Yes, indeed! Can't wait to try it -- your description is inspiring.
 
BoulderGalinTokyo
BoulderGalinTokyo March 1, 2012
The Dijon really does something magicial--Thank you for a smart idea!
 
Rhonda35
Rhonda35 September 19, 2010
Merrill, YOU are the Queen of Scrambling (eggs, that is!!) I have never been able to make eggs the way my chef friends have - until this post! 4 tries later and I have got it down. I had the most delicious late-night snack thanks to you. Thank you! xoxo
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. September 19, 2010
Thanks, Rhonda. I'm so glad I could be of help!
 
Sally
Sally September 14, 2010
I do the chicken dance (or should I say) egg dance on the burners, too. Now my almost grown up son makes these, too. They are truly divine!!
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. September 19, 2010
It's definitely a good trick for any man to have up his sleeve...
 
phyllis
phyllis September 14, 2010
Me too. I always made scrambled eggs using cream, but they still came out hard and tasteless. One day I decided to experiment with the heat--I always cooked on the eggs on high heat. Scrambled eggs meant fast (to my mother). What a difference. It's the low and slow that makes them delicious.
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. September 19, 2010
You said it.