The Ingredient That Makes Scrambled Eggs Taste Restaurant-Rich

Scrambled eggs are one of those meals that almost anyone can whip up, regardless of their level of culinary expertise. It also helps that there are many tips and tricks to elevate scrambled eggs and make them better, like cooking them in clarified butter — but there's also a household ingredient that makes them taste like they were made in a restaurant instead of your home kitchen. As simple as this ingredient might seem, I think that it all comes down to a splash of heavy cream.

Sure, there are many restaurant-quality ingredients you can add to scrambled eggs, but none of that matters if you don't whisk some heavy cream into the eggs first. Hear me out, heavy cream is high in fat, and that is what makes the scrambled eggs have a rich taste and texture. It contains more fat than regular milk, which coats the protein in the eggs for a fluffy, cloud-like texture. In addition to the texture, it will provide a rich and almost sweet flavor, similar to butter, another essential component for the absolute best scrambled eggs. So forget about the whole milk and use heavy cream for your next batch of homemade scrambled eggs.

A bit of heavy cream gives scrambled eggs restaurant-level taste and texture, but you don't have to be a professional chef to pull it off. Trust me. All it takes is about a tablespoon of heavy cream for every two large eggs, and you can eyeball it just like I do. I like to whisk the eggs first to make sure they're beaten evenly. Whisking is also important to incorporate air into the mix, which makes the eggs fluffy. Next, mindfully pour the heavy cream into the bowl and whisk to ensure the fat of the cream and the egg's protein combine. This is also the point where you can whisk in other ingredients that can provide additional flavor.

While I think that heavy cream is the answer to soft and fluffy scrambled eggs that will rival any given restaurant, it's not the only ingredient. The dish most certainly requires salt and pepper to season the eggs or it will be flavorless. I also think that delicious scrambled eggs hinge on shredded cheese, and sharp cheddar is my personal preference for a deeper umami flavor. And if you don't have heavy cream in your fridge, I also think a bit of cream cheese is a surefire way to add richness to scrambled eggs. Finish them off with freshly chopped chives, everything bagel seasoning, or a dash of hot sauce like I do, and you might never order scrambled eggs at a restaurant again.