Scrambled eggs will be creamy every time with 1 common ingredient added – not butter

Scrambled eggs can be a bit tricky to get right, but a simple technique may help you achieve a creamier texture.

By Ellen Jenne, Under 35 Writer, Spare Time

14:31, Mon, Jun 8, 2026 Updated: 14:36, Mon, Jun 8, 2026

Home made freshness scrambled eggs with smoke salmon on toasted wheaten bread and chives

You won't need any butter or cream to make the creamiest scrambled eggs for breakfast (Image: haoliang via Getty Images)

Eggs are a kitchen essential and make for a satisfying breakfast option. Scrambled eggs remain a breakfast favourite, yet perfecting their creamiest consistency can prove challenging.

Food expert Kris Osborne shared her "accidental" method, which numerous food enthusiasts use to elevate their scrambled eggs. Rather than incorporating milk, cream or crème fraîche to achieve that ultimate silky texture, no additional liquid ingredients are necessary. The optimal approach is to season the raw eggs with salt and simply let them sit.

That's right, the salted eggs should be left to rest for up to 15 minutes before they even reach the pan, reports The Mirror.

This technique is favoured by the experts at American Test Kitchen. Kris wrote for Simply Recipes: "The bowl sat on the counter for about 10 to 15 minutes while I packed lunch, filled water bottles, signed a permission slip, and finally heard her footsteps on the stairs.

"The scrambled eggs I made that day were different. The curds were softer, creamier, and more tender than usual. They were delicious, but I chalked it up to the new carton of eggs I'd just bought."

America's Test Kitchen explained: "Many cooks, even some famous chefs, will tell you not to salt scrambled eggs before cooking, because it makes them tough and watery.

A close up shot of salt spilling out of a salt shaker on to a wooden chopping board. Shot on a rustic wooden kitchen table with

Simply salt the eggs while they're still raw (Image: Getty Images)

"We disagree. In side-by-side tests, we found the exact opposite to be true."

When salt is introduced to the raw egg, it "disrupts" the proteins within the egg. Consequently, when the eggs are cooked, they don't firm up quite as much.

Kris explained that by weakening the protein structure, the eggs coagulate more slowly and uniformly. In turn, this produces a softer, creamier curd when prepared.

Salt won't just influence the texture of the scrambled eggs – adding it beforehand and leaving the eggs to rest ensures the seasoning spreads more consistently. Simply crack the eggs into a bowl and season with the salt.

Kris suggested leaving the eggs to rest for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. When preparing the eggs, the food expert recommends heating a pan over a medium-low heat before adding generous amounts of butter along with the eggs.

The eggs ought to be stirred delicately. Kris said: "I also pull the eggs from the heat while they're still slightly glossy. Good butter and fresh eggs still matter, but salting the eggs ahead of time makes them noticeably better.

"I'm all about easy kitchen tricks that improve something I already make all the time. Pre-salting my eggs has become another step in my routine, and every time I sit down to eat them, I'm glad I learned the trick."