Ina Garten’s 5 Scrambled Egg Upgrades Will Change Your Life—They're SO Dreamy

When I was three years old, my mom hoisted me up on our wobbly wooden kitchen chair, secured a dish towel around my waist as an apron, and taught me how to make scrambled eggs. As our bestie Julia Child cooked on our fuzzy little television, scrambled eggs were the first thing I ever learned to cook. 

The best part is that my mother always encouraged me to play with ingredients—trying new, different, and better ways. Ina Garten, another powerful presence in my life as a cook, encourages us all to do the same. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly love scrambled eggs any more, Ina stepped in with her magical touch—delicious, fun, and creative approaches to upgrading them.

Read on for five of my favorite ways Ina upgrades scrambled eggs. If available online, I linked to the recipe and provided you with a link to the cookbook where you can find the recipe.

1. Scrambled Eggs Cacio e Pepe

Claimed by many as “the best scrambled eggs ever,” Ina Garten’s Scrambled Eggs Cacio e Pepe bring together two most classic, simple, and delicious things to eat on the planet: scrambled eggs and cacio e pepe. 

The eggs and milk are cooked with melted butter, and when they’re almost done cooking, Ina removes the pan from heat and stirs in freshly grated Pecorino and cracked black pepper. She spoons the custard-like eggs over toasted bread and sprinkles them with extra Pecorino. For me, these certainly live up to their reputation. Mangia!

Find the Recipe In: Go-To Dinners

2. Truffled Scrambled Eggs

Give me truffle anything, and I am a happy diner. Ina adds luxury and earthiness to scrambled eggs with store-bought truffle butter. She whisks the eggs with salt and pepper, and cooks them into a pan coated with butter and set over low heat, folding them gently with a spatula. 

Then, she removes the pan from heat and adds a spoonful of truffle butter, which melts into the eggs in the still-hot pan. For additional flavor and texture, a sprinkle of finely chopped chives does the job.

Find the Recipe In: Cook Like a Pro

3. Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon

You can’t go wrong with scrambled eggs or smoked salmon for brunch. Being the culinary goddess she is, Ina brings them together into one dish.

First, Ina scrambles the eggs with a little milk, salt, and pepper. She removes the pan from the heat and places thin slices of smoked salmon on top. Chopped fresh parsley and chives add a pop of bright color and flavor. That’s it!

Find the Recipe In: Barefoot Contessa at Home

4. Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese

The addition of goat cheese gives these scrambled eggs a creamy, dreamy decadence. The goat cheese intensifies and deepens all of the flavors and adds a melty texture to each bite. 

This one’s cooked on a grill—the distinct smoky flavor is sublime!—but you can make it on the stovetop. Ina cooks eggs that have been whisked with milk, salt, and pepper in a buttered pan set over a hot charcoal grill. As soon as the eggs are done, she stirs in crumbled goat cheese, chopped chives, and butter.

Find the Recipe In: Barefoot Contessa Family Style

5. Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs

Luscious scrambled eggs and earthy, crispy asparagus make a beautiful pair. Ina starts by roasting asparagus with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. As the asparagus roasts, she scrambles eggs whisked with half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Both the roasted asparagus and fluffy eggs are served with 7-grain bread. It's simple, yet delicious.

Find the Recipe In: Barefoot Contessa Parties!