‘Barefoot Contessa’ Ina Garten’s ‘Perfect’ Scrambled Eggs Include 1 Surprising Ingredient

Some Food Network chefs are known for creating fancy meals and signature dishes that require some amount of culinary skill. But Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten excels at making gourmet meals at least look easy. Her recipes are elegant, yet seem accessible. That’s probably what makes her one of the most popular talents on the network.

Scrambled eggs are one of the cheapest, easiest meals to whip up but they’re equally easy to ruin. Overcooked, dried out eggs lack flavor and can really ruin a nice breakfast. That’s why Garten shared a quick tutorial on making the perfect scrambled eggs and when she did, recommended adding 1 special ingredient.

Ina Garten became a star by making recipes aspirational

Everyone wants to upgrade their cooking skills, but overly complicated recipes can be intimidating for novice chefs. Barefoot Contessa grew her audience by introducing gourmet, delicious recipes that she broke down to easy step-by-step tutorials.

Garten’s signature phrase, “How simple is that?” became her calling card. She was able to revitalize mealtimes all thanks to her upbeat personality and absolute conviction that anyone could mimic her technique.

‘Barefoot Contessa’ knows how to make ‘perfect’ scrambled eggs

Making scrambled eggs is easy as heating up a pan and cracking a few eggs into it. But making a delectable breakfast (or lunch or dinner) takes a bit more finesse. Garten shared her thoughts on how to achieve superior eggs via an instructional video on YouTube.

At the start of the video, she claims her scrambled eggs will “impress even your mother-in-law.” It all starts with 1 and ½ tablespoons of butter in a pan. Barefoot Contessa insists you want the burner on very low heat to achieve that ideal light and fluffy consistency. “Protein gets tough when it’s on a high heat,” the cookbook author explains.

Next, Garten whisks the extra-large eggs in a bowl, then adds ¼ cup of half and half, plus 1 tsp of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. After she pours the eggs into the pan, she lets them sit for 3 to 5 minutes before touching them with the spatula. This won’t work if the pan is too hot.

Garten adds 1 special ingredient to her eggs for extra flavor

After the eggs heat up for a few minutes, Garten starts scrambling them using a spatula. Still, she stresses not to turn up the heat, and just have the patience for them to cook slowly. “I’m not one for patience, but for this, it’s really worth it,” she promises.

Just before the eggs are done, Barefoot Contessa turns off the heat and then adds her signature ingredient. She scoops in 2 tablespoons of truffle butter. “Cold truffle butter will keep the eggs from cooking any further,” Garten explains. Plus, it adds a little extra flavor.

For plating, Garten puts the eggs on top of a toasted piece of brioche bread. Then she adds chopped chives as garnish. It’s a simple, elegant, delicious meal that anyone can make in mere minutes.