Of course, egg allergies are more common in those with milk allergies, and eggs don’t fit into a vegan diet. But since eggs are dairy-free, and many of you can and do enjoy eggs, I wanted to share some secrets for creamy dairy-free scrambled eggs with you today.
So many recipes have evolved over the years to “always” include dairy, even when completely unnecessary, and scrambled eggs would be one of them. Milk and cream actually make eggs heavier. Simply using water produces light and fluffy eggs – no milk substitutes required!
To help with both the ingredients and technique, I have a time-tested reader recipe and a chef “recipe” for perfect dairy-free scrambled eggs every time.
The recipe below is by Recipe by Joel (A Go Dairy Free Viewer): “Many people think that milk or cream is necessary for creamy scrambled eggs. Not so. Just a little attention and a couple hints and you can have eggs every bit as creamy as the dairy type.”
For another option, see Chef Sarena’s Fluffy Dairy-Free Scrambled Eggs Recipe.
Special Diet Notes: Joel’s Perfectly Creamy Dairy-Free Scrambled Eggs
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, and vegetarian.
Note: If you confuse eggs for dairy, you aren’t alone; see this FAQ post for clarification: Does the Term Dairy Include Eggs?
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Black pepper and Other Seasonings of Choice (I have been using Creole seasoning lately)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- Coat the pan with the oil and add the pepper and seasoning and turn the burner to high.
- Immediately crack the eggs and mix them with the water right in the still cool frying pan with a fork. Since this recipe takes some direct attention (no leaving it alone!), I gain some of my time back this way and don’t dirty an extra dish.
- With a wooden spatula (or similar flat edged implement) start gently scrapping the bottom of the frying pan in the center right away.
- The moment you see egg start to form on the tip, turn the burner to a medium low and start gently scrapping the egg from the frying pan from every part of its hot surface. Do not stop for anything that isn’t bleeding or on fire!
- The more constant attention you give the eggs, the creamier they will be.
- When the eggs look like they are almost done (but not quite how you’d eat them). Turn the heat off and serve. The eggs will continue to cook a bit on their own.
- Salt the eggs to taste.
- Dribble some salsa on top. Enjoy!
10 Comments
What sort of pan are you using? Non-stick surface? Stainless steel? What keeps the eggs from adhering to the pan?
We use stainless steel. Cast iron works well, too. You can use non-stick, but you are continuously stirring the eggs.
Have questions. First you have us put the frying pan to high the in the second one the pan is cooling but you never told us to turn it down when do I turn it down?
You haven’t let the pan heat up yet – immediately put the eggs in. If you are worried the pan will heat up to quickly, then add the eggs off the burner, then put the pan on the burner. You turn it down to medium-low in step 4.
Just made these! I’ve never even made eggs before and they came out delicious!! Very creamy. Did I do it correctly though when I heated the pan and then added the eggs and 2 tbsp water together while it was still cool but heating up? And then right one I saw egg forming on the spoon I turned it down to medium low? Thank you 🙂
Yes, that’s correct! Glad it worked out well for you Marianna.
Interesting in my country using milk or cream in scrambled eggs is very unusual. The traditional thing is to use lard, these days lots of people use butter or margarin (don’t like that one). Oil is used too but usually withour water. Does water make it fluffier?
Yes, a bit.
but what about the water?
Mix it with the eggs in the pan.