For the Best Eggs, Scramble Them Like the Waffle House

As a Southerner, there are few breakfast destinations more beloved than Waffle House. The Georgia-based chain, known for its late-night meals and decidedly unique dining ambiance, has perfected breakfast. As such, I’ve spent a lot of time watching their highly talented griddle cooks at work, and that research has given me what I believe to be the superior method for scrambling eggs.

The credit for this technique actually combines two of my most important culinary influences: French chef Jacques Pépin and my beloved Waffle House. Pépin is known for his cloud-like scrambled eggs, achieved by stirring the eggs in the pan in his signature figure-8 pattern. The soft curds are combined with a single slice of American cheese, and the result is a perfectly cheesy plate of soft scrambled eggs, no griddle cook required.

How to Make Waffle House's Eggs at Home

First, I thoroughly beat the eggs in a bowl—ideally with a whisk for maximum aeration, but a fork will also work. Then, I tear a single slice of American cheese (my go-to is Kraft Deli Deluxe) into small pieces and fold the cheese bits into the egg mixture. It might look a little weird at first with those chunks of cheese floating in your otherwise uniform eggs, but don’t worry—it’s going to melt nicely into the eggs as they cook.

At this point, I melt a pat of butter in a nonstick skillet (mostly because I don’t have one of those flat-top griddles like Waffle House) and gently pour in the eggs. After allowing them to set for a moment, I begin stirring in Pepin’s figure-8 pattern, which incorporates the cheese into the eggs with ease and makes them silky and soft. This takes a few minutes; it's done when the mixture is mostly set.

The real key here is to not overcook the eggs; you want them to look a little wet—which means they're slightly underdone—when you remove them from the heat. The residual heat in the pan will continue cooking the eggs for a minute or two, giving you enough time to start assembling the rest of your breakfast.

How to Serve These Eggs

Of course, these cheesy eggs are great alongside sausage and a glass of OJ, but they can also be adapted into a number of other breakfasts. (No “egg ick” here!) Sometimes, I tuck them into a tortilla with a slice of bacon and a dollop of salsa for a ridiculously easy breakfast taco. Other times, I pile the eggs on top of toast and add a sprinkle of chives or a drizzle of sriracha.

However you serve them, you can’t go wrong—these are truly the perfect scrambled eggs. They’re also one of the rare kitchen upgrades that is as easy to prepare as it is delicious, which is why these Waffle House-inspired cheesy eggs should become a morning staple.