Do you want to learn how to cook perfectly fluffy and creamy scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan? You are in the right place. If you want to improve your health, you may want to give up toxic non-stick pans.
Stainless steel pans are durable and non-toxic, but you probably think eggs will stick to stainless steel. Well, there is an easy way to use stainless steel pans for cooking eggs, and you will never want to use another method again.
Yes, you can make scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan
For the longest time, I didn’t make scrambled eggs because I didn’t have what I thought was the right pan.
We moved countries (and, in fact, continents), we downgraded to a smaller place, and I didn’t want to buy more cookware. Especially because I already had premium stainless steel cookware. I’d rather give up scrambled eggs.
Until one day, when I saw a video on Instagram with someone cooking eggs in a stainless steel pan; it also happened to be the same brand I had, All-Clad. I immediately wanted to try. And it worked! I felt like crying tears of happiness.
Since then, scrambled eggs have been back on the menu; in fact, they are my favorite way to make eggs in the morning. And I didn’t have to buy any extra pans.
Every time I shared this piece of information on my Instagram or Facebook, people would be surprised. Some have tried and told me it changed their life. Some needed more information and, eventually, a more detailed tutorial.
And that’s how I decided to make this post, with a step-by-step guide and a video tutorial on how to make scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan.
Alternatives to stainless steel
Ceramic-coated pans work to make scrambled eggs, and they are safe for cooking, but they are expensive and only last about a year without scratches. Once they get a scratch, they become toxic. In my opinion, they are a waste.
Classic non-stick cookware is out of the question for me. They leach all sorts of nasty chemicals into the food.
A well-seasoned cast iron pan is great for making eggs, but I prefer to use it only occasionally (they are great for steaks, pancakes, and tortillas).
In my opinion, good quality stainless steel pans are the best everyday cookware. They are safe, easy to clean, and now you know: they are also non-stick.
I cook everything in stainless steel: eggs, steaks, veggies. Nothing ever sticks to the pan if you know how to use it.
Pick the right type of stainless steel pan
You want premium, fully-clad cookware, not the cheap stuff. Yes, they might cost a little more, but they last a lifetime and beyond.
Fully clad cookware refers to pots or pans constructed with multiple layers of different materials, typically stainless steel as the outer and inner layers and a core layer of another metal, such as aluminum or copper, sandwiched in between. These layers are bonded together to create a single, solid piece of cookware.
The term ‘fully clad’ indicates that the layers extend all the way up the sides of the cookware, providing even heat distribution across the entire surface, including the sides. This design allows for precise temperature control and helps to prevent hot spots, ensuring that food cooks evenly.
Fully clad cookware is known for its durability, performance, and versatility and is often considered a premium option in the world of cookware.
I have a variety of All-Clad cookware, which is one of the most reputable cookware companies in the US. For making scrambled eggs, I use both pans from this set:
Mine looks slightly different because I bought it a while ago, but they work the same way.
I bought all my All-Clad cookware when it was on sale, mainly from William Sonoma. But there are always good offers on Amazon and even the All-Clad website.
Known as a cheaper alternative but with also very good quality, is Made-In cookware, a much younger US company. However, if I look at prices on Amazon, they are comparable to All-Clad.
Any of these two brands, or a similar quality from another brand, will be perfect for making scrambled eggs.
These pans are usually made to work with any type of stovetop, but please check before you buy one to ensure it works with your type.
Choose the right-sized pan
Generally, I use the 8-inch frying pan when I make 2 or 3 eggs, and the 10-inch frying pan when I make 4 eggs or more.
If you also have a 12-inch pan, you can probably make up to 10 eggs at once.
Use the right type of fat
For healthy eggs, use any of these fats: extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, or perilla oil.
All of these oils are great for cooking, and even if you see a little smoke, don’t worry; their smoking point is much lower than their oxidation point. They are all healthy to cook scrambled eggs with.
However, if you want extra flavor, more fluffy eggs, and even more non-stick power, I recommend mixing the oil with some butter or ghee. Choose French or Italian butter or butter made with A2 milk or Jersey milk.
For my 10-inch pan (4 eggs), I use 1/2 tablespoon oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter.
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Beat the eggs
If you are new to this website, we always recommend using pasture-raised or Omega-3 eggs.
Of course, you can make scrambled eggs with any eggs you’d like, but for the best nutrition, taste, and texture, choose pastured eggs.
Beat the eggs with a fork before you heat the pan. Don’t add anything else to the eggs. You will season them with salt and pepper after cooking.
The big secret for a non-stick pan: heat the pan well
Well, that’s basically ‘the big secret’ to make your stainless steel pan non-stick. Before you add any fat to the pan, heat it well on medium to high heat. I generally use 6 or 7 on my stove (9 is the maximum). Then I switch between 6 or 7 depending on how I time the other steps.
To check if the pan is hot enough, throw in some cold water with your wet fingers. If the droplets slide around the pan and disappear quickly, then the pan is ready.
These variables will be slightly different depending on what pan you have and the type of stove you have. Experiment until you learn what the sweet spot is for your situation. I have an induction stovetop that heats pretty fast.
Add the oil and butter
Add the oil and butter to the pan. I usually turn the heat one step down (from 7 to 6) when I add the fat to ensure the butter doesn’t burn. Remember, these types of pans conduct and retain heat very well all across the surface.
Add the eggs
After I add the oil and butter, I turn the heat back up one step (back to 7), as the eggs will lower the pan’s temperature. I add all the eggs at once, then pick up a spatula and start scraping from the sides to the middle of the pan.
The scrambled eggs will be ready quickly, and you can take them off when you reach your desired consistency. Remember that even after you turn the heat off, the eggs will continue to cook, so transfer them immediately to a serving plate and season them with salt and pepper.
The eggs I made in this video are slightly overcooked for my taste, I usually take them off before I season them, but for the sake of the video, I kept them in the pan a few seconds longer.
The scrambled eggs in the pictures in this article are more to my taste. I took them off heat much sooner. You can notice they are wetter and creamier than in the video.
Video: How to cook scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan
Be patient
If you don’t succeed the first time you try, don’t give up. This method works 100%, and your stainless steel pan is 100% non-stick. You just need to get some practice in.
How to serve scrambled eggs
When made this way, scrambled eggs are satisfying and tasty. The butter adds extra flavor and makes them fluffy.
I season them only with salt and pepper after cooking and sometimes add herbs like chives, cilantro, or parsley.
Occasionally, I add grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano when they are still in the pan.
We love them with a slice of our lectin-free and gluten-free sourdough bread and a green or bistro salad.
Can I make fried eggs (sunny side up) in a stainless steel pan?
Yes, you can make fried eggs (sunny side up) eggs in a stainless steel pan.
The same rules as with scrambled eggs apply, but with fried eggs I don’t use butter; they take longer to cook, and the butter starts to burn. After you add the eggs, turn the heat to 5 (medium) and cover the pan.
This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you.
Do you want to learn how to cook perfectly fluffy and creamy scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan? You are in the right place. If you want to improve your health, you may want to give up toxic non-stick pans. Stainless steel pans are durable and non-toxic, but you probably think eggs will stick to them. Well, there is an easy way to use stainless steel pans for cooking eggs, and you will never want to use another method again. Beat the eggs with a fork in a mixing bowl. Don't season them. Heat a stainless steel frying pan on medium to high heat (step 7 on my induction stovetop) until the surface becomes very hot. You can check if the pan is ready by dropping a few water droplets on the pan. If they slide around the pan and disappear quickly, the pan is ready. It shouldn't be too hot either, as the butter and oil will burn. If the pan starts smoking, turn the heat one step down (from 7 to 6). After you make them several times, you will figure out the sweet stop for your situation. Add the oil and the butter to the pan (oil first), spread it around the pan and quickly add the eggs. After a few seconds, start scraping the eggs toward the middle with a silicon spatula until the eggs are folded and done. I like my eggs on the wetter side, so I take them off heat quicker than what you see in this video (I left it more here so you can see how the pan looks). Transfer them to a serving platter and season them with sea salt flakes, freshly cracked pepper and herbs if you'd like. Sometimes I add some grated Parmigiano while they are still in the pan and not entirely done. You can make scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan without the butter (only using oil), but the eggs will be fluffier, creamier, and tastier with butter. If you only use oil, add one tablespoon of oil to a 10-inch pan. Scrambled Eggs in a Stainless Steel Pan
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
13 Comments
Pascale
September 21, 2024 at 5:27 amEuh.. Where exactly is the video? Cant seem to find it, only photos on my screen..
Claudia
September 21, 2024 at 6:00 amThere is a headline called VIDEO… Underneath is the video. You just have to press the start arrow in the middle of the thumbnail. -Claudia
Jane
October 27, 2024 at 3:24 pm** The scrambled eggs in the pictures in this article are more to my taste. I took them off heat much sooner. You can notice they are wetter and creamier than in the video.
Video: How to cook scrambled eggs in a stainless steel pan
Be patient
If you don’t succeed the first time you try, don’t give up. This method works 100%, and your stainless steel pan is 100% non-stick. You just need to get some practice in. **
I did find this, but nothing to click on any where …
Claudia
October 28, 2024 at 10:28 amHi Jane! There is a big picture under the title “Video…”, with a green stripe on the bottom, and a “play” arrow. Click that arrow to see the video. I hope this helps. -Claudia
Joelle
December 31, 2023 at 12:50 pmSo, an update from my side: I got the flat bottom Made In frying pan and followed your steps for scrambled eggs and it was PERFECT ! Nothing sticked to the pan, nothing! Thank you so much for sharing this method.
Claudia
January 1, 2024 at 8:49 amYay, so happy it worked. It’s very satisfying to see a clean pan after making eggs, right? Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Joelle. -Claudia
Joelle
December 21, 2023 at 12:35 amHi Claudia!
Thanks a lot for this. I am now looking into which stainless steel frying pan to aquire. I have only toxic ustensils for frying, at the moment :-(. In your picture and video, your pan has a Bubble wrap textured surface. I wonder to which extent this is important. For scrambled eggs but more generally, for vegetable sauteeing. My main use of frying pans is for vegetables and eggs (also sunny side up eggs). Most brands available in Germany don’t have this textured bottom but a smooth bottom instead. Will that make a big difference? I am almost thinking that flat bottom is easier to clean, but maybe I’m wrong…
Thanks in advance!
Joelle
Claudia
December 21, 2023 at 12:56 amHi Joelle! I’m glad you found this guide useful. This model of pan is an older one from All Clad, and they don’t make it anymore. But don’t worry, it works the same with a flat bottom one, and you are right, it’s easier to clean, although the pan is squeaky clean after making these scrambled eggs. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the quality of the steel. Make sure it has the specifications I wrote in the article. This technique won’t work with a cheap, low quality pan. Also, a flat bottom pan will work better with sunny side up eggs. For those I use a carbon steel pan, which I find works better (which is my crepes and tortilla pan too). You can also check my Kitchen Essential article, you find an overview of all the pans I’m using and for what. -Claudia
Joelle
December 22, 2023 at 12:10 amThanks a lot and merry Christmas to you Claudia!
Julian Hemming
October 13, 2023 at 3:33 pmThis is an omelette and not scrambled eggs. Please do not misrepresent scrambled eggs.
Claudia
October 14, 2023 at 4:02 amHi Julian! I can’t figure out if this is a joke or you are serious. If you are serious, I wonder where you are from and what made you say this. I’ve travelled the world and lived on four continents (including in France), eaten both scrambled and omelets / omelettes probably hundreds of times if not thousands, and I’m very clear on the difference between scrambled and omelette / omelet. Yes, there are more ways to make scrambled, and this is my favorite (I don’t like the French way). I hope you didn’t miss the point of this article though. -Claudia
Dan Carter
February 11, 2024 at 1:45 pmIf I may, I believe that Julian is referring to the style of creamy scrambled eggs that is more akin to a very stiff hollandaise sauce in consistency. I do that type of scrambled egg myself and it cannot be done on a hot pan. Your eggs are certainly scrambled in the broadest sense, but yours are cooked too hard as soon as it hits the pan to be able to work in a creamy scrambled egg. I do creamy scrambled eggs in a small stainless and just accept that there is going to be a great deal of stuck on egg in the pan that will have to be left in the sink to soak. However, because it uses a low temperature, the egg residue is not burned in at all. It’s a reasonable consolation. Most chefs recommend a non-stick pan for this task, but I am with you in that I have disposed of any non-stick pans that I had around and replaced them all with stainless. My set is Cuisinart that I got on sale and it does well enough.
Claudia
February 12, 2024 at 4:00 amHi Dan! Yes, I am aware that there are three major types of making scrambled: the French way (the one you are talking about), the English way, and the American way. I lived in France so I am aware of that way of making them, but I personally don’t like that texture. That method requires a small sauce pan, lots of butter, sometimes cream, low heat, long time to cook, and stirring continuously. And French people make it in a stainless steel pan, not in a non-stick one. My audience is mainly the US, so I chose the American way, which happens to be my favorite too. If you notice the pictures, I do keep my scrambled eggs creamy and soft, I don’t over cook them. When filming, my focus was on using the pan, and showing it is non-stick, so I kept them in longer than I would usually do. All this to say, my point was really to prove that you can scramble eggs in a stainless steel pan like you would in a non-stick one (something that many people don’t know). And in any case, that is certainly not an omelet, by any standards. 🙂 I will try to use my small All-Clad sauce pan to make them the French way, just to see if I could keep the pan clean. I’ll report back! -Claudia