These Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs are soft, creamy, savory, smoky, and perfect for any breakfast or brunch. They're ready in less than 15 minutes and the recipe is simple enough to be served on a busy weekday morning! Delicious with toasted bread or bagels and extra chives.
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Why You'll Love These Scrambled Eggs.
A delicious combination of flavors - Eggs and smoked salmon are the perfect combination so why not mix them together right in the pan! If you like my Smoked Salmon Egg Sandwich or these Smoked Salmon Egg Muffins, you'll love these scrambled eggs as well! I added some Za'atar as seasoning which makes the eggs darker but so so good!
Simple and easy - This recipe is quick enough that you can make it on a weekday morning but it looks and tastes fancy enough to serve it at a holiday brunch! The whole thing takes only about 10 minutes to make from start to finish and has less than 10 ingredients (including salt, pepper, and spices)! Scrambled eggs are truly one of the easiest breakfasts you can make and adding smoked salmon just makes them extra special without any extra work!
Easy to double, triple, or halve - This recipe is really easy to adjust to however many servings you need. I like using 2-3 eggs per person and a few bites of smoked salmon per person. You really don't have to weigh it (I never do), a package of 120g smoked salmon should be plenty for 2-4 people.
Ingredients
- Eggs - Use fresh large eggs for the best scrambled eggs. I like buying either free-range or free-run, whichever are available, at my local farmer's market.
- Butter - I recommend using unsalted butter for cooking the eggs. It gives them more flavor than cooking oil and I find they stick less to the pan. Unsalted butter is better than salted butter because it has lower water content and might splatter less during cooking.
- Green onion and chives - I like using a mix of green onion and fresh chives to give these scrambled eggs more spring flavor but red onion or yellow onion work as well. You can also use other fresh or dried herbs like parsley or oregano.
- Smoked salmon - You can use any cold smoked salmon you prefer. I most often use smoked Atlantic salmon but wild salmon is also a great option. You can also use hot smoked salmon but I prefer the texture of cold smoked salmon so that's what I always have on hand. You can usually find it in the frozen aisle of most grocery stores.
- Spices - The recipe calls for za'atar, fine sea salt, and black pepper. You can even make homemade za'atar if you don't have store-bought! If you don't have it, you can also use other mixed herbs like Italian Seasoning or even Greek Seasoning.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cream - You can add heavy cream or a little bit of milk to the whisked eggs before you cook them. I usually don't add any but this can make the scrambled eggs extra creamy and fluffy. Some people also like to add small dollops of cream cheese while the eggs cook to give them even more creaminess. Some soft goat cheese would also be delicious!
- Cheese - Add a sprinkle of grated parmesan, pecorino, or cheddar when the eggs are almost done before you add the smoked salmon. It adds saltiness and a nice layer of flavor.
- Spinach - If you want to add some greens, add some chopped baby spinach while the eggs are cooking. I like to do this early on because it needs to wilt down and the eggs are done quickly. Don't add too much, if you want to add more than a small handful, I recommend steaming it separately.
- Make it dairy-free - You can cook the eggs on vegan butter to make this recipe completely dairy-free.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, zaatar (or mixed dried herbs), sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat and add the chopped green onion (white parts only).
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and carefully pour in the eggs.
- Cook them for 3-4 minutes pushing them around and tilting the pan to scramble them. Cook the eggs until they’re just set, they’ll finish cooking from residual heat.
- Turn the heat off and add smoked salmon, some of the chopped green onion (green parts), and fresh chives if desired.
- Gently toss to mix.
- Serve the eggs immediately with toasted bread, avocado, or other veggies and toppings.
Tips & Tricks
- Don't overcook the eggs - Scrambled eggs can go very quickly from soft and buttery to overcooked and rubbery. Make sure to turn off the heat while they're still shiny and look like they need another 30-60 seconds. They'll finish cooking from residual heat. This is especially important on an electric stove that keeps cooking your food long after you turn it off unless you move your pan.
- Keep your heat on low - Scrambled eggs need patience. If you rush them, you either burn or overcook them. It's said lower heat makes them more creamy and dense while high heat creates steam and makes them fluffier. From experience, it's much better to use low heat if you're prone to overcooking them.
- Use a nonstick pan - You'll need a nonstick pan and enough butter to prevent the eggs from sticking. Eggs like to stick a lot so this is an important part. A stainless steel pan can be nonstick as well when you heat it up properly!
- Use a spatula - You want to push the eggs around the pan with a spatula so they evenly cook not vigorously stir them. This is up to your preference but I always like bigger chunks rather than tiny pieces because I find the eggs stay softer that way.
- Add the smoked salmon right before serving - This prevents it from cooking too much. It will cook slightly from the residual heat but you still want it to stay mostly shiny with that classic cold smoked salmon texture.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these eggs with toasted bagels, a baguette, or crusty bread with salted butter or some cream cheese if you want to keep things simple. I like to brush my toasted bread with a clove of garlic for some added flavor. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it, it's so good!
If you want to make it more fancy and into a brunch, you can serve them similarly to this Breakfast Scramble Bowl with my favorite Breakfast Potatoes, steamed spinach, blistered tomatoes, and maybe even some Quick Pickled Red Onion!
If you're a fan of everything bagels and bagel lox sandwiches, you can sprinkle some Homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning as well!
Storing
Scrambled eggs are one of those meals that taste the best only right after you make it. You can always refrigerate the eggs for 1-2 days if absolutely needed and reheat them on a pan with a little bit of butter, but they won't be as fluffy and creamy. It's impossible to not overcook them when you're reheating them which makes them tougher and less light.
FAQs
Yes, you can use any smoked salmon you prefer. I use cold smoked salmon because it's most commonly used and it's what I always have. I've actually never used hot smoked salmon.
No, you don't. I usually don't do this but adding a little bit of cream or milk can make your scrambled eggs creamier. Make sure not to go overboard with this though, you want to add only about 1 tablespoon of milk or cream per 1-2 eggs.
More Smoked Salmon Breakfast Recipes
If you want to try some other smoked salmon recipes you can make for breakfast, check out the three recipes below! To see all the latest ones, head over to Savory Breakfast Recipes.
- Smoked Salmon Egg Muffins (Freezer-friendly and perfect for busy days!)
- Smoked Salmon Egg Sandwich (Similar to this but on a bagel!)
- Smoked Salmon Wrap (Just like an everything bagel lox sandwich but as a wrap!)
- Smoked Salmon Crostini (Serve it on a large piece of toasted baguette for breakfast!)
📖 Recipe
Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 6 mins
- Total Time: 11 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs are soft, creamy, savory, smoky, and perfect for any breakfast or brunch. Delicious with toasted bread or bagels and some extra chives.
Ingredients
- 4-6 large eggs
- 1 tsp za'atar or mixed dried herbs
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 green onions, finely sliced, green and white parts divided
- 100g cold smoked salmon, torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1-2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, zaatar (or mixed dried herbs), sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat and add the chopped green onion (white parts only). Cook for 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and carefully pour in the eggs. Cook them for 3-4 minutes pushing them around and tilting the pan to scramble them. Cook until they’re just set, they’ll finish cooking from residual heat.
- Turn the heat off and add smoked salmon, the rest of the chopped green onion (green parts) and fresh chives if desired. Gently toss to mix.
- Serve the eggs immediately with toasted bread, avocado, or other veggies and toppings.
Notes
Scrambled eggs are best served right away but if needed, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Mimi Rippee says
You did it right! You can’t let the lox “cook” or even heat up too much in the eggs or they will completely change in texture and taste. I remember when I discovered that mistake the first time!
Veronika Sykorova says
Yes! When you heat up smoked salmon, it will cook and won't have the same texture anymore (the eggs will stay the same). That being said, it's not that big of a deal and it will still be delicious if you cook it! It's unavoidable when you mix it with hot eggs.
Veronika Sykorova says
This is one of all time favorite go to scrambled eggs recipes! If you like it, leave a comment below just like this one with a star rating, I'd love to hear from you!