Ina Garten Reveals Her Secret to Creamy Scrambled Eggs

Ina Garten, the beloved "Barefoot Contessa" star, has shared her distinctive method for achieving exceptionally creamy scrambled eggs, relying on an Italian staple: ricotta cheese. Garten's technique, detailed in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, elevates the breakfast dish beyond the traditional.

While other culinary figures like Gordon Ramsay and Bobby Flay incorporate ingredients such as crème fraîche or mayonnaise, Garten's secret lies in gently cooking eggs with ricotta. "How you cook the eggs makes such a difference, too," Garten explained. "If you cook them at a very low heat and add ricotta to give it creaminess and a little texture, it’s just a whole other thing."

Garten describes the resulting eggs as having a custardy consistency, distinguishing them from standard scrambled eggs. She also suggests incorporating fresh herbs, noting her personal preference for chives. This approach contrasts with Ramsay's method, where he adds cold crème fraîche at the end to halt the cooking and enrich the dish. Garten, however, folds ricotta into the eggs as they cook, allowing small curds to remain visible.

Her recipe, adapted from her cookbook "Simply Ina," is designed to serve four and requires eggs, milk, butter, olive oil, and ricotta cheese. Garten heats butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. She then adds whisked eggs mixed with milk, salt, and pepper, allowing them to set slightly at the edges before stirring continuously until they reach a soft, custardy state.

Garten recommends serving these elevated scrambled eggs on buttered toast, garnished with chives, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. This thoughtful combination transforms a simple breakfast into a more refined meal.

Beyond breakfast, Garten also shared quick tips for entertaining. For impromptu appetizers, she prepares a simple blue-cheese dip using blue cheese and mayonnaise, served with readily available vegetables or snacks like potato chips, olives, salami, and cucumber slices. For desserts, she suggests buying a cheesecake from a reputable bakery and enhancing it with a homemade raspberry sauce, ensuring a relaxed host and a delighted gathering.

Garten discusses her culinary and hosting advice further on her new video podcast, "Happy Hour With Ina Garten," filmed in her Manhattan home.