Why You Should Be Adding Croutons To Your Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs: the usual companion to a piece of toast and a cup of coffee, and a staple of breakfasts at diners and kitchens all across America. For as long as history can tell us, people have been scrambling their eggs, going as far back as the ancient Romans and fourteenth-century Italy (via Reference). Obviously, we're not able to identify the first guy who looked at an egg and somehow came to the idea of beating it into golden curds, but whoever it was, their creation has become a popular breakfast option.

Aside from their simplicity of preparation, scrambled eggs are also well-known for their versatility. You can put a wide variety of toppings and additions into your pan of scrambled eggs and have a delicious, filling breakfast. Want to add some peppers and onions? No problem. Want to follow Alton Brown's recipe and make the best scrambled eggs you can? Go for it. Got some breakfast sausage and some shredded cheese? Add those suckers and call it a morning. Put simply, the scrambled egg is a runny golden canvas for you to make a hot and delicious breakfast.

But croutons? Normally you'd only add those little pieces of bread into a salad, not your morning breakfast. What exactly is it about croutons that makes them a good choice for your scrambled egg breakfast?

Recall what we said earlier about how scrambled eggs can usually be found alongside toast and coffee. The crunchy texture of the toast syncs pretty well with the soft, creamy texture of the scrambled eggs. It's why you may sometimes take a bite of your buttered toast after eating a forkful of fluffy scrambled eggs. Taking that idea a bit further, we can begin to see how croutons play into making scrambled eggs.

According to Food & Wine, croutons can replace toast entirely in a scrambled egg breakfast, as the toasted pieces of bread provide that same satisfying crunch (and a bit of flavor, depending on what type of croutons you buy) that you would normally get with a piece of toast. All you need to do is add the croutons into your eggs as you scramble them, letting them cook alongside the eggs.

Bobby Flay, surprisingly enough, actually has a scrambled egg recipe that calls for croutons (via Food Network). Flay's recipe, however, doesn't call for store-bought croutons. Instead, Flay's recipe requires you to prepare your own croutons. In case you're worried about that, the crouton recipe is simply cubed bread toasted in a pan of butter and garlic until golden brown. It's a bit more work than just dumping a bag of pre-made croutons into scrambled eggs, to be sure, but knowing how to make croutons at home is a skill that doesn't hurt to know, right?

If you find yourself looking for a bit of extra crunch or texture in your scrambled eggs, but don't have croutons or the time to prepare homemade croutons, you needn't worry. Another scrambled egg dish is very similar to what we've been talking about — and it may not require croutons for that crunch you've been looking for.

The Mexican Food Journal describes migas as being a dish of "fried corn tortilla strips mixed with scrambled eggs and coated with your favorite salsa." In a sense, they're like Bobby Flay's recipe for scrambled eggs, substituting the croutons for tortillas. Sunny Anderson's recipe is very close to this description, detailing how the eggs are topped with crispy tortilla strips and homemade salsa. It's also somewhat reminiscent of Frito pie, with both dishes being topped with onions, cheese, and fried corn strips.

MasterClass also has a recipe for migas, albeit in a breakfast taco form. MasterClass explains that this form of migas was popularized in Austin, Texas, and usually features the staples of migas (scrambled eggs and salsa), but it can also include bacon, jalapenos, avocados, and cilantro. Serving migas in a hard taco shell would also add even more crunch to the dish, giving you that delicious combination of soft eggs, tender vegetables, and crispy tortillas all in one bite.