I Tried Mayoneggs and They’re My New Favorite Scrambled Eggs

Reddit’s latest viral vintage recipe comes in the form of a mayonnaise advertisement from 1972. The advertisement claims that this classic condiment can be used to make soft scrambled eggs with “a subtle new flavor, a creamy new texture.” Well, you can’t trust everything you see in a magazine (especially the ads), so of course I had to take matters into my own hands to see if this mayo hack was actually worthwhile. Plus, with a name like mayoneggs, how could I not try this recipe? Here’s how my first time making mayoneggs went.

To make these scrambled eggs, whisk 2 large eggs with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Once everything is beaten and combined, melt 2 teaspoons butter in a (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and fold it around until it’s soft and fluffy. Serve ‘em with some fresh herbs over a piece of toast and call it breakfast.

Get the recipe: Mayoneggs

I do not mess around when it comes to soft scrambled eggs. When I learned how to make them in culinary school, it truly felt like a religious experience. According to the traditional technique, you are supposed to work slowly over super-low heat and be extremely patient for those soft curds to form. The process is long but the results are well worth it. A couple of months ago, I tried out J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s soft scrambled eggs, which boast a clever cornstarch slurry method. This approach shaved a ton of time off the classic, laborious method without sacrificing that signature soft, fluffy texture. I walked away from that experience telling myself that that’s how I’d prepare soft scrambled eggs in the future.

So, did mayoneggs achieve the same, earth-shattering results? Honestly, yes, they really did. And I didn’t need to make a cornstarch slurry or wait patiently for soft curds. Could it be any easier? The addition of mayonnaise is a clever one, and it yielded soft, pillowy curds of scrambled eggs in a quarter of the time that it normally takes. The final product didn’t have a strong mayonnaise flavor, but the eggs tasted rich and luxurious, like any dish that was prepared with a substantial amount of high-fat ingredients.

Mayonnaise can be a pretty polarizing ingredient, but I think a lot of mayo-haters don’t realize that this humble condiment is largely made up of eggs and oil. It makes cakes richer and more moist, and it helps grilled cheese crisp up beautifully without burning. Why? Because it’s mostly oil. What’s so gross about that?

Regardless, adding mayonnaise to scrambled eggs was a mind-blowingly easy way to create richer, fluffier eggs without having to patiently stand over a skillet while constantly whisking and agitating the eggs. Of course, the more fat you add to your eggs (whether it’s oil, butter, or mayonnaise), the richer and tastier they’re going to be. I will definitely continue to add mayonnaise to any soft scrambled eggs in my future. And I will inform all of my guests that they’re eating mayoneggs because that name is too priceless to go unannounced.