I Tried the Viral Panko Scrambled Eggs Recipe, and It’s Not What I Expected

Ever since I saw chef Tori Falzon’s (@intothesauce) recipe for toasted panko scrambled eggs on TikTok, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. Toasted panko is one of my favorite last-minute additions to pastas, salads, and any other meal missing some crunch; it never fails to take a simple dish up a notch. I love that toasty flavor and the shatteringly crisp texture that you achieve after a quick toast with some oil or butter in a skillet, but somehow, I couldn’t wrap my head around how that would work in scrambled eggs. A quick visit to the comments section confirmed that I wasn’t the only skeptic, so I knew I was going to have to try it myself.

Get the recipe: Panko Scrambled Eggs

Start by whisking your eggs in a bowl with a splash of milk, some finely grated hard, salty cheese like Grana Padano or Parmesan, and your favorite seasonings for eggs. (Falzon suggests onion salt.)

Melt butter in a pan and add your panko, stirring frequently until it’s golden and the butter smells slightly nutty, about four minutes. Add your seasoned eggs and cook to your desired doneness.

These eggs were pleasantly hearty and rich with buttery flavor. Unfortunately, the panko didn’t retain much of its crispness once the eggs were added, and I really missed that texture. It reminded me of matzo brei or migas, with the main difference being that the pieces of panko are much smaller than the broken up pieces of matzo or tortilla chips used in the aforementioned dishes (meaning it retained less of its texture once the eggs were added).

If I made this recipe again, I’d definitely reserve some toasted panko to add to the plated eggs for some extra crunch. And if I were making them for friends, I’d garnish with some more grated cheese and some fresh herbs for a more elevated version of classic scrambled eggs.

1. Take your time toasting the panko. Aim for a deep, golden color on the panko by stirring it frequently over medium heat. The more toasted the panko, the more its flavor will stand out in the scrambled eggs.
2. Don’t skimp on the cheese. Salty grated cheese is the perfect compliment to buttery, toasty bread crumbs. Grate generously — at least a quarter cup for three eggs.
3. Save some toasted bread crumbs to use for garnish. The lack of texture in these eggs is easily remedied by topping them with more toasted panko. Before adding your whisked eggs, scoop out a couple tablespoons of breadcrumbs and use them to garnish your eggs before serving.

Get the recipe: Panko Scrambled Eggs