The Uncommon Ingredient That Gives Scrambled Eggs An Umami Boost

Scrambled eggs are a breakfast staple, but sometimes your average scrambled eggs can seem a little boring. A umami kick can give your breakfast new life — and you might just find you never go back to plain ol' scrambled eggs with just salt and pepper again.

But to infuse your scrambled eggs with that desirable umami taste, you need to understand what exactly the umami flavor is. Technically speaking, according to Merriam-Webster, umami is a taste sensation produced by specific amino acids and nucleotides. The flavor is described as rich and meaty, and characteristic of cheese, meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes. 

As MasterClass explains, the term "umami" is derived from a Japanese phrase that translates to "a pleasant savory taste." Any food that's not necessarily sweet, salty, sour, or bitter, and that's "hearty and savory," typically falls into the umami category. Beyond Merriam-Webster's cheese, meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes, MasterClass says that other foods that are characteristically umami-laden include miso soup, edamame, fish sauce, roasted seaweed, and braised salmon, among others.

You might want to add some salmon to your scrambled eggs on occasion, or even some tomatoes or mushrooms. But if you don't want to spend much of your morning chopping fresh veggies or braising salmon, there's an easier umami fix for your quick scrambled eggs. Just reach into the pantry or fridge and grab your favorite bottle of soy sauce.

As LifeHacker explains, soy sauce adds a deep, rich umami flavor to your scrambled eggs. Unlike other simple umami ingredients that you can add, such as onion powder, soy sauce is not at all subtle, so is the way to go if you want a pungent flavor that will change up the flavor profile of your favorite breakfast dish. Just start with a splash of soy sauce, and cook the eggs low and slow. 

Once you give your newly reinvented scrambled eggs an initial taste, you can decide if you want to add more or less soy sauce next time. Whatever you decide, one thing's for certain — the umami trend is here to stay.