Microwave mug eggs

Name: Microwave mug eggs
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Everyday technique
Ingredients: 2 large eggs; 2 tbsp milk or water; A pinch of salt and pepper; A little butter or oil, for the mug; 2 tbsp grated Cheddar or chopped herbs, optional

Soft scrambled eggs cooked in a mug in about 2 minutes, with no pan to wash.

Everyday technique · Fluffy, Tender · Easy · Researched

Prep: 1 min
Cook: 2 min
Serves: 1

Go to the method

Equipment

Microwave-safe mug, at least 350 ml · Fork · Microwave-safe plate or vented cover

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 tbsp milk or water
A pinch of salt and pepper
A little butter or oil, for the mug
2 tbsp grated Cheddar or chopped herbs, optional

Method

Beat in the mug

Grease the inside of the mug. Add the eggs, milk, salt and pepper and beat with a fork until fully blended. Beating matters here: unbeaten yolk can burst in the microwave.

Look for: An even yellow mixture with no streaks of white.

First burst: 45 seconds

Cover the mug loosely with a microwave-safe plate or vented cover, never a sealed lid. Microwave on high (800 W) for 45 seconds.

Look for: The edges have set; the centre is still liquid.

Stir from the edge

Stir with the fork, pulling the set egg from the sides into the centre.

Look for: Set egg from the sides is mixed into the liquid centre.

Finish in short bursts

Microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each, until the egg is almost set, about 30–45 seconds in total. Add the cheese or herbs, stir, and let it stand for 30 seconds. Check the bottom of the mug for liquid egg; give it another 10 seconds if needed.

Look for: Soft, moist curds with no liquid egg at the bottom of the mug.

Equipment & heat

Timings are for an 800 W microwave. At 1000 W or more, start with 30 seconds and use 10-second bursts. A wide mug cooks more evenly than a tall narrow one. Check the mug is marked microwave-safe; metal trim can spark.

Never microwave an egg in its shell, and don't reheat a whole cooked egg: steam can build up and burst. Open the cover away from your face.

Nonstick: No pan needed. Grease the mug so the egg comes away cleanly.

Troubleshooting

Rubbery eggs mean too long in one go; use shorter bursts and stop while they still look moist. If egg overflows, use a bigger mug or cut the first burst to 30 seconds. A layer of liquid at the bottom means it needs one more short burst and a stir.

About this version

A microwave scramble based on the egg-board coffee cup method, written as its own guide. The microwave note in firm scrambled uses a bowl and a larger batch; this one is for a single serving in the mug you eat from.

Unless stated otherwise, use large chicken eggs, approximately 60 g in the shell, refrigerated. Timings are starting points: use the visual checkpoints and any stated temperature check.

Sources

This guide was written from the references below. Egg Atlas has not kitchen-tested it.

Illustrations by Egg Atlas. They show the method; they are not photographs of a tested result.