I tried 1930s deviled scrambled eggs, and the 3-ingredient recipe is still stellar

You’re about 5 minutes away from this easy breakfast upgrade.

When it comes to weekday breakfasts, I’m a serious creature of habit. Sure, the dish du jour evolves over the years. Grade school was prime Pop-Tart season. Then came the frozen waffle fest, which was followed by the bagel era. For most of the last decade, I’ve relied on either egg muffins with whole grain toast or Greek yogurt parfaits.

You can probably sense a trend here: I’m not exactly willing to put in a lot of time and effort that early in the day. All of these staples take less than 10 minutes, which means I have zero excuse to skip it. Having some gas in the tank is far more important to me than novelty. Still, I’ve noticed lately that my breakfast menu is making me yawn.

Craving inspiration for a new quick and easy breakfast idea to add to the mix, I started flipping through cookbooks, including a vintage copy of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book I discovered a few years ago at a thrift shop. Inspiration arrived right on cue in the egg chapter, where I discovered a mash-up recipe that made me wonder, “why didn’t I think of this before?!”

How to Make Deviled Scrambled Eggs

Originally published in the 1930 red plaid cookbook—and still a fixture in my 1953 edition—this egg recipe features the flavors of deviled eggs in scrambled egg form. Here’s how to make it:

Combine the ingredients. In a bowl, mix eggs, sour cream, salt, black pepper, and dry mustard.
Scramble until set. In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm butter or oil. Pour in the egg mixture and cook slowly until cooked to your desired doneness, stirring frequently.

Tips For Making Deviled Scrambled Eggs

Ready in about 5 minutes and with just 3 ingredients (we consider salt, pepper, and cooking fat “freebies” since they’re staples in most kitchens), this retro recipe definitely deserves its spot in the quick and easy column. After whipping up and diving into my first serving, my brain was buzzing with variations and techniques to try next time.

Customize your egg ratio. If you prefer richer results, add an extra egg yolk or two. If you’re keeping an eye on fat and calories, this recipe also works with all egg whites. (Just be sure to keep the excess; leftover egg whites make marvelous meringue, and we have nearly a dozen sweet and savory egg yolk recipes!)
Add H2O. Not all TikTok trends actually work—or are worth your time. But our Test Kitchen pros confirm that the fluffy scrambled egg trick involving a splash of water to “steam” the eggs is legit. That strategy works well here, too. Simply add 1 tablespoon of water per egg to try this yourself.
Layer in more deviled egg elements. Sour cream and dry mustard powder deliver on the “deviled egg” promise. For even more devilish flavor, feel free to add a dash of hot sauce, a pinch of paprika, and/or fresh chopped chives, if desired. A small spoonful of pickle relish could be fun, too.
Hit the “easy” button. Don’t want to fuss with a skillet? Try this same recipe as baked scrambled eggs or microwave scrambled eggs.

The Verdict On This Deviled Scrambled Eggs Recipe

Just two humble and impactful ingredients—sour cream and dry mustard powder—are enough to transform basic scrambled eggs into something I actually look forward to waking up to. The sour cream lends such a lovely creamy quality and a hint of tangy flavor, while the mustard powder swoops in to offer a sharp, horseradishy punch.

A soft scramble is my preferred style, which means it’s possible to have this recipe on the table in less than 5 minutes. I’ve already enjoyed it alongside toast and fruit, and look forward to giving this scrambled egg remix a try as part of an egg burrito or egg sandwich.

Turns out, an old book can teach me new tricks, and I’m jazzed to add a new cast member to my morning meal rotation.