Scrambled Eggs vs. Boiled Eggs: Similarities and Differences Explained
Eggs are a convenient and nutritious food, and they’re versatile.
They’re essential ingredients in hundreds of recipes for baked goods, main dishes, desserts, and salads. And, of course, eggs make an excellent main course on their own.
Of the many ways to prepare eggs, two of the simplest are boiling them or scrambling them.
These two methods can show how multi-faceted eggs can be since they yield quite different results with minimal effort.
| Boiled Eggs | Scrambled Eggs | |
| Easy to Prepare | Y | Y |
| Quick to Cook | Y | Y |
| Convenient to Eat | More convenient than scrambled | Y |
| Easy to Clean Up | Less cleanup than scrambled | Y |
| Appearance | Smooth, firm, white | Rough and yellow |
| Nutrition | Slightly more than scrambled | Y |
What Are Scrambled Eggs?
Scrambled eggs have been cooked by removing them from their shells and beating or stirring them in a skillet over heat until the proteins tighten up and the eggs are no longer liquid.
Since air is incorporated into the structure of the eggs as they are cooked, the finished product usually appears to be a more generous portion on the plate.
Also, other ingredients such as oil, butter, salt, pepper, herbs, vegetables, etc., may be added to the ‘scramble.’
Though if they’re cooked in a nonstick pan, not even oil needs to be added to prepare a delicious plate of scrambled eggs.
If the eggs are removed from the heat earlier, they’ll be moister and fluffier without being runny.
If they are cooked a moment longer, they will be drier, paler in color, and firmer in texture.
Scrambling eggs takes between 3 and 6 minutes, depending on how hot the skillet is and the desired doneness of the eggs.
What Are Boiled Eggs?
Boiled eggs have been cooked by immersing the unbroken egg in boiling water long enough to cook the white and yolk inside the shell to the desired doneness.
A soft-boiled egg has a firm egg white with a yolk that is fully cooked but still soft and liquid.
It takes about 6-7 minutes to soft-boil an egg. A hard-boiled egg has both a firm egg white and a firm yolk and takes about 12 to 14 minutes to cook.
When done, the egg is cooled in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and make the hot egg easier to handle. Then the shell is removed.
The boiled egg may be eaten as is or used as an ingredient in other dishes such as egg or potato salad.
What Are the Similarities Between Scrambled Eggs and Boiled Eggs?
There are many similarities between scrambled vs. boiled eggs. Here are the key similarities:
Simple to Prepare
Both boiling and scrambling are easy ways to prepare eggs, requiring little skill, equipment, or technique.
Quick to Cook
Both boiled and scrambled eggs are very fast to make, requiring just a few minutes.
Convenient Way to Eat Eggs
Both methods are simple for novice cooks and stand-by methods for more experienced cooks.
Nutritious Foods
Both boiled and scrambled eggs are high in protein, and healthy, nutritious foods.
What Are the Differences Between Scrambled and Boiled Eggs?
Here are the crucial differences between scrambled and boiled eggs.
Equipment
The two methods use different equipment.
For example, a pot is used to boil eggs, whereas a frying pan, skillet, or grill is required to make scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
Oil may be used in a scramble unless the skillet is nonstick, and other ingredients are also commonly added to scrambled eggs.
Many people add either vinegar or baking soda to the water when making boiled eggs to make the shell come off the egg more quickly, but other ingredients aren’t necessary.
Eggs can simply be cooked in plain water.
Removing the Shell
Peeling boiled eggs can sometimes be difficult, but that’s not an issue with scrambled eggs.
Time to Prepare
Scrambling an egg takes a bit less time than boiling an egg.
Kitchen Cleanup
Cleaning a skillet or grill after a scramble is more work than cleaning up after boiling eggs.
Appearance
Although a boiled egg and a scrambled egg are nutritionally similar, a scrambled egg appears larger.
In addition, it’s yellow because the yolk is distributed through the entire egg.
On the other hand, a boiled egg is a clean, shiny, white oval.
Texture
Scrambled eggs have a full, fluffy texture and a moist appearance. That’s caused by the air beaten into the eggs and trapped there during the cooking process.
On the other hand, a boiled egg is dense and firm.
Nutrition
Even without other ingredients, boiled eggs are slightly more nutritious than scrambled eggs.
That’s because boiling an egg keeps the yolk protected in the shell, surrounded by egg white, which prevents some of the delicate nutrients in the yolk from being lost.
On the other hand, scrambling an egg exposes the yolk to higher heat, which evaporates some of the vitamins and antioxidants.
In Summary
Eggs can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, whether you’re boiling them, scrambling them, frying them, steaming them, or even emulsifying them into a sauce or cream.
When it comes to comparing boiled and scrambled eggs, both are convenient and easy to cook.
Interestingly, the same food item can offer such different options with only a few simple changes in procedure.
Therefore, knowing a bit about their preparation can yield successful and tasty results.
