Ina Garten Breakfast Tacos

Ina Garten breakfast tacos are an easy breakfast made with soft scrambled eggs, melted Monterey Jack and toasted corn tortillas, ready in 25 minutes. It's a simple breakfast idea for summer brunch, lazy weekend mornings or a quick weeknight breakfast-for-dinner, and it's kid-friendly and fun to build.

Stir the eggs almost constantly over medium-low heat, then pull the pan off the burner while they still look a little wet. Skipping that gentle finish leaves you with dry, rubbery curds instead of soft, creamy eggs.

Ina Garten got this recipe from Kristina Felix Ibarra, a great cook who works with her and suggested her own favorite breakfast tacos. Toasting each tortilla in a very hot cast iron skillet and melting the cheese on top gives you a crisp base. It holds the soft eggs without turning soggy.

Source: Modern Comfort Food (2020)

Ina Garten Breakfast Tacos

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Course: BreakfastCuisine: American, MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

560

kcal

Creamy scrambled eggs with sweet scallions pile onto corn tortillas that are toasted until crisp at the edges and glued together with melted Monterey Jack. Cool avocado and a dash of hot sauce finish each taco.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  

• 6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  

• 8 extra-large eggs
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 8 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
  

• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
  

• 1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
  

• Chipotle hot sauce or Tabasco
  

Directions

• Cook the scallions: Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch sauté pan over medium heat, then add the white parts of 6 sliced scallions. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until almost tender, and save the green parts for later.
• Scramble the eggs: Whisk 8 extra-large eggs with 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a bowl and pour them into the pan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly.
• Finish with residual heat: When the eggs are almost set, turn off the heat. The heat left in the pan finishes the cooking, so the eggs stay soft.
• Heat the skillet: Set a cast iron skillet over medium heat while the eggs rest. It needs to be very hot before the first tortilla goes in.
• Toast the tortillas: Add one 6-inch white corn tortilla to the hot skillet and toast it for 1 minute. Then flip it and sprinkle 1 ounce of grated Monterey Jack on top.
• Melt the cheese: Once the cheese melts, move the taco to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 7 tortillas and the rest of the 8 ounces of cheese, putting two tacos on each plate.
• Fill and serve: Spoon an eighth of the scrambled eggs down the middle of each taco. Top with thin slices of 1 ripe Hass avocado and the reserved scallion greens, then add chipotle hot sauce or Tabasco, salt and pepper and serve warm.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO silicone spatula set, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn?

You can, and they'll toast and melt the cheese just as well. Corn tortillas give you a sturdier, slightly crisp base with more flavor, while flour ones turn out softer and chewier.

Can I make the scrambled eggs ahead of time?

Soft scrambled eggs taste best right out of the pan, so I wouldn't make them far in advance. If you need to prep, slice the scallions and avocado and grate the cheese, then cook the eggs and toast the tortillas just before serving.

What can I use in place of Monterey Jack?

Pepper Jack adds a little heat, and mild cheddar melts nicely too. Pick a cheese that melts easily, since it has to cover the tortilla quickly in the hot skillet.

Do I need a cast iron skillet to toast the tortillas?

Any heavy skillet or griddle works, as long as it gets very hot before the tortilla goes in. A thin pan heats unevenly, so the tortillas may dry out before the cheese melts.

What's the biggest mistake with these breakfast tacos?

Overcooking the eggs is the most common one. Keep the heat at medium-low, stir constantly and turn off the burner while the eggs still look slightly wet, since they keep cooking in the hot pan.