If you’re anything like us, when you hear the term “Mayonegg” you likely flashback to “Arrested Development” and Ann’s (Mae Whitman) infamous mayonnaise and egg combo from the second season.
But put the Bluths out of your mind, because mayonnaise scrambled eggs aren’t just an “Arrested Development” punchline — they’re also a delicious twist on scrambled eggs. Yes, Mayonegg has gone from being an inside joke for “AD” fans to a modern dish that people are whipping up for breakfast.
It all started when a Redditor, u/Marchkick, shared a vintage mayonnaise recipe on the subreddit r/OldRecipes, where people share classic, unusual or forgotten recipes from days gone by. The recipe calls for adding a tablespoon of mayo per two eggs before you cook them.
(Now, depending on where you live, the design of the mayonnaise bottle here might look familiar even if the name “Best Foods” isn’t. But, Hellman’s Mayonaise and Best Foods Mayonaise are actually two names for the same product. If you live on the West Coast, you’ll know this popular brand as Best Foods, while the rest of the country will instantly recognize that familiar tub as Hellman’s Mayonaise.)
The mayo scrambled eggs recipe also calls for melting margarine in the pan before adding the Mayonegg mixture. We imagine this is in part because people used to believe that margarine was a much healthier choice than traditional butter, although many experts now disagree with this claim as margarine has a high level of trans fats. Instead, nutritionists now say that fats like olive oil and avocado oil are a smarter choice for your heart health.
The original Reddit post for Mayoneggs quickly gained viral attention, with Sara Tane at The Kitchn giving the recipe a test run for herself. Her final verdict?
“The addition of mayonnaise is a clever one, and it yielded soft, pillowy curds of scrambled eggs in a quarter of the time that it normally takes,” Tane wrote. “The final product didn’t have a strong mayonnaise flavor, but the eggs tasted rich and luxurious, like any dish that was prepared with a substantial amount of high-fat ingredients.”
In other words, this 1972 recipe for mayo scrambled eggs is far out!
And, if you think about it, the addition of mayonnaise to scrambled eggs is kind of obvious. How did we never think of it before? After all, deviled eggs and egg salad prove that mayonnaise and eggs are a match made in heaven. And mayo is often included in other egg-based breakfast dishes, like fried egg sandwiches and quiches, so it’s clear that mayonnaise deserves a starring role next to your bottle of hot sauce and ketchup each morning.
Mayo scrambled eggs are being touted outside of Reddit, as well. Spanish chef José Andrésrecently shared a TikTok video in which he showed how you can elevate microwaved scrambled eggs with … you guessed it, a spoonful of mayo!
@chefjoseandresOmelette in the microwave ##learnontiktok ##tiktokpartner ##science⬠original sound – José Andrés
Hate mayonnaise? Well, rest assured, you can’t really taste mayo in the final Mayonegg dish. All the same, if mayo skeeves you out, try Gordon Ramsay’s iconic scrambled eggs instead. His recipe calls for crème fraîche, which makes the eggs fluffy, rich and so decadent.
But we encourage you to just give the Mayonegg recipe a try. It’s so easy … just add a small dollop of your favorite brand in with your eggs before cooking them.
But don’t blame us if it puts you in the mood to go on an “Arrested Development” binge!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
