Eggs are delicate ingredients to begin with, and if you cook them incorrectly, this can result in a nasty illness.
Freezing eggs can also be difficult, as the texture turns rubbery once they’ve been in the fridge or the freezer.
Having said that, freezing scrambled eggs is a great way of preserving them, as keeping both the egg yolks and whites together helps keep the structure sound (see also Should You Freeze Egg Yolks?).
Maybe you have a lot of leftovers, and you are running out of ways to use scrambled eggs, or you want to cut down on the time you spend making breakfast.
Whatever the reason, it’s perfectly safe to freeze scrambled eggs (see also Can You Freeze Deviled Eggs), so long as you do it properly.
But first, let’s talk about the shelf life of scrambled eggs. How long can you leave them before they go off? How soon should you freeze them?
The Shelf Life Of Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs have a relatively short shelf life, compared to eggs themselves (see also Should You Freeze Frittata?). At most, they’ll keep for 4 days before going bad.
You can extend this by freezing. Frozen scrambled eggs will keep for at least 4 months, but you should use them quicker than that in order to get the best out of them.
Having said that, it’s less labor-intensive to cook scrambled eggs from scratch and to eat them straight away, as they only take a few minutes to cook. But if you’re set on preserving them, it’s time to find out how you freeze them.
How Do You Freeze Scrambled Eggs?
Once you’ve cooked the scrambled eggs, you’ll need to let them cool completely. You can either leave them in the pan, or put them into a shallow container which isn’t hot.
Never try to freeze scrambled eggs that have been sat out for more than an hour at room temperature. At this point, it becomes risky. After 2 hours, you’re courting disaster.
You don’t need to put them in the fridge beforehand. This could result in rubbery eggs, and while this may happen after freezing, you don’t need to guarantee that before you’ve even tried to freeze them.
You’re better off making the scrambled eggs plain, as you can always add fillings or other ingredients after you thaw it, otherwise you risk the quality of the eggs declining more when they’ve been frozen.
The best way of ensuring that scrambled eggs change as little as possible during freezing and thawing is to just undercook the eggs. Keep them runny. No, really.
Only half-cooking the eggs would normally result in a disappointing dish. Don’t forget that you’ll be cooking this dish when you thaw it, and only partially cooking them at this stage will mean they’ll stay soft.
If you fully cook the eggs before you freeze them, this can leave them extremely rubbery (See also Can You Freeze Fried Eggs?) and dry after thawing.
Make sure that the eggs have cooled completely before you freeze them. Portion as necessary, and transfer them into a resealable freezer bag.
Make sure to get rid of any excess air which could invite bacteria or freezer burn, and seal.
Write the storage date, and make sure the bag is flat in the freezer. This will help save room, as well as making sure that the eggs freeze properly.
How Do You Defrost And Then Reheat Scrambled Eggs?
How To Defrost Scrambled Eggs
The best way to defrost frozen scrambled eggs is to transfer the freezer bags straight into the fridge.
Put a plate beneath to stop any excess water from pooling on the shelf, and leave the eggs to defrost overnight.
If you want to eat them sooner, put the (sealed) bag into a bowl of tap water, which will help defrost the eggs a little quicker.
Whatever you do, don’t let scrambled eggs defrost at room temperature, as this invites cross contamination.
How To Reheat Thawed Scrambled Eggs
The easiest way to reheat scrambled eggs is to put them straight into a frying pan on the hob.
Make sure the heat is consistent but low, and this will minimize the risk of overcooking the eggs.
This is the point where you should add any seasoning or toppings that you would normally include, as you’re still cooking the eggs through.
You could also reheat the scrambled eggs in the microwave, but there is a high risk of the eggs becoming rubbery and disappointing, even if you heat them up in small increments at a time.
Conclusion
You can readily freeze scrambled eggs with no problem, but it’s best to know that you want to freeze them before you start cooking them, as you don’t want to fully cook them before you freeze them.
Preparing scrambled eggs for the freezer is a simple process, and will ensure that you have no food wastage, as well as saving you some time in the long run.
