003 / 75 · Bowls, breakfasts and small meals
Spinach and Tomato Scramble with Soft Bread
1 vegetable-and-two-egg scramble with 80 g (about 2.8 oz) soft bread · Active 10 min · Cook 6 min · Total 18 min
Print recipe · PDFCook the vegetables before the eggs and a microwave scramble becomes easier to control. Fresh spinach collapses quickly, while halved tomatoes release a little juice. Short stirred bursts then set the whisked eggs around them. This is a fully cooked scramble with a measured cheese finish and soft bread on the side, rather than an attempt to reproduce a fried egg in a cup.
Give the vegetables their own stage
Raw spinach occupies a surprising amount of room. Wilt it with the tomatoes before adding egg, then stir to let excess steam escape. The wide bowl spreads the mixture into a shallow layer; a narrow mug creates a deeper center that can stay cooler than the edges. Any tomato juices stay in the dish, where they become part of the scramble.
Small curds, then a proper stand
Beat the eggs until no intact yolk remains. Once cooking begins, bring the firmer edges into the middle at every stop. A thermometer gives a better endpoint than color alone: check the center and more than one edge position. The covered stand belongs to the method and is included in the clock. Serve immediately after it, with all the measured bread.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, 100 g (about 3.5 oz) without shells
- 60 g (about 2.1 oz) fresh baby spinach, washed and drained
- 100 g (about 3.5 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 20 ml (about 1 US tbsp plus 1 US tsp) milk
- 25 g (about 0.88 oz) cheddar, grated
- 5 ml (about 1 US tsp) olive oil
- 0.5 g sweet paprika, about ¼ tsp
- 1 g (about ⅛ US tsp plus a small pinch) fine salt
- 0.2 g ground black pepper, a small pinch
- 80 g (about 2.8 oz) soft wholemeal bread, about 2 slices, served without toasting
Set out
1000 W microwave with turntable, Wide microwave-safe bowl, 1 L (about 1.1 US qt) capacity, about 16–18 cm (about 6¼ in–7 in) inside diameter, Microwave-safe vented cover, Small mixing bowl, Fork and spoon, Knife and board, Kitchen scale and measuring spoon, Fast-tip food thermometer suitable for shallow food, Oven mitts, Serving plate
Allergens
Eggs, Milk, Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Put the spinach, tomatoes and olive oil in the 1 L (about 1.1 US qt) bowl. Cover with the vented cover. Microwave at 1000 W full power for 90 seconds. Stir, then heat 30–60 seconds more until the spinach is fully wilted and the tomatoes begin to soften. Carefully uncover and stir for 30 seconds to release steam. Keep the juices in the bowl.
- Beat the eggs, milk, paprika, salt and pepper in the small bowl with the fork until yolks and whites are completely combined. Stir this mixture into the warm vegetables. Cover with the vented cover.
- Microwave at 70% power for 45 seconds. Stir the set edges into the middle. Continue at 70% power in 30-second bursts, stirring each time, for roughly 90–150 seconds more. Add all the cheddar at the last stir. Stop only when the egg is fully set with no liquid egg and reaches 165°F/74°C in the middle and at two other positions. If a cool spot remains, stir and give it another 15–20 seconds before checking again.
- Leave covered for 2 minutes before eating. Serve the entire scramble with the 80 g (about 2.8 oz) bread. The bread is an included soft side; no second appliance or unlisted topping is needed.
Eggs are whisked, not left whole
Do not microwave eggs in their shells or leave an intact yolk in this dish. The fully beaten mixture and repeated stirring are part of this specific method.
Keep the layer shallow
Use the wide 1 L (about 1.1 US qt) bowl specified. Doubling into the same bowl is not a timed equivalent; cook a second batch separately.
Ingredient labels
Bread may contain sesame, soy or other allergens; check its label. Feta remains a milk ingredient.
A useful detail
The 18-minute total allows washing and cutting, up to 6 minutes of staged heating, stirring, the mandatory 2-minute covered stand and serving. The microwave-specific egg endpoint here is 165°F/74°C, followed by that covered stand. Times are starting ranges for a 1000 W microwave. Use the stated power setting, stir and turn as directed, and use the food endpoint rather than the clock alone. A different wattage or bowl shape may need additional short bursts.
Another way
- Replace the cheddar with 25 g (about 0.88 oz) crumbled feta, adding it at the same last stir; the base still contains milk.
- Replace the tomatoes with 100 g (about 3.5 oz) diced ready-to-eat canned roasted peppers, well drained. Keep the same egg endpoint and covered stand.
Keep it well
Best eaten immediately. If saving, refrigerate the scramble in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below and use within 2 days. Reheat covered in short bursts, stirring, until 165°F/74°C throughout and stand covered 2 minutes. Store the bread separately.