How One Canned Pantry Staple Takes Scrambled Eggs From Bland To Bold

The range between blah and huzzah scrambled eggs is a particularly wide one. On the sad end of the spectrum, you've got a ho-hum plate of only technically edible protein. On the bright side, you have a quick, flavorful dish that really will make breakfast seem like the most important meal of the day. And some ingredients that you might already have hiding out in your kitchen can get even your average, everyday scrambled eggs efforts closer to lazy weekend worthy. The can of Rotel that you might have otherwise intended for cheese dip, for example, is one of them.

A can of original variety Rotel includes just diced tomatoes and green chiles — some of the very produce varieties that might have even already added if you had their fresh form sitting out on the kitchen counter. Tomatoes, of course, give scrambled eggs a fresh, slightly sweet, somewhat acidic pop, and a flash of appetizing color. The mild chiles also bring their own little bit of aesthetic appeal, along with a unique texture. That it's all packed in "a savory mixture of secret spices," (and less-secret cilantro, as the super averse might want to know) per the manufacturer, means that you might not need to add too much else, either. But that doesn't mean that you can't!

Rotel's tomatoes and chiles are plenty tender straight out of the pan, so they don't really require anything close to cooking. You may just want to drain away any excess liquid before stirring or folding the can's contents with your eggs, lest it mar their consistency. About 2 to 3 tablespoons of Rotel per egg will give you a well-balanced proportion. You can add them in just a couple of minutes before the eggs finish to warm it all through.

You know what else goes great with Rotel? The very cheese that made Rotel about as famous for its dips as any app can be. Velveeta is the standard, but American, cheddar, or almost any other good melting cheese (which have their pros and cons) that you have in the refrigerator should be terrific, too. Sliced jalapeños would add a little heat, while crumbled chorizo would offer some savory heft. Avocado cubes on top are the finishing touch to make your creation just a little creamier. Heck, wrap it all in a tortilla and you've kind of accidentally created a pretty robust breakfast taco. But Rotel alone is also a nice way to give your scrambled eggs a little bit of freshness, and you may be surprised that all that flavor came out of a can.