What’s better than a full, hearty plate of scramble for breakfast? Eggs are delectable and nutritious in every way. Chicken eggs, in particular, are what people grew up loving.
However, have you ever thought about eating other eggs? Are different types of eggs even edible? The answer is a resounding yes. Many bird and animal eggs are safe to eat. They each offer different flavors and textures to excite the palate.
Are you feeling adventurous? Here are different types of edible eggs you can add to your breakfast:
Chicken Egg
Chicken eggs are what people are most used to. When recipes call for eggs, they refer to hen eggs. Chicken eggs usually come in white or brown, but the two are nutritionally the same. Chicken eggs are part of most of the world’s diets, and they are an essential part of recipes around the world.
Quail Egg
Quail eggs are some of the more popular alternatives in the market. In several parts of the world, quail eggs are eaten both as a snack and as accompaniment to dishes.
Quail eggs are only around one-third the size of chicken eggs. Even so, these small but mighty eggs are packed with vitamins and minerals. They are more nutrient-rich than chicken eggs and are an excellent source of vitamin B12.
They are also quite delicious. These speckle-shelled eggs taste similar to chicken eggs, only smaller. Most people eat them boiled, but you can also fry, scramble or poach them. They are small in size, so if you’re making a big breakfast, they might not be practical.
Duck Egg
Duck eggs are beloved in many cultures, and they’re gaining more attention lately. Compared to hen eggs, duck eggs are larger, with bigger and richer-tasting yolks. Generally, they taste creamier and are more flavorful than eggs you’re used to.
Duck eggs are also more nutritious than hen eggs, owing mostly to their larger size. You’ll enjoy great-tasting eggs with a lot more vitamins and minerals. They are pretty high in cholesterol, so eating many of them is not advisable.
You can use duck eggs to complete a protein-rich breakfast. Duck eggs can be fried, boiled, poached or used in baking. Baked goods made with duck eggs are moister, richer and can rise higher. However, since duck eggs are larger, you might need to adjust some recipes because most require hen eggs.
Goose Egg
If duck eggs are large, goose eggs are even larger. Goose eggs are twice as large as a regular chicken egg. Unlike chickens, geese only lay about 40 eggs a year. Their eggs are harder to find, but if you live near a farm, you might chance upon some during the egg-laying season.
Goose eggs are richer and tastier than hen eggs, but some say they have a bold, strange flavor that’s hard to describe. They also have a denser texture, so they may take a little getting used to. For some, goose eggs are an acquired taste.
You can cook goose eggs like chicken eggs — they’re great for making omelets, scrambles, frittatas, and anything egg-related. Since they’re larger and denser, you may need to cook them for longer than your regular eggs.
Ostrich Egg
Ostrich eggs are all over social media. You might have seen videos of people forcefully trying to open those thick-shelled, giant-sized eggs. Despite hundreds of videos showing people opening them, edible ostrich eggs are hard to find and are quite expensive. Thus, people who eat them do so more for the novelty.
Ostriches are the largest birds on the planet, so it’s no surprise that they also lay the largest eggs. Just one ostrich egg is equivalent to two dozen hen eggs.
Ostrich eggs are more intense and buttery than chicken eggs, but some say they are also sweet and gamey.
To cook ostrich eggs, you must first get to the task of opening them. You may need a chisel and a hacksaw to do it. Once it’s open, you can make any egg recipe — just make sure to have a big enough pan to accommodate the quantity.
If you plan to boil one, grab a book in the meantime. Boiling can take up to 90 minutes for just one ostrich egg.
Turkey Egg
People love a good turkey, but it’s rare to see people eating turkey eggs. These speckled eggs are similar to duck eggs but are not as prevalent.
Turkeys don’t lay eggs often. A chicken can lay one egg daily, but a turkey can lay only two weekly. Thus, most farmers don’t venture into turkey egg farming, especially when the meat is worth so much more.
If you’re lucky to grab some turkey eggs, you can cook them just like chicken or duck eggs.
Turkey eggs have a creamier taste and texture, which makes them great for baked goods.
Pheasant Egg
Pheasants are game birds, so it can be challenging to find their eggs. You can find them from dedicated farmers and producers, but they are still quite rare.
Pheasant eggs are slightly smaller than chicken eggs. Their shells are beautiful and can come in shades like pale olive green or brown.
As for the taste, pheasant eggs are similar to hen eggs, only richer in flavor. You can cook these nutrient-dense eggs any way you would cook a hen egg.
Crocodile Egg
Crocodile eggs are difficult to find and can be expensive. They can be found in some parts of Asia and Australia, but they can be hard to come by in the US.
Usually, eggs are proportionate to the size of the animal. However, despite the crocodile’s large size, its eggs are just about as big as a hen’s egg.
If you ever get your hands on one, you can cook it like a chicken egg. However, crocodile eggs have a light, fishy taste, similar to the waters crocodiles live in. It’s a unique flavor that may be too much for some but is beloved in many places worldwide.
As for nutritional content, crocodile eggs are rich in lecithin, which can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. They can also help prevent Alzheimer’s and improve memory.
Emu Egg
The emu is a large, flightless bird native to Australia. It’s one of the largest birds in the world, outsized only by the ostrich.
Emu eggs are a delicacy in Australia but are difficult to find elsewhere. They are highly valued, rare and expensive.
Emu eggs are gorgeous — they have a deep, dark-colored shell with green speckles. Some people use these shells for crafting due to their beauty.
One emu egg is equivalent to a dozen chicken eggs, so when you cook one, you should consider the quantity of what you’re making.
It has a rich and creamy flavor and a fluffier texture. You can make scramble, omelets and other egg dishes with emu eggs. However, like ostrich eggs, boiling them can take a while.
Gull Egg
Yes, seagull eggs are edible, but only from one specific breed. The black-headed gull lays tan, brownish eggs with black spots.
These eggs are rare and expensive. Licensed collectors collect them once a year in six specific areas in the United Kingdom. There are strict rules to how they’re collected.
Gull eggs are slightly larger than pheasant eggs and have vibrant, red-orange yolks. They are described as creamy, delicate and soft. Some say they taste slightly gamey.
If you want to find gull eggs, you might need to go to a special retailer or high-end restaurants serving them.
Unique Eggs for Exciting Breakfasts
Chicken eggs are delicious, but there’s a wonderful world of unique and delicious eggs out there for you to take a crack at. Which egg would you like to try next for your breakfast scramble?
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