Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven broiler to high.
- In a large skillet, warm the melted butter on the stove top at medium-high heat.
- Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the diced ham and chopped sweet peppers to the skillet.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ham begins to brown slightly and the peppers begin to soften.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 8 eggs, 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper until well combined and smooth.
- Pour the egg mixture into the skillet with the ham and peppers, stirring gently and frequently.
- Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the eggs from sticking to the bottom of the skillet, until the eggs begin to solidify, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Once the eggs are mostly cooked but still slightly soft, reduce heat to low and remove the skillet from the burner.
- Distribute the shredded pepper jack cheese evenly over the top of the eggs and ham mixture.
- Carefully place the skillet in the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- The cheese should melt and become bubbly; the top may develop light golden spots.
- Remove the skillet from the oven using an oven mitt or potholder—the handle will be extremely hot.
- Allow the skillet to cool for 1 minute.
- Top with fresh chopped green onions and serve warm directly from the skillet. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Use an oven-safe skillet — Cast iron handles stovetop-to-broiler without issues and holds heat evenly. Non-stick skillets work only if they're rated oven-safe; check the manufacturer's spec before running them under broiler heat.
- Pull the eggs earlier than you think — They keep cooking under the broiler. Take the skillet off the stovetop when the eggs are about 80% set — still a little loose in the center. They'll finish under the heat.
- Jalapeño heat is a dial — De-seeded gives you the flavor without serious kick. Half the seeds lands in the middle. Full seeds and membrane means you'll feel it.
- Mix your sweet peppers — Red, yellow, and orange cook down slightly differently and bring different sweetness levels. The combination builds a more layered base than a single color alone.
- Don't skip the heavy cream — Two tablespoons, but it matters. The fat coats the egg proteins and keeps the texture silkier. Milk works in a pinch but you'll notice the difference.
- Watch the broiler the whole time — The window is two to three minutes but broilers run hot. Start checking at 90 seconds. Once the cheese bubbles and starts spotting, pull it.
- Serve straight from the skillet — the pan holds heat and keeps everything warm while you set the table. A stack of warm flour tortillas on the side turns this into a build-your-own situation. Corn tortillas work too.
- Put a few things out: salsa, sour cream, fresh cilantro, a lime wedge. None of them are required but all of them work. The acidity from salsa or a squeeze of lime cuts through the cheese and fat and sharpens the whole dish.
- For a weeknight dinner, pair it with a simple green salad. For brunch, serve alongside sliced avocado and skip the tortillas. Either way, there's not much more this dish needs.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. The eggs will firm up overnight — that's expected. They won't be as loose as they were fresh but they still eat well the next day.
- To reheat, use a 350°F oven and warm loosely covered with foil for 8–10 minutes until heated through. The microwave works in a pinch but turns the eggs rubbery. Skip the broiler on reheats — the cheese has already set and will burn before the eggs warm up.
- Don't freeze this dish. Eggs don't survive freezing and thawing; the texture turns grainy and watery.