Argan Oil for Breakfast: Eggs, Warm Bread and Amlou
The morning habit we brought home from Morocco, and simple ways to start your day with a drizzle of culinary argan oil.
By ARLO PR Team
Most people meet argan oil at dinner. Someone pours a little over roasted vegetables or a piece of fish, and the table goes quiet for a second. But if you ask us when argan oil really shines, we will tell you something that surprises a lot of people. It shines at breakfast.
That idea did not come from a marketing meeting. It came from a kitchen table in Morocco.
Where the habit comes from
Amine, one of our two founders, grew up in Morocco, and every morning his grandmother drizzled argan oil over eggs or over amlou, the almond and honey spread that shows up on so many Moroccan breakfast tables. For him, argan oil was never a special occasion ingredient. It was simply part of the morning, like bread and tea.
When we started ARLO in Miami, we kept hearing the same question from people tasting it for the first time. What do you actually do with it? Our honest answer is breakfast. Here is how we do it.
Why breakfast works
Culinary argan oil is pressed from roasted argan nuts. The flavor is herby, nutty and unique, rich without feeling heavy. It is a finishing oil, which means you use it cold, at the end, right before you eat. You cook your eggs the way you always do, in butter or a neutral oil, and then you add the argan oil on the plate.
That is the whole trick. A small spoon, poured over warm food, wakes up everything underneath it. Breakfast is full of warm, soft, mild foods that are perfect for this: eggs, fresh bread, beans, ripe tomatoes. They give the oil room to show off.
Eggs, any style
Start with eggs, because that is where Amine’s grandmother started. Make them sunny side up, scrambled or soft boiled, then slide them onto a plate and drizzle about a teaspoon of argan oil over the top. Add a pinch of flaky salt and a little ground cumin, which is how many Moroccan families like to eat them.
Scrambled eggs are our weekday favorite. Cook them low and slow until they are just set and still glossy, take the pan off the heat, and fold in a few drops of argan oil right before serving. For soft boiled eggs, crack the tops, add a pinch of salt and let a few drops of oil pool inside each one.
Warm bread with oil and salt
The simplest breakfast we know is a good slice of bread, warmed in a pan or on the grill until the edges crisp. Pour a little argan oil into a shallow dish, sprinkle in some salt, and dip. If you want something more filling, rub the warm bread with a cut tomato first, then drizzle the oil over it and finish with salt and black pepper.
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Sourdough, country loaves, flatbreads and Moroccan style semolina breads all work. The key is that the bread is warm, so the oil soaks in a little and the aroma rises off the plate.
Amlou, the way it is served
Amlou is a spread made from almonds, honey and argan oil, and in many Moroccan homes it sits on the breakfast table next to bread, olives and mint tea. We have shared how to make it before, so we will not repeat the recipe here. What we want to share is how it is eaten.
You tear a piece of warm bread, swipe it through the amlou, and eat it with a glass of hot tea. It is sweet, nutty and rich, and it makes a slow morning feel like a small celebration. If you do not have amlou on hand, a spoon of almond butter with a drizzle of honey and a few drops of argan oil on top gets you surprisingly close.
Avocado, tomatoes and beans
Not every breakfast needs eggs. Mash a ripe avocado onto a slice of warm bread, add a squeeze of lime, and finish with argan oil, salt and chili flakes. Or slice ripe tomatoes, lay them on a plate with a few leaves of fresh mint, and drizzle the oil over everything. Both take two minutes.
On cooler mornings we like warm white beans or chickpeas, simmered with a little garlic and cumin, spooned into a bowl and finished with a generous drizzle of argan oil. It is filling and savory, and it keeps you going until lunch.
A savory breakfast plate
On weekends we like to set out a little spread, the way Amine remembers it. A bowl of olives, a plate of soft cheese, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, a few hard boiled eggs, warm bread and a small dish of argan oil with salt for dipping. Everyone builds their own bites. Nothing is cooked except the eggs, and it still feels generous.
A few tips
Use a light hand. A teaspoon per plate is plenty, because the flavor is bold. Always add it at the end, never in a hot pan, so the herby, nutty flavor stays bright. Keep the bottle somewhere cool and dark with the cap closed tight, and it will stay fresh for many weeks of breakfasts.
Bring it to your morning
We think the best way to fall in love with a new ingredient is to use it every day, in small ways. Tomorrow morning, make your eggs the way you like them, add a drizzle of argan oil and a pinch of salt, and taste the difference. It is how Amine’s grandmother started every day, and we have not found a better way since.
We make ARLO culinary argan oil, cold pressed from roasted argan nuts. Find it at enjoyarlo.com.
