How to Perfectly Boil Eggs
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Learn how to perfectly boil eggs with this classic, easy, and simple method. Perfectly boiled eggs with the yolk cooked just like you prefer. Meal prep and learn how to store in the fridge for ready-to-go breakfasts, snacks, or lunches.
How to Perfectly Boil Eggs
Hard boiled eggs are a staple in our home. We all love boiled eggs and we all love them cooked at different levels. I like boiled eggs with a runny yolk, my husband likes them cooked though and my daughter somewhere in between. We love them for breakfast, as a snack, or even lunch. I love throwing a hard boiled egg in a salad and my daughter loves them in her school lunchbox too. Knowing how to make perfectly boiled eggs is a must and with this method you will never fail. Get the yolk cooked exactly how you prefer every time too!
Ingredients needed to Perfectly Boil Eggs :
- Half Dozen Eggs– Any chicken eggs you prefer.
- Water– For boiling the eggs in. Then more for an ice bath.
- Ice– For ice bath.
Equipment needed to Perfectly Boil Eggs:
- Medium Sauce Pan– To boil the eggs in.
- Mixing Bowl– For ice bath.
- Skimmer Spoon– To remove eggs from saucepan and ice bath.
How to Perfectly Boil Eggs:
- Step 1– Place half a dozen large brown eggs in a medium sauce pan. Fill up with water until eggs are fully covered and submerged. Place sauce pan on stovetop on high heat and bring to a boil.
- Step 2– At this point, cook eggs for as long as you’d like depending on how runny or hard you want your egg yolk to be. A fully cooked egg needs to boil for 12 minutes. Boil eggs for 3-4 minutes for a runny yolk. 5-6 minutes will result in a creamier, slightly runny yolk. While 8-10 minutes will give you a yolk that is creamy and mostly set.
- Step 3– While eggs are cooking, fill up a large mixing bowl with water and ice. Once you are ready to finish cooking your eggs, turn heat off. Use a skimmer spoon to remove the eggs from from sauce pan and submerge one egg at a time in ice bath. Keep eggs in ice water for 1-2 minutes. The shock from the ice bath will immediately stop the cooking process preventing eggs from overcooking.
- Step 4– Grab one egg and remove from ice bath. Gently tap bottom of egg on a hard surface such as a cutting board or kitchen counter. Carefully peel egg shell leaving a smooth white surface behind. Repeat with the rest of eggs.
- Step 5– If you are using the eggs for meal prep or later use, leave shells on eggs and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve hard boiled eggs as is or in your favorite egg recipes.
Tips for Perfectly Boiling Eggs:
- Don’t skip the ice bath- Submerging hot eggs in an ice bath produces a shock which causes the shell to soften and unstick from the inside. This ensures your eggs will easily peel leaving the egg whole and as smooth as possible.
- The shock from the ice bath will immediately stop the cooking process- This will prevent eggs from overcooking. Another reason you don’t want to skip the ice bath.
- Leave shells on eggs if using for meal prep- Store eggs in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to serve boiled eggs:
- As a snack– Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper, everything seasoning, or hot sauce for a protein rich and tasty snack.
- In a salad– We love salads with hard boiled eggs in it like this Avocado Egg Salad. Or as an added protein in this Beet Potato Salad or this Classic Macaroni Salad (Gluten-Free).
- Over toast– I love topping some avocado toast with a hard boiled eggs and some pickled red onions.
- In a sandwich– Boil eggs and make an egg salad sandwich.
- Deviled eggs– For a classic appetizer.
- Pickled eggs– These are so good and can be served on the side of veggies, fruit, with bread or crackers, etc.
How to Perfectly Boil Eggs FAQ’s:
How long do you boil eggs?
The amount of time you want to boil an egg depends on how runny or well cooked you want the inside of the egg to be. Boiling an egg for 3-4 minutes will result in a runny yolk. 5-6 minutes results in a creamier, slightly runny yolk. While 8-10 minutes will give you a yolk that is creamy and mostly set. At 12 minutes the egg is fully cooked and completely hard.
| Boil Eggs for: | Yolk Texture: |
| 3-4 minutes | Runny yolk |
| 5-6 minutes | Creamier, slightly runny yolk |
| 8-10 minutes | Creamy, mostly set yolk |
| 12 minutes | Fully cooked and completely hard |
How do you boil an egg so they peel easily?
Bring eggs to a boil then set timer for the amount of time you want them to cook for. This will depend on how runny or hard you would like your yolk to be. Turn heat off and remove eggs from the stove. Take eggs out of the boiled water and place in a bowl filled with water and ice. Submerging hot eggs in an ice bath produces a shock which causes the shell to soften and unstick from the inside. This ensures your eggs will easily peel leaving the egg whole.
Do you boil water first or put eggs in first?
Allowing water to boil your first works better because it gives you a more accurate timing for boiling eggs. Bring your water to a boil, then add in eggs. Set timer for the amount of time you would like to boil your eggs for. Depending on how runny to hard you would like your yolk to be.
Meal Prepping it:
Hard boiled eggs are perfect for meal prep. They are great for a quick breakfast, snack, or even to add to salads for lunch. Make half a dozen to a dozen eggs and keep them refrigerated for up to a week. Once you hard boil your eggs and cool them down in an ice bath, place in Tupperware without removing the shell. The boiled eggs will last for up to 5 days refrigerated as long as they still have the shell on.
Storing boiled eggs:
After boiling your eggs, peel them only of you are going to use eat them right away. If you have any leftover boiled eggs, it’s best to store them while they still have their shell on. Place boiled eggs in an airtight container. Keep them refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on stovetop. You can also serve cold.
*Pro-Tip: I recommend storing boiled eggs that are hard boiled. If you have eggs that were boiled and left with a runny yolk, I wouldn’t recommend saving them. The texture of the yolk will change a lot as it sits in the fridge.
Did you like this Boil Eggs recipe? You may also like these other egg recipes:
How to Perfectly Boil Eggs
Learn how to perfectly boil eggs with this classic, easy, and simple method. Perfectly boiled eggs with the yolk cooked just like you prefer. Meal prep and learn how to store in the fridge for ready-to-go breakfasts, snacks, or lunches.
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- water
- ice
Instructions
Place half a dozen large brown eggs in a medium sauce pan. Fill up with water until eggs are fully covered and submerged. Place sauce pan on stovetop on high heat and bring to a boil.
- At this point, cook eggs for as long as you’d like depending on how runny or hard you want your egg yolk to be. A fully cooked egg needs to boil for 12 minutes. Boil eggs for 3-4 minutes for a runny yolk. 5-6 minutes will result in a creamier, slightly runny yolk. While 8-10 minutes will give you a yolk that is creamy and mostly set.
While eggs are cooking, fill up a large mixing bowl with water and ice. Once you are ready to finish cooking your eggs, turn heat off. Use a skimmer spoon to remove the eggs from from sauce pan and submerge one egg at a time in ice bath. Keep eggs in ice water for 1-2 minutes. The shock from the ice bath will immediately stop the cooking process preventing eggs from overcooking.
Grab one egg and remove from ice bath. Gently tap bottom of egg on a hard surface such as a cutting board or kitchen counter. Carefully peel egg shell leaving a smooth white surface behind. Repeat with the rest of eggs.
- If you are using the eggs for meal prep or later use, leave shells on eggs and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve hard boiled eggs as is or in your favorite egg recipes.
Recipe Notes
Tips for Perfectly Boiling Eggs:
- Don’t skip the ice bath- Submerging hot eggs in an ice bath produces a shock which causes the shell to soften and unstick from the inside. This ensures your eggs will easily peel leaving the egg whole and as smooth as possible.
- The shock from the ice bath will immediately stop the cooking process- This will prevent eggs from overcooking. Another reason you don’t want to skip the ice bath.
- Leave shells on eggs if using for meal prep- Store eggs in the fridge for up to 5 days.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
