Perfect Boiled Eggs Recipe (2024)

By J. Kenji López-Alt

Perfect Boiled Eggs Recipe (1)

Total Time
Around 10 minutes
Rating
4(2,696)
Notes
Read community notes

If your goal is perfectly smooth, blemish-free boiled eggs that jump out of their shells every single time, I’ve got bad news: No technique in the world can promise that level of perfection. But armed with data from scientific tests done with more than 90 testers and more than 700 boiled eggs, this technique for boiled eggs — technically steamed, as they cook in just an inch of water — will maximize your odds. Fresher eggs will take slightly longer to peel, but they should peel just as cleanly as older eggs. The eggs in this recipe should be cooked straight from the refrigerator; reduce cooking times by 1 minute if using room-temperature eggs.

Featured in: How to Boil the Perfect Egg

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Ingredients

  • Up to 12 eggs (see note)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

123 calories; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 122 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Perfect Boiled Eggs Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Find a lidded saucepan large enough to allow your eggs to comfortably fit on the bottom in a single layer. Add 1 inch of water, cover and bring to a boil.

  2. Step

    2

    Gently lower eggs into the saucepan using a slotted spoon or a steamer basket. (It’s O.K. if the eggs are partly submerged on the bottom of the pot, or elevated on a steamer rack and not submerged at all.) Cover pan and cook eggs, adjusting the burner to maintain a vigorous boil, 6 minutes for a warm liquid yolk and firm whites, 8½ minutes for a translucent, fudgy yolk or 11 minutes for a yolk that is just barely firm all the way through.

  3. Step

    3

    Drain eggs, then peel and eat immediately, or transfer them to a plate and allow them to cool naturally before storing in the refrigerator for up to a week directly in their shell. (A small dot made with a permanent marker on the top of each cooked egg will ensure you don’t mix them up with the raw eggs.) Do not shock them in an ice bath after cooking; this makes them more difficult to peel.

Tip

  • On a regular home burner, you can cook as many eggs as will fit in a single layer in your pot, up to around a dozen. (Any more and the temperature in the pot will affect cooking.) A steamer basket is not necessary, but it can help you raise and lower eggs gently, preventing accidental cracks. If you have trouble with eggs cracking during cooking, use a pushpin to poke a small hole through the shell on the fat end of the eggs. (This can also help minimize the dimple that forms on the cooked egg white due to an internal air pocket.) The eggs in this recipe should be cooked straight from the refrigerator; reduce cooking times by 1 minute if using room-temperature eggs.

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Klaus Steinweg (Germany)

I've been using this steam method for years. Two remarks:1. A "vigorous" boil is a waste of energy. The steam will not get hotter than 100 deg C. It is sufficient to ensure that all the steam which condensates at the cool egg is replaced by the boiling water. Just add enough energy so that a little bit of steam always escapes from the lid. 2. Following advise #1, much less water than one inch is sufficient. Just make sure there is enough water to prevent the pot from getting dry at the end.

Patrick Delahanty

Been doing this for years. My best results are at 6 and a half minutes for soft-boiled. I do put the cooked egg in tap water to cool shell briefly and have had no trouble peeling. I slice in half lengthwise and place on toast. Delicious.

David McFarren

If you get confused as to whether an egg has been cooked or not, a very simple test will give you the answer. A hard boiled egg will spin like a top but an uncooked egg will fall over immediately. Voila!

Joel

For those of us who don't read the instructions all the way through before beginning, lower the eggs into the pot AFTER the water is boiling (maybe you could edit/add to Step 1 above). Step 2 should also say that pot is covered during cooking. Best recipe I've found to ensure (almost) perfect boiled eggs - I use a steamer basket over the water for what it's worth.

Eduardo

About the "vigorous" boil. Yes, the temperature is the same BUT, the heat transfer coefficient is higher as the speed of the steam-water mix over the surface of the egg is higher.If you are only "steaming" the vigorous boil will make your water boil faster so the steam will move faster over the egg, increasing again the heat transfer AND making a more hom*ogeneous temperature profile.I am a Mechanical Engineer that worked on similar problems for the Oil Industry.

Mike

I boil eggs weekly, here's how:Start with cold tap water, fully cover eggs, BOIL for 90 seconds. Turn off the heat, cover pan, let sit 13 minutes.Drain, dry, put in fridge in container of your choice. Mine peel easy, here's how:Crack shell into tiny pieces, use a knuckle or shake them in a jar.Place egg in cup of hot tap water 1-2 minutes.Water gets in between egg and membrane.They peel easily; I often peel entire shell as one long string.No special equipment needed. Do try it.

Elliott Wang

There's a note above from a Klaus Steinweg alleging that a vigorous boil is no different from a light boil because the steam gets no hotter than 100 deg C. He is absolutely wrong because even if the temperature is no hotter, the concentration of steam (water molecules) in the pot can vary and therefore also the exposure and transfer of heat.

Mike

Huh (gulp). No ice bath. OK, tried it. Cooked mine 12 minutes for a hard yolk. Worked! BTW, the dot is uneccesary. If in question, just spin the egg; hard boiled eggs spin easily without drama, raw eggs spin all wobbly, if at all.

Marc from São Paulo by way of San Francisco

There is no mention of the size of the eggs. Large, XL, Jumbo. This would seem to make a difference with cooking time at least. Does it? And though I wouldn’t expect size to make difference in peelability, any thoughts about that?

Neil Edward

I still like the method of boiling enough water to cover the eggs, putting the eggs in the pan, covering the pan, removing from the heat and waiting 12 minutes with the lid on. My eggs always come out perfect.

Alex

Lots of people in these comments (even the "helpful" ones) either haven't read the associated article or don't seem to believe in the scientific method.- No, the pushpin doesn't make the eggs easier to peel.- Yes, this technique has been published before elsewhere (by the same author).- No, it is not helpful to shock the eggs in cold water.- No, fresh eggs do not peel any more or less cleanly than store bought.

helmerjc

This recipe overlooks the fact that (in my observation) the best hard boiled eggs are made in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker according to the electronic recipe for eggs:The eggs are placed on a steamer tray above one cup of water. Pressure is set to medium and time to 5 minutes. Peeling is easy and perfect, the cooking is uniform, and the flavor is better than I ever got by boiling.

Jane Mika

If you raise chickens (as I do) or purchase FARM FRESH eggs, you know how difficult fresh eggs are to peel after boiling. I have found that the only way to ensure easy peeling is to follow the above directions and shock them in iced water till cool. Fresh eggs have to be handled differently from store bought eggs.

Saraha!

After my own experiments, I have used this method for a year now, and I was so excited about it, I shared it with everybody. I still pop the eggs immediately into ice water, as I thought that was the step that caused the eggs to slip right out of their shells. Now I'll skip that step, too. Thank you! And more thanks for innovative and tasty ways to use them!

Janet

I already follow this recipe, and they are still difficult to peel. I remember as a kid, I never had trouble peeling eggs. Once you find the membrane, it should be easy. Not now. The membrane usually sticks to the egg itself. Very frustrating.

Mimi A.

PERFECT soft-boiled eggs at 6 minutes, following the directions as written. One of my favorite foods, a childhood favorite.

Marty Chapo

I put an inch of water and my steamer basket in a saucepan. Covered the pan. Brought the water to a full boil and gently placed 5 eggs in, straight from the fridge (and fresh—purchased 2 days prior). Steamed for 10 minutes on a full boil. Removed the cooked eggs to a plate to cool, then marked them and put them back in egg carton. Peeling eggs in the past has been something I dreaded. I’m gobsmacked at the results here—so easy to peel, and no sticking!. My life is complete! :)

Robert

I've used a different technique for decades, but after trying this, decided mine is much easier:Place eggs in a pan; add cold water to cover by an inch or so.Cover pan, set on the heat and bring just to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, remove from heat.After 15 minutes, drain against the side of your sink, but before adding cold water,Jiggle the pan around to gently crack all the eggs.Then add a few changes of cold water and finally some ice.Eggs are always perfect and so easy to peel!

Judy

I don’t know why there are so many negative comments. I just made these following Kenji’s instructions. They are beautifully cooked and they are the easiest boiled eggs I’ve ever peeled. I notoriously struggle to peel eggs and I always put them in ice baths. This is actually the perfect boiled egg method and I think everybody should use it.

Paul Plasky

You can write on eggs with a pencil. as my grandmother did 100 years ago.

Cee Cee

Eggshells are porous. A colored marker's ink will seep through and leave it's color on the egg white. (Been there, done that.) I now use a pencil and write an H on the side. No spinning (and therefore dropping) uncooked eggs.

Nat

Great recipe! Perfect eggs that are easy to peel every time.

janet M

Contrary to tip, dropping hard boiled eggs in ice water for about 1 minutes makes them much easier to peel.

Fast Marty

jacques pepin is my north star. make small pinhole in fat end of egg. place gently into softly boiling water for 10 minutes. ice water plunge. shells come off easy-peasy and no sulphur odor. Tender and delicious.

Ben Lee

This is my go to method for making “hard boiled” eggs since I first read this article. I use a bamboo steamer. I place the eggs on the steamer and then move the steamer over the heat once it is boiling. I no longer have to worry about cracked egg shells.

Denise Price

The best ever Instant pot. 5/6 minutes high pressure, 5 minute rest, release steam, 5 minute ice bath. Peel. Amazing

Barbara S.

Instant Pot: 1 cup of water in the pot, eggs in a steamer basket, custom set to 6 minutes on high, 6 minutes on rest, release pressure and take out, 6 minutes ice bath. Play around with 5-5-5 or 7-7-7 to get the kinds of yolks you prefer.

Judith

I am a complete convert to this method. Tried it repeatedly and it never failed me.

Miriam O’Brien Ireland

Eggs must not be too fresh as shells are difficult to remove without take some white of egg away.

Golem

Never had the problem with not-fresh eggs. Peel the eggs under running water and the shells slip off easily.

Jerry B

Works perfectly every time

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Perfect Boiled Eggs Recipe (2024)
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