A perfectly cooked, easy-to-peel hard-boiled egg can feel like a little bit of a cooking unicorn at times. Whether you’re using your stove or an Instant Pot, here are the best instructions for how to hard boil eggs so they turn out exactly right each time.
Click over to learn more about how long fresh eggs last and to get the answer to the burning question: Are eggs considered a dairy product??
Eggs are good in a variety of dishes, of course, but there’s a lot going for the humble hard boiled egg.
- They’re are an excellent and inexpensive protein source. One large egg has about 6 grams of protein.
- Hard boiled eggs are an easy-to-take-along snack.
- The aroma that comes from a hard cooked egg can clear a room quickly. 😉
Hard Boiled Eggs for Beginners
Cooked right in the shell, hard boiled eggs are just that: Eggs that have been boiled to the point of being solid, or “hard.” Except in very rare cases, the yolk remains near the center of the egg and the white cooks all around it.
How to Hard Boil Eggs on the Stove
Here’s how to cook the perfect hard boiled eggs on the stove top. I learned this method many years ago in a home ec class and it has served me well to this day.
Equipment Needed:
- Large saucepan
- Slotted spoon
- Timer
- Bowl of cold water
Directions:
- Place eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a saucepan (for more eggs, use a larger pan rather than stacking the eggs).
- Add cold water to the pan, covering the eggs by about an inch of water.
- Place a lid on the pot and bring water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water — covered — for 7 minutes.
- Drain the water off the eggs, and shake the pot enough to crack the cooked eggs.
- Transfer the cracked eggs to a bowl of cold water using a slotted spoon. Alternatively, cover the eggs in the pot with cold water, changing it several times.
- Leave for at least 5 minutes to allow eggs to cool completely. This will make it much easier to remove the shells.
- Remove from water and peel immediately. (Be sure to save your eggshells for the garden!)
How to Hard Boil Eggs in an Instant Pot
Eggs hard-boiled in an Instant Pot are famously easy to peel! Like, no fail easy to peel hard boiled eggs. Even super fresh eggs, which some people find hard to peel.
To hard boil eggs in an Instant Pot, follow these steps:
Equipment Needed:
- Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker)
- Cooking rack or specialized egg rack
- Timer
- Large bowl of cold water
Directions:
- Add one cup of cold water to your Instant Pot.
- Place eggs on rack inside.
- Seal the cooker and set cook time for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- When cook time is done, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes (use a timer).
- Carefully release the rest of the pressure manually.
- Remove eggs from Instant Pot using a large spoon (or use pot holder gloves – the eggs will be very hot).
- Place eggs in ice water bath for 5 minutes to cool completely.
- Remove eggs from water and peel immediately.
FAQs: How to Hard Cook Eggs the Right Way
Here are the answers to a few of the most common questions I’ve had about how to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs.
How long should you cook a hard-boiled egg?
Over the stove, we calculate the time the egg is submerged in rapidly boiling water (not how long it takes for the water to come to a boil).
- For soft-boiled eggs, leave in hot pot for 4 minutes.
- To make creamy hard-boiled eggs, leave in hot pot for 7 minutes.
- For very firm hard-boiled eggs, leave in hot pot for 9 minutes.
In the Instant Pot, use the following cook times:
- 3 minutes for soft-boiled eggs
- 5 minutes for regular hard-boiled eggs
- 7 minutes for very firm hard-boiled eggs
What if my eggs are hard to peel?
The method of cracking the shell as soon as they eggs are cooked mentioned above really helps, but there are some other tactics to try, too.
Before cooking, you can add ½ teaspoon of salt or a tablespoon of vinegar to the cooking water to help soften the shell to make peeling easier.
If your eggs are already cooked, here’s a trick that works every time:
- Crack the shell once and then gently roll the egg against the counter to create cracks all around the shell (without peeling).
- Let the egg soak for 5 minutes in a bowl of water.
- Remove from bowl and peel as usual. The water gets under the shell and should make peeling pretty much effortless.
How long do hard boiled eggs last?
Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. (Peel your eggs before storing, as peeling refrigerated eggs can be difficult.)
Do not freeze whole eggs, as the white will become rubbery. However, you can freeze the yolks for up to 3 months.
Using Hard Cooked Eggs
They’re excellent for eating plain (or with a sprinkle of salt), but they are used in other dishes as well. Try these:
- Avocado deviled eggs
- Red potato salad
- Once cooked, color them naturally for the Easter Bunny.
- Colored hard boiled eggs are often braided into Portuguese sweet bread at Easter.
- Vegetarian ramen
