Learn how to make hard boiled eggs easily with these simple tips and tricks! Whether you use the stove, oven or instant pot, you’ll have PERFECT boiled eggs every time!
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Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
I love to make a big batch of these when meal prepping at the beginning of each week. Not only do they make a great breakfast or healthy snack, but you can also enjoy them at lunch or dinner too. Use them to make a sandwich, add to a salad, enjoy over a piece of avocado toast or make this easy deviled eggs recipe.
Hard boiled eggs may seem a bit intimidating to make at first, but they are SO easy once you perfect the cooking time and method. I love to steam mine on the stove, but you can also make them in the oven or make Instant Pot eggs as well. With each method you will have easy to peel eggs with vibrant yellow yolks!
And with Easter coming up, don’t forget to color them too! This is one of my family’s favorite traditions on Easter Sunday and has become a yearly staple activity. The kids love it and have so much fun!
How to Hard Boil Eggs
You may be surprised to find out that there are other ways to hard boil eggs besides on your stove. While this method is definitely quick and simple, I’ll also teach you how to use the Instant Pot AND oven to make them just as easily!
Make sure to start with fresh eggs and set your timer for optimal results. You can use either farm fresh eggs or eggs that are bought in advance from the store.
- Stove: Making steamed hard boiled eggs is my favorite way to cook them. Simply add eggs in large saucepan in a single layer. Cover with inch of cold water. Then turn to high heat, cover with lid and bring hot water to boil. Once boiling, cook for an additional 6 minutes. Transfer them with spoon to a bowl full of ice cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes, then peel under cold water.
- Instant pot: Add rack to bottom of instant pot. Then pour about 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pot and place eggs on top of rack. Set instant pot on manual to high pressure. Cook for 5 minutes, then let release naturally for 5 more minutes. Perform a quick release, then transfer with a spoon to a bowl full of ice cold water. Let sit for 10 minutes, then peel under cold water.
- Oven: Cooking hard boiled eggs in the oven is super simple. Preheat your oven to 325ºF and then place 12 eggs inside of a muffin pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Then place in a bowl of ice bath water for 10 minutes. You may get little brown spots on them, but a tip to prevent this is to put a cotton pad underneath the egg. Peel under cold water.
Best Way to Peel Boiled Eggs
My favorite way to peel boiled eggs is to tap them on the counter until the shell cracks, then peel under cold water. The shell is super easy to peel this way and usually comes right off.
Alternatively, you can also place them in a Tupperware container, add some water, and then cover with the lid. Then shake the container for about 15-30 seconds. When you open the container, the shells should slide right off.
How Long to Hard Boil Eggs
You can easily adjust the cooking time depending on how you prefer them. I like my yolk and egg whites firm yet slightly soft, however feel free to modify if you like soft boiled eggs or even very firm eggs.
- Soft boiled: cook 4 minutes
- Slightly soft eggs: cook 6 minutes
- For firm yet slightly soft: cook 8 minutes
- For very firm: cook 10 minutes
Not sure how long to cook them? Check out the time chart below. This gives you a good visual on what the inside will look like after a specific amount of cooking time.
Storing Tips
If storing in the refrigerator for later use, I recommend keeping the shells on. This helps to extend their shelf life and keeps them fresher longer.
Unpeeled eggs will keep for about 1 week in the fridge. I like to store mine in either an airtight container or zip top bag. I’ll often write the date that I boiled them on my container or bag so that I can easily know when to use them by.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make the perfect hard boiled eggs, place in a pot and cover with an inch with cold water. Turn the heat to high and then cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
When the water reaches a boil, cook for 6-8 minutes.
Cooking hard boiled eggs on the stove will take 6 minutes for slightly soft eggs and 8-10 minutes for a firm egg.
The secret to perfect boiled eggs is using fresh eggs and covering them with cool water instead of adding them to hot water. Then cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Boil for 6-8 minutes. This will prevent them from cracking and will cook the eggs evenly.
Follow the method in this recipe below, then make sure to tap, roll and then peel to make sure they come off easily.
We love to serve our hard boiled eggs with avocado toast or a breakfast muffin and a berry fruit salad.
Need more ways to cook egg? My scrambled eggs recipe results in perfectly creamy, fluffy scrambled eggs every time!
Favorite Ways to Use Hard Boiled Eggs
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Hard Boiled Egg Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- Cold water
Bowl of Ice Water
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, cover the eggs with 1-inch cold water. Turn the heat to high and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil.
- As soon as the water boils, cook 6 minutes (or desired cook time – see notes).
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl of ice water. Let sit 5 minutes.
- Tap the eggs on the counter until the shell cracks and run under cold water to peel.
Notes
- Soft boiled: cook 4 minutes
- Slightly soft: cook 6 minutes
- For firm yet slightly soft: cook 8 minutes
- For very firm: cook 10 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Eggs, Low Carb, Make Ahead, Meal Prep, Savory Breakfast, Snacks, Whole 30
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
Great! Made salmon filets and then sautéed green beans in the sauce and poured the sauce over all! My guy loved it and sincerely expressed appreciation!
this post was super helpful and I cannot thank you enough for helping me with getting the perfect hard boiled egg every time!
So glad you got perfect eggs! Thanks for your review.
Thanks for sharing this!! It’s hard trying to find the best way to boil eggs & this way makes them perfect!!
This is such a simple post yet so needed! I printed it out and hung it up on the fridge for my husband and daughter to look at when needed!
Was looking for how long to boil eggs. Chance clicking here. My name is Brian Nye. How funny is that
Small world! :)
Thank you so much for that I always have problems cooking eggs I’m doing them now and I’ll see how they come out thank you again
I hope they turned out well for you! :)
Awesome tips. We love boiled eggs!
I love hard-boiled eggs. The pictures for soft and firm eggs are very helpful!
Such great info! Thank you!
We eat hard boiled eggs all, week, long. We love making deviled eggs in a ton of different ways! I love how you shared how you make them as I’m always on the hunt for the BEST way!
YES! This is how we make them too.