How to make hard boiled eggs that are easy peel with a vibrant yolk and no green ring! The best method for boiled eggs that can be used in deviled eggs, egg salad and more meals.

Perfect hard boiled eggs on counter.

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Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe

I love to make a big batch of hard boiled eggs when meal prepping at the beginning of each week. They make a great breakfast and healthy snack, or use them at lunch to make a sandwich, add to a salad or even enjoy over a piece of avocado toast.

Perfect hard boiled eggs may seem a bit intimidating, but they are SO easy once you perfect the cooking time and method. I love to steam mine on the stove, but you can use the oven method or Instant Pot.

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Showing how to make hard boiled eggs in a 4 step collage.
  • Add eggs to pot: 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.
  • Boil the eggs. Then turn to high heat, cover with lid and bring hot water to boil. Once boiling, cook for an additional 6 minutes.
  • Ice bath. Transfer them with spoon to a bowl full of ice cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Peel and enjoy. Peel eggs under cold water and enjoy.

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.

Sliced hard boiled egg on cutting board.

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 above. This gives you a good visual on what the inside will look like after a specific amount of cooking time.

Tips

  • Secret to perfect boiled eggs: Use fresh eggs and cover 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.
  • Avoid a green ring. Not only does it not look appealing it can create a sulphuric flavor. The best way to avoid this from happening is to not overcook the eggs.
  • Older eggs are easier to peel. Perfect hard boiled eggs are best with 7 days old eggs versus fresh eggs! The egg whites increased PH allows them to separate from the yolk easier.
  • Transfer to an ice bath immediately. Avoid overcooked hard boiled eggs by transferring your eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
3 hard boiled eggs on counter.

Need more ways to use eggs? Try this easy deviled eggs recipe or scrambled eggs recipe!

Favorite Ways to Use Hard Boiled Eggs

Perfect hard boiled eggs on counter.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

5 from 40 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Chill Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 11 minutes
Servings: 8
How to make hard boiled eggs that are easy peel with a vibrant yolk and no green ring! The best method for boiled eggs that can be used in deviled eggs, egg salad and more meals.
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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.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Cook times:
  • Soft boiled: cook 4 minutes
  • Slightly soft: cook 6 minutes
  • For firm yet slightly soft: cook 8 minutes
  • For very firm: cook 10 minutes
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.
Storage: 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 72kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.4g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 186mg, Sodium: 71mg, Potassium: 69mg, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 270IU, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Alternative Cooking Methods

  • Oven method: 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.
  • Instant Pot eggs: 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 or 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.

Storage

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.