Eggs are one of my favorite ingredients. Here's my how-to guide on boiling and peeling eggs with ease. Whether you love them soft and creamy or perfectly hard-boiled, I’ve got you covered!
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Why you'll love this recipe
On-demand: no need to remove eggs out from the fridge early.
Start from cold: no need to wait for the water to come up to a boil first.
Simple & foolproof: this method always guarantees an egg that is not overcooked and easy to peel.
Great for meal prep: cook up a batch for healthy and delicious snacks throughout the week.
Versatile: use the boiled eggs in a variety of recipes ranging from egg/tamago sandos, Chinese tea eggs, to ramen eggs.
Ingredients you'll need
- large eggs: as many as you want (that can fit comfortably in your pot)
- water: for boiling
- ice: for chilling
How to boil & peel eggs
Place eggs into a pot of cold water and bring up to a rolling boil over high heat.
Reduce to a gentle simmer and let the eggs cook for about 5-6 minutes for soft-boiled.
Add an additional 2-3 minutes if you prefer a medium-set, or another 5 minutes for hard-boiled egg.
Remove the eggs from heat and immediately transfer to a basin of ice cold water or run under cold water to halt the cooking process.
Gently tap all over the egg, focusing on the "butt" end of the egg (see photo 2).
Peel the eggs under running cold water, rinsing off any bits of shell.
Enjoy or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Timing
5-6 minutes for soft-boiled with a luscious runny yolk.
7-8 minutes for custard-like creamy yolks.
10-12 minutes for fully hard-boiled eggs. Perfect for salads or deviled eggs.
How to serve & use boiled eggs
Serve the boiled eggs as a healthy snack on its own (with a little sprinkle of flaky sea salt or matcha cumin salt), or pair with a bowl of steamed rice.
Use them for Chinese marble tea eggs, Korean marinated mayak eggs, or serve the soft-boiled eggs with ramen noodles.
Mash up hardboiled eggs for egg salad sandwiches, or deviled eggs.
How to store
Store unpeeled boiled eggs for up to 1 week in the fridge.
You can store peeled boiled eggs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Expert tips
Add a pinch of salt or splash of vinegar to the water to help with easier peeling of the shells.
Don't overcook the eggs! No one likes rubbery eggs. If there's a ring of grey/green around the yolk, they're slightly overcooked -- but no worries, it's fine to eat.
To ensure a smoothly peeled egg, it's important to break through the egg's membrane, which is easier to do when peeling from the "butt" end of the egg.
Use older eggs (about 1-2 weeks old), rather than fresh eggs for easier peeling.
Other delicious egg recipes you may like
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How to Boil & Peel Eggs
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs or as many as you like
- water for boiling
- ice water for chilling
Instructions
Boil the eggs:
- Place eggs into a pot of cold water and bring up to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Reduce to a gentle simmer and let the eggs cook for about 5-6 minutes for soft-boiled.
- Add an additional 2-3 minutes if you prefer a medium-set, or another 5 minutes for hard-boiled egg.
- Remove the eggs from heat and immediately transfer to a basin of ice cold water or run under cold water to halt the cooking process.
Peel the eggs:
- Gently tap all over the egg, focusing on the "butt" end of the egg (see photo 2).
- Peel the eggs under running cold water, rinsing off any bits of shell.
- Enjoy or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
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