Perfectly boiled eggs with easy to peel shells are every egg lover’s dream. However, to make perfect hard-boiled eggs every time needs patience and an easy technique.
Here is an easy method to make hard-boiled eggs on the stove, instant pot or microwave. Plus simple recipes you can make with boiled eggs.
If you have been following me on Instagram or even here then you know eggs are a regular in my diet. I believe myself to be an expert, when it comes to boiling eggs on stove or instant pot. This confidence has come with time, trial and error. And now, I have finally understood how to make hard boiled eggs that have creamy yolk and perfectly set whites.
Make Hard Boiled Eggs Perfectly Every time (Hindi Video)
BTW the above video is uploaded on my brand new Youtube Channel "Homemade by Rekha Kakkar" In case you are beginner in cooking and want to start from scratch that might be useful to you. Also, I am going to upload more videos on home and kitchen organising as well as gardening so make sure to Subscribe to channel if you are interested.
If you want to watch Video in English that is given in the end of this post.
Boiling eggs seems easy, that is why you always have room to mess it up. An extra minute in the water and you get overcooked yolk. Or shells that stick to the whites or broken eggs. Therefore, there are few things you need to take care while boiling eggs. Like how long to boil eggs? Should you be adding something to water?
With this post I have tried to answer all the questions to make perfect hard boiled eggs for all your egg recipes. Whether you like soft boiled eggs or hard boiled eggs, these simple steps will help you cook your desired texture.
Every one has their own way of cooking hard boiled eggs. Some remove the eggs from the heat, once the water starts to boil and let it sit for 15 -16 minutes. While others bake the eggs in the oven for 30 minutes.
Common Tips to Make Perfect Boiled eggs
To boil perfect egg start by placing eggs in cold water. Immerse them fully in water. Add vinegar and salt . When water starts to boil cover the pan reduce the heat and boil exactly for 7 minutes for Perfect hard boiled eggs.
Different types of eggs require different times. Time for soft boiled eggs is 3.5 minutes for a medium egg, if large egg add half a minute more. For medium boiled egg boil the egg for 5-6 minutes. For hard boiled egg you need to boil egg for 8 minutes after water starts to boil.
To peel eggs easily. Add vinegar and salt in boiling water. After boiling place the eggs in ice cold water bath that will make the egg membrane shrink and shell comes off easily.
Perfect Instant Pot Boiled eggs
I even cook eggs in an instant pot. It hardly takes 5 minutes. I have mentioned how to cook boiled eggs so that they are hard and firm in the instant pot below.
Boiled Eggs Time
To make best boiled eggs as per your preference, you can try these timings which work good for us. And later on tweak the time as per your preference.
When you are boiling eggs, it is one minute here and there that can easily overcook them or they remain underdone. I have given below the Perfect Boiling time for Each type Hard boiled, soft boiled and medium boiled.
Perfect Hard Boiled Egg time
Hard boiled eggs are mostly used To make salads, biryani or sometimes Indian style curries. The perfect hard boiled eggs has a creamy and mellow texture with no green-ish ring around the yolk.
To get that perfectly boiled egg, you need to cook the eggs 6 -7 minutes after the water starts to boil and a boiled egg timer.
In a saucepan add cool water and let the water boil. When the water starts to boil place eggs in it. (make sure that the water is a inch above the eggs). Add a tablespoon of vinegar and half a teaspoon of salt in the saucepan. Mix it it a splotted spoon and set a timer for 6 minutes on your phone.
Cover the pan with a lid and let the eggs boil. One minute here and there does not make too much difference in taste, but it is easy for the yolk to develop a gray layer of sulfur. So, it is always a good option to set the timer on phone.
After six minutes, turn off the heat and take off the lid. With the slotted spoon transfer the eggs in a bowl of cold water. Let the eggs cool for a couple of minutes. You can even place them under cool water to stop the cooking. Cold water also helps to peel the shells off the eggs.
When you have peeled the eggs, cut them and serve them immediately. Just sprinkle some paprika and salt on top. You can even make egg salad for a healthy meal.
Medium Boiled Eggs Time
To make Medium boiled egg, follow the same steps as hard-boiled eggs. The only difference is in the cooking time of the egg. To make medium boiled egg, cook the eggs just 1 .5 minutes less than the hard-boiled eggs.
Set the timer on your phone for 4-5 minutes. This will give you a perfect gooyi center of creamy yolk and soft white yolk.
Perfect Soft Boiled Egg time
Time for making soft boiled egg with firm, creamy egg white with a warm runny yolk is about 3.5 minutes after water starts to boil. If using a large egg increase the time to 4 minutes. One can easily over cook a soft boiled egg so make sure to switch on egg timer or your phone timer.
To make soft boiled eggs, timing plays an important role. In a saucepan bring the water up to a boil, then lower it to a rapid simmer. When the water is slowly boiling, add the eggs. Only after that start the timer.
If you want a perfect runny yolk, then cook the eggs for 4 minutes.
You can enjoy the soft boiled eggs when its warm and runny. You can have them with pretzels or dip them with your breadsticks. They are perfect to dip the breadsticks! I love them soft eggs with pretzels.
Boiled Eggs in Instant Pot
It is very simple to make boiled eggs in an instant pot. Start by placing the steaming rack on top of your Instant pot and pour a cup of water. Gently arrange the eggs in an even layer and then cover and seal the lid. Cook for 5 minutes on manual/high pressure followed by a quick release.
After that carefully place the eggs in a bowl of cold water for some time. Peel them when done.
Boiled Eggs In Microwave
You can make boiled eggs in microwave. Cooking time for boiling eggs in microwave differs, depending on the strength of your microwave. It usually take 6-7 minutes to make perfectly hard boiled eggs.
In a bowl, add water and eggs. Then add half a teaspoon of salt per egg to ensure that the eggs don’t break and start the microwave. Let it work for 6 minutes and voila! Your perfectly boiled eggs in microwave is ready.
(Note- In the microwave, the water comes to a rolling boil, so do not fill the bowl to the rim as this might lead to spilled water in plate of your microwave.)
How to make hard Boiled Eggs - Points to Remember
- Whenever you are boiling eggs always make sure that they have enough space in the pan for even cooking and also water level should be one inch above the surface of eggs.
- Many times eggshell break and in the process, some egg white gets leaked which is not either good to look at or taste either. Adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the boiling water prevents the breaking of egg shell while making boiled eggs.
- Peeling boiled eggs smoothly is another problem. To make easy peel hard boiled eggs, discard hot water and let the egg stay in the pan. Add cool water/iced water to eggs and let them stay for a minute or two. This helps to shrink the membrane that connects eggshells to the whites of the egg and it peels easily.
- When the eggs are cooked, carefully pour out most of the hot water, leaving the eggs in the pan. Set the pan in the sink under cool running water for a few minutes until the eggs are barely warm. If the shells are stubborn, try peeling them under running water.
- Fresh eggs are not good for easy peeling of hard boiled eggs. Always use 2-3 days old eggs for making boiled eggs. The fresher the egg, the more attached the shell, to membrane, so for boiling, older eggs are preferable.
How to cook Hard Boil Eggs - Method 2
My husband's method involves starting the eggs in cold water. When water comes to rolling boil, he turns off the heat and covers the pan with a lid, 12 minutes and you get perfect soft-boiled eggs.
Both methods give you great results, choose the one that suits you I prefer to go the quick one as I am always in the perpetual hurry 🙂 and hardly have the patience to spend much time waiting for the food.
Cons of my method that you have to be near the stove. Pros of my husband's method you can multitask because you don't have to be near stove watching for eggs and con is only it takes time.
When boiling eggs, both the temperature and the cooking time play crucial roles in determining the final texture of the egg, especially the yolk. Here's a general guide to various types of boiled eggs, categorized by their yolk consistency, along with the recommended cooking times and temperatures:
Soft Boiled Eggs
- Very Soft Yolk (Runny)
- Temperature: Bring water to a rolling boil (about 100°C or 212°F).
- Time: Cook for about 4-5 minutes.
- Texture: Whites are set, but yolks are runny and barely set.
- Slightly Firmer Yolk (Semi-Runny)
- Temperature: Rolling boil.
- Time: Cook for about 6-7 minutes.
- Texture: Whites are completely set, yolks are mostly runny with a bit more structure.
Medium Boiled Eggs
- Partially Set Yolk
- Temperature: Rolling boil.
- Time: Cook for about 8-9 minutes.
- Texture: Whites are firm, yolks are partly set but still a bit runny in the center.
- Mostly Set Yolk
- Temperature: Rolling boil.
- Time: Cook for about 10-11 minutes.
- Texture: Whites are firm, yolks are mostly set but may have a slightly soft center.
Hard Boiled Eggs
- Fully Set Yolk
- Temperature: Rolling boil.
- Time: Cook for about 12-14 minutes.
- Texture: Whites and yolks are completely set, with yolks having a pale yellow color.
Tips for Perfect Boiled Eggs
- Starting Temperature: For more consistent cooking, start with eggs at room temperature.
- Cold Start Method: Some prefer starting with cold water and then bringing it to a boil with the eggs in the pot, which can reduce cracking but may require slightly longer cooking times.
- Ice Bath: Immediately transferring the eggs to an ice bath after cooking helps stop the cooking process and makes peeling easier.
Remember, these times are general guidelines and can vary based on factors like the size of the eggs, altitude, and the specific heat of your stovetop or cooking appliance. Experimentation might be necessary to achieve your perfect egg.
Boiled Eggs Salad Ideas
For salads or avocado toasts, the medium boiled eggs taste absolute best. They are best for chopping up as a salad, egg salad, sandwich stuffing etc. You can use boiled eggs to make a number of delicious salad recipes.
Egg salads is one of the easiest and healthiest way to eat eggs. You can play with your favorite vegetables and make your choice of salad. Or you can make Chickpeas Egg salads with chopped veggies, Potato and Egg salad and healthy egg salad with loads of veggies.
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jessy says
Nice video, I have So many times failed in boiled eggs.. really thank you so much for share right method.
kirit doshi says
Thank you, Rekhaji.