Learn how to make hard boiled eggs perfectly every time! With this easy method, they'll be easy to peel and have vibrant yellow yolks.
cooking basics / vegetarian — Jump to recipe
Here’s the good news: perfect hard boiled eggs are easy to make. …And the bad news: so are less-than-perfect ones. I don’t know about you, but I’ve certainly cooked my fair share of the latter. When you try to peel away the shell, half the whites come along with it, or when you cut it open, the yolk is slightly green instead of brilliant yellow. Pretty disappointing, if you ask me.
See, cooking perfect hard boiled eggs is easy, but that doesn’t mean that the process you use doesn’t matter. After years of trial and error, I’m happy to say that this method for how to make hard boiled eggs works every time! The yolks are always sunshine yellow, and the shells slide right off. Whether you’re getting ready for Easter, prepping for Passover, or just on the hunt for a protein-packed snack, this easy hard boiled egg recipe is guaranteed to please.
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs
Follow these simple steps to make perfect hard boiled eggs every time:
First, boil the eggs. Place them in a pot and cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Then, let them sit in the hot water. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave the eggs in the hot water for anywhere from 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. The 10-minute eggs will have vibrant, creamy yolks, while the 12-minute yolks will be paler and opaque, with a chalkier texture.
Finally, move them to an ice bath. When the time is up, drain the eggs and transfer them to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Leave them in the ice bath for at least 14 minutes before you peel the eggs.
If you’re not planning to eat the eggs right away, feel free to leave them in the shells and store them in the fridge. But even if this is the case, don’t cut the ice bath short! It’s crucial for stopping the cooking process and making the eggs easy to peel later on.
See below for the complete recipe!
Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Tips
- Buy the eggs in advance.If I’m cooking sunny side up eggs, fresh eggs will yield the best results every time. But if I’m hard boiling them, the opposite is true! Boiled farm-fresh eggs are more difficult to peel than older eggs. If you want to make perfect hard boiled eggs, it pays to buy them in advance and cook them after a few days in the fridge.
- Store the eggs upside down. This tip comes from Jack’s mom, who makes the BEST deviled eggs for family gatherings. In order for the yolks to land right in the center of the hard boiled eggs, she recommends storing the raw eggs upside down before you cook them.
- Don’t skip the ice bath! Overcooked hard boiled eggs have an unappealing greenish ring around the yolks. We want our yolks to come out sunshine-yellow, so transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process as soon as they come out of the pot. This step is also crucial for making hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel. The ice bath helps separate the egg membrane from the shell, so you’ll be able to peel away the shell without ripping off chunks of egg white.
- Peel them carefully.The ice bath should set you up for success here, but that doesn’t mean the shell will all come off in one piece. Gently rap the egg on the counter to break the entire shell into small pieces. Carefully peel it away along the fractures, leaving the egg whites as intact as possible.
Storing and Serving Suggestions
Peeled or unpeeled hard boiled eggs will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy them as a protein-packed snack with salt and pepper or Everything Bagel Seasoning, slice them into salads, add them to grain bowls, or top them onto avocado toast. I also love to make hard boiled eggs to turn into deviled eggs, pickled eggs, or healthy egg salad!
How do you like to eat hard boiled eggs? Let me know in the comments!
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
Chilling Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 35 minutes mins
This easy method for how to hard boil eggs works every time! They're easy to peel, and they have perfect yellow yolks. Enjoy them as a snack, add them to salads, and more!
Instructions
Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness (see photo).
Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill for 14 minutes. This makes the eggs easier to peel. Peel and enjoy!
Notes
*Eggs may vary based on size, type, and freshness. Farm-fresh eggs are more difficult to peel than older eggs.
FAQs
A soft boiled egg is boiled for a shorter amount of time, typically 4-6 minutes, so that the yolk remains runny while the white is only partially set. A hard boiled egg is boiled for a longer amount of time, typically 10-12 minutes, so that both the yolk and white are fully cooked and solid.
How to make hard-boiled eggs more enjoyable? ›
It's hard to go wrong with cream cheese and fresh herbs, which happen to pair perfectly with hardboiled eggs! If you don't have fresh herbs, you can try this with dried ones instead.
Does lemon juice help hard-boiled eggs? ›
You can also add lemon juice directly to the water you're using to boil the egg, which helps with the peeling process.
What to put on hard-boiled eggs to make them taste better? ›
Pickles – the briny punch of pickles adds complexity to the basic hard-boiled egg that has us going back for more. We love pickled jalapenos, onions, or okra. Pesto – an elevated take on simple fresh herbs, spooning pesto over hard-boiled eggs lends a sweet Italian flavor that's hard to resist.
What is the trick to perfect hard boiled eggs? ›
Cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Cover with a lid and bring water to a boil over high heat; when the water has reached a full rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and maintain a gentle boil. Set the timer for the desired time and boil for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat for perfect hard-boiled eggs.
Do you hard boil eggs before or after the water boils? ›
You might have heard that you should drop your eggs into room temperature or cold water and then bring the water to a boil. This is a myth. In our tests, bringing the water to a boil first and then lowering the eggs into the bath made for easy peeling and more accurate timing.
What are two problems you want to avoid when hard boiling an egg? ›
There are two problems you'll want to avoid: cracked shells and the ugly green layer that can form around the yolk. In case small cracks do develop, add salt to the cooking water. The salt will help to speed up the denaturing of the egg white, causing less of it to feather into the water.
What makes hard-boiled eggs better? ›
Don't skip the ice bath!
Overcooked hard boiled eggs have an unappealing greenish ring around the yolks. We want our yolks to come out sunshine-yellow, so transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process as soon as they come out of the pot.
What to put in boiled eggs to peel easily? ›
Baking Soda
According to our friends at Delish, adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling pot of water will help the shell peel off seamlessly. Why? The alkaline in the baking soda will help your egg whites loosen up from the shell, making it easier to peel.
What happens if you put lemon juice in eggs? ›
The albumin, or protein structure inside an egg, reacts with acid from the lemon juice to create a sturdier inner structure that holds air bubbles. As the eggs cook, the air bubbles cause them to become lighter and fluffier.
Add a little lemon juice before—or after—cooking.
A wee bit of acid encourages the egg's proteins to hook up and be creamy and tender. You don't need much juice—just about ½ teaspoon per 2 to 3 eggs.
Is baking soda or vinegar better for hard-boiled eggs? ›
Egg Peeling Method #1: Boiling Eggs with Baking Soda
The higher pH of older eggs allows the whites to separate from the inner shell membrane, which makes them easier to peel.
How many minutes to boil an egg? ›
Lower the heat slightly – so the eggs don't crack due to being bashed around but water is still at a gentle boil. Start the timer – 6 minutes for runny yolks, 8 minutes for soft boiled, 10 minutes for classic hard boiled, 15 minutes for unpleasant rubbery whites and powdery dry yolks.
What should I season my boiled eggs with? ›
With sea salt and pepper – keep it simple and just enjoy with salt and pepper… can't go wrong! Maldon flaked sea salt is so good on hard boiled eggs. Avocado Toast – I love spreading avocado on my toast, adding a sprinkling of seasoning of choice and then topping with a hard boiled egg and a splash of hot sauce.
Can you hard boil eggs for 20 minutes? ›
For one to four eggs, bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and turn the heat down to its lowest setting for 12-14 minutes. For five to eight eggs, cook for 15 to 18 minutes. For nine to one dozen eggs, cook for 20 minutes. After cooking, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water.
How long does it take for water to boil? ›
However, as a general rule, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes for 1 liter of water to boil on a medium heat source. Remember, water boils at 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit) at sea level.
Can you hard boil eggs too long? ›
“When an egg is cooked for too long and/or at too high a temperature, the sulfur in the egg white combines with the iron in the yolk and creates ferrous sulfide, which has a green tint,” she explains. Unfortunately, this chemical reaction—which scientists call denaturation—isn't limited to hard-boiled eggs.
