How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Learn how to make hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel with my failproof method. Whether you prefer your eggs soft, medium, or hard boiled, I’ll show you how to cook them to perfection every time.

A hard boiled egg white and yolk on a wooden cutting board.

Ingredients and Notes
How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs
How Long to Boil Hard Boiled Eggs
Nick’s Tips for Success
Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
More Ways to Cook Eggs

I have a confession. I don’t actually like eggs all that much, but they are an essential food and the ultimate test of a chef’s skill.

So, while I’m not a huge fan, I do prepare them fairly often and am confident that I have perfected all the methods from making easy hard-boiled eggs to fluffy scrambled eggs and even the perfect poached egg. Today, I’ll be covering how to make perfect hard boiled eggs using just three ingredients I guarantee you have on hand.

Ingredients and Notes

See the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list and instructions.

Eggs – While fresh eggs are best for poaching and omelettes, they can be difficult to peel. So, I recommend using older eggs for this easy hard boiled eggs recipe. If you’re not sure how old your eggs are, place them in a bowl of cold water. Fresh eggs sink while older eggs float in the water.
Salt and Pepper – Season to taste before serving. Otherwise, your eggs are likely to be a little bland.

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

A man getting ready to place eggs in a glass pot of boiling water. — 1. **Boil.** Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat.

Eggs submerged in a glass pot of boiling water. — 2. **Add the eggs.** Place the eggs on a spider or large serving spoon, and gently add them to the boiling water. Adjust the heat to keep the water at a hard simmer, which means the liquid is bubbling but not quite at a simmer. Then, set a timer.

Eggs boiling in a glass pot. — 3. **Simmer.** Adjust the cooking time as desired to achieve soft, medium, or hard boiled eggs. (See cooking times below)

A man pouring water into a bowl of ice. — 4. **Prepare an ice bath.** While the eggs cook, set up an ice bath by filling a medium mixing bowl halfway with equal parts ice and water.

Eggs being submerged in a glass bowl of ice water. — 5. **Remove the eggs.** Once the eggs are done cooking, use the same spider or spoon to carefully remove them from the water and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process and makes them easier to peel!

A man holding a half peeled hard boiled egg. — 6. **Peel.** Let your hard boiled eggs cool completely. Then, gently peel the shells and serve.

How Long to Boil Hard Boiled Eggs

Always be sure to set a timer as soon as your eggs are placed in the water, and adjust the boiling time depending on how you like your eggs.

5 minutes for soft boiled eggs – The whites should be set, but the yolks will be soft and runny. To crack, I gently tap all around the egg and remove the top. Then, I like to mix the egg up inside the shell, and season it with salt and pepper.
7 minutes for medium boiled eggs – The outside will be set yet still slightly squishy, but the inside will have a soft, “jammy” yolk. I like to gently tap the egg on a cutting board and slide the shell off in two pieces.
10 minutes hard boiled eggs – The yolk should be fully set, and the white will be firm and almost rubbery. Again, to peel, I like to gently tap the egg on a cutting board and slide the shell off in two pieces.

A male chef slicing a hard boiled egg on a wooden cutting board.

Nick’s Tips for Success

Store your eggs upside down. For hard boiled eggs with centered yolks, store your raw eggs upside down in the fridge before cooking. This shifts the yolk to the center so that the eggs aren’t lopsided with one side having a lot more white once cooked.
Don’t skip the ice bath. This prevents overcooking, ensuring the yolks turn out perfectly cooked and preventing a yellow ring from forming. The cold temperature also helps separate the eggs from the membrane of the shells, making them easier to peel.
Peel carefully. Everyone has their own method for peeling eggs, but the most important step is to do so gently and carefully to prevent the membrane from ripping off large chunks of egg whites.

5 from 1 vote

Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe

Learn how to make hard boiled eggs on the stovetop with simple steps, and find cooking times to achieve perfectly cooked eggs in minutes.

Servings: servings

Soft boiled egg sliced in half on a plate topped with spices.

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

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Equipment

1 Medium Saucepan
1 Spider or Serving Spoon
1 Medium Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

▢ 6 large egg*

Instructions

Fill a medium saucepan with water, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Carefully add the eggs using a spider or a large serving spoon.
6 large egg*
Adjust the heat to keep the water at a hard simmer. Then, set a timer, and cook to your desired doneness (five minutes for soft boiled, seven minutes for medium boiled, and ten minutes for hard boiled).
While the eggs are boiling, fill a medium mixing bowl with 50% ice and 50% water.
Transfer the hard boiled eggs to the ice bath to stop the cooking process, and cool completely.
Gently peel the shell, and serve.

Video

Notes

*Use older eggs for the best results. To test your eggs’ freshness, place them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs sink while older eggs float.

Storage: Store peeled or unpeeled hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, 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 information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store hard boiled eggs?

Peeled or unpeeled hard boiled eggs will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days. I personally like to store them unpeeled, but that’s up to personal preference.

How should I serve hard boiled eggs?

Hard boiled eggs make for a great breakfast or snack when served with salt and pepper. You can also use them to make deviled eggs, pickled eggs, and egg salad. Or, add them to Ramen and salads for a boost of protein and flavor.