How to Hard Boil Eggs (3 Ways)

Find out how to hard boil eggs perfectly every single time, with a creamy yolk and beautiful egg white. NO kidding! These hard boiled eggs are super-easy to peel and only take 10 minutes to cook. Awesome, right?

Who is up for the best hard boiled eggs recipe ever? In case you didn’t know, there is more than one way to make boiled eggs. In fact, here you will find a complete, easy guide showing 3 ways how to cook hard boil eggs on the stovetop. By using one of them, you’ll be able make not only hard boiled eggs, but also medium-cooked and soft-boiled eggs. J

 Imagine that… all 3 methods in a single place to make your life a breeze and help you get you an affordable, healthy breakfast ready in no time.

 Just be aware that besides the stovetop you can also boil eggs in the microwave, in a steamer, in the oven, in a slow cooker, and in an Instant Pot. How cool! Just choose the way that fits your lifestyle best!

 Here comes the fun part, get your eggs and dye them for Easter. 

Out of all the options, I still find the stovetop method to be efficient and the one that doesn’t require any extra investment in a cooking gadget. Just pick up a pan, fill it with water, and cook the darn eggs. Easy peasy!

By following our tips you can get the best results at home: perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs – in contrast to some other places you may have visited. If you’ve ever gone to a breakfast eatery or hotel buffet and were disgusted with overcooked eggs (rubbery texture and green ring around the yolk), you are not alone! It can spoil the first meal of the day big time.

But the thing is, you don’t have to repeat that fiasco at home, wasting time and money. Indeed, perfect hard-boiled eggs have no green ring around the yolk and instead… the yolk is yellow, creamy, and mellow. The whites are set, yet soft to the bite– not rubbery!

But you know what? If you prefer a jammy yolk, you can easily cook the eggs for a shorter time instead and make a soft-boiled egg that is pure FOODPORN. 😉 

How to boil eggs 

There is no question about it! Hard-boiled eggs should be quick & easy to cook. You can make them ahead or simply prepare them right before having breakfast. In either case, it shouldn’t be a hassle!

The time needed to make boiled eggs depends on 2 factors:

1. How hard or soft of a yolk is desired. It can take from 3 to 15 minutes on the stovetop;
2. It also depends on which of the 3 stovetop methods you choose.

Rest assured that all of them are foolproof!

They will result in delish, creamy yolks and set whites.  You’ll never have to guess how to avoid rubbery white or greenish rings around the yolk ever again.

After all, boiled eggs are one of the most versatile and affordable sources of protein. You can have them for breakfast, a snack, lunch, appetizer, or dinner, or prepare different dishes with them. That’s how important they are!

How to make perfect hard boiled eggs

Wondering how to make perfect hard boiled eggs every time? Well, guess no more!  Here is what you need:

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, straight from the fridge
• Cold, running water
• Ice

Equipment 

• Saucepan
• Timer
• Slotted spoon
• Bowl

How long to boil eggs

 It depends on which method that you choose but it usually takes:

• Soft-boiled or jammy eggs: 3-4 minutes
• Medium-boiled eggs: 5-7 minutes
• Hard-boiled eggs: 10-12 minutes

How long do hard boiled eggs last refrigerated?

Let eggs cool completely and then refrigerate them for up to 1 week– either in their shell or peeled in a sealed container or plastic bag.

Can hard boiled eggs be frozen?

Unfortunately NO! Hard boiled eggs are not part of the arsenal of easy freezer meals — although you can make them ahead and refrigerate.  Freezing them alters the overall texture, making them quite unpleasant to the bite.  

How to hard boil eggs (3 ways)

To start off, the term “hard-boiled eggs” refers to shelled eggs boiled in water until they reach a soft-, medium-, or hard-boiled stage according to the following methods.    

METHOD 1 (COLD EGGS, BOILED COVERED – FAST METHOD):

1. Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 to 2 inches.
2. Cover the pot with a lid and bring water to a boil over high heat.
3. As soon as the water reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for the desired time.
   • Soft-boiled eggs, cook for 2-3 minutes
   • Medium-boiled eggs, boil eggs for 5-6 minutes
   • Hard-boiled eggs, cook for 7-8 minutes

4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked eggs to a large bowl with ice cold water and let them sit for 2-3 minutes. Roll eggs on the counter to crack and then peel under running water.

METHOD 2 (COLD EGGS, BOIL FIRST AND THEN COVER) – My favorite method!

This is my favorite method because: 1) the risk of overcooking them is less than the previous method and 2) it doesn’t take very much longer to cook compared to that method. The overall difference is just a couple of minutes.

1. Place (2 week or older) eggs in a saucepan and then cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vinegar (PIC.1).
2. Bring water to a boil over high heat (PIC.2).
3. As soon as it comes to a full rolling boil, remove pan from heat and cover with a lid.
4. Let stand off heat for 3-4 minutes (soft boiled eggs), 5-7 minutes (medium-boiled eggs), or for 10-12 minutes (hard-boiled eggs). If you are a stickler for avoiding overcooking, then cook eggs for the minimum time stated within those ranges.
5. Drain and transfer eggs to a large bowl with ice cold water and let them sit for up to 1 minute (PIC.3). Roll eggs on the counter (or shake them very well in a closed jar) to crack and then peel under running water (PIC.4).

METHOD 3 (ROOM TEMP EGGS, BOIL AND THEN SIMMER):

1.  Bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, or by letting them sit out of the fridge for 1 hour before cooking. If you don’t let them come to room temp, they will crack!
2. Meanwhile, boil water over high heat. Then, using a slotted spoon gently place eggs in the boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low and let water come to a simmer.
3. Simmer (do not boil) for the required time: Soft cooked: 3-4 minutes / Medium cooked: 5-7 minutes / Hard cooked: 12-15 minutes.
4. Cool in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Crack the shell by rolling on the counter and peel under running water to help loosen shell.

NOTE: Exact cooking time depends on the temperature of eggs, size of eggs, and amount of water used.

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs Should Have:

1. Evenly coagulated whites and yolks.
2. Whites glossy and firm but tender (not tough or rubbery).
3. Yolks must be creamy and yellow (no greenish ring around the yolk).
4. Pleasing flavor.

How Fresh Are Your Eggs?

Would you like to do a quick test before boiling your eggs? You can find out if they have expired or are still good enough to cook with.

To do this, place an egg in a cup of water and look for the following signs:

• If the egg sinks (lying on its side), it is a fresh It is great to eat but hard to peel. Fresh eggs have a brighter yellow yolk when cooked.
• If the egg sinks but stays upright on one end, it is an older egg that is still good to eat. It will be easy to peel!
• If the egg floats, it’s an expired egg. Don’t eat it!

Easy to peel boiled eggs

Peeling eggs doesn’t have to be a hard task! To keep the egg white intact when peeling, use one of the tips below:

• Use older eggs (1-2 weeks or older). What this means is fresh eggs will be hard to peel because they contain a thin membrane under the shell! 
• Add either 1/2 tsp salt or baking soda to the water to make eggs even easier to peel. The baking soda particularly increases the alkalinity of the water, making easy to peel eggs. 
• Add vinegar to the water, which serves a double purpose: not only does it help prevent eggs from cracking but also softens the shell, making it easier to peel. I add it every time that I cook them!
• Roll cooked eggs on the counter. After cooking and cooling them in a bowl of ice cold water, roll eggs on the counter to crack them all around. Then either place them under running water or soak them in water to loosen the shell and peel it easily. 

How to prevent your eggs from cracking

There are several ways to prevent eggs from cracking:

1. Place cold eggs (straight from the fridge) in cold water. Putting them in boiling water will make them crack due to temperature shock! To prevent cracking, place eggs in cold water and then turn on the heat.
2. Add vinegar to the water. The acidity will help to congeal the egg white, stopping the leak.

Easter Eggs

If you are planning to make hard cook eggs for Easter and peel them easily, buy eggs that are 1-2 weeks old and stir in vinegar in the water.

This will not only prevent cracking, but also will soften the shell, making it easier to peel.

In addition, after they have cooled in an ice bath, make sure to roll them on the counter to crack them all around and then soak in water for a while. This will make them even easier to peel.

If you live at high altitude, it will take more time to cook them.

Other Egg Recipes To Try·

• Healthy Veggie Egg Bake Casserole 
• Sunny Side Up Eggs
• Caprese Breakfast Egg Cups
• Sweet Berry Cloud Eggs
• Curried Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
• Pizza a Portuguesa
• Coconut Noodle Soup

PIN & ENJOY!

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5 from 4 votes

How to Hard Boil Eggs Properly

Find out how to hard boil eggs perfectly every single time, with a creamy yolk and beautiful egg white. NO kidding! These hard boiled eggs are super-easy to peel and only take 10 minutes to cook.

Course:Breakfast

Cuisine:American

Keywords:hard boil eggs

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 12 minutes

Servings 4 eggs

Calories63 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Cost $ 0.15 per egg

Equipment

• stovetop
• pan

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vinegar

Instructions

• Place (2 weeks or older) eggs in a saucepan and then cover them with cold water by 1inch. Stir in vinegar.
• Bring water to a boil over high heat. As soon as it comes to a full rolling boil, remove pan from heat and cover with a lid.
• Let stand off heat for 3-4 minutes (soft-boiled eggs), 5-7 minutes (medium-boiled eggs), or for 10-12minutes (hard-boiled eggs). If you are a stickler for avoiding overcooking, then cook eggs for the minimum time stated within those ranges.
• Drain and transfer eggs to a large bowl with ice cold water and let them sit for up to 1 minute. Roll eggs on the counter (or shake them very well in a closed jar) to crack and then peel under running water.

Recipe Notes

• In order to not clog up the sink's pipes with egg shells, peel eggs under running water but with a colander placed underneath, so that the shells will fall into the colander.  For extra safety, cover the sink drain with its drain stopper, just in case any tiny pieces of shell pass through the colander.  

How Fresh Are Your Eggs?

Would you like to do a quick test before boiling your eggs? You can find out if they have expired or are still good enough to cook with.

To do this, place an egg in a cup of water and look for the following signs:

• If the egg sinks (lying on its side), it is a fresh egg. It is great to eat but hard to peel. Fresh eggs have a brighter yellow yolk when cooked.
• If the egg sinks but stays upright on one end, it is an older egg that still good to eat. It will be easy to peel!
• If the egg floats, it’s an expired egg. Don’t eat it!

Easy to peel hard boiled eggs

Peeling eggs doesn’t have to be a hard task! To keep the egg white intact when peeling, use one of the tips below:

• Use older eggs (1 week or older). What this means is fresh eggs will be hard to peel because they contain a thin membrane under the shell! 
• Add either 1/2 tsp salt or baking soda to the water to make eggs even easier to peel. The baking soda particularly increases the alkalinity of the water, making easy to peel eggs. 
• Add vinegar to the water, which serves a double purpose: not only does it help prevent eggs from cracking but also softens the shell, making it easier to peel. I add it every time that I hard boil eggs!
• Roll hard boiled eggs on the counter. After cooking and cooling them in a bowl of ice cold water, roll eggs on the counter to crack them all around. Then either place them under running water or soak them in water to loosen the shell and peel it easily. 

How to prevent your eggs from cracking

There are several ways to prevent eggs from cracking:

1. Place cold eggs (straight from the fridge) in cold water. Cold eggs in boiling water will make them crack due to temperature shock! To prevent cracking, place eggs in cold water and then turn on the heat.
2. Add vinegar to the water. The acidity will help to congeal the egg white, stopping the leak.

How long egg hard boiled last refrigerated?

Let hard boiled eggs cool completely and then refrigerate them for up to 1 week-- either in their shell or peeled in a sealed container or plastic bag.

Can hard-boiled eggs be frozen?

Unfortunately NO! Hard boiled eggs is not part of the arsenal of easy freezer meals -- although you can make ahead and refrigerate.  Freezing them alters the overall texture, making them quite unpleasant to the bite.  

EXTRA:

If you are planning to make hard boiled eggs for Easter and peel them easily, buy eggs that are 1-2 weeks old. Follow one of the cooking methods above and make sure to place vinegar in the water. This will not only prevent cracking, but also will soften the shell, making it easier to peel. In addition, after they have cooled in an ice bath, make sure to roll boiled eggs on the counter to crack them all around and then soak in water for a while. This will make them even easier to peel.

If you live at high altitude, it will take more time to hard boil eggs.

Other methods:

Method 1 (Cold eggs, boiled covered – Fast method):

1. Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 to 2 inches.
2. Cover the pot with a lid and bring water to a boil over high heat.
3. As soon as the water reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for the desired time.
   • For soft-boiled eggs, boil eggs for 2-3 minutes
   • For medium-boiled eggs, boil eggs for 5-6 minutes
   • For hard-boiled eggs, boil eggs for 7-8 minutes

4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked eggs to a large bowl with ice cold water and let them sit for 2-3 minutes. Roll eggs on the counter to crack and then peel under running water.

NOTE: THE 2nd METHOD described in the recipe card above is my favorite method because: 1) the risk of overcooking them is less than the previous method and 2) it doesn’t take very much longer to cook compared to that method. The overall difference is just a couple of minutes.

Method 3 (Room temp eggs, boil and the simmer):

1. Bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, or by letting them sit out of the fridge for 1 hour before cooking. If you don’t let them come to room temp, they will crack!
2. Meanwhile, boil water over high heat. Then, using a slotted spoon gently place eggs in the boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low and let water come to a simmer.
3. Simmer (do not boil) for the required time:

• Soft cooked: 3-4 minutes
• Medium cooked: 5-7 minutes
• Hard cooked: 12-15 minutes.

5. Cool in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Crack the shell by rolling on the counter and peel under running water to help loosen shell. NOTE: Exact cooking time depends on the temperature of eggs, size of eggs, and amount of water used.

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 61mg | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Comment and rate the recipe. Also follow us on Pinterest at @easyanddelish for more delish recipes.

Article was first published on April 3rd, 2013.