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
2 to 3 lemon slices: Adding lemon slices to the boiling water infuses a subtle citrus flavor and can help make the eggshells easier to peel. Ice cubes: Crucial for stopping the cooking process immediately after boiling, ice cubes cool the eggs quickly, which also aids in easier peeling.
What's the secret to hard boiling eggs? ›
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.
What do you add to the water when you boil eggs to make them peel easier? ›
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.
How do you enhance a hard boiled egg? ›
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. Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a small dish. Slice hard boiled egg and spread herby cream cheese over top.
When should lemon be added to eggs? ›
But, according to this food scientist, there's a very scientific reason why this combo works so well. You see, adding a few tablespoons of lemon juice (AKA acid) to your eggs before you whisk them gives the eggs more structure and helps to create air pockets when you begin scrambling them in the pan.
Do you put the eggs in before or after the water starts to boil? ›
Lower your eggs straight from the fridge into already-boiling water, or place them in a steamer insert in a covered pot, steaming at full blast on the stovetop. If boiling, lower the heat to the barest simmer. Cook the eggs for 11 minutes for hard or six minutes for soft.
How do you get hard-boiled eggs to peel easily? ›
Adding white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your pot of water allegedly results in softer, easier-to-peel eggshells. That's because the acid in vinegar dissolves some of the calcium carbonate that makes up the egg's hard exterior.
How do you make hard-boiled eggs more flavorful? ›
Chives can give eggs a nice, subtle oniony flavor that is quite nice for any meal, really. Onion Powder works well for the same reasons. Paprika gives a nice flavor, somewhat bitter but peppery. Occasionally I'll put some Curry Powder on boiled eggs.
How does Martha Stewart boil eggs? ›
Carefully place the eggs in a large saucepan; add cold water to cover by one inch, and bring to a rolling boil. Cover pan; remove from heat. Let stand 12 minutes, then drain and rinse under cool water. To store, keep eggs unpeeled in the refrigerator, up to 4 days.
How many minutes to boil eggs? ›
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. Transfer into a large bowl or sink of cold water.
A roaring boil can crack your eggs, so yes, first bring the water up to a boil, then let the eggs simmer for 13 minutes before transferring them to an ice bath. You can also turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid for 13 minutes to trap in the heat. The size of the eggs can also be a factor.
How to jazz up hard-boiled eggs? ›
Bacon – like a breakfast sandwich to go, adding salty, savory, crumbled bacon bits up the protein and deliciousness factor. Salsa – personally, we love wildbrine's Fermented Salsas, but your favorite salsa will do just fine. Condiments – mustard, soy sauce, hot sauce, or salad dressing add easy flavor to eggs.
What happens when you put lemon on egg? ›
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.
Why do you put vinegar in eggs when boiling them? ›
The vinegar in the water makes the eggs easier to peel. Here's why: The vinegar's acid not only dissolves some of the calcium carbonate in the shell, it also helps the whites set faster. Running the hard-boiled eggs under cold running water as you're peeling, meanwhile, helps the shell separate from the membrane.
What not to do when boiling eggs? ›
If you're about to place uncooked eggs in a pot of boiling water, stop what you're doing immediately. Making hard-boiled eggs should always begin with cool water. Bringing the water and eggs up in temperature together helps promote even cooking and prevent cracking. Follow this tip: Always start with cold water.
How to peel hard boil eggs easily? ›
Set up a large bowl of ice water while the bubbler is bubbling, then transfer the just-cooked eggs as soon as you hear the bee-bee-beep. Let your perfect hard-boiled eggs hang out in the cold water until they're cool enough to handle, 2–3 minutes. 5. Peel the eggs under the water.
