Boiled Egg Recipe

Arrange eggs

Place the eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a medium saucepan or pot. Avoid stacking so eggs heat evenly and are less likely to crack.

Add cold water

Pour in cold water until eggs are covered by about 1 inch (approximately 6 cups for 4 eggs in a medium pot). Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water if desired (helps prevent cracking and makes peeling easier for some).

Heat to boil

Set the pot over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil (large, continuous bubbles breaking the surface). This should take roughly 6–10 minutes depending on stove and pot.

Turn off heat and time

As soon as the water reaches a rolling boil, remove the pot from direct heat, cover with a tight lid, and start a timer according to desired doneness: 6 minutes for soft-boiled (set whites, runny yolks), 9 minutes for medium (mostly set yolks with slightly creamy center), 12 minutes for hard-boiled (fully set yolks).

Prepare ice bath

While eggs are resting in the covered pot, fill a large bowl with about 2 cups of cold water and 2 cups of ice to create an ice bath.

Transfer to ice bath

When the timer finishes, use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs immediately from the hot water into the ice bath. Let eggs sit in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes (10–12 minutes for hard-boiled) to stop cooking and firm up for easier peeling.

Crack and peel

Gently tap each egg on a hard surface to crack the shell all over, then roll it lightly to loosen. Peel under running cold water or in the ice bath to help remove small shell pieces. For fresher eggs (which can be harder to peel), peel with more patience; older eggs generally peel more easily.

Pat peeled eggs dry, slice or serve whole. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Optionally spread with butter or mayonnaise for extra flavor. Store any unconsumed peeled eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; unpeeled hard-boiled eggs keep up to 1 week.