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perfectly cooked hard boiled egg cut in half.
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5 from 2 votes

How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

The perfect hard boiled egg is easy to peel with a creamy yolk. This recipe explains how to make hard boil eggs on the stove top and in an Instant Pot.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Krissy Allori

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar not needed if using Instant Pot
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt not needed if using Instant Pot

Instructions

Instant Pot (recommended):

  • Arrange 12 eggs in single layer on rack. Add 1 cup cold water. Close lid and make sure pressure valve is seated correctly.
    adding water to Instant Pot to make hard boiled eggs.
  • Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Once done, allow eggs to sit undisturbed while Instant Pot transitions to Keep Warm Setting. Release pressure and open lid.
    Freshly made instant pot hard boiled eggs.
  • Transfer eggs to ice water bath for at least 5 minutes. Peel and enjoy.
    setting hard boiled eggs in ice bath.

Stove top:

  • Arrange eggs in a single layer in a pot. Cover with at least an additional inch of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt to water.
    adding rice vinegar to pan with water and eggs.
  • Turn heat on high and heat, uncovered, until the water starts to boil. Don’t cheat here. Wait for a real boil.
    boiling eggs on stovetop.
  • Cover and turn heat off. Allow to sit in covered pot for 10-12 minutes. Use that kitchen timer because you will forget.
    covered pan on stove.
  • Drain off hot water and immediately submerge eggs into ice water. Ensure there’s enough ice so that it doesn’t all melt. Allow to sit in ice water for at least 15 minutes.
    setting hard boiled egg into ice water bath.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

If using the Instant Pot:

  • Make sure the seal on the lid is properly fit and the pressure valve is in the correct position. If it doesn't properly come to pressure, this method won't work.
  • I prefer the 5-5-5 method, but you can vary the times based on how done you like your yolks. This method, however, will create perfectly cooked, creamy yellow yolks.
  • Do not forget about your eggs once they have finished cooking and it's on the warm setting. I did this once and they sat for an hour. The eggs were inedible!

If using the Stove Top:

  • The type of stove you use will impact the resting period. If you have a gas range, keep the pot on the burner. If you have an electric range, you will need to move it off of the hot burner after a couple minutes because it remains too hot. If you have an induction burner, you will need to reduce the heat to low for a couple minutes before turning off.
  • Take care not to over crowd the eggs as they may crack while boiling.
  • Old eggs will peel better when using this method.

Nutrition

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