How to Hard Boil an Egg

If you can boil an egg, you’ve got the answer to a protein-filled breakfast, lunch or even dinner.

I love to boil a dozen eggs and keep them in the fridge for my family to enjoy throughout the week on salads, with toast for breakfast or mixed into potato salad.

Meal prep for the win! Here’s what you need to know.

How to Hard Boil Eggs

1. Place your eggs in the bottom of a pot in a single layer and cover with cold water, until there’s an inch of water above the eggs.
2. Cook uncovered, over medium-high heat on your stove, until the water comes to a rolling boil.
3. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let your eggs sit for 12-15 minutes, depending on their size. At high altitude, let the eggs sit for 20 minutes.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs to a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking.

How to get hard boiled eggs to peel easily

It’s easier to peel eggs at least a week old than fresher ones. Here are a few methods to try:

• Tap, roll, peel: Tap your egg on the counter to crack the shell all over. Roll the egg under your palm on the countertop. Start peeling from the large end.
• Spoon it: Tap the bottom of the hard-boiled egg on the counter and peel away a bit of the shell where it’s cracked. Take a teaspoon and gently slide the back of it under the egg’s shell, trying to get under the thin skin. Use the spoon to peel off the shell as you rotate the egg.
• Crack, roll, submerge: Crack your egg and roll it on the counter. Submerge the egg in cold water while you peel it.
• Submerge, cover and shake: Add water to a pot or plastic container. Place your eggs inside and cover with a lid. Shake the pot or container.

How to Soft Boil Eggs

If you prefer runny egg yolks instead of firm ones, you can soft-boil your eggs. The whites will be fully cooked and firm, but you can still dip your toast in that yolk!

1. Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot over medium high heat.
2. Lower the heat to a simmer.
3. Carefully add your eggs to the simmering pot.
4. Boil the eggs for 5-6 minutes.
5. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of ice water to cool off.
6. Either peel the eggs or just slice off the tops, so you can dip your toast inside.
7. Store soft-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to four days.

How to Store Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs must be refrigerated within a couple hours after making them. Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

It’s best to keep the shells on and store the eggs in a covered container, so you don’t have to smell their odor every time you open your fridge. If your eggs are peeled, submerge them in a bowl of cold water and refrigerate them for up to a week, changing the water daily.

Ideas for Using Hardboiled Eggs

• Egg salad
• Potato salad
• Easter eggs – Check out this Homemade Easter Egg Dye!
• Deviled eggs
• Cobb salad – How about a Cobb Salad Wrap?
• Avocado toast bar for Mother’s Day