Hard Boiled Eggs-How to and recipes

How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs: Boiled, Steamed, and Instant Pot Methods. Recipes to use with the eggs and more.

Eggs are so versatile, let’s talk about all the ways to make the perfect hard-boiled eggs.

Don’t forget… eggs aren’t just breakfast, they’re a blank canvas for quick meals, creative snacks, and show-stopping dishes.

Whether you’re peeling, coloring, or whipping up a crowd-pleasing dip, hard boiled eggs are easier than you think.

Stick around for foolproof tips, clever hacks, and tasty recipes that make these humble eggs the star of your kitchen.

The most common method seems to be

Boiling

Fill a pot with enough water to cover your eggs in a single layer. Bring water to a full boil, then:

• Then turn off the heat and cover with a lid, and let the large eggs sit for 10 minutes.

• Or boil the eggs for 8-10 minutes on a simmer.
  Once the eggs have reached the time, they are done. Immediately transfer eggs with a slotted spoon or tongs and place eggs in an ice water bath for 10 minutes.

Steaming

Place a steamer basket or rack in a pan with an inch of water, and bring the water to a boil. Add the eggs to the steamer basket/rack. Place a lid on top. And turn the water to medium low so it simmers for 12 minutes.  Remove the eggs and place them into an ice water bath for 10 minutes.

Instant Pot

Using an Instant Pot, cook the eggs under pressure. Place a cup of water in the pot, add the rack, and place the eggs on the rack. You can add a lot of eggs, it’s ok if they are not in an even layer. Place the timer for 5 minutes on high. Allow it to naturally release for 1 minute. Then quick release. Place the eggs into an ice water bath for 10 minutes.

Placing the eggs into an ice water bath is what allows them to peel easily. Let them rest for 10 minutes in the ice water bath. 

Use a slotted spoon, ladle, or tongs to place the eggs into the ice bath.

Why the ice bath matters

After cooking, the ice bath is more than just chilling. It shocks the egg — the egg white contracts slightly, pulling away from the shell’s inner membrane, making peeling easier.

Once the 10 minute ice bath time is up, I like to peel all the eggs now.

Tap the bottom of the egg on a hard surface.

This will crack the shell and membrane, so they peel easily.

Place them in a container, add an inch of water, cover with a lid, and refrigerate the eggs. If you don’t peel them, I still suggest storing them in the fridge with a bit of water. The water helps the shells stay moist, so they peel easily when you go to peel them. 

Running them under cool water as you peel them will help the water get between the membrane and egg, so the shell slides off easily.

Once the eggs are in the fridge, they are ready to eat any time of day, for a quick snack, or to make some fun recipes!

I change out the water about every 4 days. This keeps my eggs fresh for at least a week.

If I don’t peel them right after the ice bath, they don’t get eaten as quickly. Hard-boiled eggs are harder to peel when the shell has dried out.

Everyone wants convenience! My family just grabs them and eats them. 
Me… I like salt and pepper on them…

call me fancy 😉.

Be sure to see my post on using food coloring to color eggs, no special items needed, no kits to buy, and the colors can be as soft or vibrant as you’d like. I prefer gel food coloring, there are so many color options.

If you are making colored eggs, color them after the ice bath.

If you want to make fun colored deviled egg give these a try:

Red, White, and Blue Deviled Eggs

They say room temperature eggs don’t crack while cooking, but I’m super impatient and haven’t let them come to room temperature before cooking them. Have you? I’d love to hear if that works. I don’t often have issues with cracking. 

Egg salad spring rolls, colorful, full of veggies and taste fantastic!

Pumpkin Deviled Egg… can these get any cuter!

Cooking time

Remember to change the timing for cooking the eggs to your liking. I use large eggs, and these are the times that I use them. If you like the yolk a bit softer, reduce the time by a minute or two. The longer you cook eggs, the harder, firmer, and drier the yolk will be.

Now for some recipes to use them in:

It’s great having hard boiled eggs in the fridge when you are hungry, just peel, slice, and place the egg on a piece of crusty bread with some salt and pepper and a few leaves of spinach.

I call it my snack sandwich. It’s not a whole sandwich, it’s small like a snack!

Egg salad is another great way to use hard-boiled eggs! Click to get my egg salad recipe.

How cute are these beet-dyed deviled eggs! Once peeled, you then color them with beets… OMG so pretty!

Chop up hard-boiled eggs and put them in fried rice! Any style of cooked egg works in fried rice. This is the best breakfast, too!

Deviled egg dip, high protein dip, mix it with blended cottage cheese, and you’ll superpower it with protein.

Hard-boiled eggs make a great topping for salads. Give this creamy caessar dressing a try, and remember, when you have very little in the fridge, you might just have enough to make this Caesar Salad with Hard Boiled Eggs.

And this Kale Salad with Lemon Garlic Dressing is a winner too!

• Egg Salad Spring Rolls
• Egg Salad
• Beet-dyed deviled eggs
• Cauliflower “Potato Salad”
• Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
• Caesar Salad
• Deviled Egg Dip

Why do some hard boiled eggs get a green rim around the yolk?

That green-grey ring is harmless but doesn’t look great. It happens when eggs are overcooked or kept hot too long. The ice bath helps prevent it.

Do you have a favorite way to enjoy hard-boiled eggs? I’m all ears… leave me a comment and tell me your favorite!

• Beet Dyed Deviled Eggs
• Green Eggs and Ham Deviled Eggs
• Egg Salad Spring Rolls
• Colored Deviled Eggs: July 4th, Christmas
• Coloring Eggs (Easter)
• Deviled Egg Dip
• Egg Salad