Instant Pot Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
by Chungah
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
How to make Instant Pot hard boiled eggs! They are so easy to peel and perfectly cooked every single time. Quick, easy, and hands off!
why you’ll love instant pot hard boiled eggs
- Consistent, fool-proof method. Say goodbye to those green yolks! Green eggs tend to happen when eggs are overcooked, but the Instant Pot® will regulate the time and temperature, evenly distributing heat so you can count on perfectly cooked, bright yellow yolks every single time.
- Easy peeling. Cooking hard boiled eggs in the pressure cooker makes peeling effortless. The intense pressure of the Instant Pot loosens the eggs inner membrane while the ice bath shrinks the egg whites inside, allowing the shells to slip right off.
- Zero babysitting. There’s no need to monitor a boiling pot of water or babysit the stove. Simply add the water and eggs to the Instant Pot, close the lid, push a button and walk away.
What is the 5-5-5 method?
This is a popular, fool-proof method to cook hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot®.
- 5 minutes of high pressure cooking
- 5 minutes of natural pressure release
- 5 minutes in an ice bath
How to make hard boiled eggs in the instant pot
- Prep the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup cold water to a 6-qt Instant Pot® and place the metal trivet inside.
- Add the eggs. Gently add the eggs in a single layer, adding 6-12 eggs in each batch.
- Pressure cook. Seal the pressure cooker valve and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes (for hard boiled).
- Natural release. When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 5 minutes. Then flip the valve to release any remaining pressure.
- Ice bath. Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes.
cook times for soft, medium and hard boiled eggs
- Soft-boiled (jammy yolks): 3 minute cook time, immediate quick release, 5 minute ice bath
- Medium-boiled: 4 minute cook time, immediate quick release, 5 minute ice bath
- Hard boiled: 5 minute cook time, 5 minute natural release, 5 minute ice bath
Recipes that use hard boiled eggs
Tools For This Recipe
Instant Pot Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Always place the eggs on the metal trivet – this will keep the eggs elevated above the boiling water so they can steam efficiently, preventing them from cracking and burning on the bottom.
An ice bath will immediately halt the cooking process, preventing overcooked eggs.
Reduce the cook time to 3 minutes, followed by an immediate quick release of pressure and a 5 minute ice bath.
Hard boiled eggs can be stored unpeeled in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Peeled eggs should be stored completely submerged in clean water, changed daily, for 3-4 days.
Freezing is not recommended as the egg whites will become rubbery and watery when thawed.
Instant Pot Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 6-12 large eggs
Instructions
- Add water to a 6-qt Instant Pot®. Place the metal trivet into the pot and gently add eggs on top of the trivet.
- Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 5 minutes. When finished cooking, allow a 5 minute natural release before a quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Cool eggs in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. Drain well and peel.
Equipment
Notes
- Use cold eggs. Add the eggs to the Instant Pot directly from the fridge. This will allow for consistent cook times and less shell shock, keeping the whites intact to prevent cracking.
- Add enough water. For a 6-qt Instant Pot®, 1 cup water should be sufficient. For an 8-qt Instant Pot®, increase the water to 1 1/2 cups.
- Adjust the cook time. For slightly softer, jammy yolks, reduce the cook time to 3 minutes. For extra firm yolks, increase the cook time to 6 minutes.
- Always use an ice bath. Remove the eggs immediately from the Instant Pot and place them in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process.
- Store unpeeled. Unpeeled eggs can keep up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
I followed the directions exactly as written – 7 eggs, 7 minutes – perfection! Can’t believe how easy this is. Thank you!
Perfect. Thank you
I did the 1 cup water, Dozen eggs on trivet, 7 mins, and quick release… 3 of the eggs split, but were still cooked. They were easy to peel.
I would likely do this again, even though some prematurely cracked. It’s what allowed my kiddos to color Easter eggs this year.
Omg!! I was such a doubter. Just got my instapot. Did exactly what to do. 7 min (I like hard boiled). The shell came off. No it slid off. And it was perfect temp.
12 eggs. 7 minutes. Perfect! Thank you!
Perfect! I have 2 little ones begging to color eggs, & I honestly have no motivation to do it this year. But this recipe made it much easier to get my butt in gear & stop being so depressed for a bit.
Thanks for the opportunity to reconnect with my kids through such a simple recipe. Has made all the difference!
7 min peeled like a dream used 1 cup water and rack released pressure when done and dropped in ice bucket for a minute as directions stated. Perfect. Thanks
Question – how long should I cook extra large eggs for hard cooked. I typically cook a dozen large eggs for 7 minutes. Thank you!
Just in time for Easter. Did 12 eggs. They came out perfect and easy to peel. Seven minutes and release pressure right away. Thank you.
I used a 8qt Cosori PC, put 7 eggs on a trivet added 2 cups water cooked 6 minutes came out perfect and the shells were very easy to peel. Thank you for the recipe.
I have the 8qt so I did 2 cups of water for 4 minutes and they came out perfect. Thank you!
I did 5 eggs at 6 minutes at her suggested settingswith the water almost completely covering the eggs on the metal trivet and they were absolutely perfect!
I did 6 medium eggs at 7 minutes and yolks were completely raw, what a waste and your recipe is totally wrong. I tried several more times and the sweet spot for getting perfect boiled eggs was 11 minutes.
Hello, Joey, I think you need to look at your pressure cooker (gasket not sealing well?) or something else you have or have not done, before so quickly saying that the recipe is totally wrong. This is because everybody else’s eggs have turned out perfectly when they have followed the instructions, and their pressure cookers are in good working order, including my own. Have a good, safe day in these times of covid-19.
I was new to my InstaPot and had the same problem..however, I didn’t realize that the IP has to first come up to pressure before the 7 minute timer starts. It’s a perfect recipe.
I’m not sure how people keep burning up their instant pots. Put a cup of water in the bottom of the interior pot put a trivet in with the eggs on set it and forget it. They turned out absolutely perfect for hard boiled eggs I did 6 minutes and let the pressure release instantly when done.
I hope you just added more time and didn’t trash the eggs.
Most concise, perfect instructions yet. Loved the picture showing the different eggs and time needed for each.
I made these with a batch of eggs I made my way. Put in cold water boil one minute hold 12 minutes. Yours I chose 6 min, released the pressure and then forgot them for a few minutes. They turned out perfect and I could not believe how easy they were to peel.
Hello All…I tried this method for hard boiled eggs and it worked perfectly!!!! Makes me wonder why I have been using the boiling method since we have had our Instant Pot. Appreciate the recipe!!!
Worked perfect for me! 5 mins a little over one cup of water and they came out just like the picture! Thank you! 🙂
They came out perfect!
I followed directions and set cook time for 5 mins. After what seemed like at least 10 minutes I kept waiting for the time to start counting down. Then I noticed steam coming out of the sides of pot which struck me as odd. A couple of minutes late I got the food burn notice. I pulled the plug and opened the pot. All water had evaporated. I put eggs in ice water for a couple of minutes. Peeled one very easily and it came out more like the 7 minute eggs in picture. It seems to me 1.5 cups of water would be better. I’ll try again another time or do it on stove top.
Did you put them in the silver liner?
That’s not a recipe problem, that’s an IP problem
Same here! It took forever for the ip to change from On to the timer
It’s not the recipe’s fault. User fault. Your sealing gasket is at fault hence the steam coming out.