Instant Pot Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
by Chungah
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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.
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So quick and easy and perfect instructions!
Perfect! Hard boiled eggs have ever been my nemesis, but not since using this method. I set the timer for five minutes, followed the instructions, and now I have amazing, easily peeled, perfectly done hard boiled eggs! I’m seriously dorking out right now–I know it seems ridiculous, but this is like a personal victory of sorts for me. Thank you so much for sharing this method!!
absolutely perfect! did them for 5 minutes and the eggs are soft and lovely 🙂
This may be obvious to others, but it was not to me. The directions from the Instant Pot makers said nothing about this, and the problem is not evident from these pictures as they show the rack and eggs in a black pot. And now that I have the problem I have found online many others who made the same mistake. So I am posting this as a warning.
I have an egg holder rack that came as part of an accessory pack I bought with my Instant Pot. I put that in the Instant Pot, followed the directions, the pot started heating up and all seemed well. A bit later I got a “burn” notice. Puzzled, I opened the pot and learned it had cooked dry. I added more water and after a burst of steam the rest went through to my cabinet and floor!
It turns out you have to put the rack inside the Silver pot you normally cook in, not just in the Instant Pot. My husband figured out that was the problem pretty quickly. I may have ruined my Instant POT. But not necessarily. Internet advice is to let it dry for a few days and try again. Doing that now. Fingers crossed!
I did 1.25 cups of water, trivet, 10 eggs, 6 minutes, high pressure. quick release, 1 minute in ice water and peeled like a dream. Perfectly firm white and fluffy solidly cooked yolk.
Wow! First time trying this. 7 mins and Voila! Perfectly boiled eggs. I’ll never boil them on the stove again! Peeling the eggs took only half the time as it has in the past. Thank you for this idea!
I have made the hard boiled (6 mins) and soft boiled (4 mins) per this recipe. Perfect every time. I will never make eggs any other way as long as I own an instant pot! Thank you.
This is the second recipe I used to make hard boiled eggs. A different recipe had the eggs coming out medium. This time I got a true hard boiled egg. Nice and creamy and super easy. I have an egg stand and used that. Worked great.
The best hard boiled eggs i have ever had. They come out perfect and so easy to peel. Quick and super easy in the Instant pot.
I did the 5-5-5 method with this and mine turned out perfectly! Some of the reviews that it didn’t turn out well for might be using appliances other than an Instant Pot – my guess. I don’t know what the difference is but apparently there are some.
So easy! I did 6 minutes and got perfect hard boiled eggs that are incredibly easy to peel.
Throwing these on an English muffin with tomato, spinach and red chili flakes. Breakfast is in the bag this week!
I got my husband one of those little egg cookers a few years back, but it’s got NOTHING on this method! Cooked to perfection, super easy to peel, and really couldn’t be easier.
7 minutes was perfect for us and our backyard chicken eggs .. the shells slid off like buttah and the yolks were perfectly colored and not dry. Thanks for the info!
easiest best – just try this, you will be disappointed.
I can’t believe how perfect these turned out!!! The only way I will be hard boiling eggs from now on. Yummy and SO easy to peel!
I have a Crock-Pot Express. Followed instructions using the Steam setting to cook 16 eggs. Accidentally left it on Keep Warm for 6 minutes after cooking (essentially it turned into a natural release). I was afraid they would be rubber, but they were perfect!
I’ll never boil eggs again! Set my Foodi for 5 min and they came out just like the picture.
Eggs are perfect hard-boiled. Used Crock Pot Instapot, for 9 eggs, 7 minutes cooking time, then directly into ice water.
Perfect! I am so happy.
I made a dozen medium hardboiled eggs in 5 minutes in my Instant Pot and it only took 2 or 3 minutes to peel all of them. I don’t know if fresh eggs are easy to peel like that. My eggs were a couple weeks old from the market.
Oh my gosh! Simple. I love your recipes and the photos! Thank you.
I’ve tried your times for medium eggs a few times now and I always find that the whites are still runny. What model of IP do you use? I wonder if it’s cause I’m using the Ultra. Or maybe elevation?
Raj, I am at 8600 ft and have found, through trial-and-error, that everything at this/my elevation takes a third longer to cook than the recipe suggests, even eggs. If you do some research you’ll find that recommendations for high altitude pressure cooking call for an increase of 5% for every 1,000 feet above 2,000-foot elevation.
Just tried it and the eggs came out perfect and easy to peel. First thing I cooked using my instapot. Always had a hard to figuring it out time wise on the stovetop. Next is chicken wings for the big game. Thank you for the recipe.