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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I am making right now and have made before but its makes perfect hard boiled eggs
This was the first recipe I found that the eggs came out PERFECT and peeled super easy too!! Love my Instant Pot!! Thank you for sharing this!!
I felt like all these other instant pot boiled egg instructions on other sites were a little too complex and unnecessary. This one was simple, quick and the shell came off easy. I did 6 mins for hard boiled and it came out fully cooked, the center looked a little moist but was still cooked so 7 mins is probably best if you want it to be perfect. I’ve been eating so many darn eggs thanks to this recipe and my egg racks.
7 min came out perfect. Followed instructions. Easy as heck to peel. Thanks
My 5 min eggs at high pressure were soft boiled. Next time trying 6 or 7 min, but otherwise very easy to do! Thanks!
Your instructions are totally right on. I like a runny yolk, as in poached eggs. Even setting the timer for 2 minutes with a 2 minute natural release created a nice poached egg. Then, 1 minute in cool tap water is enough for handling the egg- no ice water needed. Peeling the shell is more difficult because the whites are so soft. Placing that egg in a European egg cup should solve that problem.
For a nice hard boiled egg but not totally dry, I set the timer for 6 minutes with low pressure or 5 minutes at high pressure. I don’t think I need to set the timer for more than 7 minutes for any hard boiled eggs.
Cooked it perfectly! Thanks
Steam mode was missing from instructions instead it said manual, BUT I used steam mode and 1 cup of water. 6 eggs for 7 minutes. PERFECTLY done.
Hi- 2 suggestions. You might want to say how much water to use. Also, there is no button that says “manual.” I think you mean the “Pressure Cook” button. Thanks!
My IP has a manual button.
The older models on the Instant Pot say ‘manual’. Mine does.
The instapot lux does not have a pressure button. You use the manual button
I just made the BEST hard boiled eggs EVER! This comes after many years of failed attempts. The peel just came right off. I cooked for 5 minutes in the instapot with a quick release and 1 minute in ice water. Thank you so much for sharing!
Mine didnt work. Not sure what i did wrong. I set the timer for 7 minutes and they were still soft yolks. I only did 4 eggs, so I am not sure if that made a difference. Was so disappointed.
Same, 3 eggs for 6 minutes had uncooked yolk. Is it a pressure setting issue?
I did 4 eggs as well and they were very runny. New pot and they first time I used it.
Followed directions cooked 10 eggs 6 minutes. Instant pot ran out of water and burnt some eggs. I’ll try cooking for 5 minutes next time.
I find the eggs turn out perfectly when I cook 12 eggs in my instant pot, for 4 minutes, cool them in cold water and store them in the fridge. They peel cleanly and turn out wonderfully – not more having hard to peel hard-boiled eggs for deviled eggs, etc.
H’egg Yeah!!!
Damn! Your instructions are spot on. Eggs peeled so easily that I yelled for my husband to come watch! 6 minutes from soft to hard. Perfect.
I use 6 minutes. Love it!
Used farm fresh eggs, notorious for being hard to peel. They came out perfect after 7 min! Iced down the whole batch after releasing the pressure and they all peeled right off. Tried peeling a few after just icing then down, the rest 10 min later. Didn’t make any difference, the shells came right off!
These are absolutely perfect! Cooked for 6 min (deviled eggs) and peeled like a dream. The only way I’ll make hard boiled eggs ever again.
7-minute boiled eggs were PERFECT for deviled eggs. Thank you!
Thank you DD, I’ve never been able to peel eggs without destroying the whites! These peeled beautifully and were cooked perfectly also. I did have 2 cracked eggs in this 1st batch but the hubby reaped that benefit while I made my deviled eggs. I’ve enjoyed making many of your recipes and appreciate all of your time you’ve put into your site!