Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe
Easy hard boiled eggs are a kitchen essential—perfectly cooked whites with creamy, bright yellow centers made right on the stovetop. No guesswork, just consistent results every time.
Whether you’re meal prepping, making deviled eggs, or tossing them into salads, these easy hard boiled eggs are reliable, versatile, and ready in minutes.
Core Ingredients for Easy Hard Boiled Eggs
- Large eggs – The star of the recipe, rich in protein and perfect when cooked just right. Use fresh eggs or slightly older ones depending on how easily you want them to peel.
- Cold water – Key to even cooking from the outside in. It cushions the temperature shift and ensures the eggs don’t crack prematurely.
- Ice water – An essential step to stop cooking immediately and help with easy peeling.
How to Make Them: Easy Hard Boiled Eggs, Step by Step
Start by arranging your eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, covering them with cold water by about an inch or two.
Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover the pan, cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
Let the eggs sit in the covered pan for 12 minutes to finish cooking gently in the residual heat.
While waiting, prepare a bowl of ice water. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath as soon as time’s up, and chill them for at least 5 minutes.
Once cool, gently crack the eggs and peel. If peeling is tricky, let them soak a bit longer in the ice water for easier handling.
Egg-cellent Tips & Tricks
To get perfect results every time, start with cold water to avoid shocking the eggshells, which can lead to cracks. Letting the eggs rest after boiling rather than continuing on high heat prevents rubbery whites and chalky yolks.
For easier peeling, use eggs that are a few days old. Fresh eggs are notoriously difficult to peel because of how tightly the whites cling to the inner shell membrane. If an egg resists peeling, dunk it back in ice water—the cold water helps create separation between the shell and the white.
Adjust the resting time slightly depending on the size of your eggs and your altitude. Testing one egg from a large batch is a smart way to check if they’re done to your liking.
Keeping Them Fresh: How to Store Leftover Hard Boiled Eggs
Unpeeled hard boiled eggs are best stored in their shells in the refrigerator and can last up to a week. The shell helps protect the egg from absorbing odors and drying out.
If you’ve already peeled them, keep the eggs in a sealed container covered with a damp paper towel or submerged in water. This helps them stay moist and fresh, but they should be eaten within five days for best texture and flavor.
Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe
Ingredients
- Large eggs 4 or more
- Cold water
- Ice cubes for the ice bath
Instructions
- Arrange the eggs in a single, even layer at the bottom of a saucepan. Pour in cold water, ensuring it covers the eggs by 1 to 2 inches.
- Place the pan over high heat and bring the water to a vigorous, rolling boil.
- Once boiling, cover with a lid, allow to boil for an additional 30 seconds, then promptly remove from heat and let the eggs rest, covered, for 12 minutes.
- While the eggs sit, prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl.
- When the resting time is nearly complete, use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the eggs into the prepared ice bath. Allow them to chill for a minimum of 5 minutes.
- Gently crack the shells and begin peeling. If shells are stubborn, return the eggs to the ice bath and try again after another 5 minutes.
- Cooking times can vary slightly based on egg size, altitude, and desired firmness. For larger batches, consider testing one egg for doneness before removing the rest.
Notes
For storage, keep unpeeled eggs refrigerated in their shells for up to one week. For peeled eggs, store in water or wrap with damp paper towels and consume within five days.
