Simple Hard Cooked Eggs (Stovetop, Instant Pot, Air Fryer Methods)

Eggs are a delicious and frugal protein. Learn how easy it is to make simple hard cooked eggs perfect every time with these stovetop, instant pot, or air fryer directions.

Jump to:

• What are hard cooked eggs?
• How do you know when an egg is bad?
• Three Different Ways to Hard Cook Eggs
• Storage
• Is it cheaper to cook your own or buy them already cooked?
• How to Make Simple Hard Cooked Eggs
• Recipes that Use Hard-Cooked Eggs

One of our favorite ways to enjoy eggs is hard cooked. The whole family loves them!

I love to serve hard cooked eggs on salads and in sandwiches, while the rest of the family gobbles them down with a bit of salt and pepper. I regularly cook a dozen each week to have on hand for quick fix meals and snacks.

What are hard cooked eggs?

Hard cooked eggs are eggs cooked inside the shell. The whites and yolks both become firm, so that once peeled, they hold their shape and can be cut or sliced or simply eaten out of hand.

They are the building blocks of egg salad, deviled eggs, and Scotch eggs.

Contrary to popular belief, the best eggs are hard cooked, not hard boiled. Boiling eggs or even leaving them in the water too long will make the whites rubbery and the yolks green. They’re not bad for you. Just not as pretty as the ones pictured above.

And ever wonder why some eggs peel really easily while others fight to keep their shell?

I’m not an egg-ologist, nor do I play one on TV, but my cooking magazine reading has told me that the older the egg, the more oxygen inside it, the easier it will release the shell. Thus, the easier it will be to peel.

For some reason, cooking eggs in the instant pot overrides the need for older eggs. They peel beautifully every time.

Eggs are such a frugal option to rely on in the kitchen, that I regularly keep at least four dozen on hand, but I’ll buy more at one time if I see them less than a dime an egg.

Eggs remain “good” often past their sell by date, so if you use a lot of eggs and have the room to store them in the refrigerator, they are a good stock-up option.

How do you know when an egg is bad?

One rule of thumb for testing the goodness of an egg is the “float test”. Place the uncooked egg (in its shell) in a bowl of cool water.

• If the egg lies on its side, it is very fresh.
• If it stands up, some oxygen has infiltrated the shell’s barrier. It is still good for baking and will make easy-peel hard boiled eggs.
• If it floats, the egg is bad and should be discarded.

Years ago, Julia Child published a multi-step recipe for cooking the perfect hard cooked egg. It was multiple steps more than either you or I want to take.

Thankfully, a good hard cooked egg is not hard to come by.

Three Different Ways to Hard Cook Eggs

You can cook eggs in a pot on the stove, in an electric pressure cooker, or in an air fryer. Remember that when using appliances like the pressure cooker or air fryer, there will be differences between models and manufacturers.

All that to say, your mileage may vary, depending on how cooked you like your eggs and which method you choose.

To cook eggs on the stovetop:

• Place eggs in pot large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by at least 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling. Turn off the heat and cover the pot.
• Remove the pot from the burner and let the eggs stand in the hot water about 15 minutes for Large eggs (12 minutes for Medium eggs; 18 for Extra Large). Let them sit for less time (about 6 minutes) if you’d like soft-boiled eggs.
• Plunge the eggs immediately into a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process and helps prevent the yolks from turning green.
• Peel and eat, or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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To cook eggs in the instant pot:

If you have an electric pressure cooker you’ve never used, eggs are a good thing to get started with! Not only does it cook them perfectly, but it also makes them super easy to peel. No matter how fresh the eggs are.

• Place a rack or basket in the pot of the electric pressure cooker. Place the eggs in a single later. Add 1 cup water to the pot.
• Secure the lid and close the pressure valve. Turn on the machine to manual and set for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on how done you like your eggs. I find the longer cooking time to be pretty perfect with done yolks.
• When the timer rings, release the pressure immediately and plunge the eggs into an ice bath.
• Peel and eat, or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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To cook eggs in the air fryer:

An air fryer is another one of those cool, but what-do-I-do-with-it appliances. My son loves cooking eggs in them—no need to boil water, but you still need the ice bath.

Note that the shells of eggs cooked in the air fryer may develop spots on the outside of the shell. This is harmless.

• Preheat the air fryer to 250 degrees.
• Place the eggs in a single layer in the basket. Insert the basket.
• Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how done you like your eggs. My son does 7 to 8 minutes for soft-boiled.
• When the time is up, remove the eggs from the basket and plunge them into an ice bath.
• Peel and eat, or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Storage

Hard cooked eggs are good refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Do not let eggs sit out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, including the time that you might spend dying them at Easter. Return them to the fridge as soon as possible.

Note: hard cooked eggs are not appropriate for Easter Egg Hunts. Try this type of food-safe egg hunt instead.

Is it cheaper to cook your own or buy them already cooked?

Now, in modern times, you can buy your eggs already cooked. Almost every major grocery store carries their own brand or a name brand of hard boiled, ready-to-eat eggs. I’ve heard that they are practically perfect in every way.

Except for cost.

At my local Ralphs, they range from $0.67 to $1.00 per egg, depending on the brand and size of package.

Conversely, buying eggs at the same store costs about 20 cents each—when not shopping the sales. While you will spend some money in energy and storage costs, cooking your own eggs is dramatically cheaper than buying them already cooked.

I admit that while traveling or when you’re at a loss for kitchen access or power, buying them precooked is probably a great idea, but the rest of the time, I recommend cooking your own.

This post was originally published on March 19, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.