Ever wondered which is the most popular and easy way to make Instant Pot boiled eggs? Learn the perfect length of time and water for hard-boiled eggs.
We tested every method and you'll LOVE the results! PLUS discover how to peel eggs (without losing your mind).
There seems to be a lot of confusion about the best method to boil eggs, so we tested the four most popular methods and compared their level of doneness and easiness to peel. I also shared my favorite recipes for each cooking time too.
Keep reading to figure out how long to boil them in the Instant Pot to get the results you want.
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If you love eggs, you'll love the short 3-day egg fast. Get the printable meal plan, and 41 recipes PLUS the 5 simple rules to follow.
Egg Size Conversion Charts
Before we begin, if you are confused about choosing the right egg size, or how many medium eggs you need for a jumbo egg, take a look at the egg size conversion charts (PLUS the 8 BEST egg substitutes).
How to Boil Eggs in the Instant Pot
Boiling eggs in the Instant Pot is a little different than when you make them on the stove. There are just a few simple steps and differences! When eggs are boiled on the stove they usually sit in the water while cooking. This is not the case with the Instant Pot.
When boiling eggs in the Instant Pot the eggs sit on a metal trivet within the inner pot with one cup of water underneath of them. They are not placed directly on the bottom of the pot, so that they do not bounce around while cooking and crack.
For this demonstration, I cooked six eggs at a time. However, I have had success cooking up to 18 eggs at one time in the Instant Pot without any cracking.
You just carefully stack the eggs on the top of the trivet and since they do not bounce in the water they do not crack.
Some people have also used a steamer basket, but I find my trivet works best. Set the eggs into the trivet and turn the sealing position to closed. The pressure will make the water boil and start cooking the eggs.
After they cook, they get to sit in the Instant Pot pressure cooker a bit before the venting position open to release the pressure. This is called the Natural Pressure Release. After this, remove the eggs from the hot water (or warm water) and submerge them in a bowl of ice water.
How Long Should I Boil Eggs in my Instant Pot? (Testing 4 Methods)
In this guide, I'll share 4 popular cooking times for making them in the Instant Pot and show you how they turn out each time. Which one makes the best results for perfect eggs is largely dependent on how you prefer your eggs to be!
The same method works for any kind of egg - white or brown eggs, ones from the farm, ones from the grocery store, etc. Just pick an egg recipe from below and start up your pressure cooker!
(Parboiled) Soft Boiled Eggs
This is the one that has the shorter time out of all of them. First, let's look at how the eggs turn out when you boil them for just 3 short minutes. This method gave me the softest creamy yolks. It wasn't exactly a soft boiled egg, but almost.
Cooking Times:
- The first thing you do is cook for 3 minutes
- Natural Pressure Release for 3 minutes
- 3 Minute Ice Bath
If you are looking for easy peel eggs, this might be a contender! The eggs boiled using the 3-3-3 method peeled very easily.
The whites were cooked completely but still wet. The yolk was soft, and there were small spots of a runny yolk. Although not much of the yolk was runny.
All the cooking times are formatted in this manner (3-3-3) because the eggs will continue to cook while the pressure releases. If the eggs sit in the Instant Pot too long after cooking they overcook.
You can of course just quick release the pressure, but the eggs won’t be cooked quite how though they would be.
Recipes For Parboiled Eggs
Use parboiled eggs to make an egg salad. Most people prefer to slice them and eat them with some low-carb toast. This would be a great quick breakfast option!
Boiled Eggs In The Instant Pot
It is amazing the different one minute made! The yolks were even firmer this time.
Cooking Times:
- Cooked for 4 minutes
- Natural Pressure Release 4 minutes
- Ice Bath 4 minutes.
The eggs cooked for 4 minutes were also relatively easy to peel. The peel came off in a few large pieces. The egg whites were firm and not water. The yolk was still soft, but all signs of runny yolk were gone.
Recipes For Boiled Eggs
These are still too soft for deviled eggs, so I prefer to chop them up and add them to lettuce and make a low-carb cobb salad.
Hard-Boiled Eggs In The Instant Pot
Cooking Times
- Cooked for 5 minutes
- Natural Pressure Release 5 minutes
- Ice Bath 5 minutes
The egg whites were firm and held their form, and the yolk was creamy without a green ring around it.
Recipes For Hard-Boiled Eggs
These eggs are perfect for making a deviled egg, egg salad (much more filling than a potato salad!), or sliced to eat with avocados.
Over Hard Eggs
The eggs cooked for 6 minutes were overcooked. Again, that one extra minutes of cook time really made a big difference. The total cook time on these is 18 minutes.
Cooking Times:
- Cooked for 6 minutes
- Natural Pressure Release 6 minutes
- Ice Water Bath 6 minutes
The shell was difficult to peel. It kept sticking to the egg and crumbling. When the egg was cut open the yolk was crumbly and had a green ring. The egg was still edible but overcooked.
As with any recipe I always recommend testing the egg cook times on your own to how they turn out in your Instant Pot. A few factors like elevation, how fresh your eggs are, and whether they are refrigerated or room temperature will affect how the eggs cook.
When you boil eggs, you may need to add or take away a minute or two of cook time to get the level of doneness you prefer.
Questions About Instant Pot Boiled Eggs
Before we get to the recipe card, here are a few questions people have asked about this method.
Are Eggs Easy To Peel If Boiled In The Instant Pot?
Yes, all of the cooking times I tested resulted in eggs that were easy to peel, with the hardest one being the 6 minute method. I found that they are easier to peel when you use an Instant Pot vs the stove top.
How Can I Tell if Eggs are Fresh?
As you can probably guess, fresh eggs taste quite a bit better than older eggs closer to their expiration date. And the last thing you want is to eat an egg that is rotten!
If you aren't sure how to know if your eggs are fresh, there's a simple test that works every single time and takes out all the guess work.
Simply take your eggs (before cooking) and gently place them in a bowl filled with 4" of cold water. If the eggs sink to the bottom, they're fresh! If they float to the top, they need to be tossed.
How Long Do You Boil A Dozen Eggs?
The cooking times are the same for 6 or up to 18 eggs. I recommend boiling a dozen eggs for 5 minutes with a 5-minute natural pressure release.
Do I Need To Add Water When Boiling Eggs In the Instant Pot?
Yes, you always need to add water when you are boiling eggs in the Instant Pot. You only need one cup of water when you boil up to a dozen of them at one time. It's so easy and a basically no-fail method of boiling eggs.
Use the trivet too. You don't want the eggs to bounce around and crack.
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How to Boil Eggs in the Instant Pot
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
- eggs - medium how ever many you need
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Place a trivet at the bottom of the Instant Pot insert and add 1 cup of water.
- Carefully arrange the egg on the trivet. You can stack the eggs if needed.
- Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to seal. Cook the eggs on high pressure using the "manual" or "pressure cook" button. Cook for 3 minutes for a soft slightly runny yolk.Cook for 4 minutes for a soft egg yolk with no runny yellow.Cook for 5 minutes for a firm and creamy yolk.Cook for 6 minutes for a crumbly yolk with a green ring.
- When the Instant Pot beeps that it is done cook the let the pressure naturally release for the same amount of minutes you cooked the eggs for. So if you cooked the eggs for 4 minutes let the pressure release for 4 minutes. Then release the remaining pressure by turn the release valve.
- Place the eggs in a bowl full of ice water. Let the eggs sit in the ice water for the same amount of time that they cooked before peeling. So if they cooked for 4 minutes the eggs would sit in the ice water for 4 minutes before peeling.
- Peel the eggs, cut, and serve. For easy peeling place the eggs in a jar or container with a lid. Shake the jar a few times to crack the shell, then remove and peel. The boiled eggs can also be refrigerated for up to a week.
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Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.
Ethelyn Dietrich
This is how I make hard-boiled eggs by instant pot. I think I learned it in Home Economics class over 50 years ago. Put raw eggs in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes. Put the lid on the pan (a lid that fits tightly) and turn off the heat. Let it sit until the water is able to be touched — warm but not hot. Drain and rinse the eggs with cold water or hold them in an ice bath. Cool and peel. Presto. Done. P.S. My mother-in-law says they have to be at least a week old to peel nicely.
Sandy McClellan
I use mt instant pot all the time .....love it
Vicki Holroyd
Wow. Had to try it believe it. I did the 333 and they were beautiful. I could fit 9 on my trivet, all over and done by the time it would have taken for pot cooked ones to come to the boil
Kath
My daughter found that she got perfect hard-cooked eggs in her 8-quart Instant Pot when she cooked them for 5 minutes and then did a quick release before putting them in ice water. A 5-5 method. The 8-quart pot takes longer to get to pressure and the eggs overcook if you use the 5 minute natural release.
Terry
Hi, can you please indicate if the eggs you tested with were chilled or at room temperature please. Thanks!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Straight from the fridge - easy as !!!