Learn how to make the PERFECT hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot! It’s so easy and comes out delicious every time!

Have you ever thought something should be simple – like hard boiled eggs, or grocery shopping – only to find out that when you actually do it yourself, it’s darn near impossible?
It seems like everyone has a trick to make “perfect hard boiled eggs,” with the primary element of success being the Instant Pot!
Is all the jazz about Instant Pot hard boiled eggs legit? Or is it all hype and I’m better off using the stove top? I tested different methods for making Instant Pot hard boiled eggs, and here’s what I found out.
Here’s What You Need:

- Instant Pot
- Instant Pot trivet
- Eggs
- Water

Notes on Ingredients
- Most Instant Pots have trivets, like the one shown below, but if you happen to not have one, this works great!
- You can use farm fresh eggs. I tested medium, large and jumbo eggs from a friend who has backyard chickens, and they all came out perfectly every time. If you’re not sure how your eggs will turn out, I suggest cooking just one as a test batch.
Step by Step Instructions
Here’s exactly what I did to make perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs.
Step 1. Pour one cup of water into the Instant Pot.
Step 2. Place eggs in a single layer on the trivet.
Step 3. Cook on “high” for 6 minutes.

Step 4. Turn the valve to “release” to release the pressure.
Step 5. Transfer the eggs (careful – they’re hot!) to a water bath. This is simply a big bowl of cold water with ice cubes. I used just one cube per egg and that was fine.

Step 6. Let the eggs sit for as long as you like, or at least until the ice melts (about 5 minutes or so).
Step 7. Peel and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Let the eggs cool completely. This will make it much easier to peel.
- You can peel the egg in water – whether in a cold water bath or under running water – and that helps a little bit too, but not enough to include it in my own Instant Pot hard boiled egg method.
Psst! Want to kick this up a notch? Try topping your eggs with a pinch of finishing salt! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a bag for just 1¢!! Just add a pinch and enjoy! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.)

FAQs
How long does it take to boil eggs in an Instant Pot?
It takes only 6 minutes to boil eggs in an Instant Pot.
How many eggs can you hard boil in an Instant Pot?
I have this 8 quart Instant Pot and I can easily fit a dozen large eggs in a single layer on my trivet. However, if you have a 6 quart Instant Pot, I’ve heard you can use a steamer basket ( this is the one I have) and pile it high with eggs and they’ll all come out cooked perfectly.
Can eggs touch in an Instant Pot?
It’s perfectly okay to have your eggs stacked on the trivet. The eggs shouldn’t be touching the walls of the Instant Pot.
How to Make Soft Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot
While testing all the various cook times, I found that you can make a pretty good Instant Pot soft boiled egg if you follow the same method in the recipe but cook for just FOUR minutes instead of six.
In fact, here’s what I found when I experimented with different cook times:
- 3 minutes on high pressure: Just barely cooked yolk and fully cooked white. This would be good if you wanted a runny boiled egg for yourself. I don’t recommend this if you’re feeding a crowd because two of the three eggs I boiled cracked in half while trying to peel.
- 4 minutes on high pressure: Perfect soft boiled egg. These looked really good and were easy to peel. I’d definitely use this method for serving guests.
- 5 minutes on high pressure: Slightly underdone hard boiled egg. This is not a bad option if you like your egg yolks to be slightly soft, but this wouldn’t work for deviled eggs or any other recipe that calls for hard boiled eggs.
- 6 minutes on high pressure: Perfectly cooked hard boiled egg! Firm white, just done yolks, with no green on the outer edge.
- 7 minutes on high pressure: Slightly overdone hard boiled egg. Slightly green on the outer edge, and I wouldn’t recommend this unless you personally prefer your yolks to be very firm.

To Serve
A classic egg salad with homemade mayo is my go-to, but these recipes pair perfectly with your hard boiled eggs:
Make sure you’re saving your eggshells to use as free fertilizer if you have a garden.

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Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Learn how to make PERFECT hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot! It’s so easy and comes out delicious every time!
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 12 eggs
- Category: breakfast
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- Eggs (up to 12 eggs in an 8 quart Insant Pot)
- Water
Instructions
- Pour one cup of water into the Instant Pot.
- Place eggs in a single layer on the trivet.
- Cook on “high” for 6 minutes.
- Turn the valve to “release” to release the pressure.
- Transfer the eggs (careful – they’re hot!) to a water bath. This is simply a big bowl of cold water with ice cubes. I used just one cube per egg and that was fine.
- Let the eggs sit for as long as you like, or at least until the ice melts (about 5 minutes or so).
Notes
- Let the eggs cool completely for easy peeling.
- You CAN peel the eggs in the water -whether in a cold water bath or under running water, which helps a little bit too.
- These instructions are for an 8 quart Instant Pot, but you can also use a steamer basked in the
6 quart Instant Pot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 egg
- Calories: 70-80
Keywords: hard boiled eggs in Instant Pot
Do they have to be in a single layer?
Hi Kathy, Yes! They will cook evenly in a single layer.
You basically described a 6-5-5 recipe. Cook for 6 minutes. Let the steam out for 5 and put in an ice bath until cool.
How do you “let the steam out for 5”?
I would say it’s more like cook for 6 then release valve and put in ice bath for minimum 5 minutes.🤷🏼♀️
★★★★★
Worked out perfect even if I was nervous the whole fame! Thank you
★★★★★
If you just need hard boiled eggs for a salad (not whole), then crack them in a pan and cook them in the instant pot.
No peeling.
Hi Leslie!
Thanks so much for the tip. 🙂
Jeepers, I do four minutes and they’re cooked through. 6 minutes give close to a green yolk. I guess all are different.
I just tried your 6 minutes at pressure, then quick release and into an ice bath. These turned out beautifully. Just a perfect hard cooked egg. I did not have cracked ones when I opened the pot, they peeled beautifully, no green around the yolk.
Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
You’re most welcome, Dawn!