Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

The best way to cook hard boiled eggs is to use the Instant Pot – they’re done fast and turn out perfect every time. Enjoy egg salad or for an easy snack all week long!

Have you ever thought something should be simple, like hard cooking eggs, or meal planning, or grocery shopping, only to find out that when you actually do it yourself, it’s a lot harder than it looks?

It seems like everyone has a trick to make perfect hard boiled eggs, and lately, I’ve heard of quite a few using 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 boiled eggs, and here’s what I found out:

No waiting for a pot to come to a rolling boil or worrying about hot water vs. cold water. Learning how to hard boil eggs using the Instant Pot is really easy, and they turn out perfectly every time!

COOK PERFECT HARD BOILED EGGS IN THE INSTANT POT

Here’s what you’ll need to make the best hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot.

• Instant Pot. I have this one.
• Instant Pot Trivet. Most Instant Pots or electric pressure cookers have trivets, like the one shown below, but if you don’t have one, this works great!
• Eggs. You can use farm-fresh eggs or store-bought eggs. I tested medium, large, and extra-large 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.
• Water. This helps the Instant Pot come to pressure.

HOW TO HARD BOIL EGGS INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS

Here’s exactly what I did to make perfect hard-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot.

Step 1. Pour one cup of water into the Instant Pot. This gives you around an inch of water.

Step 2. Place eggs in a single layer on the trivet or rack and seal the lid.

Step 3. Manual cook on “high” for 6 minutes.

Step 4. Turn the valve to “release” to quickly release the pressure. (Don’t use the natural release, as that will make the eggs cook too long.)

Step 5. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water. Also called an ice water bath. This is simply a big bowl of cold water with ice cubes. I used just one ice cube per egg, and that was fine. The ice bath stops the cooking process so get creamy yolks that stay a bright, vibrant yellow.

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 or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days for peeled eggs, or 7 days for unpeeled eggs.

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 FREE!! Just add a pinch and enjoy! (Get your 8 oz bag of salt on this page. – Just pay shipping)

TIPS FOR HOW TO BOIL EGGS THAT PEEL EASIER

The biggest problem with hard boiled eggs is peeling them.

• For easy-peel hard boiled eggs, let the eggs cool completely. This will make them much easier to peel.
• You can peel eggs in water – whether in an ice bath or under running water – and that helps a little bit too, but not enough to include it in my own Insta Pot hard boiled eggs method.
• Some people have better luck when cooking hard boiled eggs with older eggs instead of farm fresh eggs.

HOW LONG TO BOIL EGGS FOR HARD BOILED EGGS

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. Soft vs hard boiled eggs really depends on your taste preference.

In fact, here’s what I found when I experimented with different cook times to learn how to boil eggs:

• 3 minutes on high pressure: Just barely cooked yolk and fully cooked white. This would be good if you wanted a runny yolk 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 eggs. 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 eggs. This is not a bad option if you like your egg yolks to be slightly soft and creamy, 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 eggs! Firm white, just done yolks, with no green on the outer edge of the yolk.
• 7 minutes on high pressure: Slightly overdone hard boiled eggs. Slightly green on the outer edge of the yolk, and I wouldn’t recommend this unless you personally prefer your yolks to be very firm.

SERVE WITH INSTANT POT HARD EGGS

A couple of these Instant Pot boiled eggs sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper make a delicious protein-filled snack. And a classic egg salad with Homemade Mayo is my other go-to, but these recipes also pair perfectly with your Instant Pot boiled eggs:

• Crunchy Vegetable Quinoa Salad
• Seasonal Waldorf Salad
• Sweet Kale Salad
• Wedge Salad
• Pasta Salad
• Homemade Lunchables

Deviled eggs or hard boiled eggs for Easter egg dyeing are always options, too! Make sure you’re saving your eggshells to use as free fertilizer if you have a garden.

BOOSTING PROTEIN IN EGGS

If you’ve ever grabbed something quick and easy for breakfast only to be hungry an hour later, chances are you didn’t have enough protein. A snack of hard boiled eggs can help you get back on track, with protein and healthy fat.

• Starting with protein reduces cravings and hunger levels and prevents overeating throughout the rest of the day.
• Protein gives your body energy for whatever activity you have coming up (because you have movement planned in your day, right?).
• Your body also needs protein to build muscle. Paired with training intensity, this is what will put you on track to being toned.
• Much like my High Protein Oatmeal, the protein in eggs is satisfying without weighing you down or making you feel overly full and sluggish.
• Front-loading your day with a protein-rich meal helps you ensure that you meet your overall protein goals.
• Use a tracking app like My Fitness Pal to get exact macros and calories for your meal!

HARD COOKING EGGS INSTANT POT FAQS

MORE EASY INSTANT POT RECIPES

• How to Steam Vegetables in the Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Lemon Rice
• Instant Pot Ground Beef
• How to Cook Quinoa Perfectly in the Instant Pot
• How to Make Yogurt
• Instant Pot Whole Chicken

WATCH HOW TO MAKE PERFECT INSTANT POT HARD BOILED EGGS