Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

5 from 18 votes

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Instant Pot Hard Boiled eggs are quick, easy to peel, and come out perfect every time! Great to have for a protein-filled lunch or snack! (I also have stovetop directions!)

Happy to be sharing my recipe for hard-boiled eggs today! It’s not so much a recipe as it is a method to get easy to peel, never fail, always perfect, hard-boiled eggs! Whether you’re dying eggs for Easter, making egg salad, or making a few protein snack boxes, you need perfect hard-boiled eggs and this is just the ticket.

close up of a sliced hard boiled egg with salt and pepper

The Secret to Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Cooking a hard-boiled egg to perfection is kind of tricky because there are so many variables. How cold the water is, to begin with, how cold the eggs are right out of the fridge, how long to boil them for, how long it takes to bring the eggs to a boil, whether you use an electric cooktop or gas stove, whether you submerge in cold water or ice water, etc. etc.

Eggs to me were just super annoying to deal with because I could never get them right every time. SO! The only reason why I’m posting a simple recipe for hard-boiled eggs is that I figured out the formula! I’ve tried cooking these eggs 6 times, ya’ll!! And they came out perfectly every time. Easy to peel with that quintessential bright yellow yolk.

My secret? I steam them in my instant pot/electric pressure cooker! The Instant Pot works by bringing everything up to a steady temperature together, holding all ingredients (in our case, eggs, and water) at said temperature for 4 minutes and then slowly releasing that pressure for 5 minutes before removing the eggs and shocking them in a water bath. This method works perfectly for everyone who tries it because the pressure cooker removes all the variables I listed above that could potentially keep you from achieving success. And that’s why I’m sharing this with you today.

What if I don’t have a pressure cooker?

Never fear! I’ve tested this recipe on a gas and electric stove too with pretty darn good results. See the section below and the recipe card for further instructions.

eggs on rivet in instant pot

Use Week Old Eggs

I think we have all had those terrible, hard-to-peel hard-boiled eggs a time or two before. From what I can tell, this happens because the eggs you are using are fresh. So, use eggs that are a few weeks old for best results.

Still Having Peeling Trouble?

Still having issues with peeling your eggs? Crack them all around without peeling, then soak them in water for a couple of minutes. The water will seep through the cracks and wiggle between the shell and egg making for an easier peel.

What if I Want a Soft or Medium Boil?

This might take some experimenting on your part to get your desired results but after reading this super informative article here’s what has worked for me in the past:

  • Soft Boiled: high pressure, 3 minutes, quick release
  • Medium Boiled: high pressure, 4-5 minutes, quick release

Natural vs Quick Release

Quick release simply refers to how the steam from the pressure cooker is released. Natural release is when you allow the pressure to disapate without touching the machine (this is the longer process). Quick release is when you *carefully* open the steam release valve and a stream of hot steam is released all at once.

eggs sitting in ice water

How to Hard Boil Eggs in an Instant Pot

For full details on how to hard boil eggs in an Instant Pot, see the recipe card down below 🙂

Place Ingredients in Instant Pot

Pour 2 cups of cold water into the bottom of a cold pressure cooker and place the steaming rack into water. The rack should stand just above the water, so no eggs ever come in contact with it. Place the eggs onto the rack, creating an even layer across the bottom (you don’t want them to be stacked on top of each other).

Steam and Natural Release

Close the lid and lock. Ensure the valve is sealed. Press “Steam” function and “High” pressure. Adjust cook time to 4 minutes and press “Start”. The pressure cooker will take a little bit of time to come to temperature before the 4 minute countdown starts.

After 4 minutes have passed, wait another 5 minutes before releasing pressure completely (natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest).

Ice Water Bath

Remove lid and transfer eggs to an ice water bath. Cool until they are easily handled. 

Peel and Use

Gently crack shell all the way around and peel away using the side of your thumb (it should come off in big pieces). Rinse under cold water and place onto dry paper towels until all eggs are peeled.

How to Hard Boil Eggs on the Stove

This method isn’t quite as sure proof as the instant pot method but you can still get great results. Here’s how to hard boil eggs on the stovetop:

Place Ingredients in a Pot

Place eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot. Cover completely with cold water. Cover and place on stove.

Boil and Wait

Bring to a rolling boil gently over medium to medium-high heat.

Turn burner off and let eggs sit in hot water for 12 minutes. If using an electric stove, remove from burner. Not necessary if using a gas burner.

Ice Water Bath

Remove eggs from hot water and immerse in a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes or until easy to handle.

Peel and Use

Crack shell gently around the entire egg and using the side of your thumb, peel shell off (it should remove easily as long as you get underneath the membrane just under the shell). Then use as desired!

Storing Instructions

Store hard boiled eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days!

Can I Freeze Hard Boiled Eggs?

I wouldn’t suggest freezing hard boiled eggs. This is because the cooked egg white and yolk become watery after thawing, gross.

Favorite Recipes Using Hard Boiled Eggs!

Oh, so many things to be made with these beauties! Here are a few of my favorites:

close up of a sliced hard boiled egg with salt and pepper
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5 from 18 votes

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Instant Pot Hard Boiled eggs are quick, easy to peel, and come out perfect every time! Great to have for a protein-filled lunch or snack!
servings 12 eggs
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 11 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12 whole large eggs
  • 2 cups cold water

Equipment

  • 1 pressure cooker/instant pot

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

  • Pour 2 cups of cold water into the bottom of a cold pressure cooker and place the steaming rack into water. The rack should stand just above the water, so no eggs ever come in contact with it. Place the eggs onto the rack, creating an even layer across the bottom. (You don't want them to be stacked on top of each other.)
  • Close the lid and lock. Ensure the valve is sealed. Press “Steam” function and “High” pressure. Adjust cook time to 4 minutes and press “Start”.
  • After 4 minutes have passed, wait another 5 minutes before releasing pressure completely. Remove lid and transfer eggs to an ice water bath. Cool until they are easily handled. 
  • Gently crack shell all the way around and peel away using the side of your thumb. (It should come off in big pieces.) Rinse under cold water and place onto dry paper towels until all eggs are peeled.

Stovetop Directions

  • Place eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot. Cover completely with cold water. Cover with lid and place on stove.
  • Bring to a rolling boil gently over medium to medium high heat. Turn burner off and let eggs sit in hot water for 12 minutes. (If using an electric stove, remove from burner. Not necessary if using a gas burner.)
  • Remove eggs from hot water and immerse in a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes or until easy to handle. Crack shell gently around entire egg and using the side of your thumb, peel shell off. (It should remove easily as long as you get underneath the membrane just under the shell.) Use as desired.

Video

Notes

I found this article super helpful if you’re looking for how to cook soft-boiled eggs in the pressure cooker. This is what has worked for me:
  • Soft Boiled: high pressure, 3 minutes, quick release
  • Medium Boiled: high pressure, 4-5 minutes, quick release
  • Hard Boiled: high pressure, 4 minutes, natural release for 5 minutes then quick release

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Lunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hard boiled eggs, how to hard boil eggs, instant pot hard boiled eggs

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Recipe Rating




27 Responses
  1. Rachelle Coleman

    5 stars
    Ok! THESE ARE THE BEST HARD BOILED EGGS EVERRRR! She’ll off in almost one piece, cooked PERFECT and really I think they taste better than when boiled!!! Thank you, I’m new to the insta-pot game, I feel like an egg boss!!

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    […] cooking hard boiled eggs and then making a creamy filling that pairs well with that egg flavor. These are my fail-proof directions for easy peel hard boiled eggs. It is seriously the most fail-proof […]

  4. Kathy Bruner

    Hi Lauren! Can you please share a link to the pressure cooker (or the name and size) you used in making your hard boiled eggs? I really like the rack in it. Many thanks!

  5. Easy Red Coconut Curry

    […] not making fancy meals at all. I’m talking chicken salad, homemade sandwich bread or hard boiling some eggs. Anything I can do to save time later in the week for meal prep, I’ll try to do it […]

  6. Jill Hershey

    5 stars
    This post has made me want to buy an Instant Pot–if for no other reason than to make perfect hard-cooked eggs! I never got consistent results in the past when I made them and I was never sure why.

    Thanks for figuring it out and sharing it with us!

  7. Mary Conaway

    I consider myself a good cook who has always been hard boiled egg challenged! I think eggs are one of the healthiest foods!
    Thank you for the great easy to follow recipe, I look forward to finally being able to make great hard boiled Eggs!

  8. Monica

    5 stars
    My husband and I like to eat hard boiled eggs during the week. I remember you blogging about this and searched it yesterday to forward to a friend as we both just bought Instant Pots over the weekend. I receive mine tomorrow and I’m beyond excited to try so many delicious recipes I see everyone posting; especially making hard boiled eggs! Thanks for this post, and the video!!

  9. Susan

    You can do this on the stove top if you don’t have a pressure cooker. You will need a pot, a steamer basket that will fit in the pot, but not touch the water, and a lid to cover the pot. Put an inch or two of water in the pot and bring to a boil. Put the eggs in the steamer basket and place in pot making sure the bottom of the basket is above the water. Place the lid on top and let steam for 13 minutes. Remove from heat and using tongs, place eggs in a bowl of iced water. After about five minutes, remove each egg and crack in several places and put back into the iced water. The water must stay ice cold so keep adding ice if necessary until the eggs are cooled. Then peel and enjoy.

  10. Stephanie E

    When people ask me about my electric pressure cooker I always include how easily hard boiled eggs peel when done in the pressure cooker. Love that it finally takes the guess work out of cooking them!

  11. Beth G

    Actually, I’ve been doing this for over a year or so now. You can stack eggs, fit in as many as you want/ can. Only need about 1 cup of water… then keep the same settings or 5-5-5…. 5 high pressure, 5 hold, 5 Ice bath. My 14 yr old has been doing these as well… he loves egg salad. If that is your goal, make it a bit easier on yourself, crack all the eggs into a pot-safe bowl/ container (I use a silicone loaf pan). Add your 1 cup water, rack, pan… 4 min high, 5 wait, and then ice bath the bottom of the pan. You then can chop them up. Or use a cookie cooling rack (one with a grid pattern) just push the eggs through the grate into a bowl below for quick chopped eggs. Have fun with your electric pressure cooker, my favorite items in my kitchen, I have a small 4qt for sides and veggies and a large 8 qt for anything else.

  12. Betty J Singleton

    5 stars
    Super! Could not believe it…so had to try it! Shells come off so easily and they are cooked perfectly! Thanks!

  13. Ranjini Pillai

    5 stars
    Discovered this rick last summer!Wonderful,isn’t it?Taught it to my son -the younger one ,who loves eggs!Thanks for publishing it!

  14. Zach

    5 stars
    I just started using my Instant Pot so this will come in handy, especially for making Deviled Eggs at the last minute. So, thank you for the tutorial.

    Also, this is the first video of yours I have seen and for some reason I thought your voice would be higher in pitch. I have no idea why. 🙂

  15. Analida's Ethnic Spoon

    5 stars
    These look great! Getting eggy water all over my hands always keeps me from making hard boiled eggs. This method skips the hassle.

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