Hard-boiled eggs might be something that you feel pretty comfortable, even confident, about. But wait, let’s just take a second to reconsider. Have you ever thought about making them in an Instant Pot? It’s fast, easy, and you might even find that those shells slip right off.
Frances Benton Holden Tutt | Personal Collection, 2020
We know that change is hard or that sometimes you just prefer the old ways. But let us make a case for the appliance that has taken over nearly all of our kitchens. The Instant Pot does a phenomenal job of making hard-boiled eggs—fast and cooked uniformly every time. Let us show you how.–Jenny Latreille
☞ Contents
How to Make Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs
Equipment
- 6-Quart Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 large eggs* cold
- 1 cup water
Directions
- Set the wire trivet in the pot of a 6-quart Instant Pot. Place a single layer of eggs on the rack. Add the water and secure the lid.
- Cook using high pressure for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. 5 minutes should give you set whites with runny yolks, while 7 minutes should give you hard firm whites and fully set yolks.
- Manually release the pressure and move the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool for 5 minutes.
Notes
*Why did my eggs turn brown in my Instant Pot?
There are a few things that will cause your eggs to come out with brown spots or yolks. Making them in a pressure cooker is different than boiling them in a big pot of water, so you’ll need to take a few precautions when you do it this way. Make sure that you use sufficient water and that you’re using the steamer rack, in order to keep them from burning and turning brown. Overcooking is the other factor that will lead to browning, so make sure that you’ve got the timing right and put those freshly cooked eggs into cold water as soon as they’re done in the Instant Pot—this step will also help to avoid that green ring around the yolk.Show Nutrition
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is my go-to method for Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs. No more boiling on the stove for me! I can comfortably fit 7 eggs on the trivet in my 6-qt Instant Pot, plus that’s about as many as we need for the week. We like our eggs cooked for 6 minutes. The yolks aren’t too firm, yet not too jammy. The shells are a breeze to remove and there’s never that unsightly ring around the yolk.
I cook the eggs before bed and let them sit in the fridge overnight, so they’re ready to use in the morning—sliced on top of avocado toast with a generous shake of everything bagel seasoning.
I always poo-pooed the thought of making hard-boiled eggs in my IP. Why are people raving about this? I mean, really! It’s so darn easy to make hard-boiled eggs on the top of the stove, why would I want to get out the IP and deal with that? Well, I now see what all the fuss is about. I fit 6 eggs onto the rack of my IP. I set the timer for 6 minutes. When the 6 minutes were up, I did a quick release of pressure. I let my eggs cool in an ice water bath in their shells for 1 minute. I ended up with eggs that just slipped out of their shells and were perfectly cooked. Yes. It’s really easy to make hard-boiled eggs on top of the stove, but next time that I want, or need, some hard-boiled eggs, I’m going to grab my IP. These Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs are easier, and the results can’t be beaten.
There are countless numbers of hard-boiled egg methods and an exponentially larger number of articles and think-pieces written on which method is the best. I don’t need to be told which method works best for my astrological sign, I just want something reliable. My Instant Pot is out once a week for chicken stock, so I decided to hard-boil some eggs before I made stock. From getting my Instant Pot off the shelf to my eggs cooling down in water afterward was 17 minutes (3 minutes to get the pot filled and sealed), 7 to get to pressure, and 7 to cook, which is about as fast in total time as I’ve ever made them.
The eggs peeled beautifully. I gave them a sharp *thwack* on the fat end (where the air pocket usually is) and started peeling from there. I barely got to the halfway mark before the rest of the shell just fell off in the sink. I had a hankering for deviled eggs and these cross-sections were things of beauty: the yolks were fully cooked but not chalky and the whites were tender, but not rubbery like most hard-boiled eggs. This did mean you had to be a little more delicate picking them up compared to what most people are used to, but the trade-offs in taste are worth it. I will now be making Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs every week before I make my chicken stock.
I’d caution against substituting other sizes of eggs and expecting identical results. This recipe is written for USDA large eggs, so expect to change your timing for extra-large. Additionally, while you could probably use hot water to cut down on preheating time, I wouldn’t advise doing that. The 7 minutes of cooking time likely factors in the 7 minutes of preheating, and this could result in a soft-cooked egg, rather than a hard-boiled one.
Hard-boiled eggs are a staple in my life. I eat at least one every single day. They’re a nutritious and versatile food that literally fuels me every day. The one issue I usually have is making the perfect hard-boiled egg; to find that perfect balance of a just set yolk, creamy whites, and easy to peel shell. I’ve tried every piece of advice I’ve read: using new eggs, using old eggs, using room temperature eggs, adding vinegar to the water and the list goes on.
I was starting to become accustomed to a life of hit-or-miss eggs until I cooked a batch in my Instant Pot. Every single time I make Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs I get perfectly cooked eggs with easy-peel shells without fail. I cook mine for six minutes and it finishes with perfectly soft whites and a fully cooked yolk that’s just set in the middle. It’s also easy to adjust the time for 1 or 2 minutes more to get a more set yolk depending on what I am using them for. Setting them in cold water for 3-5 minutes allows them to cool down long enough to still have a nice warm egg to snack on right away.
If you’re looking for a different flavor profile, I have cooked eggs in the Instant Pot on high pressure for 90 minutes to create Sephardic brown eggs (Huevos Haminados). This longer process makes the egg whites take on a light brown color and gives the yolks a wonderful nutty flavor. I use them in the same way I’d use any hard-boiled egg for a slightly different flavor profile. This is an absolute life-changer. If you are making a large batch for egg salad or deviled eggs or just eat them as much as I do, I couldn’t recommend this more—you’ll never go back to another method.
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
There is another way I have used to cook perfect eggs where the peeling just falls off and the yolks are light yellow in the instant pot. Follow the same directions for water and temperature and egg placement. Cook your eggs for 4 min and do not release the steam. Then let them sit 5 minutes. Then manually release the steam and plunge in ice water right away. This one takes a little more attention but is another option. The best thing is no water boiling over and the peeling falls off. I have made these with eggs fresh from the farm and from the grocery store.
Thanks, Frances! We so appreciate you sharing this additional information with us.