How To Make Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs

Soft boiled eggs are my new obsession. The whites of the eggs are firm, but the yolk stays in a silky, creamy, liquid gold state that is a little like a cross between butter and melted cheese. They’re seriously divine. I love soft boiled eggs with toast, adding them to bowl meals, using them to top salads or soup (hello, ramen!), or just as a quick snack. I’ll never say “no” to soft boiled eggs.

Are you ready to see how easy it is?

Originally posted 2-9-14, updated 10-8-18

The Easiest Soft Boiled Eggs

It’s All About That Steam Action…

Instead of actually boiling my soft boiled eggs, I use steam to cook them. Steaming the eggs is faster, which is a total plus when you’re half asleep in the morning and waiting for your coffee to kick in. To create the steam you only need one inch of water in the pot, so there’s no watching and waiting impatiently for an entire pot of water to boil. The quick steaming method allows you to quickly cook your soft boiled egg in the time that it takes to start making your coffee, or toast and butter a piece of bread.

6 Minutes to Perfection.

This recipe is formulated for LARGE eggs. Large eggs take exactly six minutes to steam to soft-boiled perfection, when they’re still cold from the refrigerator. You can use this method for other sized eggs, just be aware that you will need to adjust the time up or down, depending on the size of your egg. Because I only buy large eggs, I have not tested the amount of time needed for other sizes.

How Long do Soft Boiled Eggs Last?

Soft boiled eggs in the shell will last in the refrigerator for about two days. To reheat the refrigerated soft boiled eggs, just repeat the initial cooing process with half the time. Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a small sauce pot, add the egg, and let steam for 3 minutes instead of six. 

Print Recipe

4.62 from 44 votes

How to Make Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs

Perfect soft boiled eggs with firm whites and liquid gold centers are only six minutes away. Use this easy step by step guide for perfect eggs every time. 

Keyword: easy, Quick

Prep Time: 4 mins

Cook Time: 6 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, chilled

Instructions

• Add 1 inch of water to a sauce pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Once boiling, add an egg (or however many you'd like as long as they are in a single layer in the bottom of the pot), straight from the refrigerator into the pot. Replace the lid and let it continue to boil for exactly six minutes.
• After six minutes, remove the egg(s) from the pot and place them in an ice water bath or run under cool water until they are cool enough to handle. Peel, and enjoy!

Notes

If you do not plan to eat the egg immediately, cool the eggs completely in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Otherwise, the eggs can be peeled and eaten warm as soon as they are cool enough to handle.

Tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!

Scroll down for the step by step photos!

One of my favorite things to eat for breakfast is a bowl made with rice, wilted spinach, avocado, tomato, or whatever other vegetables I might have on hand, plus a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg, and a little sriracha (see Spinach Rice Breakfast Bowls). Sometimes I add hummus as well (Hummus Breakfast Bowls)!

How to Soft Boil Eggs – Step by Step Instructions:

Add one inch of water to a sauce pot. Yes, you only need ONE INCH of water. Use the smallest pot you have that will house the number of eggs you’re making, so they’re in a single layer in the pot. I usually only do one or two eggs at a time, but this same technique can be used for any number of eggs. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, gently place the large egg(s) into the pot. Tongs or a slotted spoon makes this easier to do without burning your finger tips. 

After adding the egg(s) to the pot, put the lid back on top, and set a timer for six minutes. The lid holds in the steam, which surrounds the eggs with even heat, cooking them quickly and evenly.

After exactly six minutes, turn off the burner, and use the tongs to transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Allow the eggs to cool until they’re no longer too hot to handle, or let them sit in the ice bath until you’re ready to eat. Just make sure you don’t let them sit at room temperature after steaming, otherwise they will continue to cook with their residual heat, and the yolks will continue to solidify.

Carefully tap the egg on a hard surface to crack the shell, then gently peel it away. You’ll need to be gentle because the inside is still liquid and the egg will be somewhat soft and wobbly. Begin peeling on the fat end, which often has an air-bubble that separates the shell from the whites, and makes an easy spot to separate the two. Give it a quick rinse after removing the shell to get rid of any shell fragments.

And now it’s time for that magic moment… OMG the runny yolk is liquid perfection! *squeal* Just so you can see a close up of the awesome results… The whites are completely solid (no snotty, goopiness) and the yolk is ALL liquid. How perfect is that? I feel like I won the lottery.