Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

If you’re not hard-boiling eggs in your Instant Pot, you’re missing out. Not because it’s necessarily faster, although it does feel like that, but mostly because the pressure cooker makes the process almost completely hands-off.

While writing The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook, I tested how to cook eggs in the Instant Pot for months. I know some people prefer a jammy egg yolk, while others want it to be as hard as possible. Both things are possible in the pressure cooker!

As a bonus, Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs are easy to peel when they’re done. Be sure to follow the tips below closely if you want to avoid a green or gray ring around the yolk, too.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“My new go-to method for hard-boiled eggs! Turns out great every time. A friend was astounded when she saw me set my eggs in the instant pot, added some water, pushed a button, and walked away. Yes, it really is that easy!” – Alex

Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

Step 1:

Place a trivet in the stainless steel bowl of your Instant Pot, then pour 1 cup of water into the bottom. Place as many eggs as you want to cook on the trivet. I’ve cooked up to a dozen at a time, but you can also cook just a couple, if you prefer.

Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and, if needed, move the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position.

Note: Newer Instant Pots (purchased after 2020) have auto-seal lids, meaning the release valve is automatically in the “Sealing” position. So, if you have a newer model, you won’t have to worry about this!

Step 2:

Use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high-pressure for 5 minutes. This is the timing I use when I want hard-cooked eggs with a solid yolk. See the tips below if you prefer a different texture.

The machine will take approximately 5 minutes to come to pressure, then it will cook for 5 minutes. While you wait on this, fill a bowl with ice and water, so you’re ready as soon as the eggs are done cooking.

Note: If you prefer your egg yolks to be anything other than fully hard-cooked, see the other timings I tried by scrolling down a little bit. I tested this a lot of different ways!

Step 3:

When the cooking cycle is complete, you have two options:

1. Quickly release the pressure by moving the steam release valve to the “Venting” position. Steam will shoot out of the vent, so don’t be surprised by that! This will make your yolks slightly softer and ensure no green ring forms around them.
2. Wait up to 5 minutes, then move the steam release valve to “Venting.” This will make the yolks even more solid, but I only recommend waiting this long if your eggs were cold from the fridge when you started. If you used room-temperature eggs, you’ll start to get a green ring around the yolks by waiting this long, so use a quick-release in that case.

As soon as the floating valve in the lid drops, meaning the pot is no longer pressurized, it’s safe to open the lid. Immediately remove the lid and use tongs to transfer the eggs to the ice water bath. I like to let them chill for 5 minutes.

How Long to Pressure Cook Eggs (Various Timings I tested)

If you’re a curious person like me, you might be wondering… what happens if I use a different cook time? I tried 4 different cooking times for hard boiled eggs, all with a 5-minute natural release. (And I tested these with a quick-release even further down, if you want soft cooked eggs.)

I took a photo of each one below, and as you can see, they all turned out relatively “hard cooked” but some yolks are softer than others. Feel free to adjust your timing based on what type of yolk you’re going for.

Note: If you’d like to watch a video tutorial showing the difference between a quick release and a natural release, watch my How to Use Your Instant Pot video.)

Soft-Cooked Eggs in the Instant Pot

If you prefer an egg with a runny or “jammy” egg yolk, you’ll want to perform a quick release instead of a natural release. (This means you’ll immediately switch the steam release valve to the “Venting” position, the moment the cooking cycle beeps that it’s complete.)

Here are the cooking times for soft-cooked eggs in the Instant Pot:

• 3 minutes = very runny yolk with the whites mostly set, but not totally.
• 4 minutes = gooey yolk with totally set whites.
• 5 minutes = jammy yolk, with the outer part of the yellow starting to set.
• 6 minutes = slightly jammy center and slightly hard-cooked yellow edges.

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs (Easy to Peel!)

4.67 from 24 votes

I can't think of an easier way to cook hard-boiled eggs. All you have to do is pour water into the pot, add as many eggs as you want to cook, press a button, and walk away. You don't have to wait near the stove for water to boil, or even set a timer– the Instant Pot does that for you! These eggs also peel more easily, so the whole process is a breeze. Be sure to use the various timings I tested below if you want jammy or hard-cooked yolks.

prep5 mins cook5 mins total10 mins

Servings:4

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 4 large eggs (or as many as you want to cook)

Instructions

• Fill your Instant Pot with 1 cup of water and place the metal trivet inside. (I use the one that came with my machine.) Place the eggs on the trivet, then secure the lid on the pot. Make sure you turn the vent at the top to the "Sealing" position, if needed. Note: This recipe assumes you're starting with eggs cold from the fridge; see the recipe notes if you're not.
• Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button, then cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. (Or use just 3 or 4 minutes for a runnier yolk; see notes.) 
• For hard-cooked egg yolks, let the pressure naturally release for 4 minutes after the cooking process is complete. When the screen on the Instant Pot reads LO:04, move the steam release valve to "venting" to quickly release the remaining pressure. Make sure your hand isn't over the vent so you don't get burned by the steam. For softer egg yolks, perform a quick release: move the steam release valve to the "Venting" position as soon as the cooking cycle is complete.
• When the floating valve next to the steam release valve has dropped, it's safe to remove the lid. Use tongs to carefully remove the hot eggs. Place the eggs in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool for 5 minutes before peeling and serving. They are easiest to peel when you remove them from the ice bath, so I recommend peeling them immediately.
• Transfer the eggs to an airtight container in the fridge and store for 4-5 days.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 egg, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Egg Size Note: I tested this recipe with “large” eggs. If yours are medium or jumbo, the cooking time will likely need to be adjusted. I’d reduce it by 1 minute for smaller eggs, and maybe do a longer natural release for the bigger eggs. 

Cold Egg Note: I’ve noticed that eggs cold from the fridge need longer to cook than ones that have sat on the counter for an hour. (I learned this because my groceries sat on the counter for an hour, and then I proceeded to cook the eggs that had sat out.) If your eggs are not cold, then you can perform a quick-release after the 5-minute cook cycle. Immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath and let them cool for 5 minutes. They should have a firm, hard-cooked center with no green ring this way. 

Cooking Guidelines for Soft Egg Yolks: (perform a quick release after)

• 3 minutes = very runny yolk with the whites mostly set
• 4 minutes = gooey yolk with totally set whites
• 5 minutes = jammy yolk, with the outer part of the yellow starting to set

 

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 63mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: gluten-free

Keyword: Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

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If you try these hard-boiled eggs, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how the timing works for you! We can all benefit from your experience.

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