Soft-boiled eggs are my new obsession. The whites of the eggs are firm, but the yolk stays silky, creamy, and in a liquid gold state. It’s a little like a cross between butter and melted cheese. They’re seriously divine. And they’re not just for breakfast! I enjoy soft-boiled eggs with toast, as an addition to bowl meals, as a topper for salads or soup (hello, ramen!), or just as a quick snack. I pretty much add soft-boiled eggs to everything I eat, no matter what time of day. Are you ready to see how easy it is?
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Why we Love Soft Boiled Eggs
Soft-boiled eggs are my new obsession. The whites of the eggs are firm, but the yolk stays silky, creamy, and in a liquid gold state. It’s a little like a cross between butter and melted cheese. They’re seriously divine. And they’re not just for breakfast! I enjoy soft-boiled eggs with toast, as an addition to bowl meals, as a topper for salads or soup (hello, ramen!), or just as a quick snack. I pretty much add soft-boiled eggs to everything I eat, no matter what time of day. Are you ready to see how easy it is?
How Long Does it Take TO Soft Boil an Egg?
The short answer is that it takes six minutes to soft boil an egg with fully set white and a liquid yolk, or 3-5 minutes if you prefer softer, slightly unset whites near the yolk. The long answer is that the time for soft boiled eggs also depends on the size of your egg and the technique used to boil the egg.
The recipe below is formulated for large eggs that are still cold from the refrigerator. In the U.S. large eggs weigh approximately 56-62 grams. 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. Other factors that may affect the cooking time include high elevation, the type of cookware used, adding the egg to cold water vs. hot water, and the starting temperature of your egg. Start with six minutes for large eggs and adjust the time until you find the exact amount of time needed to achieve your perfect soft-boiled egg.
The diagram above shows how long to cook large eggs (cold) to achieve soft or hard boiled eggs and everything in between.
- 3-5 minutes: liquid yolk with soft, whites not fully set
- 6 minutes: liquid yolk with fully set whites
- 7 minutes: jammy yolk with outer edges set
- 8 minutes: half set yolk
- 9 minutes: half set yolk
- 10 minutes: mostly set yolk
Using the steaming method, I find 12 minutes to be perfect for a hard boiled egg with a fully set yolk. If you prefer to use a full water bath instead of the steaming method, check out my tutorial for hard boiled eggs.
How to Boil Eggs Fast
Half of the time spent when boiling eggs is just waiting for the water to boil, so I like to use a combination of boiling water and steam. To create the steam you only need one inch of water in the pot, which comes to a boil in just a few quick minutes instead of several minutes for a full pot of water. The steam from the boiling water is then trapped under the lid, it surrounds the egg and cooks the egg just as quickly and evenly as a full pot of water. The quick steaming method allows you to cook your soft-boiled egg in just six minutes, or about the amount of time that it takes to start making your coffee or toast a piece of bread.
If you want to see how to make soft or hard-boiled eggs using a full pot of water, check out my tutorial for how to make hard-boiled eggs.
How to Make Perfect 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 and the yolk is ALL liquid. How perfect is that? I feel like I won the lottery.
How to Make Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs
Servings 1Ingredients
- 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!
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Notes
Nutrition
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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 saucepot, add the egg, and let steam for 3 minutes instead of six.
What to Serve with Soft Boiled Eggs
Soft boiled eggs go well with so many different foods that I find myself adding them to almost all my meals (“put an egg on it!”). I add soft boiled eggs to everything from noodles and rice bowls to salads and toast. When you break open that liquid gold yolk is like adding a deliciously rich sauce to your meal. Here are a few recipes where a soft boiled egg can really take your meal to the next level:
This recipe worked p-e-r-f-e-c-t! It was so quick and easy. Gone are the days of placing the eggs in cold water and slowly bringing to a boil. This is my new go to recipe for soft boiled eggs!
Unless you really MUST use those cute little egg cups you found, then I suggest a similar method, less arduous and avoids much of the egg peeling process: BASTE the cracked eggs in about an inch of boiling water – like in a medium skillet. This also avoids using oil, if you are cholesterol conscious. Splash the boiling water over the eggs, making small indents in the whites with your spatula. When you get a white film over the yolks, carefully spill the water, then plate your eggs. I think you will find this technique far less hassle with very similar results.
This is the best soft-boiled eggs recipe ever!! A big big thank you and a BBBBBBBBBIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGG HUG to you!! Thanks to you, I was able to nail soft-boiled eggs for the first time in my life! xoxoxo
Why are eggs always such a pain in the ass to peel!?!?!? Hard boiled, soft boiled, ice bath, rinse- it doesn’t matter!!! Question of the century!!!
It is such a mystery because I almost never have any issues peeling mine, which makes me wonder if it’s the type or quality of egg that makes a difference.
We raise different varieties of chickens. Seems the brown eggs are harder to peel. An ice bath right after boiling helps, but we find that no matter what variety, the fresher the egg, the more difficult it is to peel. So we usually refrigerate the eggs we use for hard/soft boiling for a couple of weeks.
I learned a trick if you put a few slices of lemon in your water to boil, the eggs peel more easily.
This recipe ROCKS!!! I’ve been struggling with the “cover with cold water and boil” method at high altitude – I usually undercook the eggs and it’s a mess. This recipe worked ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!! For those of you that it didn’t turn out, I think it is because you didn’t read the directions – the eggs aren’t placed in a steamer basket, they are placed directly in the bottom of the pan. The only question I have is: if you are making hard cooked eggs – how much time do you add?
I haven’t tested the time for hard cooked (I just love that runny yolk too much), but I bet it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-15 minutes. When I’ve done hard boiled eggs in the past, in a full pot of water, I turn off the heat at let them sit in the hot water for 15 minutes.
I would suggest not to add any time , Never burned boiled egg in my life, but the water burned out , while I was eating my perfect egg, I added 4 minutes….
I’ve never been more confused for a seemingly easy straightforward recipe. If you follow the recipe exactly you will under no circumstances get edible eggs. What this recipe fails to mention (that i only discovered after ruining my eggs) is that you must use a steamer and cannot put these eggs in the water. Otherwise you must turn the temp off and let the water stop boiling and then put the eggs in. Probably a good recipe. But excluded EXTREMELY necessary info. I’m going to find a different recipe somewhere else
I do not use a steamer. I place the eggs directly on the bottom of the pot in the water and it works perfectly for me every time.
I use a spider or a spoon to put the eggs in. A large tablespoon or ladle works perfect.
Just made this recipe as instructed, no steamer, and it worked perfectly! Not sure why you think it wouldn’t.
I don’t use a steamer, put them right in the pan with cover. Not sure how much simpler it could get. You are kind of rude for someone who can’t boil water
The BEST soft boiled egg ever! I tried this recipe today, and for the first time in my life, I prepared an egg the way I love it.
Absolute perfection! The only way i will have my eggs on avocado toast! Yummy! Thank you so much for your experimenting.
Well I tried this method and both of my eggs cracked and looked like poached eggs after 6 min
Same for me….
same here. Also, pan boiled over. Next time I’ll turn heat down after I add egg.
Perfection!!! Worked the first time I tried it! My soft boiled eggs never turn out, but this recipe is the BEST. I couldn’t believe that it would work with just 1 inch of water, but it’s the steam that cooks it, not the water. And yes directly in the pot. Don’t drop it in the boiling water, but lower it in with a spoon or ladle.
Cracked just like I knew they would even though I gently lowered them into the water. Too much of a temperature change too quickly. I recommend a steamer rack or lowering the temperature of the water back down before putting in the eggs, then bring the water back to a boil. Time might need to be adjusted.
Can I make this recipe in the oven and how if different?
We haven’t tested this recipe in the oven sorry! A quick google search led me to this post that could be of help https://www.wholesomeyum.com/perfect-baked-hard-boiled-eggs-in-the-oven/
Just searching for how to make perfect soft-boiled eggs, I don’t like the yolk runny, I’d like to try this method but right now, I’ve just eaten the one I made before the search.
Thanks.
Thank you! This is like a less messy poached egg and exactly what I was searching for! I am glad I came across this recipe first because I was not ready for a trial and error kind of morning. I used a timer to be precise because 6 mins is not as long as you expect in the morning. I made my coffee and toast all within that time and it was spot on! I was worried the ice bath would cool the eggs down too fast and they would not be as good but no! Just a few seconds in an ice bath and they peeled with no problem and perfect temp for eating. I am sorry to go on and on but I never had egg directions that worked out so well. No more separating the runny whites and doing tricks like adding vinegar to make the perfect poached egg. This is my new favorite thing! Thank you for the game changer!
Just like Grandma used to make, but easier. With home-made toast & apple/cran juice, a perfect summer breakfast! 127′ above sea level here.
Nevermind on my last comment. I didn’t read the recipe carefully enough. I see you are supposed to out the eggs directly in the water. I’ll try that next time.
It didn’t quite work right for me. At 6 minutes and 10 seconds, the whites were still not quite set, resulting in somewhat messy outcome when I peeled the eggs. I used a silicone steamer instead of metal. I don’t know if that would make a difference.
The recipe says to steam, but doesn’t say to use a steamer. Kind of mis-leading in that sense. If using a typical steamer I’d cook for 7-8 minutes. But I believe the idea is when the egg is half submerged you get the perfectly runny yolk at 6 minutes.
Get the fudge outta here! This flippin works! And it’s stupid easy. I’m prego and craving soft boiled eggs. I came across this recipe and obviously was skeptical 🤨. The reviews helped pushed me to give it a try. And when I peeled the shell and sliced my little egg in half I started laughing in disbelief that this worked! Thank you ooooo soooo much! This is so easy and Makes perfect soft boiled eggs 🥚!
It depends on the altitude people. At 4000ft it is 4 minutes. Look at your altitude. Perfect for me at 4000 ft for exactly 4 minutes.
How on any mountain do you cook for a shorter time at a higher altitude?
You are correct Jamil, it should take longer at higher altitudes!
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/High_Altitude_Cooking_and_Food_Safety.pdf