Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs are the BEST and ONLY way to make PERFECT hard-boiled eggs. Eggs are cooked to perfection EVERY SINGLE TIME!
How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
I will never forget my first Easter I spent away from my family.
We were living in Georgia at the time and invited friends over for an Easter Egg hunt and Ham Dinner. While the ham and scalloped potatoes were delicious, the eggs were a complete disaster.
After coloring the eggs, our guests cracked a few open for a snack to find that they were not fully cooked!
But I used the same stove-top method for cooking hard-boiled eggs that I had for years. That method worked MOST of the time, but clearly, it was not fool-proof. And frankly, I became a bit fearful to ever cook hard-boiled eggs again--well at least for company!
By cooking eggs in my Instant Pot, I no longer have to worry about embarrassing accounts of under-cooked (or over-cooked) hard-boiled eggs. Pressure cooked hard boiled eggs are FOOL-PROOF. You will have golden, set centers without green rings, and these hard-boiled eggs peel like a dream!
5-5-5 Method for Cooking Hard Boiled Eggs
The perfect technique for cooking hard boiled eggs in the pressure cooker is the 5-5-5 method.
- 5 minutes to come to pressure
- 5 minutes cook time
- 5 minutes natural release
But to really get PERFECTLY cooked hard boiled eggs that peel like a dream, I have added another step:
- 5 minutes in a water bath.
So really, the PERFECT method for hard-boiled eggs is 5-5-5-5 method!
This means in 20 minutes, you will have hard-boiled eggs that peel perfectly and are perfectly set and bright yellow (no green rings here!!)
How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs in Instant Pot
- Place 1 cup of COLD water in the inner pot of pressure cooker (liquid is ALWAYS needed for the pressure cooker to be able to reach pressure.)
- Place eggs in egg rack or carefully on top of the rack that the Instant Pot came with.
- Seal pressure cooker.
- Set cook time to 5 minutes (5 minutes on high pressure--push the manual button and adjust the timer to 5 minutes)
- After cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes (I suggest setting a timer that will beep at 5 minutes so you don't lose track of time. )
- Once 5 minutes has elapsed, release any remaining pressure in Instant Pot by using a wooden spoon or kitchen towel to knock vent knob to vent position.
- Carefully, remove eggs from the pressure cooker and place it in an ice bath. Eggs are VERY hot, so use potholder if your fingers aren't made of steel!
- After eggs have been in an ice bath for 5 minutes, remove eggs from the ice bath.
- Peel and enjoy your PERFECT hard-boiled eggs.
How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs are the easiest eggs to peel EVER!
- Once eggs have cooked and cooled in the ice bath, crack them open by rolling them on a kitchen counter.
- The peel will come right off--and will NOT take any egg white with it!
Storing Hard Boiled Eggs
- I find it is best to PEEL eggs before storing them in the refrigerator.
- Once eggs are peeled, place in a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. If unpeeled, they can be stored for 7 days.
How Long are Hard Boiled Eggs Good For?
- Hard boiled eggs will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator when peeled, 7 days if unpeeled.
- Hard boiled eggs will last for up to 2 hours at room temperature. So be sure that Easter Bunny doesn't leave the eggs hidden too long!
- Hard boiled eggs do not freeze well! Cooked egg whites will become rubbery.
- You can freeze the cooked egg yolks if desired by placing cooked yolks freezer bag and freezing for up to 3 months.
Are Fresh or Old Eggs Best for Hard Boiled Eggs?
Isn't this an age-old question?! While everyone has their theory, I can tell you I have tested older eggs and farm fresh eggs in my pressure cooker and both came out perfectly and peeled with the same ease.
Instant Pot Basic Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Breasts (Fresh or Frozen)
- Instant Pot Yogurt
- Instant Pot Quinoa
- Instant Pot Beans
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Egg Recipe
I would love to know how you enjoy this recipe! Be sure to leave a comment and let me know. Or snap a picture and tag @amindfullmom on Instagram and hashtag it #amindfullmom
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- water for cooking
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of COLD water in the inner pot of Instant Pot for a 6 quart instant pot and 1.5 cups COLD water for an 8-quart Instant pot.
- Add in egg or steam rack and carefully set as many eggs as desired on or in the rack.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and set for cook time for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release for 5 minutes. Then do a quick release and carefully remove eggs from Instant Pot and place in ice water bath.
- Let eggs sit in water bath for 5 minutes.
- Remove eggs from the water bath.
- Store in the fridge for up to 7 days unpeeled or peel and use within 3 days.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- You can use as few as 1 egg and up to 16 eggs in a 6-quart pressure cooker.
- I find it is best to peel eggs right from the water bath, the shell comes off beautifully every single time.
- To help prevent your eggs from cracking during cooking, let your eggs come to room temperature before pressure cooking.
- Be sure to use cold water, warm water or hot water will change the cooking time.
- If you live at high altitude, be sure to use Instant Pot Altitude Adjustments.
Melanie L Winstead
I have a 10 quart pot and silicone egg holder is this all still ok? Maybe just a bit more water. I am new to the instant pot.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Melanie! For a 10 quart instant pot, use a full 2 cups of water and everything else will remain the same 🙂
SUSAN
TAKES ALL THE GUESSWORK OUT OF HARD BOIED EGGS..PEELED PERFECTLY!
Brooke
Followed these instructions exactly and my hard-boiled eggs came out perfectly! I love how easy they are to peel. I have an 8-qt Instant Pot and it took about 10 minutes for it to come to pressure with 1.5 cups of water and 10 eggs inside. Thanks so much! 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing that Brooke! This is my go-to method and makes hard boiled eggs so easy and fool-proof. Glad you had the same success.
Melissa
Do the eggs need to be room temperature or right out of the refrigerator? Or does it matter?
Kristen Chidsey
Room Temperature is best.
Melissa
Thank you. Maybe that was my mistake. Will try again. Thanks!
Suzie
This is perfect! Best eggs I have ever made. They turned out perfect and pretty. Thank you.
Aby T
I'll be damned. I usually actively avoid anything hard boiled egg related because I've NEVER succeeded in getting the shells off without destroying the egg. These turned out Perfectly!! Followed it to the T, and shells came right off. THANK YOU, you brought hard boiled egg recipes back into our lives!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! Aby, I was right there with you before! This was a game changer for me!
Elzaree
Not everyone has the same size Instant Pot, but an 8 qt takes two cups of water instead of one. If you run out of water, the display will show 'burn'.
Just an FYI :O)
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Elzaree. You are correct that not everyone has the same size pot. My directions indicate using 1 cup for a 6 quart and 1.5 cups for an 8 quart. Using 2 full cups can overcook the eggs in my experience and is not necessary to maintain pressure 🙂
Kc
These eggs were absolutely perfect and delicious!!!!! Thank you
Kristen Chidsey
It is a game changer! 🙂
Tessa W.
Excellent instructions. After many disasters with the Instant Pot, I decided to give this a go. Following the instructions for 6 qt pot, I processed 21 eggs total in two batches. Both have gone marvelously. The few that have cracked I suspected of having fine cracks already, this being due to poor plastic packaging they are using now, not the instructions. I used the steam rack that came with the I-Pot. The first batch was 14 eggs, because I wanted to see just how many I could fit. The second had the six remaining eggs. Of the eggs that cracked none caused any mess or disaster, thankfully. The cracked eggs peeled beautifully, the others are finishing cooling in icebox until my kiddos a ready to dye the eggs. Thank you, for clear concise guidance.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you found this recipe to be so easy to follow and gave you the results you were looking for! Happy Easter!
Eve Mavis
I’m new to the Instant Pot craze. I’ve actually had the pot for awhile now but was intimidated to try it. I followed this recipe exactly as written and not a single crack to be seen! I peeled one just to check and am very happy with the result! We’ll be dying Easter eggs today! Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I am so glad you had such great success! Happy Easter Eve!
Kathy
Perfect every time. Fresh or older eggs equally great.thanks for getting rig of the “green ring” around the yolks.
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing this recipe saved you from the "green ring" and you depend upon it for perfect eggs. 🙂
Lisa
If I’m dying them for Easter & won’t be peeling them should I still do the 5 minute ice bath?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes Lisa, the ice bath is to stop the cooking process--so your eggs will not be overcooked. Happy Easter!
Kyra
My eggs turn out great every time when I use this method! However, when I crack them they sometimes have water inside the shell. Is this normal?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kyra! I am so glad you have success with these eggs. In the process of cooking, the egg may have gotten a tiny crack and a bit of water got into the egg, which is not anything to be concerned about. At times too the albumen of the egg (egg white) may be a bit more watery due temperature eggs were stored at--again, if egg white and yolk set up--nothing to worry about.
Kristen
I’m disappointed. I tried this recipe and a float of my eggs were cracked when I opened the lid!! I was hoping to dye them for Easter. Ugh not sure what I did wrong.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kristen. It is normal for a couple of eggs to crack, but it should not be more than 1 or 2 eggs in a batch. To minimize this occurrence, be sure to let your eggs come to room temperature before pressure cooking.
Mrs. Duran
I was hesitant to try this recipe but I'm glad I did. I always came across trouble when cooking boiled eggs the traditional way; from being undercooked to overcooked. This recipe is easy to follow and best of all it works. This recipe worked for me step by step without changing anything.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you gave this a try and had such great success!
Anita Burns
I've been making HB eggs in my IP for a long time. It's the ONLY way! I do want to add, though, that not all IPs heat equally. For my 8Q I found that I have to use 3 min cooking time on low pressure and 5 minutes before releasing the pressure. Otherwise the eggs come out with the green "overcooked" ring around the yolks and they have a slight chalky texture.
My eggs are all from my own chickens, so I let a dozen sit in the fridge for 5-10 days before hard boiling them. Even the IP can't overcome the problem of peeling really fresh eggs. And, bringing them up to room temperature, like you said, makes a big difference in keeping them from cracking and "blowing out" in the IP.
Thanks for this.
Kristen Chidsey
You are right that all models do not heat equally and that is great to adjust to accommodate your model. Thank you for sharing with us what works for you.