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.
Karlie
Can you do eggs without a rack? I need 20 eggs done
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Karlie! I do not recommend making Hard Boiled Eggs without a rack because they will be more likely to burst open due to being closer to the direct heat. I would use the trivet that came with your Instant Pot and carefully stack all 20 eggs on it. And remember, room temperature eggs will be less likely to burst open as well 🙂
Nora
Perfect hard boiled eggs! FINALLY!!
Thank you. I will only use the INSTANT POT to make hard boiled eggs from now on. WOW!
Kristen Chidsey
I am right there with you Nora! Hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot are a dream come true! So glad these turned out perfectly for you as well.
MAXIMUS250
Best hard boiled eggs ever! The shells peel off so easily. I will never boil eggs on the stove again.
Kristin
Love the 5555 thing. I've been doing eggs in the IP for a little while now but I don't do it regularly so I always end up looking it up every time. I'll remember this! I rarely make recipes just as they are written so I rarely rate but I wanted to be sure to give you a rating bump for making this so easy to remember! Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you Kristin for taking the time to leave a review! I am so glad my instructions are easy, clear and helped you have perfect eggs 🙂 Have a fabulous day!
Heather
I love the way my eggs cook in the instant pot but every time I do it I have an issue with about four or five of my eggs cracked open(after hard boiled) and the shells laying on the bottom. I have a rack I put them in. Anyone else have this issue?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Heather! One thing I would suggest trying is to let your eggs come to room temperature before pressure cooking. That trick tends to help with cracking. Hope that helps.
Tricia
Hi, I just followed your instructions for the 5-5-5 method, using six fresh large eggs from my hens. They were done in my I.P. Duo on the rack that came with it. One of the eggs cracked while being "cooked". Does this normally happen from time to time?. Took about 5 minutes to come to pressure. My keep warm button was lit the entire time which I used to watch it count up to 5 min of natural release. Should I have turned it off?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Tricia! Yes, eggs can crack at times. I minimize the risk by bringing eggs to room temperature before cooking. Also, no worries on leaving keep warm--that is what I typically do as well.
Eric
Perfect! As a low carb guy, I eat some serious eggs. After trying this method, I'll never boil another egg. The best part is, the shell comes off in "one piece". No more destroyed eggs due to sticky shells!!!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Eric! This method truly produces the most perfect eggs. Enjoy!
kaye herbert
I have tried this twice and swear I’m following the directions and each time the eggs are not cooked through at all. Like, the egg white part is still translucent and everything! The only thing I can think of that was different was that I put the eggs in a glass Pyrex container on top of the metal rack to hold the eggs. Do you think that’s the problem? I will try it again without the Pyrex and see!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh yes, I would remove from the dish for sure Kaye, that may be the issue. Also, be sure you use cold water and set pressure to high.
Lauren
This is the second time I have used my Instant Pot for making hard cooked eggs, and they are so easy to peel, it’s a pleasure. This time, I needed to make eggs for a party, so I did so in two batches. The first batch turned out well, with the exception of 3 cracked eggs; however, the second batch was hardly cooked at all. The yolks were totally uncooked and I had to throw them out. I wondered if anyone else has experienced this, and if you have any ideas as to what could have caused this?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lauren! I am sorry that this happened to you. If you did not put fresh COLD water in the bottom of the inner pot, that would be the reason your 2nd batch of eggs did not work. With warm water it takes barely any time for the pressure cooker to come to pressure so not enough time for eggs to cook. Hope that helps!
Stephanie
The eggs were perfectly cooked. Made my Easter perfect!Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh that makes me so happy!!
Carolyn
I have chicks and never could boil them with out recking the egg trying to peeling them. Till now, Thank you . Your a Blessing.
Kristen Chidsey
You are so welcome😘
kristine
simple instructions, easy to follow, thanks
Michael J. Stein
I always use Jumbo Eggs for all recipes. I should I adjust this method to ensure perfectly cooked JUMBO eggs. I am new the the instant pot, Christmas gift. It is an 8 Quart Instant Pot Ultra. Your assistance would be appreciated.
Kristen Chidsey
For jumbo eggs, I would cook for 6 minutes on high pressure and do 6 minutes npr then 5 minutes ice bath.
Katie
My ehhs came out absolutely perfect! I'm so happy.
Kristen Chidsey
Yay!! So happy you had success.
Anne Marie Logan
I followed this recipe exactly as written and have never had such an easy experience hard boiling eggs. I peeled them right after the ice bath. The shells came off so easy I was amazed and the inside was perfect! This is now my go to way to hard boil eggs.
Kristen Chidsey
Yay!! I am so glad you had as much success as I do!
Liam G.
I use jumbo eggs for deviled eggs.
After some experimentation, I find that 6-6-6 works perfectly....oddly appropriate!
The eggs won't crack if you let them come up to room temperature before cooking, by the way/.