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
![Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Sliced Open on cutting board](https://amindfullmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Pressure-Cooker-Hard-Boiled-Eggs-360x360.jpg)
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.
Elisa Simkovitz
Sometimes my eggs have a green rim around the oaks. Why is that? It doesn’t matter if I cook it on three, four or five minutes
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Elisa, it sounds like they may be overcooked. Try releasing pressure after 3 minutes and be sure to put immediately in ice bath to see if that helps.
Sean
Merci!
Gaylene
Absolutely spectacular❗Organic, Brown, cage-free eggs are really hard to peel. Every other method endedup with little tiny shards of eggshell attached all over the outside; until you have tired of running them under the faucet. With this recipe it was simple and a pleasure. Thank you so much for your awsome assistance in creating something so much easier❗ I know I am going to enjoy my egg salad sandwich. I could probably make deviled eggs again.😁
Kristen Chidsey
WAHOO!!! It is a game changer! I am so glad you found this recipe.
Gaylene
Cooking some more today thank you, thank you, thank you❗
Steacey
Even though I followed the instructions the eggs were not fully cooked. Lost two and decided to put the others back in. 🙁 Anyone else have this problem?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Steacey! If you live at high altitude or used eggs directly from the fridge, this may have been the issue. If not, just add 1 minute cook time in the future to see if that helps the eggs turn out perfectly for you.
Linda Templeton
This was the first recipe I made using my InstaPot! These were the best hard boiled eggs we've ever eaten, Thank you!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you had such great success Linda!
Lynelle
Perfect!
Kristen Chidsey
Glad you had perfect results as well Lynelle!
Lynelle
Your recipes have helped me So much. I have chickens and found that fresh eggs are impossible to peel, so I hit the internet and found your help with the instant pot. I have used your soft and hard boiled recipes and they both came out Perfect. It’s amazing and I haven’t done it any other way since. Thank you!!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you found my site and it's information helpful--I love hearing that!
Rose
I've wasted alot of eggs using other suggestions for making hard boiled eggs in the instant pot. I bought the eggs to room temperature, used cold water and they were perfect. Finally, thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
WAHOO!!! I am so glad you have so much success Rose!
Jody
They turned out perfect! Never using stove top method again. I love how the egg slid right out of the shell!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you had success Jody. This method is so much easier.
JT
I missed the room temperature but mine turned out perfect. Fit 14 in the pot without touching the sides. Peeling was a breeze. I’m never making them on the stove again!!!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! So glad you had great success JT!
Jessica Verbos
They turned out perfectly!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I am so glad you have had the same success.
Marsha
I just tried this method. It worked great as far as ease of process and peeling! I had 21 eggs to cook and no egg racks to use, so I tried the method others used...straight into the pot. I used the 5-5-5-5 timing. The yolks were cooked too hard for my liking and the eggs burned...brown on the inside of the shells. I will invest in the stackable racks! How long should I cook for a just-cooked yolk? I like mine creamy and the color of the uncooked yolks. Over all, this is a great method and much quicker! Thank you for posting!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Marsha! Making without a rack will change how the eggs are cooked slightly. So that said, for a just set yolk, I would try 4 minutes high pressure, 4 minute release to see if that is more that to your liking. 5 minutes may be perfect for you using a rack, but my guess is 4 minutes may be more your style if you want your yolk JUST set.
Kathy
Perfection!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you had success with this recipe Kathy!
Sheila Warren
I was looking at Pinterest for some recipes and I thought I need to boil some eggs. I LOVE my instant pot. I never tried doing eggs so I thought why not? I did not read the recipe except for the 5555 method. I have a 8 qt pot so I put 1 cup of water. I put my trivet in and put 10 eggs in. Then I followed the method. I hate peeling eggs cause they never come out. My husband peeled the first one and he said OMG its perfect and the egg just slid out of the shell! We are impressed. LOL My eggs came straight out of the fridge. Why they came out without cracking I don't know but hey It works!!!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sheila! I am glad you had success. The recipe suggests to let your eggs come to room temperature before pressure cooking--this will help prevent them from cracking.
Larry
Spot on! I have to admit, I forgot to put the basket in and realized after it was pressurized. They still turned out perfect!
Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
Yay Larry! So glad you had success with this recipe!
Dorinda
I just made 6 eggs. They were not Fully cooked - done enough to eat but not like they should be . I followed directions. Set a timer for release time. These were large eggs, not jumbo.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Dorinda. I am sorry your eggs were not to your liking. Make sure you use cold water in bottom of your Instant Pot and adjust for altitude if needed. If all that was done, add another minute in the future, so cook for 6 minutes, to suit your personal preference.
Dorinda
I am reading other comments and see some regarding eggs being at room temp to start..... I missed that part, so that is probably the problem.
How can I adjust recipe for refrigerated eggs? I am not much of a planner!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Dorinda, I would recommend running under warm water to get eggs to room temperature--that should help the eggs not break as well as cook correctly. Cold eggs easily crack.