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The All-Time Best Way to Cook Hard-Boiled Eggs

Looking to prep a batch of hard-boiled eggs for the week? Here's exactly how long you need to make perfect eggs!
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Eggs are one of the most versatile proteins out there—besides chicken, of course. Fry them, scramble them, poach them, there truly are so many ways to cook eggs that are delicious. While I'm a huge fan of topping fried eggs on a stir fry, burger, or even a hearty pasta dish, I also love making a batch of hard-boiled eggs for the week ahead. So after many times of cooking hard-boiled eggs at home, I have been able to find the perfect formula on how long to boil eggs for perfect ones every time!

Once you have a few hard-boiled eggs made, you can use them for multiple recipes! How about a big Cobb salad for lunch? Or maybe chop up some eggs to make an egg salad for a sandwich or wrap? Better yet, just sprinkle on some Everything But the Bagel seasoning and you'll have the easiest breakfast for busy mornings!

Whatever your eggtastic taste may be, hard-boiled eggs are great for many recipes. Plus, they store well! Hard-boiled eggs can last up to a week once cooked in the fridge, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container.

Ready to make some hard-boiled eggs? Here's my process for making perfect hard-boiled eggs every time.

How to Hard-Boil Eggs

Here is an easy step-by-step tutorial for you to follow!

Ingredients

6 eggs
Water

How to Make It

Submerge the eggs in water, and bring the pot to a boil

eggs in a pot covered in water before boiling
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

You'll want to make sure that the eggs you are cooking are completely submerged in cold water in a pot first. Once they are covered in water, place the pot on the burner and turn it on. Wait for the water to boil.

Once boiling, turn off the burner and cover for 10 minutes

boiling in a pot on the stove
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

After some trial and error, I was able to finally determine the perfect amount of time to "cook" the eggs. Once the pot is brought to a boil, turn it off and cover the pot. Set a timer for 10 minutes. The steam inside the pot will cook the eggs to hard-boiled perfection.

The easy way to make healthier comfort foods.

Run the eggs under cold water

Eggs in cold water before peeling in a bowl
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

Ever heard of this trick before? By running the eggs over cold water, or letting them sit in an ice bath, you'll be able to easily peel hard-boiled eggs later! Using a slotted spoon, I separate the eggs from the pot after 10 minutes of steaming and place them in a bowl of cold water. I run cold water on top of the bowl until the eggs are completely cool.

Once completely cool, peel

eggs peeled and cut up on a cutting board
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

In my expertise, here's what I've learned during my many times of making hard-boiled eggs: Peeling the eggs as soon as they are cool is the best time to do it. Waiting for the eggs to cool naturally before peeling has never worked for me. I like to cool the eggs using cold water immediately after, then sometimes I even peel the eggs under the cold water after a few minutes. When I do this, the eggshells just slide right off.

Hard-Boil Eggs Full Recipe

  1. Place all six eggs carefully into a pot. Cover the eggs with cold water, until they are completely submerged.
  2. Heat the eggs on the stove until the water is boiling.
  3. Once boiling, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the eggs steam for 10 minutes before removing the lid.
  4. Drain the eggs carefully, or grab them using a slotted spoon.
  5. Run the eggs over cold water, or let them soak in water with ice for at least five minutes. Once the eggs are completely cool, peel away!
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Kiersten Hickman
Kiersten Hickman is a freelance health and nutrition journalist. Read more about Kiersten
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