Soft Boiled Eggs
Published 1/2/2023 • Updated 6/7/2023
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The perfect soft boiled egg DOES exist. Jammy yolks, firm whites, and the most classic flavor. That’s the story of these delicious soft boiled eggs.
Eat them on their own as a healthy snack, or pair them with a dish of your choice. These tasty eggs go great with just about everything!
The Best Soft Boiled Eggs
Welcome to the ultimate tried and true method of making the BEST soft-boiled eggs!
The soft-boiled technique may be more challenging compared to hard-boiled eggs, but the only tricky part is the boiling time. Once you’ve got that part down, you’re golden. Don’t worry — we’ve got all the info you need right here.
Soft-boiled eggs are a versatile food that tastes amazing with many different types of dishes. They’re a popular ingredient in ramen, salads, or nestled in an egg cup as a dipping for toast.
Why you’ll love ’em!
These jammy eggs taste great with a variety of dishes. So feel free to get creative with it!
No more trial and error! Following this recipe will give you the perfect soft-boiled eggs — every time.
Our cooking method makes for the easiest, no-fuss peel.
What Are Soft-Boiled Eggs Good For?
Soft-boiled eggs taste fantastic with anything from soups to noodles, rice bowls to salads, and toast. Just break open the yolk and spread its rich and jammy glory for an even more decadent dish!
The Only Ingredient You Need
- Large eggs: any size eggs will do, but keep in mind that fresher is better, and the smaller the egg, the faster it will cook!
Don’t forget to sprinkle on some salt and pepper! They’re essential for bringing out all the great flavor.
How to Make Soft Boiled Eggs
BOIL WATER + ADD EGGS
In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a rapid boil over high heat. Then carefully add 4 eggs to the boiling water and set a timer for 5 minutes.
PREP ICE BATH
While the eggs boil, prepare a bowl of ice water bath by adding ice to a large bowl and covering the ice with cold water. Make sure there’s enough water to cover your eggs completely.
BOIL + DUNK EGGS IN ICE
Continue to boil the eggs until the 5 minutes are complete. Don’t boil a minute longer. Then, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the pot and place them in the I’ve bath for 5 minutes.
PEEL + SERVE
Finally, remove the eggs from the ice bath and carefully peel them, ensuring all the egg shells are off.
Serve and enjoy your delicious soft-boiled eggs!
How Do You Peel a Soft-Boiled Egg?
It can be tricky to peel an egg without it taking a while, damaging the egg, or making a mess. Here’s our tried and true method for an effortlessly peeled egg:
- First, crack a section of your soft-boiled egg. Put enough force behind it to make a solid crack, but not so hard that you damage the egg whites inside.
- If eggshell pieces are stuck to the egg membrane, gently slip your finger under it and the shell to slide it off quickly. Otherwise, carefully use your fingers to pull off large shell pieces from the egg. The larger the pieces, the quicker the peeling process will be.
Latest Recipes with Eggs
Top Tips for Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs
Use fresh eggs: The fresher the eggs, the better. Be sure to check the date on your eggs before frying them.
For even easier peeling: boil your water with vinegar and salt. Or, use the tap-and-roll method, which involves tapping your egg on the counter and giving it a gentle roll.
Use a timer: We highly recommend using a timer to ensure that your eggs finish cooking at the most opportune time. No one wants an overcooked yolk!
try it!
Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Are you ready to get PERFECT hard boiled eggs every single time? This hard boiled eggs recipe is foolproof and will get you the exact kind of yolk you want.
What to Serve with Soft Boiled Eggs
- Classic Ramen
- Ramen Chicken Noodle Soup
- Sticky Rice
- Asian Salad
- Maple Sausage Patties
- Breakfast Potatoes
- Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
- Black Bean Breakfast Bowls
- Smoothies
FAQs
The perfect soft boiled eggs are boiled for 5 minutes and no longer when using large eggs.
Large eggs boiled for 5 minutes will be perfectly soft boiled.
The perfect soft boiled eggs should have firm whites and a runny yolk.
Storage
Store your soft-boiled eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Soft Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Bring 5 cups of water to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan, and carefully add 4 eggs to the boiling water. Set a timer for 5 minutes.
- While the eggs are boiling, prepare an ice bath by adding ice to a large bowl and covering the ice with water.
- Allow the eggs to boil for 5 minutes (not a minute longer), use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the pot, and place eggs in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
- Remove the eggs from the ice bath and carefully peel the eggs.
- Eat immediately.
Tips & Notes
- A soft-boiled egg has a cooked egg white and a runny yolk. If you would like the yolk cooked longer, leave the egg in the boiling water for another minute or two for a jammier egg.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I read over this quickly a couple of times and I don’t see any place where you mention whether the eggs to be soft boiled should start cold, directly from the refrigerator, or warm, having been removed from the refrigerator the night before. Seems that it would make a huge difference in cooking time. What say you?