Perfect Soft Boiled Egg Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you soft boil an egg perfectly? ›

Directions. Bring water to a gentle simmer in a medium pot. Gently lower eggs into water with a slotted spoon or strainer (do not drop eggs into water, as they might crack). Cook for exactly 6 minutes, then remove eggs with slotted spoon and serve.

Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Transfer to the colander, place under cold running water to stop the cooking, and serve warm.

That certainly works for the white, but often overcooks the center. The French food scientist Hervé This argued some years ago that temperature, not time, is all that matters to the egg—cook it to 65 °C / 149 °F, and the result will be heavenly no matter how long it sits in the water.

You might have heard that you should drop your eggs into room temperature or cold water and then bring the water to a boil. This is a myth. In our tests, bringing the water to a boil first and then lowering the eggs into the bath made for easy peeling and more accurate timing.

Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to accommodate them in a single layer. Fill the pan with cold water, covering eggs by an inch. Set over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1½–2 minutes.

Bring pot of water to the boil. Using a spoon, carefully lower eggs in one by one. As soon as they come back to the boil, start 2 minute timer and let them boil. As soon as 2 minutes is up, take pot off the heat and place a lid/plate on top for 4 minutes.

Slowly lower the eggs into the water using a spoon. Set your timer for 4-5 mins for runny/dippy eggs to serve with soldiers, or 6-7 mins for soft-boiled eggs for a salad.

Using a slotted spoon, gently lower cold-from-the-fridge eggs into the water one at a time (don't drop them in or they'll crack). Cook for exactly 6½ minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle boil.

4 minutes - The white is fully set, but the yolk is thick and runny. 6 minutes - The white is fully set, and the yolk is mostly set, but still a little runny in the middle. 8 minutes - The white is fully set, and the yolk is set, but tender.

Make sure to set a timer. Set your timer between 6 – 6 1/2 minutes. 6 minutes will give you a liquidy yolk and 6 1/2 – 7 minutes will give you a more soft jammy yolk. Don't add the eggs to cold water and then bring to a boil.

Should soft-boiled eggs float? ›

If a boiled egg floats, it may indicate that it's older and has a larger air cell inside. This doesn't necessarily mean it's unsafe, but older eggs are more prone to spoilage. Check for any off smells or unusual discoloration before deciding to eat it.

Lower the heat slightly – so the eggs don't crack due to being bashed around but water is still at a gentle boil. Start the timer – 6 minutes for runny yolks, 8 minutes for soft boiled, 10 minutes for classic hard boiled, 15 minutes for unpleasant rubbery whites and powdery dry yolks.

Bring a saucepan (large enough to hold the eggs in a single layer) of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the cold eggs into the water one at a time. Cook for exactly 6½ minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle boil.