It’s no secret that I’m an egg fanatic (check my logo). They’re inexpensive, easy to cook, and so extremely versatile! My favorite budget meal hack has always been to just “put an egg on it.” And while soft boiled eggs might be my favorite, there are definitely times when a hard boiled egg just works better. So I wanted to do a quick tutorial on how to make hard boiled eggs so you can see just how quick and easy they are to incorporate into your meals!

Several hard boiled eggs cut in half against a yellow background

Let’s just get right to the nitty-gritty of what everyone wants to know…

How Long to Boil Eggs

The easy answer – boil large eggs for about 12 minutes to make hard boiled eggs.

The long answer – The amount of time needed to hard boil an egg can vary depending on several factors including, but not limited to:

The size of the egg
The type of cookware and stove top used
The starting temperature of the egg
The boiling method used (cold start, hot start, steaming)
Your altitude

I’m going to provide a general guide below, but you’ll need to experiment a little to find the exact time needed to make perfect hard boiled eggs using your equipment, your eggs, and at your altitude.

How to Boil Eggs Step by Step Instructions

As mentioned above, there are actually several ways to make hard boiled eggs. I like the hot water bath method because it doesn’t require a lot of attention and it’s pretty forgiving if you can’t tend to the eggs right when your timer goes off. Here’s how it works:

1. Add cold eggs to a pot and cover with water

Place cold, large eggs straight from the refrigerator into a saucepot in a single layer. Add enough water to cover the eggs by one inch.

2. Bring to a boil

Place a lid on the pot and bring the water up to a boil over high heat.

3. Turn off the heat

When the water reaches a full rolling boil, turn off the heat and leave the pot on the burner (lid still on). Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 12 minutes. The water will slowly cool as they sit, which helps give you some flexibility before the eggs over cook (green-tinged yolk=over cooked egg).

4. Transfer eggs to ice bath

After 12 minutes, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water for about 5 minutes.

5. Peel and enjoy!

five hard boiled eggs cut in half lined up with numbers over top

The image above shows my results after 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 minutes. Six minutes was a nice jammy yolk, 10 minutes still had a bit of wetness in the center, and around 12 minutes I achieved a completely solid yolk.

Hard Boil Eggs Using Steam

I also like to steam my eggs, as seen in my tutorial for 6-minute soft boiled eggs. This method is super fast because you only use about an inch of water, which comes to a boil very quickly. To make hard boiled eggs using the steaming method, simply let them steam for about 10-12 minutes. I also find that steamed eggs tend to peel very easily. See the steaming tutorial here.

One hard boiled egg cut in half with everything bagel seasoning sprinkled over top

How Long Are Hard Boiled Eggs Good?

A hard boiled egg will stay good for about a week when refrigerated in their shell. A peeled hard boiled egg should be eaten within two days.

Tips for Peeling Hard Boiled Eggs

The internet is full of tips for making hard boiled eggs easy to peel. But I will be honest, I’ve tried them all and I haven’t found consistent results with any method. Sometimes even eggs within the same batch of hard boiled eggs will vary from impossible to peel to peeling effortlessly. That being said, I’m going to list all of the tips and tricks I’ve heard, if case you want to try them to see if any of them bring you success.

Old eggs peel easier than fresh eggs
Add cold eggs to boiling water instead of bringing them to a boil together (this tracks with my steamed eggs being easy to peel more often than not)
Tap the egg on a solid surface, then gently roll to crack the shell on all sides before peeling
Peel eggs under running water (the flow helps separate the white from the peel)
After removing part of the shell, slide a spoon between the shell and egg white to separate them
Place the eggs in a covered container and gently shake to crack the shells until they fall off
Add baking soda to the water (about ½ tsp per pot)

Have you had success with any of these methods? Share which one works best for you in the comments below.

Hard boiled eggs lined up on a yellow background

Recipes Using Hard Boiled Eggs

I add hard boiled eggs to just about everything. If you need a little inspiration for how to use your hard boiled eggs, here are a few hard boiled egg recipe ideas:

Deviled Eggs (or Sriracha Deviled Eggs)
Egg Salad
Use a meal prep lunch box
Add them to a breakfast bowl
Add to Salads
They make an interesting addition to guacamole or avocado dip
Use in potato salad
Add to a bowl of ramen
Chop and stir into tuna salad
Slice and add to avocado toast (I like to top with everything bagel seasoning and sriracha)
Slice and add to a veggie sandwich
Add to a bowl of savory oatmeal

several halved hard boiled eggs against a yellow background

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

A step by step guide on how to make hard boiled eggs, recipe ideas, tips for easy peeling, and more.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings

Calories 72kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

4 large eggs

Instructions

Add cold eggs to a saucepot. Add enough water to the pot to cover the eggs by one inch.
Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat on to high. Allow the water to come up to a boil.
Once the water reaches a full rolling boil, turn the heat off and leave the pot on the burner (with the lid on) for about 12 minutes.*
After 12 minutes, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water. Chill the eggs in the ice water for about five minutes. Peel and enjoy.