In short
- Gently lower the eggs into boiling water and count the time from that moment.
- Soft egg: 5 to 6 minutes. Medium: 7 to 8 minutes. Hard: 9 to 10 minutes (size M).
- Larger eggs need a minute longer, smaller ones a minute less.
- Cool the eggs under cold water after boiling: easier to peel and the cooking stops.
Boiling an egg sounds simple, but one minute too many and your soft egg is hard. The cooking time and the size of the egg determine everything. Below you will find the times in a table, plus tips against cracking and for easy peeling.
How long should you boil an egg?
For an average egg (M) count 5 to 6 minutes for soft, 7 to 8 minutes for medium and 9 to 10 minutes for hard, counted from the moment you lower the egg into boiling water. The size of the egg makes a difference: bigger egg, a little longer.
| Result | Small (S) | Medium (M) | Large (L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft (runny yolk) | 5 min | 6 min | 7 min |
| Medium (creamy centre) | 7 min | 8 min | 9 min |
| Hard (firm yolk) | 9 min | 10 min | 11 min |
Do you boil eggs in cold or boiling water?
Put eggs into boiling water, then the cooking time is most accurate. Lower them gently with a spoon so the shell does not crack against the bottom. Then turn the heat down a little so the water bubbles gently instead of boiling hard.
How do you stop an egg from cracking?
Use eggs at room temperature and lower them gently into the water. A cold egg straight from the fridge into boiling water cracks faster due to the temperature difference. You can prick a small hole in the blunt side with an egg pricker, so the air can escape and the shell stays intact.
Why cool eggs after boiling?
Cooling under cold water stops the cooking process immediately, so your egg does not keep cooking and the yolk stays just right. It also makes peeling easier, because the membrane between shell and egg comes loose. Put the eggs in a bowl of cold water for a minute or hold them under the tap.
How do you peel a boiled egg easily?
Gently tap the cooled egg all around and roll it over the worktop, so the shell cracks everywhere. Start peeling at the blunt side, where the air pocket is. Slightly older eggs usually peel more easily than very fresh ones, because the membrane then sticks less tightly to the white.
The right pan for boiling eggs
A small pan with a well-fitting lid is ideal: the eggs sit close together and the water boils quickly. A saucepan is just right for this. Prefer a fried or scrambled egg? Then grab a frying pan. Which pan is handiest for what is in our pan guide.
This way you cook the egg you want every time
Put the eggs into boiling water, set a timer based on the table and cool them afterwards. Remember the three anchors for an M egg: 6 minutes soft, 8 minutes medium, 10 minutes hard. Adjust by a minute for the size of your egg and you will get it right every time.
