After lots of experimenting, this Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs recipe delivers every time. A simple three-part process nails it. No more shell cracking while boiling and special tips for high altitude.
Maybe it will seem weird but one of the first things that sprang to mind to master when getting my Instant Pot was a hard boiled eggs recipe. It's not that I eat that many hard boiled eggs but they are tricky to make.
With Easter coming I knew we'd soon be making lots of them and wondered if making them in the Instant Pot would be easier or with more predictable end results.
For those of you about to click away because you TOO don't eat hard boiled eggs consider this recipe for Huevos Diablo (spicy Devil Eggs) or this Bacon-and-Egg Salad Sandwich. They will cause the most ardent of non-hard boiled egg eaters to reconsider!
Love using an air fryer? Try these Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs too!
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After 15 test batches, and dozens of eggs, I have mastered How to Make Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs! I'm very excited to share what I learned.
First I set my personal criteria for the experiment…..
What Defines Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- The eggs are cooked all the way through, white and yolk, without overcooking
- No eggshells crack in the process
- The eggs peel easily without removing any of the cooked egg white
- The three goals above are accomplished in the least amount of time
Finding the Best Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs method
Before launching my experiment, I had tried a few methods I found online.
My first observation was that there are MANY methods to cook Instant Pot hard boiled eggs online, and they are all different.
- Some maintain you cannot cook the eggs on high pressure or they will crack.
- There were multiple methods named with three numbers sounding like swim team drills my kids do: 5-5-5, 6-4-2, etc.
- Some swear by quick release, others by slow release.
It was really hard to know where to begin!
The two methods I tried didn't work to meet my criteria.
Both left the egg yolks uncooked fully as well as the peeling wasn't predictable leaving the eggs looking gnawed on (not something I would want for a hard boiled egg recipe I was serving at a party).
After this, I stopped the experimenting and dove into some research. This tidbit changed everything for me:
"For every 1,000 feet above 2,000-foot elevation, you must increase cooking time by 5 percent." – Mother Earth News
I live at approximately 5,500 feet and though I have not run into issues with altitude affecting prior Instant Pot recipes, the precision of how to make perfect Instant Pot hard boiled eggs seemed possibly affected.
This was a game changer in my experiment.
Testing PERFECT Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
I'll spare you my elaborate spreadsheet of testing and results but I tested on low pressure and high pressure, with a quick pressure release and slow release, with an ice bath and without, conventional white eggs and cage-free pasture-raised brown eggs.
My results showed cooking eggs on high pressure (I experienced no cracking with white eggs which are more thin-shelled or brown eggs), with a slow release of 5 minutes and another 5 minutes in an ice bath was the golden method.
I was able to cook them on low pressure successfully (for a longer time) to my criteria too though it took longer and they weren't quite as easy to peel.
I think the ice bath serves to both cool the eggs and stop the cooking process as well as improves ‘peel-ability’; they peel like a dream.
I did run into a surprise during this testing, however: that these are the best hard boiled eggs I've ever eaten!
The white is perfectly cooked without being rubbery.
The yolks are light and fluffy with a beautiful flavor.
They are also a brilliant yellow with no grayish outer ring from over cooking. I'm very excited about how to make the perfect Instant Pot hard boiled eggs!!
The BEST Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
After extensive testing, I believe this is the best hard boiled egg recipe ever (seriously). It’s:
- Fast
- Easy
- No shell cracking
- Perfect easy peeling
- I personally think it makes the best TASTING hard boiled eggs too.
How to Make Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Making fantastic hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot is easy and takes three steps:
- cooking with high pressure and the cooking time is based on altitude (and is rounded to a the nearest minute).
- a 5 minute slow release, and
- a 5 minute ice water bath.
These eggs don’t crack and are very easy to peel, leaving the egg smooth.
The great thing about the Instant Pot is that you can make 1 perfect hard boiled egg or a dozen at the same time.
I suppose that is the same for making it on the stove top but I can’t predictably make hard boiled eggs on the stove without some cracking and the white oozing out.
I was excited after landing on what I feel is the perfect Instant Pot hard boiled egg recipe.
What I did NOT anticipate is how much better the flavor of the cooked eggs is!
Fast forward a year after originally publishing this recipe and I make a batch of these eggs a week. I crave them now.
I also have received a reader email weekly from those at high altitude letting me know that this recipe made the best hard boiled eggs they’ve had!
If you need some inspiration about what to make with your eggs, these 22 Fantastic Recipes for Leftover Hard Boiled Eggs is sure to spark some inspiration (along with the recipes on the first page).
If you are looking for some Easter Egg options I have you covered! I love these Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs – using food ingredients for dying. Have some spare ties laying around? Silk Dyed Easter Eggs are fun to make and any silk will work. Want something super easy? Tattooed Easter Eggs use removable tattoos (that you can make yourself too). I used naturally blue colored eggs for these.
Mind-Blowing Instant Pot Tips You Need to Know!
After developing Instant Pot recipes for the past few years, I’ve uncovered some unexpected, useful tips I think you’ll want to know!
Sign-Up below and I’ll tell you all my Instant Pot secrets!
UPDATE July 2018: I’ve now made Instant Pot hard boiled eggs via this method weekly; probably 100 batches. The results are always consistent and the eggs delicious. The ONLY time I’ve found an issue with cracking has been with eggs from a specific local farm which I’ve observed have very thin shells.
Recipe
How to Make Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold tap water
- Large eggs (any amount)
- Ice and cold water (for an ice bath)
- 6-quart Instant Pot
Instructions
- Place the rack that comes with the Instant Pot in the insert. Pour in the 1 cup cold tap water. Add the eggs on the rack.
- seal the lid of the Instant Pot positioning the pressure vent to SEALING.
- Select MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE and using the “=/-” buttons insert the correct time for your altitude: 0-3,000 feet=8 minutes, 3,000-5,000 feet=9 minutes, 5,000-7,000 feet=10 minutes.
- When the cooking time has completed allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 5 minutes then release the remaining pressure.
- Place the eggs (carefully using an oven mitt or kitchen towel, they will be very hot) into a bowl with cold water and ice for 5 minutes. Remove and peel or store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition Information is based on 1 hard boiled egg. Multiply times the number you make for complete information.
Dave says
Not sure how I could mess this up, and I see all the great comments from others, but I didn’t have such great luck. I live in Colorado Springs, CO at about 6800 feet. I have a new 8 quart IP. Used a cup of water, high pressure for 10 min. Let sit for 5 minutes. 5 minute ice bath. Looked great. Pealed great. Tasted like fish. My son somehow choked his down (but he eats everything all the time), but I had to spit out my second bite. Thought it might be bad eggs but the rest of the dozen was fine. Thoughts?
Toni Dash says
Hi Dave. As noted, this recipe is based on using a 6 quart Instant Pot which requires 1 cup of water. In looking at the Instant Pot website they indicate an 8 quart model which you used required a minimum liquid amount of 2 cups. It would take longer to come to pressure for an 8 quart I would think and I’m unsure how the cooking time would be modified from 6 quart. This article on the Instant Pot website might be helpful.
My guess would be the issue you experienced is a combination of no modification for an 8 quart Instant Pot, using the 8 quart at your altitude and possibly as you wondered that something may be going on with the eggs you used. I’ve probably made this recipe hundreds of times at this point and the eggs actually always taste better than those made on the stove top and never taste like anything weird like fish. Were they farm eggs or from a store? If from a store did you check the expiration date?
If you have any more of the eggs (uncooked) there is a float test you can do to see if they are bad or not (not Instant Pot related, just in general).
I’m sorry you had this experience. Trust me, Instant Pot hard boiled eggs are the best so it definitely sounds like something odd happened here. Your son is a champ!
Kim says
I’m a newbie so can’t wait to read your recipes.
Toni Dash says
Welcome Kim! You’ll be an expert in no time! Here is the Instant Pot Recipes section. Let me know if I can help!
William Ahnen says
Best recipe I’ve seen. I live at 7200 feet, 9 minutes was perfect!
Toni Dash says
So glad William! It’s my favorite way to make hard boiled eggs too.
Nina Carter Cohen says
I live just under 5000 feet in Longmont, Colorado. I followed your instructions last week and the eggs came out just fine…and they did, indeed, peel like a dream. However, I thought the yolks were a tad overcooked/dry for eating as a snack. (In egg salad, they were great!) I just made them again, but with 8 minutes for the cook time and they were less dry and still peeled like a dream. Next time I might try 7 minutes. But how wonderful to be able to cook a dozen eggs at a time for a week’s worth of snacks and/or egg salad and have each and every egg peel PERFECTLY. Thank you!!
Toni Dash says
Hi Nina! So glad this method works for you! I also think they taste better when cooked this way (did you notice that too?). I have noticed different eggs (e.g. from a farm or from a store, brown vs white, large vs medium) can cook slightly differently too so it’s great you are experimenting.
Denise Stevens says
. I live in Denver, so officially 5280. I just got my IP last week and saw the general rule was 5-5-5. I then googled high elevation HBE in an IP and came across this site. I saw the quote above saying add 5% time for every 1000 feet above 2000. Doing time math is strange so I wasn’t sure if I did my math right but I came up with 5:45, so round up to 6 min. I then saw the 8 min for 0-3000. I was skeptical and thought if I would have an egg fail, I would prefer undercooked eggs. So I went with 5-6-5. They were fully cooked and maybe a bit too dry for my taste. So I’m confused, Lol
Toni Dash says
Hi Denise. If you look in the recipe card you’ll see for your altitude the cooking time is 9 minutes. Then the eggs are left in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes and put in a water/ice bath for 5 minutes.
This method is NOT based on the popular 5-5-5 method as I found that unsuccessful in my testing.
I live in Boulder and have made this recipe literally hundreds of times with great success!
JC says
Thank You so much! I have tried and failed to get perfect easy peel eggs at altitude 4,500ft. Thanks for sharing !!!
Toni Dash says
Yay!! I love this recipe and truly believe the eggs taste better too.
Chandra Lake says
First time cooking anything in my Instant Pot ever! My eggs came out perfectly (used 9 minutes as I’m at just over 5000 ft). The yolks are bright yellow, the whites are cooked all the way through (but not rubbery), and they taste delicious. Thank you for your method that WORKS at altitude (and for making my maiden voyage with my Instant Pot a success)!
Toni Dash says
So glad you loved them too. Don’t you think the eggs TASTE better too than boiled eggs? Maybe I’m dreaming that but I swear the flavor is better too.
Congrats on mastering your first recipe! Please check out my Instant Pot recipe collection for more ideas too.
Kyle says
Love this recipe! My brother gave me my instant pot 2 Christmases ago and, knowing I make a lot of hard boiled eggs, gave me his recipe. However, since he lives in Kansas City, I knew I’d need some adjustments. Found your blog and Voilà! Thanks so much for passing on your successful experimentation.
Jeff H. says
Thanks for all the research. Worked great! Thanks!
Angela says
Thank you so much for the high altitude directions! I’m in Denver and my eggs came out perfect and delicious.
Toni Dash says
I never knew I could love hard boiled eggs this much either! So glad it worked for you!!
Annemarie Back says
WOW WOW Wow This was my third recipe using the instant pot The first two were user failure But this one was PERFECT!! I live in Denver so the high altitude directions were very helpful. Will definitely be making all hard boiled eggs using this recipe and my new best friend-the Instant Pot!!!!