Are you wondering How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs? If so, an electric pressure cooker, better known as an Instant Pot, is the trick you need to try for the best eggs! These easy to peel hard boiled eggs are cooked to perfection in less than 15 minutes.
How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
I know I am not alone in wondering How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs. My husband LOVES hard boiled eggs. He will happily snack on them with salt and pepper any time of day, breakfast, lunch or dinner! Therefore, I have tried making hard boiled eggs on the stove top in the past with very limited success. Once in awhile they will turn out alright, but more times than not, they end up overcooked, impossible to peel and just plain disappointing. While my husband isn’t the most discerning customer, I am infuriated when they turn out so poorly! Because of this, he has gotten very few hard boiled eggs over the years. This all changed once I bought my Instant Pot!
My electric pressure cooker, better known as an Instant Pot has been my saving grace when it comes to hard boiled eggs. It really couldn’t get any easier than this. You simply add a couple cups of water to your pot along with eggs and cook them under pressure for a few minutes. After a quick natural release, pop the eggs in an ice bath to cool them off and stop the cooking process. You are left with the most amazing hard boiled eggs that peel like a dream with perfectly cooked yolks.
I can’t even count the number of times I have made these easy hard boiled eggs since purchasing my Instant Pot. Sometimes I just pop a few in for recipes like this Crispy Chicken & Avocado Cobb Salad or Roasted Garlic Potato Salad and other times I make a whole dozen for my husband to have on hand in the refrigerator. These would also work wonderfully for dying Easter eggs!
One key thing to keep in mind when cooking eggs in an electric pressure cooker is that the cooking times are actually counter intuitive. Normally we think that the more food we add to a pot, the longer we need to set the cooking time. It is actually the complete opposite in this instance. Because the pressure cooker takes longer to come to pressure when there are more eggs inside, it needs to be set for a shorter amount of time because the eggs start cooking while the pot is coming to pressure.
My personal preference is to cook 3-4 eggs for 5 minutes with a 5 minute natural release. When cooking a dozen eggs, I prefer cooking them for 4 minutes with a 4 minute natural release. The ice bath is also a critical component you do NOT want to skip. This stops the cooking process so they don’t continue to (over)cook once removed from the pot.
If you don’t try anything else new in your Instant Pot, please at least try this recipe. I have never found a more consistent and easy recipe for cooking hard boiled eggs that are so incredibly easy to peel IN.MY.LIFE. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs {Pressure Cooker}
Ingredients
- eggs
- 1 1/2 c. water
Instructions
- Bring your eggs to room temperature. (They are less likely to crack.)
- Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the interior pot of your electric pressure cooker. Add the eggs on top of the water and place the lid on top. Be sure the vent is set to seal.
- For 2-6 eggs, cook on high pressure for 5 minutes with a 5 minute natural pressure release.
- For 7+ eggs, cook on high pressure for 4 minutes with a 4 minute natural pressure release.
- For 18+ eggs, cook on high pressure for 3 minutes with a 3 minute natural pressure release.
- (Natural pressure release is allowing the electric pressure cooker to slowly release the pressure on it's own. After the 3-5 minute natural release, turn the knob to 'vent' and release all of the pressure.)
- Once the pressure is released, immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water. Chill in the ice bath for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the ice bath and peel if you will be using them immediately or store them refrigerated for up to a week.
Ethelyn Dietrich says
I boil eggs almost every day with a pressure cooker. The ratio of water to eggs you mentioned seems to me to be a little different. Because after following your recipe, it was not made perfectly. Adding 1 more cup of water will make it perfectly.
Ashley says
Every time they turn out perfect!!!
Ashley says
Every time they turn out perfect!!!
Kathy says
Is there a ratio for the number of eggs? For example, if a dozen is 4 min., how much time for 2 dozen? Also, I’ve had great success with HBE in the Instant Pot — better success when the eggs are room temperature instead of right out of the fridge. So, I let mine sit out for a couple of hours before I do them. The directions that came with it call for using the trivet or a rack, so that’s what I do.
D says
Finally!!! You answered all my questions about hard pressure cooked eggs. You and I must think alike. I’ll have to check out your other recipes. Thanks!
D says
Finally!!! You answered all my questions about hard pressure cooked eggs. You and I must think alike. I’ll have to check out your other recipes. Thanks!
Drew says
I’m new the pressure cooker as well. I was just wondering if that amount was correct? I was curious why the more eggs you add the less time for the cooking.
Danielle Green says
The reason it requires less time for more eggs is because it takes longer to come to pressure with more eggs and that is time that they are being cooked.
B says
Well-titled. I just made 5 hard-boiled eggs in my Cooks Essentials (QVC) pressure cooker, and they are indeed PERFECT! I did not use a rack. They came out perfectly cooked and peeled like a dream. The eggs are a few weeks old, and I’ve heard and experienced that fresh eggs do not peel easily. Something to keep in mind. I followed the directions here for 5 eggs and will never boil them again in the traditional manner!
Danielle Green says
Oh my gosh, aren’t they truly the best? I can’t imagine ever boiling them again either!
B says
Well-titled. I just made 5 hard-boiled eggs in my Cooks Essentials (QVC) pressure cooker, and they are indeed PERFECT! I did not use a rack. They came out perfectly cooked and peeled like a dream. The eggs are a few weeks old, and I’ve heard and experienced that fresh eggs do not peel easily. Something to keep in mind. I followed the directions here for 5 eggs and will never boil them again in the traditional manner!
Shell says
Trick to easy to peel hard boiled egg… put them in ice water for a few min after cooking. Works like a charm!
KWalk says
well, it seems this was written with the thought that we all are a novice at the pressure cooker or instant pot….with the thought that we know how you are cooking these eggs with or with out a rack, either meat or egg. There seems to be some things left out here. HELP, I am new at this stuff, other wise, I will just boil my eggs the old fashion way and forget the gaps all together.
Danielle Green says
You can do it with or without a rack. I haven’t found that it makes any difference!
D says
“meat” is just a preset time. All those presets are junk. All you need to do is pick pressure cook and dial it down to the time you want. Enjoy!
KWalk says
well, it seems this was written with the thought that we all are a novice at the pressure cooker or instant pot….with the thought that we know how you are cooking these eggs with or with out a rack, either meat or egg. There seems to be some things left out here. HELP, I am new at this stuff, other wise, I will just boil my eggs the old fashion way and forget the gaps all together.