Easy Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

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ELIZABETH

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Making hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot is super easy! The complete method is below. Don’t have an Instant Pot? Use my boiled Easy-To-Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe for the stovetop instead.

Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs are super easy to make

Whether you’re enjoying them whole as a snack or chopping them up to add to a salad, the options are basically endless. While boiling eggs on the stovetop is traditional, Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs are the ideal no-fuss option.

With this recipe, you can place your eggs on the wire rack inside your Instant Pot, wait just a few minutes, and get perfectly delicious hard-boiled eggs every time.

This easy hard-boiled eggs recipe gives you all the scrumptious goodness that comes with this protein-packed snack without all the guesswork. With an Instant Pot, you can finally kiss the days of babysitting the stove goodbye.

I love easy Instant Pot recipes like this one because this awesome kitchen gadget takes care of all the tough stuff for you.

Not sure if your eggs are ready? Just wait for the Instant Pot’s cue. Want to make sure the eggs are cooking evenly? Your Instant Pot has got you covered, my friend.

Oh, and if that’s not enough of a reason to give this recipe a try, pressure-cooker eggs are super easy to peel. Hallelujah!

I recommend using this recipe for all of your hard-boiled egg needs. It’s an easy, hands-off method that creates perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs every time.

Give this method a go and let me know what you think. Pretty soon, you’ll be finding ways to add cooked eggs to all your favorite breakfast and lunch meals!

What You’ll Need

Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs truly couldn’t be any easier. Just like with your typical hard-boiled egg recipe, this recipe requires only two basic ingredients:

  • Eggs. I love how versatile this dish is. It works just as great with a single egg as it does with a dozen. Don’t be afraid to cook more eggs than you need—this healthy Instant Pot recipe is great for keeping on hand throughout the week.
  • Water. For a 6-quart Instant Pot, I recommend using 1 cup of water. For an 8-quart Instant Pot, use 1.5 cups of water.

How to Make Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

If you thought making hard-boiled eggs on the stove was easy, this recipe is going to rock your culinary world. All you have to do to make hard-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot is follow a few simple steps.

Step 1: Prepare the Instant Pot

Prepare the Instant Pot by placing 1 cup of COLD water in the inner pot. (Use 1.5 cups if you are using the XL 8-quart Instant Pot.) It doesn’t matter if you’re cooking eggs, chicken, or any other food, pressure cookers like the Instant Pot require at least 1 cup of liquid to come up to pressure.

Step 2: Add the Eggs

Place the trivet (the wire rack that came with your Instant Pot) in the bottom of the pot. (Or, you could use a silicone Instant Pot steamer basket if you have one on hand.) Then, place your eggs on top of it. Do NOT place the eggs directly on the bottom of the Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker), as they will crack. Close the line and set the Instant Pot valve to the “sealing” position.

Step 3: Cook the Eggs

Set the cooking time to 4 minutes and pressure cook the eggs on high pressure. (I’ve also done 5 minutes and both will work. But, why not save a minute?) Push the “pressure cook” button and adjust the timer (to 4 minutes) using the + or – buttons.

The Instant Pot will say it is on, and you don’t have to press anything else. Something to note: Instant Pot comes out with new models each year, so you might want to check your manual to learn how to best use your model.

If you have an “egg” setting, that will also work great (as I’m sure you can imagine).

However, a lot of models aren’t equipped with that setting. Another thing to note: It will take about 5-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.

The exact time is going to depend on your altitude and the climate. It will start counting down the 4 minutes once it comes to pressure.

Step 4: Release the Pressure

After cooking for 4 minutes, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will start counting the minutes upward during this natural release period.

While the eggs start on the natural release, you can start preparing an ice bath. To do so, simply put cold water and a few cups of ice into a bowl.

For 12 eggs, I’d recommend using a large bowl. However, if you have 6 eggs or less, a medium bowl will work just fine. Once 5 minutes have passed, use a long spoon or spatula to release the manual release valve.

Some people like to put a towel over the valve to catch some of the steam, but this isn’t necessary. Just be careful when manually releasing from an Instant Pot, and refer to your pressure cooker manually if needed.

Step 5: Transfer to an Ice Bath

Once the pin has dropped, unplug the Instant Pot and open it up. Remove the eggs from the pressure cooker and place them in the pre-prepared ice bath. As you can imagine, the eggs will be hot!

Therefore, I recommend using a potholder, silicone tongs, or a spoon to transfer the eggs. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for about 5-15 minutes. Then, dry them off and enjoy your perfect, easy-to-peel Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs.

Remember 4-5-5 to make Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

I simply remember 4-5-5; 4 minutes to cook, 5 minutes natural release, and a 5-minute ice bath. (Or 5-5-5, as I mentioned above, you can pressure cook for 5 minutes, too.) There will also be time for your pressure cooker to come up to pressure, so plan anywhere from 20- to 30-ish minutes to make these eggs.

Ways To Serve Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are a meal prep lover’s dream. From protein-packed snacks to on-the-go breakfasts, boiled eggs are incredibly versatile and offer tons of ways to enjoy them.

To put your Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs to good use, here are a few of my favorite ways to serve them:

  • Atop salads and bowls. Looking for a bit of protein, flavor, and texture to add to your salads and grain bowls? Well, hard-boiled eggs provide the trifecta. Use Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs to top off this Chopped Leftover Turkey Salad, this Fall Harvest Quinoa Bowl with Butternut Squash, or any other bowl your heart desires.
  • As deviled eggs. You can never go wrong with transforming your Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs into a delicious batch of Secretly Healthy Deviled Eggs. These are the ideal no-fuss appetizer for dinner parties and game days alike, and they’re seriously a breeze to make. Check out my post on How To Make Deviled Eggs in 3 Simple Steps.
  • On sandwiches and wraps. Hard-boiled eggs make a super easy protein source to throw on any of your favorite sandwiches or wraps. Tuck them in alongside some crunchy, fresh veggies and you will be good to go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs recipe:

How do you store hard-boiled eggs?

When stored properly, hard-boiled eggs can last in the fridge for up to a week. If you’re saving your hard-boiled eggs for later, then I recommend leaving the shells on for best results.

Then, you can store your eggs in a bag or bowl and pop them in the fridge to enjoy whenever you’re ready.

However, if you have already peeled your hard-boiled eggs, don’t worry. You can seal leftover peeled eggs in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze hard-boiled eggs?

If you’ve made more eggs than you can eat in a week, you’re not out of luck. While I don’t recommend freezing the white part of hard-boiled eggs, you can freeze the yolks.

Seal them up in an airtight storage container or bag, then you can pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How can I make soft-cooked eggs in an Instant Pot?

If you prefer your egg yolks runny or jammy, then I’ve got you covered. Just as you can hard-boil eggs in an Instant Pot, you can use your pressure cooker to soft-cook them as well.

For an ultra-runny yolk with the whites mostly set, I recommend cooking your eggs for about 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, perform a quick release (as opposed to a natural release), then place your eggs into the ice bath. That’s it!

How many eggs can you hard boil in an Instant Pot?

The number of eggs you can boil depends on the size of your Instant Pot. I find that a 6-quart Instant Pot can cook as many as 10-12 large eggs in a single layer.

More Healthy Egg Recipes You’ll Love

Looking for more delicious healthy recipes with eggs? Try these next:

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Egg recipes

Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Elizabeth Rider
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1-12 eggs 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Pressure cook
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Once you try Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs, you’ll never want to prepare them any other way. This easy recipe yields perfectly cooked eggs every time for delicious snacks and on-the-go breakfasts. The time can vary depending on your altitude and climate, so read the details in this post and the note below until you get the hang of using your Instant Pot.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 112 eggs
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Instant Pot by placing 1 cup of COLD water in the inner pot. It doesn’t matter if you’re cooking eggs, chicken, or any other food, pressure cookers require at least 1 cup of liquid to come up to pressure.
  2. Place the wire rack that came with your Instant Pot in the bottom of the pot. (Or, you could use a silicone Instant Pot steamer basket if you have one on hand.) Then, place your eggs on top of it. Do NOT place the eggs directly on the bottom of the pot, as they will crack. Close the line and set the Instant Pot valve to the “sealing” position.
  3. Set the cooking time to 4 minutes and pressure cook the eggs on high pressure. (I’ve also done 5 minutes and both will work. But, why not save a minute?) Push the “pressure cook” button and adjust the timer (to 4 minutes) using the + or – buttons. The Instant Pot will say it is on, and you don’t have to press anything else. Something to note: Instant Pot comes out with new models each year, so you might want to check your manual to learn how to best use your model. If you have an “egg” setting, that will also work great (as I’m sure you can imagine). However, a lot of models aren’t equipped with that setting. Another thing to note: It will take about 5-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. The exact time is going to depend on your altitude and the climate. It will start counting down the 4 minutes once it comes to pressure.
  4. After cooking for 4 minutes, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will start counting the minutes upward during this natural release period. While the eggs start on the natural release, you can start preparing an ice bath. To do so, simply put cold water and a few cups of ice into a bowl. For 12 eggs, I’d recommend using a large bowl. However, if you have 6 eggs or less, a medium bowl will work just fine. Once 5 minutes have passed, use a long spoon or spatula to release the manual release valve. (Some people like to put a towel over the valve to catch some of the steam, although this isn’t necessary.) Just be careful when manually releasing from an Instant Pot, and refer to your pressure cooker manually if needed.
  5. Once the pin has dropped, unplug the Instant Pot and open it up. Remove the eggs from the pressure cooker and place them in the pre-prepared ice bath. As you can imagine, the eggs will be hot! Therefore, I recommend using a potholder, silicone tongs, or a spoon to transfer the eggs. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for about 5-15 minutes. Then, dry them off and enjoy your perfect, easy-to-peel Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs.

Notes

  • *Time Note: I simply remember 4-5-5; 4 minutes to cook, 5 minutes natural release, and a 5-minute ice bath. (Or 5-5-5, as I mentioned above, you can pressure cook for 5 minutes, too.) There will also be time for your pressure cooker to come up to pressure, so plan anywhere from 20- to 30-ish minutes to make these eggs.
  • If you’re using the XL 8-quart Instant Pot, use 1.5 cups water.

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  1. John Egbert says:

    I tried your insta pot recipe for making hard-boiled eggs . Worked great.Also tried your recipe for pickled eggs and beets , very easy and they are good thank you.happy easter John Egbert.






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