The Best Soft Boiled Egg Recipe
We have been perfecting soft-boiled eggs and poached eggs for years and although this cooking process might seem intimidating, we are here to show you just how easy it is! A soft-boiled egg, unlike a poached egg, retains its “egg” shape and, typically, the whites are fully cooked while the yolk is perfectly runny and just barely warm. But, you have control over what consistency you want. Follow along as we break down the perfect timing for your desired soft boiled egg.
Looking for More Ways to Cook an Egg?
Then you definitely need to try our Over Easy Eggs or Smoked Eggs!
Key Ingredient
- fresh eggs – it is highly recommended to use high-quality fresh eggs from the grocery store, trust us, it’s worth it!
How Long to Soft Boil An Egg
Cook Times For Soft Boiled Eggs
- 4 Minutes: peeling this egg is nearly impossible. If you do get it peeled, you will see that the whites are barely cooked (if that) and the yolk is raw and may not even be warm at this point.
- 5 Minutes: Peeling may still be an issue, but hopefully you can at least get the shell all the way off. Outer part of the white should be fully cooked and firm, but the inner layers of the whites will still be runny. Yolk is still completely runny and barely warm.
- 6 Minutes: This is what I did that got me the egg in the picture. Egg whites should be fully cooked with a jammy yolk in the middle. You are going to need a little bit of patience when peeling.
- 7 Minutes: the whites of the eggs are fully cooked. Outer part of yolk will start to firm up. At the very center, you will still have a softer yolk with a slightly runny center. Easy to peel.
- 8 Minutes: Whites fully cooked. At this amount of time the yolk is essentially fully cooked – the very center may be a little mushy, but it most likely won’t be runny at all at this point.
Pro Tip – What a Difference 1 Minute Can Make
Using an accurate timer when cooking soft boiled eggs is a must! Adjust the cook time by one minute more or one minute less can make a big difference. And be sure to always transfer the cooked eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking process when removed!
Best Ways To Serve Soft Boiled Eggs
There are so many great ways to serve a traditional soft boiled egg!
- Breakfast: on toast for breakfast with a sprinkle of everything but the bagel seasoning!
- Grain Bowls: highly recommend our Ground Beef Rice Bowl or our Lox Bagel Rice Bowl.
- Ramen: Curry Ramen, Pork Belly Ramen, Chicken Ramen, or slow cooker Beef Ramen.
After you cook your perfect soft boiled egg, we would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review. THANK YOU!
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How to Soft Boil an Egg
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 11 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: How-To
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our step-by-step tutorial on How to Soft-Boil and Egg gives you all the tips and tricks for a perfect egg every time!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- water
Instructions
- Boil: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Add the eggs with a slotted spoon and gently set them in the hot water. Reduce to a simmer and set a timer for the time that corresponds with your desired “doneness” (see Notes for timing) – we would recommend 6 minutes for a cooked white and runny yolk.
- Ice Bath: While the eggs are boiling, prepare an ice bath (bowl of cold water and ice). Once the eggs are done remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath. Let cool for 5-8 minutes (this will stop the eggs from continuing to cook).
- Crack + Peel: Carefully crack and peel the shell off each egg and enjoy any way you want!
Notes
- Timing:
- 4 Minutes: Almost impossible to peel. If you can get it peeled, you will see that the white part is barely cooked and the yolk is raw and may not even be warm at this point.
- 5 Minutes: Peeling may still be an issue, but hopefully you can at least get the shell all the way off. The outer part of the white should be fully cooked and firm, but the inner layers of the whites will still be runny. Yolk is still completely runny and barely warm.
- 6 Minutes: This is cook time used for the egg in the picture. The perfect jammy egg, in our opinion! Whites should be fully cooked and the yolk should be completely runny and warm.
- 7 Minutes: Whites fully cooked. Outer part of yolk will start to firm up. Very center of yolk may be a bit runny. Easy to peel.
- 8 Minutes: Whites fully cooked. Yolk is essentially fully cooked – the very center may be a little mushy, but it most likely won’t be runny at all at this point.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 egg
- Calories: 72
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 71 mg
- Fat: 4.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Cholesterol: 186 mg
Other Egg Recipes You Might Like
Originally posted March 5, 2017. Recipe has been retested and new photos added.
Ethelyn Dietrich says
I can never cook eggs properly. Sometimes more cooked and sometimes less cooked. I followed your recipe step by step and tried to soften the eggs. Great cooking. I was basically wrong to take the right ratio of eggs and water so maybe I could not cook my soft eggs perfect for this.