How Long to Boil an Egg: Soft, Medium & Hard Boiled Times

How Long to Boil an Egg — Quick Reference

The perfect boiled egg depends on one variable: time. Whether you want a runny yolk for dipping toast soldiers or a firm center for egg salad, hitting the right minute mark is everything.

Here's the definitive timing guide, starting from the moment you lower eggs into already-boiling water:

Doneness	Time	Yolk	Best For
Soft Boiled	6 minutes	Runny, liquid center	Toast soldiers, ramen, soft egg cups
Medium (Jammy)	8 minutes	Jammy, slightly soft center	Salads, grain bowls, avocado toast
Hard Boiled	10 minutes	Fully set, no green ring	Egg salad, deviled eggs, snacking
Extra Hard	12 minutes	Firm, dry center	Stuffed eggs, long storage

The Step-by-Step Method

1. Boil the water first. Fill a pot with enough water to cover the eggs by at least 2 cm. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. Lower eggs gently. Use a slotted spoon or spider to lower eggs into the boiling water. This prevents cracking from the temperature shock.
3. Set your timer immediately. The moment the eggs go in, start your timer. Maintain a gentle boil (not vigorous — that causes bouncing and cracking).
4. Prepare an ice bath. While eggs cook, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
5. Transfer to ice bath. When the timer goes off, immediately move eggs to the ice bath. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes. This stops the cooking and makes peeling much easier.
6. Peel under running water. Gently tap the egg on a hard surface, roll to crack the shell all over, then peel starting from the wider end (where the air pocket is). Running cold water under the shell helps separate it from the white.

Adjustments for Egg Size

The times above are for large eggs (60-65g) straight from the refrigerator. Adjust as follows:

• Medium eggs (50-55g): Subtract 1 minute from each timing
• Extra-large eggs (65-70g): Add 1 minute
• Room temperature eggs: Subtract 1 minute (they need less time since they start warmer)

Altitude Adjustments

Water boils at lower temperatures at high altitude, so eggs take longer to cook:

• Sea level to 600m (2,000 ft): Use standard times
• 600-1,500m (2,000-5,000 ft): Add 1-2 minutes
• Above 1,500m (5,000 ft): Add 3-4 minutes

Why the Ice Bath Matters

Skipping the ice bath is the most common mistake. Without it:

• The egg continues cooking from residual heat (carryover cooking), pushing your soft boiled egg into medium territory
• The sulfur in the yolk reacts with iron in the white, creating that unappetizing green-gray ring around the yolk
• The membrane between the shell and white bonds more tightly, making peeling a frustrating mess

How to Tell if a Boiled Egg Is Done (Without Cutting It)

Spin the egg on a flat surface. A hard boiled egg spins smoothly and quickly. A soft boiled egg wobbles and spins slowly because the liquid yolk shifts the center of gravity. This is the most reliable test without breaking the egg open.

Storage

• Hard boiled, in shell: Up to 7 days in the refrigerator
• Hard boiled, peeled: Up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a covered container
• Soft boiled: Best eaten immediately. Can be stored in shell for up to 2 days, but the yolk will continue to firm up slightly