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Eggs

Large eggs

Quick Answer

Eggs: soft boil for 6–7 min (Rolling boil → ice bath).

Cooking Methods

Rolling boil → ice bath6–7 min
✎ Runny, jammy yolk.

Rolling boil → ice bath10–12 min
✎ Set yolk. Ice bath 5 min.

Medium-Low3–5 min
Medium2–3 min
Burner Guide: Medium-low is the secret to creamy scrambles, high heat makes them rubbery. Stir constantly with a spatula, pushing curds from the edges to the center. Pull the pan OFF the heat when they're still slightly wet (they should look about 20% underdone). Carryover finishes them on the plate. Butter is good to add to the pan before your eggs. Not only does it add flavor but it helps you gauge temperature (if it browns, you're too hot).
✎ Pull off heat early — carryover finishes them.

Medium2–3 min
Medium-Low3–4 min
Burner Guide: Medium heat gives crispy edges without burning the butter. For over-easy, tilt the pan and spoon hot butter over the whites until set. Cooking on medium-low is more forgiving. It's slower but less chance of a rubbery bottom or burnt edges. Olive oil will give you crispier edges while butter will give you more flavor. The pro move is to use both.
✎ Butter or oil. Baste whites for over-easy.

Use large eggs, straight from the fridge or room temp. Room temperature eggs cook more evenly and are less likely to crack when dropped into boiling water — 15 minutes on the counter is enough. Fresh eggs (check the pack date, not the sell-by) poach and fry better because the whites hold together tighter. Older eggs are better for hard boiling because the air pocket grows over time, making them dramatically easier to peel. Store in the fridge, not the door (too much temperature fluctuation), and they'll keep 3-5 weeks past the pack date. If you're looking for a freshness hack: fresh eggs sink in water, old eggs float, semi-float means you should use them soon.

Eggs are the protein most people cook every single day and so you should know how to cook them. The difference between rubbery scrambled eggs and creamy ones is about 30 seconds and one heat tip; and the same applies to every method below. Whether you're chasing a jammy soft boil or a crispy-edged fried egg, it all comes down to time and temperature.

Food Safety

The FDA recommends cooking eggs to 160°F, which means fully set whites and yolks. That said, millions of people eat runny yolks every day (soft-boiled, over-easy, poached) and the actual risk is low with fresh, properly stored eggs. The concern about freshness is salmonella, which is present in roughly 1 in 20,000 commercially produced eggs. Pasteurized shell eggs (sold at most grocery stores, check the label) eliminate that risk entirely and can be used for runny preparations without concern. For anyone immunocompromised, pregnant, very young, or elderly, fully cooked eggs are the safer call. For everyone else, fresh eggs from a reputable source cooked to your preference is standard practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best tips for cooking eggs?
Room temp eggs cook more evenly. Older eggs peel easier when boiled.
How do you soft boil eggs?
Soft Boil at 6–7 min. Runny, jammy yolk.
How do you hard boil eggs?
Hard Boil at 10–12 min. Set yolk. Ice bath 5 min.
How do you scramble eggs?
Scramble at 3–5 min. Pull off heat early — carryover finishes them.
How do you fried eggs?
Fried at 2–3 min. Butter or oil. Baste whites for over-easy.
How do you poach eggs?
Poach at 3–4 min. Splash of vinegar. Fresh eggs hold shape best.