FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

  • Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • The Best Way To Boil Eggs
  • How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling
  • How Long To Boil Eggs?
  • Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart
  • Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Storage Tips
  • Hard Boiled Egg Recipes
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs (Perfect Yolks!) Recipe card
  • Recipe Reviews

Since eggs are my favorite food ever, boiled eggs were one of the first foods I learned to make as a kid. But, I refined my favorite method for these easy peel hard boiled eggs only a few years ago. As a scientist at heart, it was really fun for me to do the testing for this “recipe”. I went through dozens of cartons to get the perfect hard boiled eggs at different doneness levels… and a couple batches of oven baked bacon and air fryer bacon to go with them. 😉

So even if you already know how to boil eggs — and I know many of you do — I hope you’ll learn something new. Because if you want easy to peel boiled eggs, the method does make a difference, and every minute counts for the end result. I have a time chart to make this easy!

Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Maya in the kitchen. - 1
  • Perfectly cooked to your liking (see the time chart below!)
  • Works for soft boiled or hard boiled eggs
  • Quick and easy — it’s the fastest stovetop method!
  • No specialty ingredients or special equipment needed
  • Makes perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs every time
Maya's signature. - 2 Perfect hard boiled eggs scattered on a white surface - 3

The Best Way To Boil Eggs

There are two main ways to make perfect hard boiled eggs on the stove:

  • Most common method – Bring the water with the eggs, then turn off the heat, close the lid, and let them cook in the residual heat . This method works fine, but it takes longer, because the water stops boiling. I’m not a patient person, so I prefer the second way.
  • The best method – Once the water comes to a boil, you set a timer and cook them for exactly the number of minutes needed for the level of doneness you want. The key difference is you boil them the whole time , so they are done more quickly. Yay for having faster, perfect boiled eggs!

There are actually lots of other ways to boil eggs. People do it in a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or even air fryer boiled eggs and oven boiled eggs . Still, my go-to way to make easy peel hard boiled eggs is the stove. It’s super easy, no fuss or equipment required, and fast .

How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling

This section shows how to make perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

  1. Submerge eggs in water. Place your eggs in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least an inch of water above them.
TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water. - 4

TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water.

This will ensure they don’t break.

  1. Add salt and vinegar. Stir gently, being careful not to disturb the eggs too much.
  2. Boil eggs. Place the pan on the stove over high heat and bring the pot of water to a rolling boil. Then, set a timer and use the boiled eggs time chart below to get the eggs done to your liking.
  3. Plunge in cold water or an ice bath. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. (Alternatively, you can also just use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water, as shown below.) Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.
Stirring salt and vinegar in the saucepan. - 5 Boiled eggs plunged in ice water. - 6

How Long To Boil Eggs?

The time to boil eggs depends on how you want them done. After the water starts boiling, a good estimate is 7-10 minutes for hard boiled eggs and 1-2 minutes for soft boiled eggs , without removing from heat.

Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart

Now that you know the tricks for easy peel boiled eggs, just follow the cook times in this boiled egg time chart to get the doneness you want:

Boiling TimeResult
1 minuteVery runny soft boiled eggs
2 minutesRunny soft boiled eggs
3 minutesVery gooey medium boiled eggs
4 minutesGooey medium boiled eggs
5 minutesJust set medium boiled eggs
6 minutesMedium-hard boiled eggs
7 minutesVery creamy hard boiled eggs
8 minutesCreamy hard boiled eggs
9 minutesFirm hard boiled eggs
10 minutesVery firm hard boiled eggs

A few important notes about this:

  • The times above are how long to boil eggs after the water has reached a rolling boil , and you place the eggs in cold water before bringing it to a boil . If you use some other method, such as adding the eggs to the water after it’s already boiling (don’t recommend), or removing from heat once the water boils, they will take longer.
  • My time chart is based on large eggs . It will take a little longer to get to the same level of doneness with extra large or jumbo eggs, or quicker if you have medium eggs.
  • Plunging eggs into cold or ice water after boiling is crucial. If you skip this step, your eggs will be overcooked, even if you follow the times above.

Here is a visual showing how my easy peel boiled eggs looked after 1 minute, all the way to 10 minutes:

Hard boiled egg time chart. - 7 Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs - 8

Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Before I figured out how to peel hard boiled eggs, the process drove me crazy. Fortunately, after some testing, I found a sure, foolproof method. Here is how to make hard boiled eggs easy to peel every time:

  • Use eggs that are a few days old. Fresh eggs are slightly less acidic, so the white sticks to the inner shell more. With older eggs, the shell absorbs more air, becomes more acidic, and also shrinks slightly. All of these aspects create more space between the shell membrane (that covers the egg white) and the shell itself. That means easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Start with cold water. This is sometimes called “cold start” and helps ensure that the boiled eggs are easy to peel. In contrast, using warm or hot water is called “hot start” and will increase the chances that the shell will stick to the membrane.
  • Add salt and vinegar to the water. Salting the water accomplishes a few things: It increases the temperature of the boiling water (so the egg white cooks a little faster and the yolk doesn’t overcook); it helps seal any small cracks or leaks; and a tiny bit permeates the egg shell, which makes for easy peel eggs. The vinegar helps with peeling as well, because it softens the shell. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work. Some people swear that adding baking soda helps to make eggs easier to peel. I tried it, but it didn’t make any difference. The salt and vinegar did.
  • Plunge the eggs in ice water. This stops the cooking process from residual heat, so you don’t end up with overcooked eggs. Also, some of the water permeates the shell, which helps loosen the bond to the egg white and makes the boiled eggs easy to peel.
  • Roll the egg on the counter. I’ve tried different techniques for peeling boiled eggs, and this one wins compared to starting at one end. Simply roll the egg on the counter with the palm of your hand, creating cracks all over the widest part. Then, start peeling at one of the cracks toward the center of the egg, and the shell will come off from there.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with shell partially removed. - 9

Storage Tips

  • When to peel: The soonest time to easily peel eggs is after they have sat in cold or ice water for 10 minutes. If you won’t eat them right away, it’s best not to peel them, because they will last longer with the shell than without. However, if you still prefer to peel your eggs all at once, you can.
  • Storage: Hard boiled eggs are okay at room temperature for a couple hours, but beyond that, store them in the refrigerator (unpeeled if possible). Boiled eggs in the shell will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Without the shell (store submerged in water or draped with a wet paper towel and change daily), they will last for up to 5 days.
  • Reheating: You can reheat boiled eggs, but don’t use the microwave or they will explode. Instead, place the egg(s) into a glass bowl and add boiling water to submerge. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes, then remove and enjoy!
  • Freezing: Don’t do it — it ruins the texture of the egg white! If you really want to, you can freeze just the yolks for up to 3 months.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with fresh cracked black pepper. - 10

Hard Boiled Egg Recipes

Now that you know how to boil eggs perfectly (and peel them easily) every time, I hope you’ll make them more often! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them:

  • Salt & Pepper – When you have that blissful creamy yolk, that’s all you need to enjoy perfect boiled eggs.
  • Deviled Eggs – My fave is simple deviled eggs with bacon or basic deviled eggs , but they are also delicious with salmon lox on top or avocado mashed in.
  • Egg Salad – Either a classic egg salad or avocado egg salad , or mix with proteins, such as tuna salad with egg or ham salad . These types of salads use a lot of eggs, so you’ll definitely want to use this method for easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Other Salads – Boiled eggs work well in cauliflower potato salad (a healthier alternative to potato salad) or seven-layer salad . For meal salad options, try a cobb salad or chef salad .
  • Soft Boiled Egg Soldiers – Dunk cheese sticks or veggies into a soft boiled egg. (You can also do this with oven baked eggs !)
  • Breakfast Sandwich – Layer sliced hard boiled eggs, cheese, and bacon on your favorite bagel. I often use low carb bagels , but any kind you like will do.

My Favorite Tools

  • Saucepan – This one heats evenly and is a great universal size for boiling eggs.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – This kitchen staple is useful for so many recipes, and will make for easy to peel hard boiled eggs.
  • Sea Salt – Not all salt is created equal! This one is easy to pinch and full of naturally occuring minerals. It’s also a must for both cooking and eating your boiled eggs.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

  • 8 large Eggs (or any number you want) ▢
  • 4 cups Water (or enough to cover eggs in the pan) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Sea salt ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly:

  1. Place eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a large saucepan or pot. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of water over them.
  2. Add a tablespoon (15 mL) of vinegar and a tablespoon (14 g) of sea salt to the pot. Stir gently.
  3. Place the pan onto the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
  4. Once the water is boiling, set a timer to the following number of minutes based on how you want your eggs. 1 minute – Very runny soft boiled eggs 2 minutes – Runny soft boiled eggs 3 minutes – Very gooey medium boiled eggs 4 minutes – Gooey medium boiled eggs 5 minutes – Just set medium boiled eggs 6 minutes – Medium-hard boiled eggs 7 minutes – Very creamy hard boiled eggs 8 minutes – Creamy hard boiled eggs 9 minutes – Firm hard boiled eggs 10 minutes – Very firm hard boiled eggs
  5. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.

How To Peel Boiled Eggs Easily:

  1. Once the eggs are at room temperature (but not colder), you can peel them.
  2. To peel an egg, roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand, pressing gently to make cracks all over the shell. The peel will come right off!
  3. If not using right away, see notes in the post above about how to store hard boiled eggs and when to peel them.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 egg

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly (Easy Peel)

How to boil eggs that are easy to peel - time chart pin - 11

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

  • Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
  • The Basic Keto Meal Formula
  • Understanding Macros
  • Keto Food Swaps
  • Keto Food List
  • Electrolyte Basics
  • Keto Diet Types
  • Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
  • Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Keto Cheat Sheet System - printable pdf's and ebooks - 12

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

  1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
  2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
  3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
  4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
  5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
  6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
  7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
  8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
  9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Pick A ProteinPick A VeggieAdd Fat
Beef Chicken Pork Eggs Lamb Turkey Fish Shellfish Protein powder VenisonCauliflower Broccoli Zucchini Leafy Greens Cucumbers Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Asparagus Radishes Bell Peppers Jicama CeleryButter Avocado Oil Cheese Bacon Avocado Lard Ghee Mayo Nuts MCT Oil

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Instead Of This…Eat This
PancakesAlmond flour pancakes or coconut flour pancakes
OatmealKeto oatmeal with hemp seeds
Cinnamon rollsFathead cinnamon rolls
CerealKeto nut granola
MuffinsAlmond flour muffins or coconut flour muffins
DonutsAlmond flour donuts
SconesAlmond flour scones
High-sugar smoothiesSmoothie with berries or avocado
Hash brownsCauliflower hash browns
Breakfast casseroleBreakfast casserole with no potatoes
Egg whitesWhole eggs
Turkey baconBacon
WafflesChaffles
Keto food swaps - breakfast - 13

Keto Swaps For Bread

Instead Of This…Eat This
BagelsFathead bagels
English muffinAlmond flour English muffin
White breadKeto white bread
Multigrain breadCoconut flour bread with seeds
Tortillas for wrapsCoconut flour tortillas
Corn taco shellsCheddar cheese taco shells
Burger bunsOopsie rolls , portobello mushroom caps
BreadsticksCauliflower breadsticks
BiscuitsAlmond flour biscuits
CornbreadAlmond flour cornbread
CroutonsParmesan crisps
RiceCauliflower rice , konjac rice
Keto food swaps - bread and grains - 14

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Instead Of This…Eat This
Breaded wingsCrispy air fryer wings (unbreaded)
Low-fat meat & poultryHigh-fat cuts, or cook low-fat cuts with fat
Mashed potatoesMashed cauliflower
Roasted potatoesRoasted or fried radishes
TacosTaco salad
PizzaFathead crust , chicken crust , or cauliflower crust pizza
LasagnaEggplant lasagna
Potato saladCauliflower “potato” salad
French friesJicama , rutabaga , or zucchini fries
Tater totsCauliflower tots
WrapsLettuce wraps , almond flour tortillas
SushiNaruto-style or homemade rice-free sushi
Breaded chicken or fishBreaded cuts with almond flour or pork rinds
SpaghettiZoodles , spaghetti squash , shirataki noodles, kelp noodles
Keto food swaps - meals and sides - 15

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Instead Of This…Eat This
NachosCheese crisps
High-sugar fruitBerries & other keto fruits
CrackersAlmond flour crackers
HummusCauliflower hummus
Soft pretzelsFathead pretzels
PopcornPuffed cheese
Granola barsGrain-free granola bars
JamSugar-free berry chia jam
Sweet fruity yogurtFull-fat plain Greek yogurt with berries
Sweet salad dressingRanch , blue cheese , or plain vinaigrette
KetchupMustard and/or sugar-free ketchup
BBQ sauceSugar-free BBQ sauce
Sweetened peanut butterNatural, sugar-free nut butters
Light mayoAvocado oil mayo
Maple syrupSugar-free, maple flavored syrup
Potato chipsZucchini chips , pepperoni chips , pork rinds
Keto food swaps - snacks and sauces - 16

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Instead Of This…Eat This
SugarMonk fruit or allulose
Powdered sugarPowdered monk fruit or allulose
White flourAlmond or Coconut flour (use in tested recipes)
Making baked goods soft/chewyXanthan gum, flax seed meal, psyllium husk powder
BreadcrumbsPork rinds or almond flour
MargarineButter, coconut oil, or ghee
Vegetable oilOlive or avocado oil
BananasBanana extract
Chocolate chipsSugar-free chocolate chips
Cornstarch or flour rouxXanthan gum or gelatin powder (used at the end)
Simple syrupDissolve monk fruit allulose blend in water over heat
Keto food swaps - baking and cooking - 17

Keto Swaps For Drinks

Instead Of This…Eat This
LemonadeWater with lemon
SodaFlavored sparkling water
MilkAlmond milk, coconut milk, heavy cream
LatteButter coffee
Coffee creamerHeavy cream
Sweet wineDry wine
BeerUltra light beer
Mixed drinksHard liquor with soda + lemon

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto food swaps - drinks - 18

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Keto foods to eat and avoid summary - 19

Foods To Eat On Keto

  • Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
  • Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
  • Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
  • Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
  • Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
  • Avocados
  • Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
  • Almond flour and coconut flour
  • Eggs
  • Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

  • White flour & sugar
  • Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
  • Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
  • Cereal
  • Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
  • Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
  • Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
  • Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
  • Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
  • Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Keto Cheat Sheet System - printable pdf's and ebooks - 20

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

SodiumMagnesiumPotassium
Bone broth Boullion cubes Bacon Salted nuts PicklesSeaweed Seeds Nuts Avocado Leafy greensPotassium chloride Avocado Bone broth Spinach Broccoli Mushrooms Beef Pork

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

  • Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
  • Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
  • Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
  • Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

  1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
  2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
  3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
  4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
  5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
  6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
  7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
  8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
  9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.
Keto Cheat Sheet System - printable pdf's and ebooks - 21

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs (Perfect Yolks!)

Perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs on a plate. - 22

Learn how to boil eggs perfectly, with time chart for perfect yolks! Get easy peel hard boiled eggs every time using this fast simple method.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/how-to-boil-eggs-easy-peel/

Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs - 23 Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs - 24 Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs - 25

Ingredients

  • 8 large Eggs (or any number you want)
  • 4 cups Water (or enough to cover eggs in the pan)
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
  • 1 tbsp Sea salt

Instructions

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly:

  1. Place eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a large saucepan or pot. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of water over them.
  2. Add a tablespoon (15 mL) of vinegar and a tablespoon (14 g) of sea salt to the pot. Stir gently.
  3. Place the pan onto the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
  4. Once the water is boiling, set a timer to the following number of minutes based on how you want your eggs. 1 minute - Very runny soft boiled eggs 2 minutes - Runny soft boiled eggs 3 minutes - Very gooey medium boiled eggs 4 minutes - Gooey medium boiled eggs 5 minutes - Just set medium boiled eggs 6 minutes - Medium-hard boiled eggs 7 minutes - Very creamy hard boiled eggs 8 minutes - Creamy hard boiled eggs 9 minutes - Firm hard boiled eggs 10 minutes - Very firm hard boiled eggs
  5. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.

How To Peel Boiled Eggs Easily:

  1. Once the eggs are at room temperature (but not colder), you can peel them.
  2. To peel an egg, roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand, pressing gently to make cracks all over the shell. The peel will come right off!
  3. If not using right away, see notes in the post above about how to store hard boiled eggs and when to peel them.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 egg

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)

FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

  • Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • The Best Way To Boil Eggs
  • How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling
  • How Long To Boil Eggs?
  • Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart
  • Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Storage Tips
  • Hard Boiled Egg Recipes
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs (Perfect Yolks!) Recipe card
  • Recipe Reviews

Since eggs are my favorite food ever, boiled eggs were one of the first foods I learned to make as a kid. But, I refined my favorite method for these easy peel hard boiled eggs only a few years ago. As a scientist at heart, it was really fun for me to do the testing for this “recipe”. I went through dozens of cartons to get the perfect hard boiled eggs at different doneness levels… and a couple batches of oven baked bacon and air fryer bacon to go with them. 😉

So even if you already know how to boil eggs — and I know many of you do — I hope you’ll learn something new. Because if you want easy to peel boiled eggs, the method does make a difference, and every minute counts for the end result. I have a time chart to make this easy!

Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Maya in the kitchen. - 26
  • Perfectly cooked to your liking (see the time chart below!)
  • Works for soft boiled or hard boiled eggs
  • Quick and easy — it’s the fastest stovetop method!
  • No specialty ingredients or special equipment needed
  • Makes perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs every time
Maya's signature. - 27 Perfect hard boiled eggs scattered on a white surface - 28

The Best Way To Boil Eggs

There are two main ways to make perfect hard boiled eggs on the stove:

  • Most common method – Bring the water with the eggs, then turn off the heat, close the lid, and let them cook in the residual heat . This method works fine, but it takes longer, because the water stops boiling. I’m not a patient person, so I prefer the second way.
  • The best method – Once the water comes to a boil, you set a timer and cook them for exactly the number of minutes needed for the level of doneness you want. The key difference is you boil them the whole time , so they are done more quickly. Yay for having faster, perfect boiled eggs!

There are actually lots of other ways to boil eggs. People do it in a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or even air fryer boiled eggs and oven boiled eggs . Still, my go-to way to make easy peel hard boiled eggs is the stove. It’s super easy, no fuss or equipment required, and fast .

How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling

This section shows how to make perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

  1. Submerge eggs in water. Place your eggs in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least an inch of water above them.
TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water. - 29

TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water.

This will ensure they don’t break.

  1. Add salt and vinegar. Stir gently, being careful not to disturb the eggs too much.
  2. Boil eggs. Place the pan on the stove over high heat and bring the pot of water to a rolling boil. Then, set a timer and use the boiled eggs time chart below to get the eggs done to your liking.
  3. Plunge in cold water or an ice bath. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. (Alternatively, you can also just use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water, as shown below.) Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.
Stirring salt and vinegar in the saucepan. - 30 Boiled eggs plunged in ice water. - 31

How Long To Boil Eggs?

The time to boil eggs depends on how you want them done. After the water starts boiling, a good estimate is 7-10 minutes for hard boiled eggs and 1-2 minutes for soft boiled eggs , without removing from heat.

Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart

Now that you know the tricks for easy peel boiled eggs, just follow the cook times in this boiled egg time chart to get the doneness you want:

Boiling TimeResult
1 minuteVery runny soft boiled eggs
2 minutesRunny soft boiled eggs
3 minutesVery gooey medium boiled eggs
4 minutesGooey medium boiled eggs
5 minutesJust set medium boiled eggs
6 minutesMedium-hard boiled eggs
7 minutesVery creamy hard boiled eggs
8 minutesCreamy hard boiled eggs
9 minutesFirm hard boiled eggs
10 minutesVery firm hard boiled eggs

A few important notes about this:

  • The times above are how long to boil eggs after the water has reached a rolling boil , and you place the eggs in cold water before bringing it to a boil . If you use some other method, such as adding the eggs to the water after it’s already boiling (don’t recommend), or removing from heat once the water boils, they will take longer.
  • My time chart is based on large eggs . It will take a little longer to get to the same level of doneness with extra large or jumbo eggs, or quicker if you have medium eggs.
  • Plunging eggs into cold or ice water after boiling is crucial. If you skip this step, your eggs will be overcooked, even if you follow the times above.

Here is a visual showing how my easy peel boiled eggs looked after 1 minute, all the way to 10 minutes:

Hard boiled egg time chart. - 32 Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs - 33

Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Before I figured out how to peel hard boiled eggs, the process drove me crazy. Fortunately, after some testing, I found a sure, foolproof method. Here is how to make hard boiled eggs easy to peel every time:

  • Use eggs that are a few days old. Fresh eggs are slightly less acidic, so the white sticks to the inner shell more. With older eggs, the shell absorbs more air, becomes more acidic, and also shrinks slightly. All of these aspects create more space between the shell membrane (that covers the egg white) and the shell itself. That means easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Start with cold water. This is sometimes called “cold start” and helps ensure that the boiled eggs are easy to peel. In contrast, using warm or hot water is called “hot start” and will increase the chances that the shell will stick to the membrane.
  • Add salt and vinegar to the water. Salting the water accomplishes a few things: It increases the temperature of the boiling water (so the egg white cooks a little faster and the yolk doesn’t overcook); it helps seal any small cracks or leaks; and a tiny bit permeates the egg shell, which makes for easy peel eggs. The vinegar helps with peeling as well, because it softens the shell. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work. Some people swear that adding baking soda helps to make eggs easier to peel. I tried it, but it didn’t make any difference. The salt and vinegar did.
  • Plunge the eggs in ice water. This stops the cooking process from residual heat, so you don’t end up with overcooked eggs. Also, some of the water permeates the shell, which helps loosen the bond to the egg white and makes the boiled eggs easy to peel.
  • Roll the egg on the counter. I’ve tried different techniques for peeling boiled eggs, and this one wins compared to starting at one end. Simply roll the egg on the counter with the palm of your hand, creating cracks all over the widest part. Then, start peeling at one of the cracks toward the center of the egg, and the shell will come off from there.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with shell partially removed. - 34

Storage Tips

  • When to peel: The soonest time to easily peel eggs is after they have sat in cold or ice water for 10 minutes. If you won’t eat them right away, it’s best not to peel them, because they will last longer with the shell than without. However, if you still prefer to peel your eggs all at once, you can.
  • Storage: Hard boiled eggs are okay at room temperature for a couple hours, but beyond that, store them in the refrigerator (unpeeled if possible). Boiled eggs in the shell will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Without the shell (store submerged in water or draped with a wet paper towel and change daily), they will last for up to 5 days.
  • Reheating: You can reheat boiled eggs, but don’t use the microwave or they will explode. Instead, place the egg(s) into a glass bowl and add boiling water to submerge. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes, then remove and enjoy!
  • Freezing: Don’t do it — it ruins the texture of the egg white! If you really want to, you can freeze just the yolks for up to 3 months.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with fresh cracked black pepper. - 35

Hard Boiled Egg Recipes

Now that you know how to boil eggs perfectly (and peel them easily) every time, I hope you’ll make them more often! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them:

  • Salt & Pepper – When you have that blissful creamy yolk, that’s all you need to enjoy perfect boiled eggs.
  • Deviled Eggs – My fave is simple deviled eggs with bacon or basic deviled eggs , but they are also delicious with salmon lox on top or avocado mashed in.
  • Egg Salad – Either a classic egg salad or avocado egg salad , or mix with proteins, such as tuna salad with egg or ham salad . These types of salads use a lot of eggs, so you’ll definitely want to use this method for easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Other Salads – Boiled eggs work well in cauliflower potato salad (a healthier alternative to potato salad) or seven-layer salad . For meal salad options, try a cobb salad or chef salad .
  • Soft Boiled Egg Soldiers – Dunk cheese sticks or veggies into a soft boiled egg. (You can also do this with oven baked eggs !)
  • Breakfast Sandwich – Layer sliced hard boiled eggs, cheese, and bacon on your favorite bagel. I often use low carb bagels , but any kind you like will do.

My Favorite Tools

  • Saucepan – This one heats evenly and is a great universal size for boiling eggs.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – This kitchen staple is useful for so many recipes, and will make for easy to peel hard boiled eggs.
  • Sea Salt – Not all salt is created equal! This one is easy to pinch and full of naturally occuring minerals. It’s also a must for both cooking and eating your boiled eggs.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

  • 8 large Eggs (or any number you want) ▢
  • 4 cups Water (or enough to cover eggs in the pan) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Sea salt ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly:

  1. Place eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a large saucepan or pot. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of water over them.
  2. Add a tablespoon (15 mL) of vinegar and a tablespoon (14 g) of sea salt to the pot. Stir gently.
  3. Place the pan onto the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
  4. Once the water is boiling, set a timer to the following number of minutes based on how you want your eggs. 1 minute – Very runny soft boiled eggs 2 minutes – Runny soft boiled eggs 3 minutes – Very gooey medium boiled eggs 4 minutes – Gooey medium boiled eggs 5 minutes – Just set medium boiled eggs 6 minutes – Medium-hard boiled eggs 7 minutes – Very creamy hard boiled eggs 8 minutes – Creamy hard boiled eggs 9 minutes – Firm hard boiled eggs 10 minutes – Very firm hard boiled eggs
  5. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.

How To Peel Boiled Eggs Easily:

  1. Once the eggs are at room temperature (but not colder), you can peel them.
  2. To peel an egg, roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand, pressing gently to make cracks all over the shell. The peel will come right off!
  3. If not using right away, see notes in the post above about how to store hard boiled eggs and when to peel them.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 egg

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly (Easy Peel)

How to boil eggs that are easy to peel - time chart pin - 36

FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

  • Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • The Best Way To Boil Eggs
  • How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling
  • How Long To Boil Eggs?
  • Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart
  • Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Storage Tips
  • Hard Boiled Egg Recipes
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs (Perfect Yolks!) Recipe card
  • Recipe Reviews

Since eggs are my favorite food ever, boiled eggs were one of the first foods I learned to make as a kid. But, I refined my favorite method for these easy peel hard boiled eggs only a few years ago. As a scientist at heart, it was really fun for me to do the testing for this “recipe”. I went through dozens of cartons to get the perfect hard boiled eggs at different doneness levels… and a couple batches of oven baked bacon and air fryer bacon to go with them. 😉

So even if you already know how to boil eggs — and I know many of you do — I hope you’ll learn something new. Because if you want easy to peel boiled eggs, the method does make a difference, and every minute counts for the end result. I have a time chart to make this easy!

Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Maya in the kitchen. - 37
  • Perfectly cooked to your liking (see the time chart below!)
  • Works for soft boiled or hard boiled eggs
  • Quick and easy — it’s the fastest stovetop method!
  • No specialty ingredients or special equipment needed
  • Makes perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs every time
Maya's signature. - 38 Perfect hard boiled eggs scattered on a white surface - 39

The Best Way To Boil Eggs

There are two main ways to make perfect hard boiled eggs on the stove:

  • Most common method – Bring the water with the eggs, then turn off the heat, close the lid, and let them cook in the residual heat . This method works fine, but it takes longer, because the water stops boiling. I’m not a patient person, so I prefer the second way.
  • The best method – Once the water comes to a boil, you set a timer and cook them for exactly the number of minutes needed for the level of doneness you want. The key difference is you boil them the whole time , so they are done more quickly. Yay for having faster, perfect boiled eggs!

There are actually lots of other ways to boil eggs. People do it in a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or even air fryer boiled eggs and oven boiled eggs . Still, my go-to way to make easy peel hard boiled eggs is the stove. It’s super easy, no fuss or equipment required, and fast .

How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling

This section shows how to make perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

  1. Submerge eggs in water. Place your eggs in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least an inch of water above them.
TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water. - 40

TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water.

This will ensure they don’t break.

  1. Add salt and vinegar. Stir gently, being careful not to disturb the eggs too much.
  2. Boil eggs. Place the pan on the stove over high heat and bring the pot of water to a rolling boil. Then, set a timer and use the boiled eggs time chart below to get the eggs done to your liking.
  3. Plunge in cold water or an ice bath. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. (Alternatively, you can also just use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water, as shown below.) Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.
Stirring salt and vinegar in the saucepan. - 41 Boiled eggs plunged in ice water. - 42

How Long To Boil Eggs?

The time to boil eggs depends on how you want them done. After the water starts boiling, a good estimate is 7-10 minutes for hard boiled eggs and 1-2 minutes for soft boiled eggs , without removing from heat.

Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart

Now that you know the tricks for easy peel boiled eggs, just follow the cook times in this boiled egg time chart to get the doneness you want:

Boiling TimeResult
1 minuteVery runny soft boiled eggs
2 minutesRunny soft boiled eggs
3 minutesVery gooey medium boiled eggs
4 minutesGooey medium boiled eggs
5 minutesJust set medium boiled eggs
6 minutesMedium-hard boiled eggs
7 minutesVery creamy hard boiled eggs
8 minutesCreamy hard boiled eggs
9 minutesFirm hard boiled eggs
10 minutesVery firm hard boiled eggs

A few important notes about this:

  • The times above are how long to boil eggs after the water has reached a rolling boil , and you place the eggs in cold water before bringing it to a boil . If you use some other method, such as adding the eggs to the water after it’s already boiling (don’t recommend), or removing from heat once the water boils, they will take longer.
  • My time chart is based on large eggs . It will take a little longer to get to the same level of doneness with extra large or jumbo eggs, or quicker if you have medium eggs.
  • Plunging eggs into cold or ice water after boiling is crucial. If you skip this step, your eggs will be overcooked, even if you follow the times above.

Here is a visual showing how my easy peel boiled eggs looked after 1 minute, all the way to 10 minutes:

Hard boiled egg time chart. - 43 Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs - 44

Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Before I figured out how to peel hard boiled eggs, the process drove me crazy. Fortunately, after some testing, I found a sure, foolproof method. Here is how to make hard boiled eggs easy to peel every time:

  • Use eggs that are a few days old. Fresh eggs are slightly less acidic, so the white sticks to the inner shell more. With older eggs, the shell absorbs more air, becomes more acidic, and also shrinks slightly. All of these aspects create more space between the shell membrane (that covers the egg white) and the shell itself. That means easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Start with cold water. This is sometimes called “cold start” and helps ensure that the boiled eggs are easy to peel. In contrast, using warm or hot water is called “hot start” and will increase the chances that the shell will stick to the membrane.
  • Add salt and vinegar to the water. Salting the water accomplishes a few things: It increases the temperature of the boiling water (so the egg white cooks a little faster and the yolk doesn’t overcook); it helps seal any small cracks or leaks; and a tiny bit permeates the egg shell, which makes for easy peel eggs. The vinegar helps with peeling as well, because it softens the shell. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work. Some people swear that adding baking soda helps to make eggs easier to peel. I tried it, but it didn’t make any difference. The salt and vinegar did.
  • Plunge the eggs in ice water. This stops the cooking process from residual heat, so you don’t end up with overcooked eggs. Also, some of the water permeates the shell, which helps loosen the bond to the egg white and makes the boiled eggs easy to peel.
  • Roll the egg on the counter. I’ve tried different techniques for peeling boiled eggs, and this one wins compared to starting at one end. Simply roll the egg on the counter with the palm of your hand, creating cracks all over the widest part. Then, start peeling at one of the cracks toward the center of the egg, and the shell will come off from there.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with shell partially removed. - 45

Storage Tips

  • When to peel: The soonest time to easily peel eggs is after they have sat in cold or ice water for 10 minutes. If you won’t eat them right away, it’s best not to peel them, because they will last longer with the shell than without. However, if you still prefer to peel your eggs all at once, you can.
  • Storage: Hard boiled eggs are okay at room temperature for a couple hours, but beyond that, store them in the refrigerator (unpeeled if possible). Boiled eggs in the shell will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Without the shell (store submerged in water or draped with a wet paper towel and change daily), they will last for up to 5 days.
  • Reheating: You can reheat boiled eggs, but don’t use the microwave or they will explode. Instead, place the egg(s) into a glass bowl and add boiling water to submerge. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes, then remove and enjoy!
  • Freezing: Don’t do it — it ruins the texture of the egg white! If you really want to, you can freeze just the yolks for up to 3 months.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with fresh cracked black pepper. - 46

Hard Boiled Egg Recipes

Now that you know how to boil eggs perfectly (and peel them easily) every time, I hope you’ll make them more often! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them:

  • Salt & Pepper – When you have that blissful creamy yolk, that’s all you need to enjoy perfect boiled eggs.
  • Deviled Eggs – My fave is simple deviled eggs with bacon or basic deviled eggs , but they are also delicious with salmon lox on top or avocado mashed in.
  • Egg Salad – Either a classic egg salad or avocado egg salad , or mix with proteins, such as tuna salad with egg or ham salad . These types of salads use a lot of eggs, so you’ll definitely want to use this method for easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Other Salads – Boiled eggs work well in cauliflower potato salad (a healthier alternative to potato salad) or seven-layer salad . For meal salad options, try a cobb salad or chef salad .
  • Soft Boiled Egg Soldiers – Dunk cheese sticks or veggies into a soft boiled egg. (You can also do this with oven baked eggs !)
  • Breakfast Sandwich – Layer sliced hard boiled eggs, cheese, and bacon on your favorite bagel. I often use low carb bagels , but any kind you like will do.

My Favorite Tools

  • Saucepan – This one heats evenly and is a great universal size for boiling eggs.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – This kitchen staple is useful for so many recipes, and will make for easy to peel hard boiled eggs.
  • Sea Salt – Not all salt is created equal! This one is easy to pinch and full of naturally occuring minerals. It’s also a must for both cooking and eating your boiled eggs.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

  • 8 large Eggs (or any number you want) ▢
  • 4 cups Water (or enough to cover eggs in the pan) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Sea salt ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly:

  1. Place eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a large saucepan or pot. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of water over them.
  2. Add a tablespoon (15 mL) of vinegar and a tablespoon (14 g) of sea salt to the pot. Stir gently.
  3. Place the pan onto the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
  4. Once the water is boiling, set a timer to the following number of minutes based on how you want your eggs. 1 minute – Very runny soft boiled eggs 2 minutes – Runny soft boiled eggs 3 minutes – Very gooey medium boiled eggs 4 minutes – Gooey medium boiled eggs 5 minutes – Just set medium boiled eggs 6 minutes – Medium-hard boiled eggs 7 minutes – Very creamy hard boiled eggs 8 minutes – Creamy hard boiled eggs 9 minutes – Firm hard boiled eggs 10 minutes – Very firm hard boiled eggs
  5. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.

How To Peel Boiled Eggs Easily:

  1. Once the eggs are at room temperature (but not colder), you can peel them.
  2. To peel an egg, roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand, pressing gently to make cracks all over the shell. The peel will come right off!
  3. If not using right away, see notes in the post above about how to store hard boiled eggs and when to peel them.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 egg

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly (Easy Peel)

How to boil eggs that are easy to peel - time chart pin - 47

FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

  • Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • The Best Way To Boil Eggs
  • How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling
  • How Long To Boil Eggs?
  • Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart
  • Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Storage Tips
  • Hard Boiled Egg Recipes
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs (Perfect Yolks!) Recipe card
  • Recipe Reviews

Since eggs are my favorite food ever, boiled eggs were one of the first foods I learned to make as a kid. But, I refined my favorite method for these easy peel hard boiled eggs only a few years ago. As a scientist at heart, it was really fun for me to do the testing for this “recipe”. I went through dozens of cartons to get the perfect hard boiled eggs at different doneness levels… and a couple batches of oven baked bacon and air fryer bacon to go with them. 😉

So even if you already know how to boil eggs — and I know many of you do — I hope you’ll learn something new. Because if you want easy to peel boiled eggs, the method does make a difference, and every minute counts for the end result. I have a time chart to make this easy!

Why You’ll Love These Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Maya in the kitchen. - 48
  • Perfectly cooked to your liking (see the time chart below!)
  • Works for soft boiled or hard boiled eggs
  • Quick and easy — it’s the fastest stovetop method!
  • No specialty ingredients or special equipment needed
  • Makes perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs every time
Maya's signature. - 49 Perfect hard boiled eggs scattered on a white surface - 50

The Best Way To Boil Eggs

There are two main ways to make perfect hard boiled eggs on the stove:

  • Most common method – Bring the water with the eggs, then turn off the heat, close the lid, and let them cook in the residual heat . This method works fine, but it takes longer, because the water stops boiling. I’m not a patient person, so I prefer the second way.
  • The best method – Once the water comes to a boil, you set a timer and cook them for exactly the number of minutes needed for the level of doneness you want. The key difference is you boil them the whole time , so they are done more quickly. Yay for having faster, perfect boiled eggs!

There are actually lots of other ways to boil eggs. People do it in a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or even air fryer boiled eggs and oven boiled eggs . Still, my go-to way to make easy peel hard boiled eggs is the stove. It’s super easy, no fuss or equipment required, and fast .

How To Boil Eggs For Easy Peeling

This section shows how to make perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

  1. Submerge eggs in water. Place your eggs in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least an inch of water above them.
TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water. - 51

TIP: Add the eggs before adding the water.

This will ensure they don’t break.

  1. Add salt and vinegar. Stir gently, being careful not to disturb the eggs too much.
  2. Boil eggs. Place the pan on the stove over high heat and bring the pot of water to a rolling boil. Then, set a timer and use the boiled eggs time chart below to get the eggs done to your liking.
  3. Plunge in cold water or an ice bath. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. (Alternatively, you can also just use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water, as shown below.) Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.
Stirring salt and vinegar in the saucepan. - 52 Boiled eggs plunged in ice water. - 53

How Long To Boil Eggs?

The time to boil eggs depends on how you want them done. After the water starts boiling, a good estimate is 7-10 minutes for hard boiled eggs and 1-2 minutes for soft boiled eggs , without removing from heat.

Hard Boiled Eggs Time Chart

Now that you know the tricks for easy peel boiled eggs, just follow the cook times in this boiled egg time chart to get the doneness you want:

Boiling TimeResult
1 minuteVery runny soft boiled eggs
2 minutesRunny soft boiled eggs
3 minutesVery gooey medium boiled eggs
4 minutesGooey medium boiled eggs
5 minutesJust set medium boiled eggs
6 minutesMedium-hard boiled eggs
7 minutesVery creamy hard boiled eggs
8 minutesCreamy hard boiled eggs
9 minutesFirm hard boiled eggs
10 minutesVery firm hard boiled eggs

A few important notes about this:

  • The times above are how long to boil eggs after the water has reached a rolling boil , and you place the eggs in cold water before bringing it to a boil . If you use some other method, such as adding the eggs to the water after it’s already boiling (don’t recommend), or removing from heat once the water boils, they will take longer.
  • My time chart is based on large eggs . It will take a little longer to get to the same level of doneness with extra large or jumbo eggs, or quicker if you have medium eggs.
  • Plunging eggs into cold or ice water after boiling is crucial. If you skip this step, your eggs will be overcooked, even if you follow the times above.

Here is a visual showing how my easy peel boiled eggs looked after 1 minute, all the way to 10 minutes:

Hard boiled egg time chart. - 54 Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs - 55

Tips For Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Before I figured out how to peel hard boiled eggs, the process drove me crazy. Fortunately, after some testing, I found a sure, foolproof method. Here is how to make hard boiled eggs easy to peel every time:

  • Use eggs that are a few days old. Fresh eggs are slightly less acidic, so the white sticks to the inner shell more. With older eggs, the shell absorbs more air, becomes more acidic, and also shrinks slightly. All of these aspects create more space between the shell membrane (that covers the egg white) and the shell itself. That means easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Start with cold water. This is sometimes called “cold start” and helps ensure that the boiled eggs are easy to peel. In contrast, using warm or hot water is called “hot start” and will increase the chances that the shell will stick to the membrane.
  • Add salt and vinegar to the water. Salting the water accomplishes a few things: It increases the temperature of the boiling water (so the egg white cooks a little faster and the yolk doesn’t overcook); it helps seal any small cracks or leaks; and a tiny bit permeates the egg shell, which makes for easy peel eggs. The vinegar helps with peeling as well, because it softens the shell. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work. Some people swear that adding baking soda helps to make eggs easier to peel. I tried it, but it didn’t make any difference. The salt and vinegar did.
  • Plunge the eggs in ice water. This stops the cooking process from residual heat, so you don’t end up with overcooked eggs. Also, some of the water permeates the shell, which helps loosen the bond to the egg white and makes the boiled eggs easy to peel.
  • Roll the egg on the counter. I’ve tried different techniques for peeling boiled eggs, and this one wins compared to starting at one end. Simply roll the egg on the counter with the palm of your hand, creating cracks all over the widest part. Then, start peeling at one of the cracks toward the center of the egg, and the shell will come off from there.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with shell partially removed. - 56

Storage Tips

  • When to peel: The soonest time to easily peel eggs is after they have sat in cold or ice water for 10 minutes. If you won’t eat them right away, it’s best not to peel them, because they will last longer with the shell than without. However, if you still prefer to peel your eggs all at once, you can.
  • Storage: Hard boiled eggs are okay at room temperature for a couple hours, but beyond that, store them in the refrigerator (unpeeled if possible). Boiled eggs in the shell will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Without the shell (store submerged in water or draped with a wet paper towel and change daily), they will last for up to 5 days.
  • Reheating: You can reheat boiled eggs, but don’t use the microwave or they will explode. Instead, place the egg(s) into a glass bowl and add boiling water to submerge. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes, then remove and enjoy!
  • Freezing: Don’t do it — it ruins the texture of the egg white! If you really want to, you can freeze just the yolks for up to 3 months.
Easy peel hard boiled eggs with fresh cracked black pepper. - 57

Hard Boiled Egg Recipes

Now that you know how to boil eggs perfectly (and peel them easily) every time, I hope you’ll make them more often! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them:

  • Salt & Pepper – When you have that blissful creamy yolk, that’s all you need to enjoy perfect boiled eggs.
  • Deviled Eggs – My fave is simple deviled eggs with bacon or basic deviled eggs , but they are also delicious with salmon lox on top or avocado mashed in.
  • Egg Salad – Either a classic egg salad or avocado egg salad , or mix with proteins, such as tuna salad with egg or ham salad . These types of salads use a lot of eggs, so you’ll definitely want to use this method for easy peel hard boiled eggs!
  • Other Salads – Boiled eggs work well in cauliflower potato salad (a healthier alternative to potato salad) or seven-layer salad . For meal salad options, try a cobb salad or chef salad .
  • Soft Boiled Egg Soldiers – Dunk cheese sticks or veggies into a soft boiled egg. (You can also do this with oven baked eggs !)
  • Breakfast Sandwich – Layer sliced hard boiled eggs, cheese, and bacon on your favorite bagel. I often use low carb bagels , but any kind you like will do.

My Favorite Tools

  • Saucepan – This one heats evenly and is a great universal size for boiling eggs.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – This kitchen staple is useful for so many recipes, and will make for easy to peel hard boiled eggs.
  • Sea Salt – Not all salt is created equal! This one is easy to pinch and full of naturally occuring minerals. It’s also a must for both cooking and eating your boiled eggs.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

  • 8 large Eggs (or any number you want) ▢
  • 4 cups Water (or enough to cover eggs in the pan) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) ▢
  • 1 tbsp Sea salt ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

How To Boil Eggs Perfectly:

  1. Place eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a large saucepan or pot. Add enough water to cover the eggs with at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of water over them.
  2. Add a tablespoon (15 mL) of vinegar and a tablespoon (14 g) of sea salt to the pot. Stir gently.
  3. Place the pan onto the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
  4. Once the water is boiling, set a timer to the following number of minutes based on how you want your eggs. 1 minute – Very runny soft boiled eggs 2 minutes – Runny soft boiled eggs 3 minutes – Very gooey medium boiled eggs 4 minutes – Gooey medium boiled eggs 5 minutes – Just set medium boiled eggs 6 minutes – Medium-hard boiled eggs 7 minutes – Very creamy hard boiled eggs 8 minutes – Creamy hard boiled eggs 9 minutes – Firm hard boiled eggs 10 minutes – Very firm hard boiled eggs
  5. Right before the timer is about to go off, turn on the faucet to the coldest that it goes and let it run until the water is ice cold. Once the timer goes off, drain the hot water and place the pan under the cold running water, letting the ice cold water fill the pan. The water will turn lukewarm from the heat of the eggs and pan. Keep running the water (it will overflow from the pot), until the water in the pan is ice cold. Leave the eggs in the pot for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature.

How To Peel Boiled Eggs Easily:

  1. Once the eggs are at room temperature (but not colder), you can peel them.
  2. To peel an egg, roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand, pressing gently to make cracks all over the shell. The peel will come right off!
  3. If not using right away, see notes in the post above about how to store hard boiled eggs and when to peel them.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 egg

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

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How To Boil Eggs Perfectly (Easy Peel)

How to boil eggs that are easy to peel - time chart pin - 58