How to Make Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs – the Quick Method

For years I resisted making Instant Pot hard boiled eggs. Making hard boiled eggs on the stove was simple enough, I thought.

But then one day I tried it and was shocked at how easy it really is.

The process is simple:

• place a trivet in your Instant Pot (you can use the one that came with it)
• pour in one cup of water
• place eggs on the trivet
• set the pressure to high and cook manually for 7 minutes
• release the pressure
• open the lid and you are done!

Equipment Needed to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

To keep it really basic the only equipment you need is your Instant Pot and a trivet.

What Size Instant Pot Do You Need to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

I have both a 3 quart and a 6 quart Instant Pot – and I prefer to use the 3 quart because I usually make about 6 eggs at a time.

But you can use any size Instant Pot no matter how many eggs you are using, as long as they fit inside.

What Kind of Trivet Do You Need?

Any trivet that is safe to use in an Instant Pot will do.

The easiest thing to use is the trivet that came with the Instant Pot.

But you can use a silicone steamer basket or a specialty egg tray if you prefer.

Here is a selection of the equipment:

How Long to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

Personally, I like to cook eggs for 7 minutes on high pressure and do a quick steam release to make hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot.

The eggs are ready to use immediately and only require a quick dunk in cold water to make them cool enough to handle.

However, I do find that the wide end of the egg tends to get a little brown on both the outside and the inside of the shell. But the egg itself is fine.

I feel that if you were to cook it for longer or let the pressure drop naturally after cooking then the egg might burn.

The reason why I do 7 minutes with a quick release is that usually when I make eggs, we need to use them right away – so I don’t want to wait for the pressure to drop and then do a cold soak.

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs 5-5-5 Method

You may have heard of the Instant Pot hard boiled eggs 5-5-5 method.

This is an alternative way to make hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot and takes a little longer than the way I usually do it.

To use the 5-5-5 method set up the eggs inside your Instant Pot as I described above.

But set the cooking time to 5 minutes at high pressure instead of setting it to 7 minutes.

Then let the pressure drop naturally for 5 minutes – after which you do a quick release.

Finally, soak the eggs in a cold water bath for 5 minutes – and you should have perfectly hard boiled eggs.

Why I Like to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

You may think – like I used to – that it is just as easy to make hard boiled eggs on the stove.

But the one clear advantage that the Instant Pot has is that it will turn off automatically if you forget about it.

Boiling eggs on the stove requires a little supervision on your part to make sure the water doesn’t evaporate and boil dry.

Cleaning up the Instant Pot after making eggs is also pretty easy. You are just steaming the eggs after all, and there is no saucy mess to clean up.

How to Stop Eggs from Cracking

Honestly, I haven’t had an issue with this. The eggs that I have made to date have not cracked inside the Instant Pot while cooking.

However, if this is a problem for you – you might want to try a specialty egg holder to secure the eggs, or make just a few eggs at a time so that they are all in one layer.

Making Eggs in the Instant Pot is Easy

All you really need is your Instant Pot, water, and a trivet. The trickiest part is figuring how long to cook the eggs to get them to turn out just right.

With a little trial and error you will be able to figure out what works best for you.