Air-Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs: Quick, Easy, And Perfect!

Air fryer hard-boiled eggs are a fast and hands-off approach to cooking eggs. They are easy to make, with no need for water, and can be cooked in just 15 minutes. The eggs are placed directly into the air fryer basket and cooked at a low temperature of around 250°F for soft-boiled eggs and 275°F for hard-boiled eggs. The cooking time varies between 13 and 17 minutes, depending on the desired doneness. Once cooked, the eggs are placed in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and make them easier to peel.

Preheat the air fryer to 250-275°F

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the process of making hard-boiled eggs. While some recipes suggest that you can skip this step, it is generally recommended to preheat your air fryer to 250°F-275°F for the best results. This will ensure that your eggs cook evenly and efficiently.

The preheating process should take around 7 minutes. During this time, you can prepare the eggs by ensuring they are at room temperature. This will help them cook more evenly. You can also prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice and cold water. This will be used to stop the eggs from cooking further after they have been removed from the air fryer.

Once your air fryer has preheated, you can place the eggs in the basket, ensuring they have a little space between them. This allows the hot air to circulate and cook the eggs evenly. Close the air fryer and set the timer for your desired level of doneness. For hard-boiled eggs, this will be between 13 and 17 minutes, depending on your air fryer model and personal preference.

Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in achieving the perfect hard-boiled eggs. It ensures the eggs cook evenly and efficiently, and it gives you a more controlled cooking process. By preheating to the correct temperature, you can also ensure that your eggs don't overcook or become rubbery.

Cook for 13-17 minutes

Cooking your eggs for 13-17 minutes is the final step in making hard-boiled eggs in an air fryer. The length of time you choose within this range will depend on your desired level of doneness, with 13 minutes producing soft-boiled eggs and 17 minutes producing hard-boiled eggs.

Before you start cooking, you should preheat your air fryer to 250°F (some sources suggest 270-275°F). Then, add your eggs to the fryer basket, leaving a little space between each one. Close the air fryer and cook according to your preference.

When the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the air fryer basket and plunge them into an ice bath. This will stop the eggs from overcooking and make them easier to peel. You can also just run them under cold running water for a minute. Once they're cool enough to handle, peel and enjoy!

Plunge into an ice bath

Plunging your hard-boiled eggs into an ice bath is an important step in the cooking process. It helps to immediately stop the cooking and makes the eggs easier to peel. An ice bath is simply a bowl filled with ice and cold water. Submerging the eggs in ice-cold water gives you full control over the doneness of your eggs.

You should leave the eggs in the ice bath for around 4-10 minutes, until they are cool but not yet chilled. This makes them easier to peel. You can then gently crack the egg shells, rolling them a bit along a hard surface to make cracks along all sides.

If you don't have ice, you can simply run the eggs under cold water for a minute or so instead. This will have a similar effect, halting the cooking process and making the eggs easier to peel.

Peel when cool

Once your eggs are done cooking in the air fryer, it's time to peel them! But before you do that, there are a few important steps to ensure the eggs are cooled properly and are easy to peel.

First, prepare an ice bath for your eggs. Fill a bowl with ice and cold water. The ice bath will stop the eggs from overcooking and make them easier to peel. As soon as your eggs are done cooking, place them in the ice bath for 4-10 minutes, until they are cool but not cold.

You can also simply run the eggs under cold water for a minute to cool them down. However, the ice bath method is preferred as it shocks the eggs' temperature and immediately stops them from cooking further.

Once the eggs are cool, it's time to peel them. Gently crack the egg shells by rolling them a bit along a hard surface to make cracks along all sides. Start peeling from the bottom/fattest part of the egg, as that's usually where the air bubble forms. The air fryer method makes peeling the eggs a breeze, as the dry heat and convection naturally pull the shell away from the membrane as they cook.

Store in the fridge

Once your hard-boiled eggs are ready, it's important to stop the cooking process. To do this, prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice and cold water. Submerging the eggs in the ice-cold water will quickly cool them and prevent overcooking. You can also simply run the eggs under cold water for a minute.

After cooling the eggs, you can peel them and enjoy them immediately, or store them for later. If you're not going to use the eggs right away, it's best to leave the shells on for storage. Unpeeled hard-boiled eggs can be stored in any container, sealed or unsealed, and will last for up to one week in the fridge. If you prefer to peel the eggs before storing, place them in a bowl of cold water, making sure they are completely covered. Change the water daily. Alternatively, you can store peeled eggs in a sealed container without water and cover them with damp paper towels.

While it is possible to freeze hard-boiled eggs, it's not recommended as the whites can become tough, rubbery, or watery, and the yolks can turn mealy. However, if you wish to freeze only the yolks, you can place them in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag, and they will stay good for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions