The Perfect Soft-Boiled Egg

September 1, 2026

This summer, we were on a family trip and, for some reason, all the younger ones became obsessed with soft-boiled eggs. What started as part of breakfast quickly turned into a competition: who could peel an egg without taking half the white off with the shell and, most importantly, without letting it get cold in the process.

When we got home, I made it my personal mission to find a technique that actually worked. I tried several, with pretty inconsistent results, until one day I received an email from NYT Cooking about the Perfect Boiled Egg.

What caught my attention was J. Kenji López-Alt’s explanation. According to him, there is no technique that can guarantee every egg will peel perfectly. There are simply too many variables involved. But after looking at scientific studies and conducting more than 700 tests, he found a method that considerably increases the chances of the shell coming off easily.

The secret is not to start with the eggs submerged in a pot full of water. Instead, they are essentially steamed, using just one inch of boiling water.

We tried it, and it works. So here’s the technique.

Step 1

Find a lidded pot large enough for the eggs to fit comfortably on the bottom in a single layer. Add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water, cover, and bring to a boil.

Step 2

Carefully place the eggs in the pot using a spoon. It doesn’t matter if they are partially submerged in the water or sitting on a steamer rack without touching it.

Cover the pot and adjust the heat to maintain a steady boil. The cooking time will depend on how you like your yolks:

6 minutes: firm whites and a warm, runny yolk.
8½ minutes: creamy, slightly translucent yolk.
11 minutes: yolk that is just barely firm all the way through.

If the eggs are at room temperature, reduce the cooking time by approximately one minute.

Step 3

Once the time is up, drain the water and peel the eggs to eat them right away. If you prefer to save them for later, place them on a plate, let them cool to room temperature, and then store them in the refrigerator in their shells. They will keep for up to one week.

One important detail: don’t place them in an ice bath after cooking. Although it’s a very common practice, in this case it can actually make the eggs more difficult to peel.

Since that trip, peeling a soft-boiled egg is no longer a competition. Or, at the very least, now we all have a little advantage.

Source: NYT Cooking — Perfect Boiled Eggs