How to Make Soft- and Hard-Cooked Eggs

Soft-cooked eggs are classically served in a cocottier (or small egg cup) with toast points or soldiers for dipping into the luscious yolk. To make perfect hard-cooked eggs (without a greenish ring around the yolk), avoid boiling them for any length of time.

Martha Stewart Editors

Published on October 5, 2012

Soft-Cooked Eggs How-To

To soft-cook eggs, bring a deep saucepan filled halfway with water to a rolling boil. With a slotted spoon, gently lower eggs into water. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 4 to 6 minutes (depending on how soft you like the yolks).
To serve eggs in their shells, quickly crack the wider end with a knife and remove the top. To serve out of the shell, hold egg over a small bowl, tap around center with a knife, and gently pull shell apart, then scoop out egg with a spoon into the bowl.

Watch: How to Make Soft-Cooked Eggs

Hard-Cooked Eggs How-To

To hard-cook eggs, place them in a deep saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, remove from heat, and let stand 13 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Serve warm, or leave in the bath to cool completely, about 10 minutes. Peel to serve.

Cooks' Note: Unpeeled eggs can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

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