Making Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs might be the only reason you need to own a pressure cooker. Simple, quick, and easy to peel, it’s truly remarkable!

Here’s a little fact about me. I really like smelly food. Blue cheese, garlic, curry, cauliflower, etc etc. It’s a wonder I’m not a smelly person . . . or am I?

So smelly boiled eggs? Yes! I love them! Love them despite the fact that they are smelly and that I got teased in elementary school once for opening my lunch box with a very fragrant peeled egg inside. Love, love, love them!

Egg Salad Sandwich, Deviled Eggs, Straight Up with salt and pepper, sliced in a salad or on toast . . . I’ll take it all!

My kids also love them, as long as I remove any sign of yellow egg yolk which is super annoying but at least they are being adventurous.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT HARD BOILED EGGS

Hands off and perfectly cooked every single time, I need that kind of dependability in my life
They peel like a dream. I may even be able to do it one-handed, it’s one of my hidden talents
Make a couple or make a basket full, the cook time stays the same!

HOW TO MAKE EASY HARD BOILED EGGS IN THE INSTANT POT

Place the desired number of eggs in a steamer basket . . .
or this fancy silicone basket if you want a higher success rate of no cracks while cooking
Cook 5 minutes with a quick release of pressure (yep there are a few cracks here, not so with the red silicone basket)
Immediately transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes or so
Peel or refrigerate with the shell intact in an airtight container
Serve!

BEST ACCESSORY FOR COOKING HARD BOILED EGGS IN THE INSTANT POT

My first hard boiled egg post detailed how to make “no crack hard boiled eggs” by placing the eggs in the egg bite tray. This works well for ensuring no cracks, but it’s also a bit temperamental so I abandoned this method some time ago.

Instead, I suggest using this rack stacking method

or buying this incredible red silicone sling (my new favorite pressure cooker accessory, it’s genius!) The spaces in the trivet securely hold the eggs in place so they don’t bang into each other and crack while cooking.

If you aren’t overly concerned about cracking eggs, this steamer basket is the best! You can cook several at a time (I’ve done 18) and still get perfectly cooked, easy to peel, hard boiled eggs. There’s almost always one or more cracked eggs, but unless you are wanting intact eggs for dyeing, this gets the job done.

HOW TO MAKE HARD BOILED EGGS EASY TO PEEL

There is a bit of science to easy peel eggs:

USE EGGS THAT AREN’T FRESH

As the egg ages, the white part shrinks away from the shell. Once it is hardboiled, you will have a cleaner separation of the membrane and the white of the egg

TEMPERATURE SHOCK

The temperature shock from hot to cold helps shrink the white away from the shell, creating a small air pocket all around the white which makes it very easy to peel. Have an ice bath ready so the second the eggs are done you can release the pressure and place them in the ice water

BEST WAY TO PEEL HARD BOILED EGGS

Did you know there was an ideal way to peel a hard boiled egg? I learned this while watching Rachael Ray and now this is how I peel them every time.

Strike the wide base of the egg on the counter. This is where an air pocket forms, making it the best place to start
Start peeling the shell away from the egg starting at the air pocket, making sure the membrane stays with the shell to make the shell come off clean and intact instead of tearing apart the white of the egg
Rinse the egg to remove any bits of shell

HOW TO STORE HARD BOILED EGGS

Unless you are eating them right away, you will want to immediately refrigerate the cooled eggs. You have the option of storing them unpeeled or peeled

STORING UNPEELED HARD BOILED EGGS

Unpeeled eggs can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. It’s best to store them in the shell since it provides a natural barrier to smells and pathogens. I prefer to store them in an airtight container to prevent my entire fridge from smelling like eggs

STORING PEELED EGGS

Cover peeled eggs with a damp paper towel to preserve the texture and store them in a sealed container for up to 1 week

HOW TO TELL IF AN EGG IS RAW OR HARDBOILED

Here is a fun game to play with your kids!

Gently spin an egg on your countertop. If it spins slow and wobbly, it’s raw. If it spins steady and fast, it’s cooked.

MORE WAYS TO COOK EGGS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

Eggs and the Instant Pot are a perfect match, proven time and again to be superior when it comes to cooking eggs in many different forms

NO PEEL HARD BOILED EGGS

Yes, Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs are easy to peel, but what if you didn’t have to peel them at all? Try it! You’ll be amazed!

INSTANT POT EGG BITES

These are the fluffiest little bites you’ll ever meet. Add whatever toppings you want, but this Denver Style is my absolute favorite

INSTANT POT SOFT BOILED EGGS

For soft boiled eggs, cook the eggs for 3 minutes, and proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions. This is perfect for adding to a ramen bowl or this Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Bowl

INSTANT POT POACHED EGG

This poached egg trick in the egg bite trays makes a regular appearance in my home. Best kitchen hack ever!

INSTANT POT EGG LOAF

I have yet to try this trick, but this is pretty genius if you need a quick way to cook and chop up a ton of eggs for say, an egg salad sandwich or potato salad

So many new things for you to try now, right?!

To all my stinky food-lovin’ friends out there, here’s to being the smelly kid and being dang proud of it! Let’s celebrate our coolness with a piece of Seedy Whole Grain Toast, smothered in guac, then topped with tomatoes and boiled eggs with fresh cracked pepper, Maldon Flaky Sea Salt (which is the best salt in the universe!) and a drizzle of lemon juice. Are you with me?!

Enjoy!

TOOLS USED TO MAKE PRESSURE COOKER HARD BOILED EGGS

Instant Pot
Pressure Cooker Red Sling
Steamer Basket with Handle
Collapsible Steamer Basket – this also works well
Tall Trivet – for the stacking trivet method