Follow this easy technique to make perfect soft-boiled eggs every time!
Boiling eggs may seem like the simplest kitchen task one can accomplish in a blink of an eye, but most of us know it is much trickier than that. If you have never made soft-boiled eggs because it looks more intimidating than hard-boiled eggs, then I hope this step-by-step recipe will encourage you to give it a try!
How to Make Perfect Soft-Boiled Eggs (Hanjuku Tamago 半熟卵)
To achieve the right texture for soft-boiled eggs, timing is key. Fill your saucepan with enough water so the eggs are submerged completely. After you bring the water to a rolling boil, gently put in the eggs from the refrigerator one at a time before you reduce the heat to a simmer. Then begin timing right away. For four eggs, it takes about 6.5 to 7 minutes. If you prefer the yolk to be more runny, you can reduce the timing by a minute.
When it’s done, stop the cooking process immediately by submerging the eggs in an iced bath for 3 minutes. Once the eggs are cooled, they will be good to go. The whites of the soft-boiled eggs should be firm (but not overly hard) and the yolk warm and runny.
Enjoy Soft-Boiled Eggs
I like to prepare Hard Boiled Eggs and Soft-Boiled Eggs (Hanjuku Tamago 半熟卵) for Japanese dishes like Ramen, Udon, and Japanese Curry Rice. They never failed to make a dish extra special and extra satisfactory.
Sometimes I eat soft-boiled eggs as a snack too. Just a light sprinkle of furikake (rice seasonings) and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) before you dig in. It is as good as a snack can get!
Now that you’ve learned the simple technique of making perfect soft-boiled eggs, I hope you get to enjoy your ramen or rice dishes with this protein-packed companion. Like a molten lava cake with oozing chocolate, nothing is more luxurious than when you slice open the soft-boiled eggs to reveal the golden runny yolk.
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How to Make Perfect Soft-Boiled Eggs (Hanjuku Tamago)
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (refrigerated)
- water
- ice cubes (for the iced water)
Instructions
- Add water (enough to cover the eggs by 1 inch, 2.5 cm) in a saucepan and bring it to a boil on medium heat.
- Once boiling, take out 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) from the refrigerator and gently put the eggs in the boiling water using a slotted spoon.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the eggs for 6½ to 7 minutes. If you want your egg yolk to be in the center, gently rotate the eggs with chopsticks once in a while for the first 3 minutes so the egg yolk will be in the center. Note: The cooking time may vary depends on the size of the eggs and the starting temperature of the egg.
- Prepare a bowl of iced water by adding ice cubes to water. After 6½ or 7 minutes, drain the boiling water and shock the eggs in the iced water for 3 minutes. Gently peel the egg shell. Cut the eggs in half with a sharp knife or fish string and serve.
Hi, thanks for the recipe. I live in a country where eggs are not refridgerated. Do you know how I should adjust cooking time to accomodate?
Hi May! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
We did not test this recipe with room temperature eggs and are unsure about its cooking time.
Cook it for one minute less might work. Please let us know how it goes!
it’s sounds so simple but it’s hard to get right. How long can eggs keep in the refrigerator?
Hi Natasha, Thank you very much for trying this recipe! You may store unpeeled, soft-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
We hope this helps!
i was wondering if you can store soft boiled eggs in the fridge? i wanted to pack one in a bento for lunch tomorrow and was hoping to meal prep tonight. thank you!
Hi Viviana,
You may store unpeeled, soft-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
We hope this helps!
The eggs tend to burst after putting them into the boil from the fridge.. any way to prevent that? Thanks
Hi Nanasato Ai!
Do you gently put the eggs in the boiling water using a slotted spoon and reduce the heat to a simmer?
It is also good to check the egg has no cracked before you put in the boiling water.
We hope this helps!