How to make soft boiled eggs? Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil, then lower the eggs into the water and cook them for exactly 5 minutes.
I really like having eggs for breakfast. I enjoy baked goods of course, but I find that an egg-based breakfast is truly satiating. I can actually skip a midmorning snack when I have one.
Unfortunately, I've been struggling with making perfect soft boiled eggs for years. The goal: delicate, fully cooked but still soft egg white, enveloping a warm, creamy, thick-yet-runny yolk. So good, yet so elusive!
Finally, an easy method!
I've always loved soft boiled eggs, but I never really learned how to make them. It always seemed like such a fuss, having to watch the pot until the very minute the water starts boiling. Because every minute counts when it comes to achieving perfection.
That's why I'm so grateful to Margaret McArthur, who wrote about her own experiences. Yes, her piece is humorous, but it finally taught me how to do this!
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need three ingredients to make this recipe: Fresh eggs, and salt & pepper. In contrast to my recipe for how to make hard-boiled eggs, where I recommend using fairly old eggs (this makes them easier to peel), here I recommend using eggs that are as fresh as possible.
How to make soft boiled eggs
The secret? Lowering the uncooked egg into gently boiling water, rather than placing a room temperature egg in cold water and bringing it to a boil.
Once you place the egg in the boiling water, all it takes is 5 minutes of gentle boiling and the egg is ready. Thick yet gooey yolk, creamy white - perfection!
How to open a soft-boiled egg
There are a few methods for doing that. One method is to use a spoon. But I like to use a sharp knife, as you can see in the video below. I use the knife to tap on the top of the egg and crack the shell. Then I use the knife to slice through the top part of the egg and remove it.
How to serve them?
In the past, I would have served these eggs with toast or with thick slices of crusty bread.
Alas, those are no longer options for me. So to stay within my low carb diet, I like to serve them with toasted and sliced keto English muffin or with thick slices of almond flour bread.
Another great keto way to enjoy them is to dip crispy oven-baked bacon (or microwave bacon) in the runny yolks.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with simply eating them with a spoon!
What about leftovers?
I honestly can't imagine wanting to keep - or eat - the leftovers. But in case you do, here's a source that seems reliable and says that you can keep them refrigerated, in their shell, for up to 2 days.
More egg recipes that you might enjoy
As a low-carber, I eat a fair amount of eggs. So I perfected the technique of making easy-peel hard-boiled eggs.
An interesting variation is this recipe for fried hard-boiled eggs. You cut them in half and fry them in butter. It's really good!
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Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs
INGREDIENTS
- 2 large eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Remove the eggs from the fridge.
- In a small pot, bring water to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to medium-low, for a gentle boil. (How much water? Depends on your pot. Should be enough to fully cover the eggs).
- Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the eggs into the water.
- Gently boil the eggs, uncovered, for exactly 5 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to gently but quickly remove the eggs from the water. Place in egg cups.
- When cool enough to handle, slice the top with a sharp knife.
- Perfection achieved! A cooked white, and a thick, runny yolk! Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dig in, with a spoon, or with toasted and sliced low carb English muffin.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
More Recipes to Try:
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.