Food & Kitchen
How long do you boil eggs?
Estimated wait
~8 minutes
Based on published sources
By case
- Faster cases~7 minutes
- Average cases~8 minutes
- Slower casesUp to 10 minutes
Times are for large eggs (about 50–55 g) straight from the fridge — smaller eggs and eggs at room temperature need slightly less. Drop them into ice water the moment the timer goes off: it stops the cooking and makes them much easier to peel. General information.
Lowered into already-boiling water, a large fridge-cold egg needs about 6 minutes for a runny yolk, 8 minutes for a soft-set yolk and 10 minutes for a classic hard-boiled egg. Very firm, fully chalky yolks take 11 to 12 minutes.
More details
If you start the eggs in cold water instead, bring the pan to a rolling boil, then take it off the heat, cover it and let the eggs stand for 9 to 12 minutes depending on how firm you want them.
Last updated: 20 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.