While Italian researchers claim they’ve found the perfect method for boiling an egg (it takes 32 minutes), I think this technique is pretty darn good itself.
Now, there’s something admittedly, well, contradictory about making a hard-“boiled” egg in an air fryer—but alas, it works. And it works well.
A Salon colleague, Carlyn Zwarenstein, mentioned this technique a few weeks back, noting that air fryer hard-boiled eggs are arguably simpler to make — and easier to peel — than the traditional stovetop method. As she put it: “The amazing thing is that it always works perfectly once you figure out what level you like. And they’re extremely easy to peel — just run cold water over the eggs until they won’t burn your hand, then crush them satisfyingly on the counter with one hand. No yucky membrane, no shells that won’t come off.”
To me? This sounded exquisite. My biggest gripe with making boiled eggs has always been the peeling process, which can be frustrating enough to make me abandon the task altogether. I personally adore hard-boiled egg whites. Hard-boiled yolks? Not so much. But my dog enjoys them, so it’s a win-win.
Beyond ease, this method eliminates the waiting game of bringing water to a boil and removes some of the variables inherent in traditional hard-boiling. Plus, it’s a great way to batch-cook eggs with minimal effort.
The only additional step — though not mandatory — is a cold water bath to help rapidly lower the eggs’ temperature and encourage the shells to separate from the cooked egg. That said, simply waiting for them to cool and running them under cold water should do the trick.
With egg prices as high as they are, wasting or improperly cooking even one is, to put it mildly, irritating. That’s why a nearly foolproof method like this is a game-changer.
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How to make hard-“boiled” eggs in the air fryer
Set the air fryer to a lower temperature than you might expect—somewhere under 300°F—and cook the eggs for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness. If you like jammy yolks, aim for the shorter end of the range. If you prefer fully set, hard-boiled yolks, go for the longer cook time.
Once you get a handle on this method, those old stove top pots will start collecting dust.
Storage and ways to use them
If you’re making a larger batch, peel the eggs once they’ve cooled and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They should keep for at least five days—instant protein in a snap!
Enjoy them as is for a quick, on-the-go breakfast, toss them into a Cobb salad, mash them into egg salad, slice them into homemade ramen or add them to fried rice. No matter whether you call them hard-boiled, soft-boiled or “air-fried,” this method delivers a perfect egg, every time.
Final touches
A few flakes of salt are all you really need, but feel free to dress them up however you like. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning, pickle them, or whip up a mix of deviled eggs. Once you’ve acquainted yourself with this technique, all the joys of boiled eggs will be at your disposal.
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