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How To Make The Perfect Soft-Boiled Eggs

Cooking the perfect soft-boiled egg, with a warm, runny yolk and tender white, is all in the timing. Slightly trickier to master than its hard-boiled counterpart, the soft-boiled egg takes 4 to 5 minutes to cook, with perfection being down to technique. Luckily, our foolproof recipe will help you to achieve consistent results every time! Prefer your eggs with a firmer white and yolk? Check out our guide to making the perfect hard-boiled eggs.

  • Preparation time:
    5
    min(s)
  • Cooking time:
    5
    min(s)
  • Servings:
    1

What you'll need

  • Salt and pepper, to flavour
  • 3 medium free-range eggs, at room temperature

How to make

  1. Fill a medium-sized pan (large enough to hold the eggs in a single layer) with a few inches of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
  2. Slowly reduce the heat until the water is at a rapid simmer.
  3. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. This is important as if the egg is too cold, the shell is more likely to crack when submerged in boiling water. Once you’ve checked this, use a slotted spoon to carefully lower the eggs into the water one by one. Make sure they’re not piled on top of each other.
  4. For 1 to 2 eggs, cook for 4 to 5 minutes for a super runny yolk or up to 7 minutes for a just-set yolk. For 3 to 4 eggs, add a couple of extra seconds to your timings. If you’re looking to cook more than 4 eggs, do them in batches as it’s important to not overcrowd the pan.
  5. Once the time is up, remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and immediately run under cold water for around 30 to 60 seconds. This will make sure the eggs have stopped cooking.
  6. Once the eggs have cooled, place each egg upright in an egg cup. Don’t have an egg cup? Use a small ramekin filled with rice or a shot glass instead!
  7. Use an egg cutter or sharp knife to remove the top. Then serve alone or with thin strips of buttered toast for dippy eggs.