How Long to Boil Eggs
Quick answer
Soft 6–7 min, medium 8 min, hard-boiled 9–12 min depending on egg size.
Times by doneness
Soft-boiled
Runny yolk, set white.
Medium-boiled
Jammy, semi-set yolk.
Hard-boiled
Fully set yolk, no gray ring if cooled fast.
Tips
Lower eggs gently into boiling water, then shock in ice water immediately to stop cooking and ease peeling.
Common mistake
Over-boiling and cooling slowly, which causes the greenish-gray ring around the yolk.