Yes, you can poach an egg in an air fryer by trapping steam around the egg so the white sets gently without frying.
Poaching usually means simmering an egg in water. An air fryer can’t keep a pot at a steady simmer, so the trick is steam. Put the egg in a small cup with a splash of hot water, then let the air fryer heat that water into steady steam. The egg cooks in that moist heat and stays tender.
If you’ve tried “air fryer poached eggs” and ended up with a rubbery puck, you’re not alone. Most misses come from using no water, using the wrong cup, or running the heat too high. This guide gives two methods that work on basket and oven-style air fryers, plus timing targets, fixes for common issues, and a quick checklist you can keep by the machine.
Poached egg in air fryer setup choices at a glance
| Choice | What to do | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Use a 4–6 oz ramekin | Lightly oil, add 1 tbsp hot water, crack in 1 egg | Neat shape, easy release |
| Use silicone egg cups | Oil the cup, add 1 tbsp hot water under the egg | Soft edges, simple clean-up |
| Use a foil “cup” | Press foil into a muffin tin, oil, add 1 tbsp hot water | Works without extra gear |
| Preheat for 3 minutes | Run at 350°F before loading cups | Faster set, fewer stringy whites |
| Cook at 330–350°F | Start at 340°F if your fryer runs hot | Tender white, less bubbly texture |
| Time for a jammy yolk | 7–9 minutes, then rest 1 minute in the turned-off fryer | Set white, thick golden center |
| Time for a firm yolk | 10–12 minutes, no rest needed | Fully set, sliceable egg |
| Use hot water, not cold | Heat water in a kettle or microwave first | More even cooking |
| Keep to one egg per cup | Don’t stack eggs in one vessel | Cleaner set and shape |
What “poached” means in an air fryer
On the stove, water surrounds the egg and keeps the heat gentle. In an air fryer, moving hot air can dry the surface fast. That’s why the water matters. A tablespoon of hot water in the cup turns into steam, and steam keeps the white supple while it firms up.
So, when people ask can you poach an egg in the air fryer? they’re usually after three things: a soft white, a yolk that’s still spoonable, and a shape that doesn’t look like scrambled egg. Steam cooking hits all three when the cup is the right size and the heat stays moderate.
Gear and ingredients that make this easy
You don’t need specialty gadgets, but the right pieces save headaches.
- Air fryer: Basket or toaster-oven style both work. Basket units can run a touch hotter near the fan, so start at the lower end of the temperature range.
- Small heat-safe cup: A ceramic ramekin is the simplest. Silicone egg cups also work. If you use metal, the egg can set faster at the edges.
- Oil: A thin wipe of oil or a quick spritz keeps the white from gripping the cup.
- Hot water: One tablespoon per egg is enough for steam without boiling over.
- Fine salt and pepper: Season after cooking if you want a clean-looking white.
Egg size and starting temperature
Large eggs cook most predictably. Jumbo eggs often need an extra minute, and small eggs can set sooner than you expect. Eggs straight from the fridge work fine, but the yolk may take longer than the white. If your whites finish while the yolk still feels tight, let the egg sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking, or drop the temperature to 330°F and add a minute.
Want a cleaner shape? Use the freshest eggs you’ve got. Older eggs spread because the white is thinner. You can also crack the egg into a fine mesh strainer for a few seconds to drain loose whites, then slide it into the cup.
Can You Poach An Egg In The Air Fryer? Method 1 with a ramekin
This is the most repeatable method. The ramekin gives the egg a defined edge, and the water makes steady steam.
Step-by-step
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
- Lightly oil a 4–6 oz ramekin.
- Add 1 tablespoon hot water to the ramekin.
- Crack 1 egg into a small bowl, then slide it into the ramekin. This keeps the yolk intact.
- Place the ramekin in the basket. Cook at 340–350°F.
- Start checking at 7 minutes. The white should look set with no clear gel around the yolk.
- For a jammy yolk, pull at 8–9 minutes and rest the ramekin for 1 minute. For a firmer yolk, run 10–12 minutes.
- Lift the egg out with a spoon. If water pooled on top, tip the ramekin slightly and drain first.
How to tell when it’s done
Skip guesswork and use the look and feel. The white should be opaque from edge to center, and the yolk should jiggle like soft jelly when you nudge the cup. If you like numbers, a thermometer can check the center without tearing the egg apart. Slide the probe in from the side of the cup, not straight down through the yolk.
Timing notes that save a batch
Air fryers vary. The cup material changes timing too. Use these cues instead of chasing an exact minute:
- White still wobbly: Add 60–90 seconds.
- White set, yolk domed and jiggly: You’re in the soft zone.
- Yolk barely moves: You’re in the medium zone.
If you’re serving guests, do a single test egg first. Once you lock your timing, the next ones follow the same pattern.
Poaching an egg in the air fryer with foil cups
No ramekins? No problem. Foil cups work when you shape them well and keep the water measured.
Step-by-step
- Press a square of foil into a muffin tin or small bowl to form a sturdy cup. Leave a flat bottom.
- Oil the foil lightly so the white doesn’t cling.
- Add 1 tablespoon hot water to the bottom.
- Crack in 1 egg.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes, then set the foil cup in the basket.
- Cook at 340–350°F for 8–11 minutes, based on how set you want the yolk.
- Use tongs to lift the foil cup out. Peel the foil away, then slide the egg onto a plate.
Foil cup safety tips
- Make the cup stable. A wobbly cup can spill hot water when you pull the basket.
- Keep foil away from the heating element in toaster-oven style fryers.
- Don’t fill with extra water “just in case.” Too much water can splash and cook the top unevenly.
Food safety targets for soft and firm eggs
Poached eggs often run soft. That texture is what people love, yet it can raise food-safety risk for kids, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone with a weakened immune system. If you cook for that group, aim for a fully set yolk or use pasteurized shell eggs.
US agencies give clear targets you can cook to. The USDA safe temperature chart lists 160°F as the safe minimum for eggs. The FDA egg safety guidance also says to cook eggs until both yolk and white are firm. Use a food thermometer when you can.
If you want a soft yolk, start with fresh, properly chilled eggs, keep hands and tools clean, and eat the egg right away. Leftovers with a runny center aren’t a great plan.
Common problems and quick fixes
Most “air fryer poached egg” problems trace back to heat, water, or cup size. Fix those, and the method turns steady.
Watery or stringy whites
This happens when the air fryer runs hot and dries the surface before the center sets, or when the water is cold and slow to steam. Use hot water, and cook closer to 340°F than 370°F.
Rubbery edges
Metal cups can brown the edges. Swap to ceramic or silicone, or drop the temperature 10–15°F and add a minute.
Yolk breaks when you crack the egg
Crack into a small bowl first, then slide the egg into the cup. It’s a small step that saves a lot of swearing.
Egg sticks to the cup
Oil the cup. Then let the egg sit for 30 seconds after cooking and run a spoon around the edge.
Fix guide after the basket opens
| What you see | Why it happens | What to change next time |
|---|---|---|
| Clear, jelly-like white near the yolk | Cook time too short | Add 60–90 seconds, then rest 1 minute |
| Foamy bubbles on top | Heat too high near fan | Drop to 330–340°F and preheat first |
| Dry, wrinkled white | Not enough steam | Use hot water and a smaller cup |
| Brown ring on the edge | Metal cup conducts heat fast | Use ceramic or silicone, or lower temp |
| Egg spreads thin | Older egg has thin white | Use a smaller cup or strain the egg first |
| Egg won’t release | Too little oil, no rest | Oil the cup and rest 30–60 seconds |
| Yolk set more than you wanted | Carryover heat | Pull 1 minute earlier and plate right away |
Ways to serve air fryer poached eggs
Once you’ve got the texture you like, the egg plays well with breakfasts and quick lunches.
- Toast and greens: Toast, a swipe of butter, a handful of arugula, then the egg on top.
- Rice bowl: Warm rice, a splash of soy sauce, scallions, then the egg to make a silky sauce.
- Hash plate: Crisp potatoes from the air fryer, then the egg and a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Soup topper: Drop the egg on hot broth and let the yolk enrich the bowl.
Batch cooking, holding, and reheating
Poached eggs taste best right after cooking. If you still want to prep ahead, keep the yolk fully set and cool the eggs fast.
- To hold for 10 minutes: Keep cooked eggs in their cups with the air fryer off and the basket closed. That holds warmth without drying.
- To chill: Move eggs to a plate, cool, then store in a sealed container in the fridge.
- To reheat: Warm gently at 300°F for 2–3 minutes. Skip high heat or the white turns tough.
Quick checklist before you start
Use this short list when you want a poached egg without fuss:
- Preheat 3 minutes at 350°F.
- Oil a small cup.
- Add 1 tablespoon hot water.
- Slide in 1 egg from a small bowl.
- Cook at 340–350°F: 8–9 minutes for jammy, 10–12 for firm.
- Rest 1 minute for softer yolks, then lift out and plate.
If you’re still asking can you poach an egg in the air fryer? after a first try, tweak one thing at a time: cup size, water temperature, or total minutes. Small shifts make a big difference.