Yes, you can boil an egg in the air fryer by cooking whole eggs in the shell until they reach your preferred soft, medium, or hard doneness.
Boiled eggs in the air fryer sound odd at first, because there’s no boiling water in sight. You’re really baking the eggs in their shells until the whites and yolks set in a way that feels just like classic boiled eggs. Once you know the basic time and temperature range for your air fryer, you can turn out soft, jammy, or hard eggs with almost no hands-on work.
This style of “boiled” egg works well when you want breakfast without watching a pot, or you like to meal prep a batch of eggs for salads, snacks, and quick lunches. You place cold eggs straight in the basket, set the timer, then cool them in ice water so they peel cleanly.
Before you start, it helps to see how time and temperature affect the result. The chart below gives a starting point; you can tweak a minute up or down later to match your exact machine and egg size.
Air Fryer Boiled Egg Time Chart
This chart shows common air fryer settings that home cooks use to mimic soft, medium, and hard boiled eggs. Treat these as starting ranges and test one egg first so you can adjust for your model.
| Doneness | Temperature | Time In Air Fryer |
|---|---|---|
| Soft yolk, very runny white spots | 250°F (120°C) | 11–12 minutes |
| Soft yolk, set white | 250°F (120°C) | 12–13 minutes |
| Jammy yolk, creamy center | 250°F (120°C) | 13–14 minutes |
| Hard yolk, tender white | 250°F (120°C) | 15–16 minutes |
| Soft yolk, set white | 270°F (130°C) | 9–10 minutes |
| Jammy yolk | 270°F (130°C) | 11–12 minutes |
| Hard yolk | 270°F (130°C) | 13–15 minutes |
These times reflect large eggs straight from the fridge. Smaller eggs set a bit faster, and extra-large or jumbo eggs need a touch longer. Once you dial in the ideal time for one egg, you can repeat that setting whenever you want a batch.
Can You Boil An Egg In The Air Fryer? Basic Method
People ask “can you boil an egg in the air fryer?” because they want the same result as a pot of simmering water, just with less watching and stirring. The good news is that the method is simple, and you only need a few tools you already have in your kitchen.
What You Need
- 4–6 large eggs, straight from the refrigerator
- Air fryer with a basket or rack (preheated if your manual recommends it)
- Tongs or a spoon for moving hot eggs
- Bowl filled with ice water for a quick chill
Step-By-Step Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer. Set it to 250°F (120°C) or 270°F (130°C). Many home cooks like 250°F for a gentler cook and 270°F for a slightly faster cook.
- Arrange the eggs. Place the cold eggs straight on the basket or rack in a single layer. Leave a little space so hot air can move around each egg.
- Set the time. Use the chart above as a starting point. For a classic hard “boiled” egg at 250°F, 15–16 minutes usually brings the yolk to a firm texture.
- Cook without opening the basket. Every time you slide the basket out, heat drops inside the chamber. Let the cycle finish, especially during your first test run.
- Prepare an ice bath. While the eggs cook, fill a bowl with cold water and plenty of ice. This stops the cooking as soon as the eggs come out.
- Chill the eggs. Once the timer ends, move the eggs straight into the ice water. Leave them there for about 5 minutes to cool the shells and firm up the texture.
- Peel and check doneness. Crack one egg, peel it under a thin stream of running water, then cut it in half. If the yolk looks right, you’ve found your timing; if not, adjust a minute or two next time.
Cooling, Peeling, And Serving
The ice bath matters almost as much as the cook time. Quick cooling keeps the yolk from turning chalky and helps prevent that green ring around the yolk that can show up when eggs sit hot for too long. Cooling also makes the white contract slightly away from the shell, which helps the eggs peel more cleanly.
After chilling, you can peel all the eggs and store them in an airtight container, or keep them in the shell and peel as needed. Plain air fryer “boiled” eggs work in breakfast plates, grain bowls, sandwiches, and snacks with a pinch of salt or seasoning blend.
Air Fryer Boiled Eggs Time And Temperature Guide
The basic method stays the same, but a few details change how your air fryer boiled eggs turn out. Time, temperature, egg size, and starting temperature all make a difference, so it helps to understand how each piece fits.
How Temperature Changes The Texture
Lower temperatures such as 250°F cook the egg more gently. Whites stay tender and yolks stay moist, even when you cook to a fully hard center. Higher settings around 270°F or 300°F shave off a minute or two, but they can create more brown spots where the shell touches the hot air.
If your air fryer’s lowest setting is 300°F, reduce the suggested times by 1–2 minutes. Start with a single egg run, note the result, then copy that time for future batches that use the same model and egg size.
Why Egg Size And Starting Temperature Matter
Cold, large eggs from the fridge need longer than small eggs or eggs that sat on the counter for a while. If you switch from large to extra-large eggs, add about 1 minute to your usual setting. If you move from fridge-cold eggs to eggs that are closer to room temperature, shave off a minute.
Shell color does not change cooking time. Brown and white eggs behave the same in the air fryer. The shell thickness can vary slightly by brand and breed, though, so there may be tiny differences between cartons.
Soft, Jammy, Or Hard Yolks
For soft yolks with a slightly loose center, stay near the lower end of the ranges in the time chart. Jammy yolks that slice cleanly yet feel creamy at the center sit near the middle times. Hard yolks where the center is fully set land at the top of each range.
If you have kids, older adults, or people with weaker immune systems at the table, harder yolks are a safer choice. The FDA egg safety guidance notes that eggs should be cooked until the yolks are firm for higher-risk groups, since lightly cooked styles may not reach a high enough internal temperature.
Food Safety Tips For Air Fryer Eggs
Cooking eggs in an air fryer feels simple, but food safety still matters. Shell eggs can carry bacteria on the surface or inside, so you want good handling, proper cooking, and safe storage habits.
Cooking Eggs To A Safe Temperature
Experts recommend cooking eggs so that the white is fully set and the yolk is firm for people at higher risk of illness. The American Egg Board notes that most fully cooked egg dishes reach an internal temperature near 160°F or above when done. Soft and jammy styles may not reach that point, so use those textures only for healthy adults who accept that small added risk.
An instant-read thermometer can poke through a peeled test egg if you want numbers, but you can also rely on visual cues. Fully cooked eggs show no translucent white, and the yolk no longer glistens in the center.
Cooling And Storing Cooked Eggs
Once your air fryer eggs leave the basket, cool them in ice water and then move them to the refrigerator. The FDA advises keeping eggs at or below 40°F and using hard-cooked eggs within about one week for best quality. That applies to air fryer “boiled” eggs just as it does to eggs cooked in a pot.
Store peeled eggs in a covered container with a dry paper towel to catch any surface moisture. If you prefer to peel right before serving, keep the eggs in the shell in their carton or a sealed container to protect them from strong odors in the fridge.
Who Should Avoid Soft Yolks
Young children, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone with a weakened immune system should stick with well-cooked eggs. For those diners, use the high end of the cooking range so the yolk is completely firm. That small shift makes air fryer eggs a safer pick for the whole table.
Air Fryer Eggs Vs Other Methods
Once you learn the timing, the air fryer can stand next to your stove, pressure cooker, or steamer as a steady way to cook “boiled” eggs. Each method has its own trade-offs in time, attention, and cleanup.
| Method | Hands-On Effort | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Air fryer “boiled” eggs | Load basket, set timer, brief peel time | Small kitchens, no pot needed, quick breakfasts |
| Stove-top boiled eggs | Measure water, watch for boil, adjust heat | Large batches when you have time to watch the pot |
| Instant Pot or pressure cooker | Measure water, lock lid, manual release | Very consistent results for big meal prep sessions |
| Electric egg cooker | Add water with measuring cup, push button | Frequent egg eaters who like a dedicated gadget |
| Steaming in a pot | Set up steamer basket, monitor heat | Gentle cooking when you already have a pot in use |
| Oven “boiled” eggs | Preheat oven, longer cook time | Large batches when the oven is already hot |
| Microwave in water (with care) | Needs caution to avoid shell bursts | Only when you follow a trusted method and avoid shells |
The air fryer sits between a set-and-forget gadget and a classic stove-top pot. You skip the pan, avoid waiting for water to boil, and keep clean-up simple. The trade-off is that you work within the basket size of your machine, so huge batches still fit better in a large pot or pressure cooker.
Common Mistakes With Air Fryer Boiled Eggs
Even though the method is simple, a few common habits can make air fryer eggs tricky. Small tweaks in how you cook and cool the eggs often fix peeling issues and odd textures.
Skipping The Test Batch
Every air fryer behaves a little differently. Fan speed, chamber size, and how closely the thermostat tracks the set temperature all play a part. If you jump straight into a big batch, you might end up with eggs that feel harder or softer than you wanted.
Start with one or two eggs. Cook them at a mid-range time, chill, and cut them open. Adjust a minute up or down, then write that “house setting” on a sticky note near your air fryer so you can repeat it later.
Overcrowding The Basket
It’s tempting to stack eggs to cook more at once, but that blocks airflow and creates hot and cool spots. Eggs near the fan may cook faster, while ones in the center stay softer.
Keep eggs in a single layer with a little space between each one. If you need more eggs than your basket can hold, run a second batch. Since the air fryer is already hot, the second batch may even finish a minute faster.
Skipping The Ice Bath
Without an ice bath, eggs continue to cook inside the shell, especially when they sit in a warm basket. That extra time can turn jammy yolks into dry ones, and it raises the chance of a green ring around the yolk edge.
A quick chill locks in the texture you want and makes peeling easier. Always set the bowl of ice water up while the eggs cook so it’s ready the moment the timer beeps.
Peeling Eggs That Are Too Hot Or Too Cold
Peeling eggs right out of the air fryer burns your fingers and can tear the whites. Peeling ice-cold eggs straight from the fridge can also lead to pitted whites, since the membrane clings more tightly.
Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for about 5 minutes, then peel while they are cool but not fridge-cold. Gently crack the shell on the counter, roll to create lots of small cracks, then peel from the wider end where the air pocket sits.
Who Air Fryer “Boiled” Eggs Work Best For
If you rely on eggs for fast protein, the air fryer can take some pressure off busy mornings. You can cook a small batch while you get ready, or knock out a week of salad toppings in a couple of short cycles.
Air fryer eggs also suit people who live in dorms, RVs, or small apartments where a full stove is not always available. As long as you have a safe outlet and a way to chill the eggs afterward, you can turn a carton of eggs into easy meals with little fuss.
For home cooks who already own a pressure cooker or a dedicated egg cooker, air fryer eggs are just another option. You can pick the method that fits your counter space, your schedule, and how many eggs you need at once.
Quick Reference Tips For Perfect Air Fryer Eggs
At this point, “can you boil an egg in the air fryer?” feels less like a question and more like a simple kitchen trick. To keep results steady from batch to batch, use these quick reminders.
- Use large eggs from the fridge and keep them in a single layer in the basket.
- Set 250°F for gentle cooking or 270°F for a slightly faster batch, then test one egg.
- Soft yolk: pick the low end of the time range; hard yolk: use the high end.
- Move eggs straight from basket to ice water, then chill for about 5 minutes before peeling.
- Store cooked eggs in the fridge and eat them within about a week for best quality.
- Choose fully hard yolks for young kids, older adults, and anyone with health concerns.
Once you know which time and temperature setting gives you the yolk you like, boiling an egg in the air fryer becomes a repeatable habit. You load the basket, press start, cool the eggs, and you’re ready for fast breakfasts, snacks, and simple meals built around a carton of eggs.