Soft-boiled eggs are one of my very favorite breakfasts, and one that I eat the most often! (don’t worry, the shells are only on the above eggs for photo purposes! When making this recipe, you should remove the shell before serving)
The other morning, I was enjoying my soft-boiled eggs with buttered toast and a cappuccino when I asked on Twitter if anyone would be interested in learning how it’s done—to my surprise, many of you said YES! Well fellow egg loving friends, this post is for you.
Soft-boiled eggs are the perfect combination between poached eggs and hard-boiled eggs. I love them because it gives me the opportunity to dunk my bread stick (the “soldier”) into the deliciously thick and runny yolk. I also feel so dignified eating them in cute little egg cups (the above cups are from Etsy!)—it may sound silly, but it really starts my day on a positive note!
I’m lucky enough to buy my eggs straight from a local farm. Well, straight from my hair stylist across the street who gets them delivered straight from the farm, that is.
I have to say, it’s pretty cool to have both your hair girl and your egg girl a stone’s throw away….what more do you need in life?
So, once you learn the timing on soft-boiled eggs, you’ll be making these for yourself almost daily! They are so easy! All you do is bring a pot of salted water to a boil on the stove, carefully drop in your eggs, then cover the pot tight and reduce heat to low.
Then, set your timer for five minutes:
The timer is going, make your coffee and stick your bread in the toaster! I like a five minute egg, but some people prefer their eggs to be a little less runny. If that’s you, set your timer for six minutes!
When the timer goes off, the eggs are done so quickly grab ‘em and run them under cold water. Then gently peel them (unlike my photo…haha) and either smash them with a fork in a bowl or eat them all dignified like out of an egg cup with your pinkie in the air. These are also great for dinner! Last night I had them over another (I know…I know…) kale salad and it was lovely.
As for your toast, butter it then cut it into sticks for dippin’. Or at least that’s what the Brits tell me. Apparently, the buttered bread sticks look like soldiers standing at attention. I like it!
And now, on a totally irrelevant and unrelated note, after watching way too many youtube videos on the subject, I finally tried out the “sock bun” yesterday.
It scared me.
And I think it would have scared my sweet little yoga students, too, if I would have showed up like this to teach yesterday afternoon.
Some people can pull the look out wonderfully, but as for me….I’ll stick with a ponytail. The sock bun is just….too much on me. Just too much.
How to Make Perfect Soft-Boiled Eggs (Eggs & Soldiers)
serves 1
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 slices whole-grain bread
1 tbsp butter
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, carefully (!!) set the eggs in the water. Cover and turn heat to low. Set your timer for five minutes (six if you like thicker yolks).
Meanwhile, toast your bread then smear with butter. Cut into one-inch sticks (“soldiers”).
Gently remove the eggs from the water when the timer goes off. Immediately run under cold water. Peel carefully. Set eggs in a cute egg dish or smash in a shallow bowl. Dip toast in yolks and enjoy!
Time:
10 minutes
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{ 113 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum! Thanks for the how-to. Can’t wait to try it.
I didn’t have much luck with the sock bun either. It took me a while to realize you have to actually cut the sock. My friend pulled it off perfectly, but she has thick, long brown hair. My grandma tried to get her to give her the sock because her feet were cold.
A lot of people put the sock in wrong (including me, at first). This video shows you how to do it so that it stays in your hair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfMlMhSACCE. Also, Conair makes a Bun Maker that does the same thing a sock bun does, but it stays in your hair a lot better and it only costs around $3.
I definitely don’t think the sock bun would work on me … my hair is way too fine for most up-do’s. :/ But I’m impressed with your attempt!!
I was literally just saying I wanted to know how to make soft-boiled eggs! I’ve never had them before! Definitely trying this out.
I haven’t tried a sock bun! I really need to see what it looks like on me. Also, I love a good soft boiled egg. Great tutorial!
That’s it?! I’ve been missing out. Your little cups are adorbs! And yes, the sock bun didn’t even WORK on me. Bummer!
All I can think about is how difficult it was to get the egg yolk those tiny pours of the egg cups!
Also, I may need to try these. I’ve never been presented with one.
me too! That’s the first thing I thought… “Yuck those would be hard to wash!”
This is one of my hubby’s faves!
I just posted a recipe for dippy eggs last week too but with sweet potato fries as the ‘soldiers’. I had them again this morning, but I like to leave the shell on and saw off the top, then scoop out the whites from the shell with a mini spoon
sophisticated breakfast but so simple at the same time.
from Carole–I also like to leave the shell on the egg. That is how it was served to us in England. My Mother would serve it to my Dad that way also. The problem I have is sawing off the top. Any suggestions? Carole
Carole: when I lived in Germany we had eggs cooked this way…
Try this: tap a crack all the way around the top of the egg with a knife, while the egg is in it’s cup. Then poke the knife through the crack and gently saw the top off. Then, viola!! Your egg is open and ready to eat. Add salt and pepper, use your little egg spoon to stir up the white and yoke, and enjoy!
Mike, I do the same thing, just with a spoon. Tap my way all around to top 1/4, then poke the tip of the spoon in and pry it off. I’ve never peeled a soft-boiled egg in my life!
LOVE this post Jenna!
I’m an egg girl through and through. Poached is my fav, but this sounds equally good and I’m totally going to give it a go. Thanks for the tutorial.
Happy weekend!
I love eggs and wish I had easier access to fresh farm eggs. Gotta try these soft boiled ones soon! Darn it, if I only had little cups like that, it would be so perfect, I will have to settle for a ramekin. For a long time, I stared at your sock bun pic and did not understand at all what I was looking at. Lol! I thought it was the back of your head or something.
We have hens and so we appreciate eggs straight from the front yard (or back or side, depending on where the coop is located of a morning), and as people who don’t want to wash too many dishes first thing, soft boiled eggs are the perfect morning go-to for quick clean up and nutrition.
We keep eggs on the counter at room temperature. Store-bought eggs are washed and so have lost the outer coating that keeps them fresh. Those eggs MUST be kept refrigerated. But yard-fresh, unwashed eggs can be left unrefrigerated for at least a couple of weeks and probably longer.
Since more and more people have access to actual fresh eggs, thanks to family and friends and their new backyard pets — chickens — here’s how we prepare soft boiled eggs: In the morning, we rinse room temperature eggs, put them into a small pot and add water until they’re just covered. We bring the water up to a boil, set the timer for 2:00 (minutes) and start the countdown, adjusting the heat to maintain a medium boil. Saves time, saves fuel, the eggs come out perfect! Now I have to go do the dishes. — Your photos are inspiring. Thanks!
That’s exactly how I do my soft boiled eggs!
Thats oddly enough how I make hard boiled eggs (more or less; bring to boil, turn off, jump into the shower while leaving the pot on the hot plate), but I have been longing for soft boiled eggs for a while (lovely with fresh asparagus) and have just not managed to get the timing right. Thanks!
I adore soft boiled eggs, but never think to make them! Hello to my next breakfast! Thanks for reminding me!
I *like* the sock bun on you and I like even more and this soft boiled egg lesson.
speaking of soft boiled eggs for breakfast AND dinner, have you ever had a scotch egg?! you need to. (see one in my post today here: http://indulgeinspireimbibe.blogspot.com/2012/04/gallows-does-it-again.html)
Perfect for my hubby since he loves runny eggs. I think sock buns are precious but not for me, either. I think my head is too big.
Jenna, your sock bun looks great! I don’t know what you’re talking about.
I agree! I love it!
So, I just went down the basement and dug out Great Grandma’s egg cups. Now I’m off to find organic eggs.
Jenna do you have advice on peeling the eggs? I’m a horrible egg peeler. I end up with a third of the egg whites gone with the shell LOL. And that is on an “easy to peel” hard boiled egg.
The best egg peeling tip I was ever given is to use a tablespoon (a tablespoon you eat with, not the kind you measure stuff with). I think it works because a tablespoon has a similar-ish curve to the egg so it gets under the shell pretty smoothly.
Tap the egg (gently) on the counter to crack the shell all over, and then lever off the shell using a tablespoon. Try it – it is so much easier than using your fingers.
I saw one from Sur La Table that clipped the top!
I also actually had these eggs in bed and breakfast in England. Im hooked! She just took a spoon and clipped it off
Interesting method! My mom always taught me to put the cold egg in the water, allow it to come to a boil, turn it off and then let it sit for 5 minutes. I love how that turns out too, but the egg isn’t quite as runny as yours is — which means no dipping.
Will have to try this…and maybe the sock bun. Maybe.
I saw these in a magazine this week and thought it would be so yummy. Glad to see your recipe here. Definitely going to make them. Yum!
Thanks Jenna! I used to eat soft boiled eggs with my great grandfather, but haven’t had them since I was a little kid. I will make them this weekend!
Haha I think the sock bun looks pretty cute on you!
And the soft boiled egg is one thing that I have not yet perfected…maybe it’s been the cooking time that’s my problem all along. Definitely going to try this!
I’m a five minute egg girl too! These look totally fabulous!
LOL you crack me up! your sock bun looks fab.
No, no , no! Here in the UK (home of eggs and soldiers) we always leave the shell on……
Agreed. The shell stays on in the UK!
I was recently in Amsterdam and my hardboiled egg also came in the shell, in an egg cup… must be a European thing. I almost didn’t know how to approach it!
Yes that’s how my husband always does it because his mother always left the shell on (she’s Irish).
Ditto, from Canada! Must be the French and English background!
Thanks for the detailed egg tutorial. Honestly, I am not good with making the perfect soft egg..it’s either a fully firm yolk that’s way too overdone for my liking or it’s so runny it’s raw. I need to try your method; thanks!
These look awesomely perfect. And the soldiers, too cute.
I find myself surprised at the number of people posting that have never tried soft boiled eggs! I grew up with that as our breakfast staple, so I just assumed everyone else did, too
eggs and soldiers were one of my kids’ faves when they were growing up, too. They each had their own little egg cup. Thanks for the memories and for bringing this yummy breakfast to the masses 
I can honestly say I’ve never hard a soft boiled egg but I was planning on eating a hard boiled one with dinner tonight so I think I’ll give this a shot! And I think you def can pull of the sock bun
The first time I had soft boiled eggs was when I was living in Spain – my host mom used to make them for us all the time. Mmmm.
Also, thank you for the sock bun reference. I have thick enough hair that I have never really had the need to bump up the volume with a sock, but everyone has seemed to into this whole sock bun thing that I was beginnign to wonder if there was anyone else who thought it was perhaps a little strange!
how do you make your cappuccino? I’m determined to make good coffee and/or espresso and just have a regular 12-cup pot. I saw on a previous post you have a Bodrum french press. I’m thinking about investing, although do you have an espresso maker too?
I do! I have a Nespresso machine and love it…I love my little French press for regular coffee, but when it comes to espresso, the Nespresso cant be beat
I thought you used the Moka Bialetti?
That first picture is serious food porn! So lovely. I haven’t attempted to make soft-boiled eggs but this post inspires me too. I believe in fried egg sandwiches for any meal and I love the simplicity of adding egg as a protein to any dish…kale included
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Mmn – LOVE soft boiled eggs! But I learned to eat them the European way – shells on! I actually really love eating them this way. In an egg cup with a sweet little egg sized spoon. There is just something about scraping out the last bit of egg from its shell with your little spoon – love it! AND it is so much easier than fussing about peeling the egg.
Your photos are lovely-and now I am regretting not having had a soft-boiled egg for breakfast this morning. I never thought of doing the little toast strips-so cute! I personally tend to scoop out my soft boiled egg into a small dish, mash it up a bit with my spoon, salt and pepper it, then scoop a bit of it onto my toast for a perfect eggy-crusty-buttered-toast bite each time. Mmmm….
I don’t think it is silly at all to think that the right breakfast (or cute egg cup, coffee mug, cereal bowl, etc.) can totally start your day off on the right foot! It happens to me all the time!
Those look great! I’ve tried to make soft-boiled eggs before but they haven’t turned out this good. I’ll have to try your tips
LOVE the idea of eating them with kale!
Thanks Jenna, I look forward to trying this. Not for me, but for my husband. I like my eggs rubber…I know, so wrong but it is true.
looove soft boiled eggs so much. definitely my favorite way to have an egg.
and those eggs cups are cutiessss!
Haha my bff pulls off the sock bun so well, it’s crazy!
Now I want a soft boiled egg!!
This is my absolute favorite breakfast! I keep my shells on and use a small spoon to scoop out, in addition to dipping with the soldiers. Yum, now I want this for breakfast tomorrow. (and I’m very jealous of your pretty eggs… will have to go to Ferry Building asap, even though they don’t always have the different colored ones!)
I used to eat eggs and soldiers a lot as a child! Delicious.
Great post – and the photos are incredible! Do you buy bakery or store-bought bread?
yummers!!!!!!!!!!
i eat 2 soft boiled eggs every day, too! Well… usually i forget about them and they turn into hard boiled. boooo. I need a kitchen timer, huh?
love you! XO
Your “sock bun” scares me
My dad used to make these for me when I was a little girl and we had a special little egg shell cutter that cut off the top and we would eat out of the gg like it was a bowl- so I don’t judge you for keeping the shell on!
I’ve never had a soft boiled egg (gasp)! I think I might have to give it a try because I want to have little soldiers.
I’m pro “shell on” and “saw off the top” too.. must be a UK thing that us Aussie’s have adapted!
Also, I like to put the egg into room temperature water, and then bring to the boil. Less cracking, and over cooking that way!
Great post Jenna!
Apparently I don’t spend enough (or any) time on Pinterest and the like, because I had no idea what this “sock bun” was all about. I had to do a google image search. Well, I agree with some other people… my hair would be way too think for this look. But, I also imagine that (if this is even possible… not sure how it’s constructed) it would look a lot better if the hair was not pulled back so tightly at the hairline, and it was made a little more messily. Otherwise… it looks like some weird 60s ‘do or prom look, or something. Loose and messy is better.
Also I must admit that my fear of all raw animal products (except oysters) makes me find anything but hard-boiled eggs revolting! I wish I could get over the creeped-outedness, because the FLAVOR itself would probably be good.
*way too THIN, that is.
I always enjoy your website. Thank you for all your interesting and delicious posts. When I was in Germany, they served soft boiled eggs at every hotel and bed and breakfast we stayed at. The shells were always left on. When I got home to the states, I always serve them with the shells on.
I didn’t even know people cooked soft boiled eggs!! I’m so excited now! I love runny yolks and I love boiled whites. Typically I use runny fried eggs for dipping or with hard boiled I eat only the whites. Now I can have both!! I dunno I guess when I was growing up my mom had convinced me that a runny boiled egg was a bad thing, a failed attempt at boiling an egg.
Nothing wrong with leaving the shells on while you eat them- that’s what they do in Europe! Fun fact: In France, they call soft-boiled eggs “oeufs à coq,” which means “rooster’s eggs.”
ahh this sounds perfect for me. i had been making fried eggs every morning because i love the runny yolk. but i leave them cooking while i get ready for work, so i almost always over-cook the whites. i loooove the textures of boiled whites, so this will be amazing!
made it shortly after posting the previous comment. i let it go for 6 minutes, and it was perfect! such a great post-workout meal
You can also do a sock bun with a thin trouser sock or something if you’re going for a more subtle look. Maybe this is pointless for some, but it improves the look of a simple bun for my layered shoulder length hair.
When serving in an egg cup, the usual procedure in Europe is to chop off the top of the egg in the shell but leave the bottom shell on and scoop the inside of the egg with the toast or a tiny spoon designed for that purpose. The spoons are either ivory or stainless steel as egg yolk tarnishes sterling silver
I was never very adept at getting a clean chop on the top, which amused the family I lived with.
Thanks for the tutorial…it looks so easy and delicious!! Is there a reason why the water is salted? Would it be the same without putting salt into the boiling water?
The salt keeps the egg from running out into the water if the shell should crack.
Thank you! I was wondering the same thing!
I have actually never had a soft boiled egg, even though runny yolks are my favorite thing ever. Definitely going to try this!! (And I think your sock bun looks adorable!)
You peel the eggs after soft boiling them? But how do you manage to dip your bread? We have them all the time, but I make them REEALLYdifferently
Thanks for posted this recipe. I tried it and it turn out great. So much easier than a poached egg. I will be having this for breakfast quite often.
Great tips! I love soft boiled eggs….or in my house “huevos tivios”. Been eating it since I was a kid!
Sock bun…I like all my socks too much to cut them up :/ Trip to Wal-Mart soon?
Just chiming in on the other folks re: the shell on/shell off. The shell stays on!!! Why waste time peeling? The whole point of the egg cup is that it’s sitting up straight so you can tap the side of the egg with your spoon, crack it open and scoop out the yummy inside. If you’re feeling particularly indulgent, drop a pat of butter inside with some salt and pepper. Ohhh yes. That’s how the Irish do it.
I love soft boiled eggs! They are my favorite egg breakfast at home.
Just love those fossilized egg cups. Where did you find them?
Etsy!
I saw this exact same thing in Food Network Magazine April 2010 – 50 egg dishes. They even called it Eggs with Soldiers. I think you should at least give them credit.
If you read the thread you’ll see that “eggs and soldiers” is a popular european dish. She’s not claiming to have invented it so she doesn’t need to credit
It’s like Eggs Benedict- a popular dish typically made the same way but many people post how to make it. She’s just sharing her knowledge!
Thanks a million for posting this. I will try this in the morning. “I have to say, it’s pretty cool to have both your hair girl and your egg girl a stone’s throw away….what more do you need in life?” At least this will be convenient if you ever want to throw a stone at them.
I have been craving a soft boiled egg for a looooong time now! I thought I knew how to make one and I kept screwing it up. Thank you for your tutorial my soft boiled eggs are perfect this morning! Now if you can just come up with an easier way to peel those suckers!!!!!
Thanks! Nice touch with the little egg holders and toast.
Re: Soft-boiled eggs. You mentioned smashing them with a fork. After doing so, crumble crackers (saltines or snack) into the eggs. Looks rather nasty….but tastes yummy! My mother always served them in a miniature “chicken dish” [hen on a nest], and in our family, they were known as “cracker eggs”.
I have a vague memory of eating soft-boiled eggs with crumbled crackers….probably from sometime in childhood when I was sick. I have always loved soft-boiled eggs and always have them with toast. Unfortunately, success at achieving the perfect balance between solid white and runny yolk has always been hit-and-miss…until now! I have achieved perfection in my quest. A drop of butter in the egg (yes, I know…but, hey, it’s a guilty once-in-awhile pleasure) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and I am once again transported to Mom’s kitchen on a Sunday morning, Dad at the table reading the paper, he and I savoring those eggs (funny…they always turned out perfectly when Mom made them). Next time I am going to try them with the crackers. Thanks to Jenna for the hints, and thanks Bonnie for the saltine memory…
Omigosh!!! These are great!! Thank you!!!
This recipe worked perfectly. Question – does the same timing apply to more than 2 eggs?
5 min is too short was runny
Ok, I’ve been eating my soft boiled eggs this way since I was about 6 yrs. old (I’m 66). My wife has to leave the room for fear of upchucking. So, my soft boiled eggs are about 5 min. When I brake them into a boll, I add a hand full of dry Cheerios (it sops up some of the yoke but I love the combo). Try it (if you dare) and enjoy.
I just tried this and it’s perfect. Thanks so much!
Nonsense! The simplest way to make soft-boiled eggs is to start with cold water in a small pot, put your eggs in, and wait till the water starts boiling. When it does, let the eggs boil for one minute, and they are done! Perfectly done! If you want them softer, boil them for 50 secs. If harder, for 70. This is the easiest and faster way! You don’t have to wait for the water to boil to put your eggs in and wait for 5 minutes more for them to be done! The eggs start cooking as the water temperature raises! This approach works for 2 to 4 large eggs and saves energy too!
Eggs came out still runny after following instructions.
Worthless instructions. Thanks for wasting my eggs.
It’s a soft boiled egg – they are meant to be runny. If you look closely at her pictures you can see that the white is not completely set. The outside is set but the white next to the yolk is still a bit runny.
Jenna even says “I like a five minute egg, but some people prefer their eggs to be a little less runny. If that’s you, set your timer for six minutes!”
Also it will make a difference to the cooking time required if the eggs are at room temperature (as opposed to fridge temperature) when you start. Jenna hasn’t specified this unfortunately – Jenna, perhaps you could include that?
LOVE the how-to on the eggs – your method works perfectly! I found your blog yesterday because I lucked up at World Market and found the most adorable five minute egg holders and little spoons – and I said, “That’s it – I’ve wanted to learn the trick to making these eggs and I’m going to ACCOMPLISH it!” I lived in Germany for several years and one thing I always loved about a good German breakfast spread was the five minute eggs in their little egg cup with the precious little spoon (and they are never peeled, by the way). There’s just something that feels special and pampered about starting one’s day with this little ritual! I also treated myself to a tiny little white pitcher for my cream for my coffee, so this morning I made the eggs your way – PERFECT – and put the egg in the little cup, got my little spoon, sliced off the tip of the egg and sprinkled in a little fancy schmancy gourmet salt, and then poured my cream into my coffee from my little creamer, and totally felt like a European countess! Thank you – and great blog by the way.
I can’t believe I looked up how to make soft boiled eggs and the article finished off talking about sock buns…my latest obsession! Haha. That’s too ironic. Love it!
I’ve made soft-boiled eggs before – but on a gas stove, with a special timer that told me exactly how long to leave them in for! So with an electric stove, no timer and a craving for soft-boiled eggs, things were a bit scary…
But this made perfect eggs! I did overcook them just a little (no good for dipping, sadly, but perfectly good spooned onto toast!) but that’s because I was keeping an eye on the toast, haha. My toaster thinks it’s a thing of the devil, I swear it does.
Thank you for this!
On behalf of the planet and my stomach – thanks Jenna
this totally works!!!
Do you have to cover it?
I now know why the shells are still in the eggs in the pictures…because it is impossible to peel them without destroying the eggs. Could not peel them without the whites sticking to the shell. Horrible!! Complete waste of time and eggs.
I didn’t have any trouble with this! Did you get them nice and cold to the touch under the faucet?
Thank you for this. Are your eggs kept In the fridge? Because mine split when i put them in boiling water.
The one question/answer/ditty I was looking for is … what is the preferred temperature of the egg before cooking? Room temp or straight from the fridge? Both affect the cooking time greatly. Would removing the egg from the fridge at the time you put the water on to boil sufficient warm up time? Thanks
I wonder that as well. My cooking method has been a different one over the years, so I want to try this, but we have farm fresh eggs on the counter and also some in the fridge. So which will this recipe work for? I love a perfect soft boiled egg.
Thanks for this! The eggs came out PERFECT. I have a question for anyone who can answer. I tend to eat breakfast at the office – if I made these and kept them in the shell for my 45 minute commute, would they be ok when I crack the shell open at work? My guess is the yolk would continue to cook and not be as funny but maybe the cold water shock was enough to stop cooking? Any thoughts would be helpful!
I just used this recipe and made some tasty soft boiled eggs! Such a nice breakfast!
You were right! Perfect soft boiled eggs! With a cup of coffee, bellissima!
Worked to perfection! Though, I would say that the 6-minute results were “medium-boiled” eggs, as opposed to “hard-boiled”. For full hard-boiled, 7-10 minutes is great!
Lol
Where did you find these fantastic looking dishes/egg holders?
I’m ten and I LOVE making soldiers and eggs. And I also LOVE the sock bun. It works fine on me. Trust me. Both the soldiers n eggs and the sock bun are awesome. Teach ur kids to make them. I can and I’m ten.
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