Need more easy egg recipes? Try my over easy eggs, egg white omelette, over medium eggs, and sous vide egg bites next. As someone who craves a soft yolk, I can attest to how challenging it is to get the perfect soft boiled egg. That is until I started using my air fryer. With the magic of the air fryer, you can get the PERFECT soft boiled egg. What’s even better, it’s virtually hands off because there’s no ‘boiling’ involved.
Why I love this recipe
It’s so quick. Just pop the eggs in the air fryer, and 9 minutes later, voila! Breakfast is ready. Completely hands-off. Since there’s no boiling, that means no babysitting either. Foolproof. Boiling water is temperamental, especially at higher elevations. Luckily, the air fryer is always reliable. Cook as few or as many as you need. You can feed one, two, or five people with the same amount of effort.
Ingredients needed
Large eggs. Preferably room temperature eggs as they will cook a bit more quickly. If your eggs aren’t at room temperature, gently place them in a bowl of tepid water for five minutes before air frying.
How to make air fryer soft boiled eggs
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Arman’s recipe tips
Choose good-quality eggs. You’d be surprised by the huge difference in flavor it can make. Use tongs. The eggs will be pretty hot when you pull them from the basket, so use a set of tongs! Practice makes perfect. Everyone’s air fryer is a bit different. Mine were perfectly cooked after 9-10 minutes. If your fryer takes a bit longer to warm up (or you prefer slightly firmer yolks), increase the cooking time to 10 minutes. Have the ice bath ready. Time is of the essence, so have the ice bath ready so the eggs don’t overcook.
Storage instructions
To store: Place leftover unpeeled eggs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. Peeled eggs will stay fresh for up to three days. There is a bit of a trick to peeling an egg, and don’t fret if it takes you a couple of tries. Here’s the method I find most effective:
Gently crack the egg. Remove the egg from the bowl of ice water and gently crack it on a hard surface. Start from the base. Begin peeling from the larger side of the egg. This is also where you’ll find the air pocket, making it easier to get under the shell and remove larger pieces. Look for the membrane. The membrane is the thin piece that separates the egg from the shell. If you see this, peel from there to help peel more of the shell. Go slowly. Patience is key! I’ve found that some eggs are trickier than others, but it can be done. Run it underwater. To remove the last remaining bits of shell.
I find air fryer eggs with a sprinkle of salt and pepper make the perfect protein-packed snack, but there are plenty of other ways to use them. Here are some ideas:
Served on a piece of avocado toast with air fryer bacon. On top of a cobb salad or Japanese potato salad. Mashed into a creamy, flavorful curried egg salad (or egg salad sandwiches!). Sliced and served over spicy ramen. Slice in half and garnish with bagel seasoning and fresh herbs, like chives or fresh dill.
To reheat: Place the eggs in a bowl of warm water and let them soak for 15 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
More air fryer breakfast recipes
Air fryer turkey bacon Air fryer French toast Air fryer cinnamon rolls Air fryer bagels Or any of these air fryer recipes
