The Foolproof Way to Make Perfectly Jammy Soft-Boiled Eggs

Soft-boiled egg

As many ways as there are to enjoy an egg, there are many more methods about how to cook that egg perfectly. There are tips for next-level scrambled, hard-boiled and fried eggs and instructions for creating a restaurant-worthy omelet.

And then there are soft-boiled eggs. If cooked properly, a soft-boiled egg will come out with perfectly soft and tender egg white and a jammy yolk that's perfect for dipping toast.

While most people are likely used to soft-boiling their eggs in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, did you know that your air fryer can do just as good of a job, if not better? According to a tip shared on Instagram by Humaira of hhfitness.uk, air frying your eggs straight from the fridge for 7 minutes at 350-365°F will result in the best and easiest soft-boiled eggs ever. We were intrigued by the trick, but also a little bit skeptical, so we fired up our air fryer and gave the trick a try.

Related: The Absolute Best Way to Make Soft, Creamy Scrambled Eggs, According to Legendary Chef Jacques Pépin

View the original article to see embedded media.

How to Make a Soft-Boiled Egg in the Air Fryer

Just like when using the boiling method, the amount of time the egg stays in the air fryer directly affects the end result. Cooking the eggs at 350° for 7 minutes resulted in a very runny yolk with a mostly set egg white. When we left the egg in the air fryer for just 2 more minutes at 350°, the yolk began to cook beyond the point of runny and started to harden.

To get the perfectly cooked white and wonderfully jammy yolk, we found the sweet spot was cooking the eggs at 360° for 7 minutes, then transferring them into an ice bath.

This experiment also reminded us that different air fryer models cook differently, so you might have to do a little bit of trial and error to find out what temperature and time work best in your machine.

Related: 100 Best Egg Recipes

How do you know if a soft-boiled egg is done?

After your eggs have had a few minutes to cool off in an ice bath, the best way to determine if the eggs are in fact done is to do the steam test. If when removed from the ice bath the eggshell steams itself dry, then the egg is done and ready to eat.

Up next: What Happens to Your Body if You Eat Eggs Every Day