Whether it’s for weekend eggs Benedict or every day avocado toast, this is the foolproof way to make poached eggs on the stove top, in the oven, microwave or the Instant Pot.
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No technique shows off an egg’s rustic elegance as much as the humble poach. Just as delicious atop a slice of buttered toast as they are nestled in a bed of fancy French frisée with lardons, the poached egg is one of the most versatile ingredients you’ll nearly always have in your kitchen.
But the poached egg is far from being a show off. So long as the yolks are creamy and the whites set soft, poached eggs don’t have to look perfect to taste perfectly delicious.
The Best Way to Poach Eggs
A perfect protein, poached eggs have wiggled their way into every meal of the day. But unlike scrambled, hard boiled, or even fried, poached eggs have held a mystique that can intimidate the home cook into thinking they’re just too hard to cook.
Happily, that is 100% not the case.
Poached eggs are totally easy to cook:
- on the stove top for an easy breezy brunch
- in the microwave for a fast weekday breakfast
- in the oven to make a bunch for hands off for a crowd
- in the Instant Pot for meal prep through the week
Here’s how.
Tips for Poached Egg Success
Use fresh eggs for poached eggs. Older eggs whites separate and become more viscous creating more wispy whites when cooked in the water.
Strain the eggs first. Over a small bowl, crack the eggs into a fine sieve or strainer to drain off the watery part of the whites. Doing so creates less wispies as the eggs cook in the water. Then, gently pour the eggs into the water instead of cracking them into the water. This helps them hold their shape more.
Make a vortex. Or not. If you’re cooking a single egg, feel free to swiftly stir the water into a funneled vortex and gently pour the egg into the middle. The theory is the swift circular motion folds the eggs whites upon themselves. This method works for single eggs, but not if you’re cooking more than one, and after years of cooking poached eggs, we don’t bother with it anymore.
Simmer don’t boil. More importantly than creating a vortex is the temperature of your simmer. Cook your eggs in a gentle simmering pan or pot of water, not boiling, with 1 tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar. A saucepan or skillet work equally well, so long the skillet is filled by at least 2 inches of water.
Skim the scum. As the eggs cook, use a fine sieve to skim the water of the wispy whites and foam.
What Does Vinegar Do for Poached Eggs
Adding vinegar to your poaching liquid helps firm the whites so they hold together better to form a smoother white eggy orb.
What type of vinegar works best for poached eggs? Any clear vinegar works and won’t leave the vinegar smell or taste. Add 1 tablespoon of white or cider vinegar to the water before setting it to heat.
How Long to Cook Poached Eggs
Cook the poached eggs for 2 ½ to 3 minutes or until the yolks are still jammy and soft and the whites are just set and hold together.
If using a skillet, use a slotted spoon to release the eggs from the bottom of the pan before lifting to a kitchen towel or paper towel to dab the bottom dry.
Serve immediately or transfer to an ice bath so the eggs stop cooking internally.
Don’t worry if your eggs look a little shaggy around the edges. If you’re feeling fancy, trim them with a sharp knife or scissors, or do like we do and don’t worry about it. Or, simply sauce them with a dollop of blender hollandaise, because isn’t that the best way anyway?
How to Poach Eggs Fast in the Microwave
Crack the egg into a ramekin or small microwave safe bowl with ¼ to ½ cup water depending on the size of the ramekin so the egg is covered with water. Poke the whites around the egg yolk 3 times with a sharp knife so the whites cook thoroughly. Cook on high for 1 minute in the microwave with an extra 15 seconds blasts if the egg isn’t cooked to your liking. Strain from the water.
Poach Eggs in the Oven for a Crowd
Poaching eggs in the oven is a terrific way to make a lot all at once and serve to a crowd.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 6-tin, non-stick muffin tin with canola oil spray then crack the eggs into the tins. Poke the whites with a sharp knife 3 times around the outside of the yolk to break up the whites to set as they cook. If you want a hard cooked egg, gently pierce the egg yolk with a sharp knife. Cover with 2 tablespoons of water and bake for 8-10 minutes or until desired doneness.
How to Make Poached Eggs in the Instant Pot
Place the Instant Pot’s wire trivet in the bottom of the insert and add 1 cup of water. Spray three ramekins with cooking spray and crack an egg into each one. Turn pressure knob to the sealing position. Select the STEAM button and set time for 3 minutes. When the Instant Pot beeps, immediately release the pressure. Carefully open the lid and remove the ramekins from the insert. Use a silicone spatula to release the eggs and slide out of the ramekins.
How to Make Poached Eggs Ahead of Time
Making poached eggs for a crowd or for meal prep is easy to do when you make poached eggs up to 24 hours ahead of time. To do so, poach the eggs then immediate submerge them in ice water and refrigerate.
To reheat poached eggs, remove from the water bath and add to simmering water for 30 to 45 seconds, a few eggs at a time.
Recipes With Poached Eggs
- The BEST Traditional Eggs Benedict
- Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin
- Salmon And Bagel Egg Benedict
- Microwave Egg And Vegetable Breakfast Sandwich
- Arugula And Prosciutto Egg Benedict
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a 
rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
How to Make Poached Eggs
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs , or as many as you want to make
- 1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
Instructions
How to Make Poached Eggs
- Fill a non-stick skillet with 2-3 inches of water or a medium sauce pan with 4 inches of water with the vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat until bubbles form on the bottom of the pan.
- Over a small bowl or ramekin, crack each egg one at a time into a fine sieve or strainer to drain off the watery part of the whites. Doing so creates less wispies as the eggs cook in the water. Slip the egg into the simmering water instead of cracking them into the water. Be sure not to crowd the pan. Use a sieve to skim the water. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 minutes or until the whites are set and the yolks are still tender. Use a slotted spoon to gently release the eggs from the bottom of the pan if sticking and remove from the water. Dab the eggs on a kitchen or paper towel and trim any rough edges or wispy whites. Serve immediately or place in an ice water bath to stop cooking.
- Poached eggs can be refrigerated for 24 hours and reheated in simmering water for 45 seconds.
How to Poach Eggs in the Microwave
- Crack the egg into a ramekin or small microwave safe bowl with ¼ to ½ cup water depending on the size of the ramekin so the egg is covered with water. Poke the whites around the egg yolk 3 times with a sharp knife so the whites cook thoroughly. Cook on high for 1 minute in the microwave with an extra 15 seconds blasts if the egg isn’t cooked to your liking. Strain from the water.
How to Poach Eggs in the Instant Pot
- Place the Instant Pot's wire trivet in the bottom of the insert and add 1 cup of water. Spray 3-4 ramekins with cooking spray and crack an egg into each one. Turn pressure knob to the sealing position. Select the STEAM button and set time for 3 minutes. When the Instant Pot beeps, immediately release the pressure. Carefully open the lid and remove the ramekins from the insert. Use a silicone spatula to release the eggs and slide out of the ramekins.
How to Make Poached Eggs in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 6-tin, non-stick muffin tin with canola oil spray then crack the eggs into the tins. Poke the whites with a sharp knife 3 times around the outside of the yolk to break up the whites to set as they cook. If you want a hard cooked egg, gently pierce the egg yolk with a sharp knife. Cover with 2 tablespoons of water and bake for 8-10 minutes or until desired doneness.
Notes
Nutrition
More Egg Breakfasts to Love
- Avocado Toast With Tomato And Hard Boiled Egg
- Scrambled Egg And Roasted Asparagus Toasts
- Bacon Egg And Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches
- Curried Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe
- Baked Eggs In Stuffed Peppers
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Juleene
I wanted a topping for my fried rice, so I added a splash of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and dried garlic to the water. I microwaved it for 1 minute on medium high powder and the yolk was still plenty runny! Thank you for your recipe, I’ll be making microwave eggs a lot more often now
Awesome to hear Juleene. I made a micorwove egg myself this morning!
Vikke
I made the poached eggs in my instant pot and followed directions but they were overdone. The yokes were cooked medium hard. I didn’t realize there was a high and low setting on steam and it was not indicated in the recipe. Should it be 3 minutes on low steam?
Hi Vikke, I do them on STEAM, my pot doesn’t segment HIGH or LOW. Sorry, yours didn’t work. Try them for less time next time.
Molly M Darnell
My egg exploded at 50 seconds and yolk was hard. Next time I’ll try 30 seconds, then short bumps.
Good plan Molly. It takes some practice.
Molly M Darnell
Yes, I got it figured out. 45 seconds in my microwave.
Thanks!
Maureen
Poached eggs – 1 min. in microwave? No it was way too cooked. I will do it 35 seconds next time.
Ethelyn Dietrich
I always avoid trying to make poached eggs because everyone told me how difficult it is to make them properly. I made some following your videos and they came out perfect! I’m also going to check out your soft boiled egg video because I like soft boiled eggs, but I always cook them less. Thanks for a great tutorial!
Thanks Ethelyn and thank you for the 5-star rating.
Richard Smith
How did you heat the Crab meat, just before serving? I don’t want cold or room temp. crab and am thinking of sautéing the meat a minute or so in a bit of melted butter.
That’s a great idea Richard.
Sarah
My eggs exploded in microwave
Make sure they’re covered with water. All microwaves are a little different so you may have to experiment.
Amy
I made mine in the ramekin and it was perfect! I covered them in homemade blender hollandaise sauce and it was delish!
Nikki Krakauer
The whole key to success with eggs in the microwave is how much wattage your own microwave has, versus mine, or anyone else’s. So, mine’s 1900 watts, what’s yours. If they’re the same, then, for me or other people who own 1900 watt microwaves, we’re o.k. to use your time measurements. If yours is say, 2000 watts, then I/they need to reduce the amount of time, versus your amount of time. If theirs is lower than 1900, then they need to increase the time. All in tiny increments, of course.
Mike
You are right that people seem intimidated about poaching eggs. I too felt that way for a long time. I have found that just taking your time, and not rushing the process does wonders. And, I love the oven idea!
Sabrina
great idea! never thought of muffin pan or even microwave for poaching eggs, really nice for making a bunch
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
So much easier too!
Joe Subarton III
Excellent