If you want to make perfect poached eggs, try this easy fool-proof cooking method. With a few simple steps, you can achieve beautifully cooked eggs with runny yolks and firm whites. You can even poach 5 eggs at a time! No vinegar needed.
How to poach eggs step-by-step
TIP: Fresh eggs and cold eggs are best for this recipe.
Prepare the egg: Crack the egg into a small fine-mesh sieve placed over a small bowl or a teacup.
Gently swirl the sieve to drain away the thinner parts of the egg white (this is what makes the egg white wispy) – you can discard the liquid. Transfer the egg to a small bowl.
Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer (you should have at least 2 inches (5cm) of water in the pot), don’t salt the water. You want the water to just gently simmer – you should see a couple of small bubbles on the surface, but the water can’t boil rapidly!
Poach the Egg: Carefully transfer the drained egg from the bowl into the barely simmering water.
Let it cook for around 4 minutes (3 to 3 1/2 minutes for a very runny yolk and 4 minutes for a moderately runny yolk).
Remove and Serve: Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift the poached egg from the water. Place it on a paper towel briefly to absorb any excess water, then serve immediately.
Enjoy!
TIP: If not using your poached eggs immediately, add them to cold water to stop the cooking process.
How to poach multiple eggs
If cooking more eggs at a time, make sure to use a large and wide pot—it doesn’t have to be high, but you need to have at least 2 inches (5cm) of water in it. You can determine what size of pot to use by looking at the photos in the body of the post. Prepare each egg separately as described above and then gently add all the eggs, one at a time, into the water. The cooking time remains unchanged. Start by removing the egg that was placed in the water first, and finally, take out the last egg added to the water.
Storage
Add poached eggs to cold water and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How to reheat poached eggs: add poached eggs for 30 seconds to very hot water to warm up.
Top tips for success
- the most important tip is to drain the egg whites on a sieve!
- the second most important tip: the water should barely simmer and can’t boil rapidly!
- don’t need to salt the water
- the Whirlpool method doesn’t bring consistent results (this method involves creating a gentle vortex in simmering water and carefully dropping the egg into the center, encouraging the whites to wrap around the yolk as it cooks)
- adding vinegar to water doesn’t bring much unless you add lots of vinegar
- adjust the recipe to your cooking conditions – the heat under your pot may be different from the heat under mine, potentially resulting in varied cooking times for your poached eggs
How to serve poached eggs
- A perfect light dinner when I’m clueless what to cook: poached eggs+boiled potatoes with butter and dill+simple salad
- Avacado Egg Toast
- Avocado Toast with smoked salmon and poached eggs
- Eggs Benedict: bread + poached eggs + ham + Hollandaise sauce
- Eggs Florentine: bread + poached eggs + spinach + Hollandaise sauce
- asparagus + poached eggs + prosciutto + Hollandaise sauce
- poached eggs are great with ratatouille
- I also love them with these chickpeas with chorizo in spicy tomato sauce
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
How To Make Poached Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Prepare the egg: Crack the egg into a small fine-mesh sieve placed over a small bowl or a teacup. Gently swirl the sieve to drain away the thinner parts of the egg white (this is what makes the egg white wispy) – you can discard the liquid. Transfer the egg to a small bowl.
- Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer (you should have at least 2 inches (5cm) of water in the pot), don't salt the water. You want the water to just gently simmer – you should see a couple of small bubbles on the surface, but the water can't boil rapidly!
- Poach the Egg: Carefully transfer the drained egg from the bowl into the barely simmering water. Let it cook for around 4 minutes (3 to 3 1/2 minutes for a very runny yolk and 4 minutes for a moderately runny yolk).
- Remove and Serve: Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift the poached egg from the water. Place it on a paper towel briefly to absorb any excess water, then serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Fresh eggs and cold eggs are best for this recipe.
- If not using your poached eggs immediately, add them to cold water to stop the cooking process.
- If cooking more eggs at a time, make sure to use a large and wide pot—it doesn’t have to be high, but you need to have at least 2 inches (5cm) of water in it. You can determine what size of pot to use by looking at the photos in the body of the post. Prepare each egg separately as described above and then gently add all the eggs, one at a time, into the water. The cooking time remains unchanged. Start by removing the egg that was placed in the water first, and finally, take out the last egg added to the water.
- Calories = 1 poached egg. This is only an estimate!
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