To soft boil an egg, the typical cooking time ranges from about 4 to 8 minutes depending on the desired consistency of the yolk and white:
- For runny, dippy yolks with tender whites, boil for about 4-5 minutes
- For fully set whites with a liquid yolk, boil for around 6 minutes
- For jammy yolks with slightly more set edges, boil for 7 minutes
- For a classic soft boiled egg with mostly set whites and a creamy yolk, boil about 8 minutes
A common method is to bring water to a boil first, then gently lower fridge- cold eggs into the boiling water and start timing. After cooking, immediately plunge the eggs into cold or ice water to stop the cooking process and make peeling easier
. In summary, for a typical large egg:
- 4-5 minutes: runny yolk, soft whites
- 6 minutes: fully set whites, liquid yolk
- 7 minutes: jammy yolk
- 8 minutes: soft boiled with creamy yolk
Adjust time slightly based on egg size and preference. Cooling in an ice bath after boiling is recommended for best results
