Air-Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs

Did you know you could “boil” eggs without water? Get perfect hard-boiled eggs every time using only your air fryer.

As a longtime regular consumer of hard-boiled eggs, I’ve had my troubles with cooking them over the years. From green-gray yolks to awful peeling sessions that end with egg whites under my fingernails, I’ve encountered just about every problem you can have with boiled eggs. There are lots of pages online claiming to help folks through these eggy struggles that advertise “the real way to boil eggs” or any number of secret hacks to make the task more successful. Some of them work okay, some of them don’t, but they all have one thing in common: water is used in the cooking process.

Let me ask you a question: Have you ever considered not using water at all? I’m not talking about the microwave. Please don’t try to make boiled eggs in the microwave without water. I’m talking about that other nifty appliance in your kitchen: the air fryer.

Making hard-boiled eggs in the air fryer is by far the simplest method I’ve seen yet. For one, you don’t actually boil anything. The eggs just cook on the mesh rack like anything else you’d air fry. The eggs peel like a dream because of the cold water bath at the end, and I was somewhat surprised by how nice the inside of the egg looked—no graying of the yolk or the dreaded “green ring.” All you’re left with is a perfectly cooked egg, ready for salt and pepper or whatever you use to season them. Stash some in the fridge like I do for healthy snacking throughout the week!

Are Air-Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Healthy?

Absolutely. Hard-boiled eggs cooked in the air fryer are every bit as healthy as a water-boiled egg. Eggs contain protein, a good amount of healthy fats, and vitamins A, D, E, and K, plus several B vitamins. They also provide other important nutrients, like choline, phosphorus, iron, and folate. To put it simply, eggs are incredibly nutrient-dense, and air-frying them whole doesn’t add any oils or other ingredients to the process. So with this recipe, you’re only getting pure, nutritious eggs!

Eggs are dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb, and suitable for vegetarians, so they’re acceptable for a wide variety of diets.

Egg Timer

I love a hard-boiled egg, but I absolutely melt for a slightly jammy or soft-boiled egg. Just like regular boiled eggs, you can air fry whole eggs to the level of doneness you prefer. For a soft-boiled egg, simply preheat the air fryer to 250°F and cook them for 10-12 minutes, followed by a short, five-minute ice bath. For more details, check out this Air-Fryer Eggs recipe.

Serving Suggestions

I love eating my air-fryer hard-boiled eggs sliced into quarters with some salt and pepper on top, alongside some avocado and tomato slices. Simple, but delicious! If you’re feeding breakfast to a crowd, try serving these eggs with other fun breakfast dishes, such as Air-Fryer Breakfast Potatoes, tasty Breakfast Sausage, and fluffy Buttermilk Waffles.

Eggs aren’t just for breakfast, though! You can make a wonderful Healthy Egg Salad out of air-fryer eggs, too, or add a few to your Keto Tuna Salad for lunches throughout the week.

Recipe