Learn how to make absolutely perfect, soft, runny poached eggs using the air fryer in just two simple steps and about 10 minutes!
🍳 Why It Works
Poaching eggs is a cooking technique that involves gently cooking an egg in simmering water. The eggs come out soft and moist with a silky, runny, yolk, making them perfect on their own, to serve with toast, or for making eggs benedict or serving alongside blueberry biscuits or some apple muffins. If you like poached eggs like this, you’ll love the way eggs cook on breakfast pizza!
But did you know you can actually poach eggs in your air fryer? Yup, you can!
The air fryer makes cooking all your favorite breakfast foods easy as can be, from soft and hard boiled eggs to French toast, to crispy hash browns, air fryer fingerling potatoes, and bacon! And air frying is soon to be your go-to method for poaching eggs, too!
👉 So delicious: Air fried poached eggs always come out evenly cooked, completely set on the outside, and beautifully runny on the inside. It’s what egg lovers’ dreams are made of!
👉 Easy & foolproof: Once you master this method, there’s no guesswork. Simply follow the two simple steps to set up your ramekins, set the timer on your air fryer, and you’ll know exactly how they’ll turn out every time.
👉 Hands-off cooking: Say goodbye to babysitting a pot on the stove, hoping you’ll time the cooking just right. This method of poaching eggs lets you step away while your eggs cook!
🥚 Ingredients & Equipment
Notes:
- Use oven-safe ramekins that are approximately 3.5-4 inches wide with a 6-8 oz. capacity.
- Using spray olive or avocado oil will save a little time in the prep stage.
- Before cooking, test to see how many ramekins fit in your air fryer basket.
- No vinegar is necessary in this recipe. When cooking an egg in a pot of swirling water, vinegar helps to keep the egg together, but using ramekins in the air fryer means these eggs won’t spread!
🧑🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Heat the water.
First, spray or drizzle the ramekins with a little oil, then fill each one with 3-4 Tablespoons of water. The oil will keep the eggs from sticking to the edges when cooking.
Turn the air fryer to 400°F (204°C), and close the air fryer. Set the timer for 5 minutes to heat the water and bring it to a low simmer. Carefully open the air fryer. If the water is not yet steaming, close and heat the water for another 2 minutes.
Step 2: Cook the eggs.
Once the water is steaming, carefully crack an egg into each ramekin.
Lower the temperature of the air fryer to 360°F (182°C), or 350°F, depending on your air fryer.
Close the air fryer and cook for 6-7 minutes. The eggs are done cooking when the whites are set and the yolk is runny.
Use a slotted spoon or spatula to gently remove the eggs from the ramekins, letting the excess water drip off. You can dab the eggs on a paper towel to absorb a bit of the liquid if necessary.
Once you know exactly how many minutes it takes in your air fryer, you can make this recipe over and over, and every time will be perfect!
ℹ️ Expert Tips
🍳 The cook time will vary slightly based on your air fryer and how runny you prefer the yolks. You may need to add up to 3-4 minutes of cooking time. I recommend cooking just one egg the first time to figure out the exact cooking time needed, then you can air fry poached eggs in larger batches any time!
🍳 You get the best-tasting poached eggs when the water is heated before you crack the eggs into it. The water should be steaming and simmering, but NOT so hot that it’s rapidly boiling in the ramekins.
🍳 You can cook any number of eggs at the same time, depending on how many ramekins fit inside your air fryer. Test how many will fit while your air fryer basket is cool by setting the ramekins you plan to use inside the basket.
🍳 To make in advance: As soon as the eggs are cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute. This will stop the cooking process.
Remove from the water and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just before serving, transfer the cold eggs to a pot of simmering water for 1-2 minutes, just long enough to heat the eggs through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and serve immediately.
❓ FAQ
Yes, you can poach as many eggs at once as you’d like, as long as there’s enough room in your air fryer. Set your ramekins inside the basket while the air fryer is cool to see how many will fit. You can poach one egg per ramekin in each batch.
Poached eggs can be reheated, although they’re usually best served immediately. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cold eggs to a pot of simmering water for 1-2 minutes, long enough just to heat the eggs through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and serve immediately.
To make poached eggs with a hard-cooked yolk, cook the eggs for an extra 2-3 minutes, and the yolk will be cooked through.
No. Vinegar is used to help coagulate egg whites and keep them from spreading when you poach eggs in an entire pot of simmering water. But because air fried poached eggs are cooked in individual ramekins, vinegar is not necessary.
More Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe!
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How to Make Air Fryer Poached Eggs
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- Spray or drizzle the ramekins with a little oil, then fill each ramekin with 4 Tablespoons of water. Set the ramekins in the air fryer basket.Turn the air fryer to 400°F (204°C), and close the air fryer. Set the timer for 5 minutes to heat the water and bring it to a low simmer.Carefully open the air fryer. If the water is not yet steaming, close and heat the water for another 2 minutes.
- Open the air fryer basket and carefully crack an egg into each ramekin.Lower the temperature of the air fryer to 360°F (182°C).Close the air fryer and cook for 6-7 minutes. The eggs are done cooking when the whites are set and the yolk is runny. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to gently remove the eggs from the ramekins, letting the excess water drip off. Serve immediately with your favorite breakfast sides!
