Can eggs be boiled again?

Boiled eggs are good to eat and a great source of protein. You can use them to prepare various dishes, chop them for salads or simply enjoy them with a little salt and pepper. They are a versatile food and have many health benefits.

The thing is, hard-boiled eggs can be a challenge to get right. Seems like it’s so easy to overcook or undercook them and how are you supposed to heat them up after boiling?

It’s a big mess and you have to do it right to really enjoy the boiled egg, right?

Can eggs be cooked again?

You can boil eggs again, but you have to do it carefully. For example, it is better that they have been refrigerated before to boil them again. You should also keep in mind that boiling them again can affect the overall quality a bit, but it’s a good solution when you need it. 

In this guide we will explain how to re-boil eggs and what you can expect from the process. We also have some tips on undercooked eggs and safe egg handling. By the time we finish the guide, you’ll know all about the safety of boiled eggs and much more!

Read on to learn how to cook eggs again and much more.

Can eggs be cooked again? All you need to know

At first you might think that eggs cannot be cooked again. But the truth is, yes you can!

Now, what you should know is that you should not boil the eggs again 10 minutes after removing them from the heat. At that point, that could ruin your eggs.

The best thing to do if you find that your boiled eggs are undercooked is to put them in the fridge and let them rest for a few hours before doing anything to try to cook them further.

You can even re-cook eggs that you’ve already peeled. So if you peeled them all at once and then decide they’re not as hard as you wanted, that’s okay!

How to re-peel eggs correctly

Let’s talk a bit about reboiling eggs, and then we’ll get into other details.

Many times, you can heat boiled eggs in the microwave, but you can’t actually cook them any further. You should not attempt to microwave them again, as this could cause the eggs to explode. Nobody wants to clean up that mess!

You can also separate the yolk from the egg and cook the yolk a little longer if necessary.

Again, we recommend that you cook the eggs on the stove again, but it’s an option if you need it.

Why cook the eggs again?

Perhaps you thought they were hard and when you open them you discover that they are soft. Or maybe you wanted to try a soft-boiled egg and you don’t like it.

And of course, maybe you wanted them soft-boiled, but you’ve decided you prefer hard. There are tons of reasons why your eggs may need to be re-boiled, so why not be prepared and know the proper process for doing so?

The best method to re-cook eggs is to use the stove. As we have already said, this process works best if the eggs have been refrigerated a bit beforehand. However, it is not necessarily a strict requirement.

How to re-boil eggs in the kitchen

Keep in mind that for this process, you won’t be boiling the water with the eggs in it like you did in the beginning.

You can use this method for both peeled and unpeeled eggs. You will also need to make sure that you store your cooked eggs correctly and only for a safe amount of time.

Re-cooking eggs in the oven is easy and safe. Follow these steps to do it:

1. Place the eggs in a bowl or cup that can hold boiling hot water.
2. Boil hot water on the fire.
3. Pour the boiling water over the eggs in a cup or bowl until they are covered and submerged.
4. Cover the bowl with a lid and let the eggs stand in the covered dish until the water cools.
5. Remove the lid and eggs from the water and check the eggs.

What’s happening here is that your boiled eggs will get warm again, but they’ll also be harder than before. You get an advantage in the meantime because the shell softens up a bit too, so they’ll be much easier to peel in the end.

You can follow this same process even if the eggs are already peeled.

How to re-peel eggs in the microwave - Separate yolk

Now, here’s a quick process if you’ve separated the whites from the yolk:

1. Put only the yolk in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave in 30 second increments until the yolk darkens and cooks further.
3. Add the yolk back to the white or enjoy it on its own.

What do I do if my eggs are not fully cooked?

Don’t worry! If you have boiled the egg and it is simply not as done as you would like, you can follow the steps in the previous section to improve it.

If when you boil them again they are not to your liking, try again, letting the eggs rest for a longer time. They may have just needed more time (especially since they were warming up from fridge temp).

Even if you have already cracked open the egg, you can cook it longer to harden the yolk. In the end, the white will probably be done, but the yolk will be whatever isn’t as hard as you like.

People like to take the yolk in different ways. Although we usually refer to only soft and hard cooking, there are several levels of each. Some people even prefer soft-boiled eggs to be slightly runny. It is a matter of preferences.

If you open the egg and see that it is not as done as you would like, you do not have to throw it away. Even if it’s 3 days later when you try your first egg from the fridge.

You just have to follow the steps and cook the egg again so that it is as done as you like.

The best thing is that, to begin with, you make sure to cook the eggs long enough. Traditionally, a soft-boiled egg takes 4-6 minutes to boil, while a hard-boiled egg takes 8-12 minutes.

There are many ways to cook eggs, so this is just an estimate. It may vary depending on the process you use.

Can you overcook an egg?

Just as you must be careful not to undercook your eggs, you must also be careful not to overcook them.

When overcooked, the yolk may take on an odd green color or a green coating may appear around the yolk. This is a common sign of an overcooked egg.

When an egg is overcooked, it releases hydrogen sulfide into the white. If you see a green coating around the yolk, it may be a sign that you shouldn’t eat that egg. This is certainly a sign that the egg has been cooked too long.

When eggs are cooked for too long, they can become tough and rubbery, and in the end they just won’t taste good.

In most cases, the egg is edible, but some experts recommend against eating an overcooked egg that has a green coating around the yolk. It could be toxic.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to reboiling eggs helpful in understanding the process and all the important details you need to know to try and successfully cook eggs.

It’s simple, but keep in mind that the eggs can be overcooked if you’re not careful.

Below are some frequently asked questions with answers that may provide you with additional useful information.

How long do you have to cook an egg if you want it soft?

A soft-boiled egg usually cooks between 4 and 6 minutes.

The less it is cooked, the softer the egg will be. If you prefer the yolk to be slightly runny, you will probably only want to cook it for about 4 minutes. The longer the egg cooks, the harder the yolk will be.

Are undercooked hard boiled eggs safe?

Salmonella is a real threat when it comes to any type of egg consumption. You shouldn’t eat raw eggs, which leads us to wonder if a rare hard-boiled egg is actually safe to eat.

The less the egg is cooked, the greater the risk of salmonella as well.

When an egg yolk is slightly runny, it may still be safe to eat. The egg has been cooked and heated, but be aware that the risk is still present. If your hard-boiled egg has gone soft, it can still be eaten.