Skip to content
Pinch of Mint
Search recipes
  • Under 30 minutes
  • One pan

Poached eggs

Poached eggs, photographed for Pinch of Mint

By Tom · Updated

Jump to recipe
  • About 10 min
  • Easy

One of the most popular breakfast choices is poached eggs but to my knowledge, lots of people are afraid to give them a try at home, thinking they're too difficult to make.

Loads from YouTube only once you press play.

The recipe

Poached eggs

One of the most popular breakfast choices is poached eggs but to my knowledge, lots of people are afraid to give them a try at home.

  • 5 min prep
  • 3 min cooking
  • Easy

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Quantities
Measurements

Ingredients

Perfect poached eggs

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Begin by filling a saucepan with water until almost full, leaving a 2cm gap at the top.

  2. Step 2

    Place the pan onto a high heat and add in the white wine vinegar (1 tbsp). Bring to the boil.

  3. Step 3

    Crack your eggs into the ramekins. This makes it easy to see if any broken eggshell has fallen in before cooking. It also helps when transferring them into the water ensuring a gentle drop.

  4. Step 4

    Make sure the water is boiling showing large bubbles (rolling boil). These bubbles will help to keep the eggs away from the base of the pan. The eggs falling through the deep water and the bubbles preventing them from hitting the bottom will help form the perfect ball shape.

  5. Step 5

    Set your timer for 3 minutes for a classic runny yolk. If you prefer them well done, cook them for 5 minutes. Keep the pan on high heat throughout the cooking time.

  6. Step 6

    Remove the eggs from the pan using a slotted spoon and place into a bowl. Drain off any excess water before serving. You can also place them on some paper towel to absorb the excess water.

Stay in the loop

Get new recipes in your inbox

Occasional emails with new recipes, cooking tips and what’s new at Pinch of Mint.

See our Privacy Policy for information about how your personal data is used.

More eggs breakfasts

Also in Eggs, from poached to soufflé.

Questions people ask

How long does poached eggs take?

About 10 min from start to finish, of which 5 min is prep and 3 min is cooking. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Is it vegetarian?

Yes, as written. If you are cooking for a strict vegetarian, the one to check is the cheese: several hard cheeses are made with animal rennet.