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

Poached eggs, three ways

Hands with knife slicing poached eggs on a black plate, yolks oozing. "FOOLPROOF" text above. Wooden table background.

By Tom · Updated

Jump to recipe
  • About 20 min
  • Takes a bit of care

3 Ways to make perfect poached eggs. Poached eggs don't need to be intimidating. With the right technique, you can get beautifully set whites and perfectly runny yolks every single time.

Loads from YouTube only once you press play.

The recipe

Poached eggs, three ways

3 Ways to make perfect poached eggs. Poached eggs don't need to be intimidating.

  • 10 min prep
  • 6 min cooking
  • Takes a bit of care

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

Quantities
Measurements

Ingredients

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

    This is the most straightforward way to poach eggs. No extras, no fuss, just water and good technique.

  2. Step 2

    Fill a deep pan with water and bring it to a boil.

  3. Step 3

    Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (small bubbles, not a rolling boil).

  4. Step 4

    Crack your egg into a fine strainer (optional, but recommended). Let the loose, watery whites drain off for a few seconds.

  5. Step 5

    Gently lower the egg into the simmering water.

  6. Step 6

    Leave it undisturbed and cook for 3 minutes.

  7. Step 7

    Remove with a slotted spoon.

  8. Step 8: Optional (make-ahead tip)

    Transfer the egg to ice-cold water immediately after cooking to stop the process.

  9. Step 9

    Store in the fridge, then reheat in hot water for 1-2 minutes when needed.

  10. Step 10: Result

    Soft, delicate poached eggs with a natural shape and clean finish.

  11. Step 11

    This method adds a little extra insurance. The vinegar (10 ml) helps the egg whites set more quickly, giving you a tighter, neater shape.

  12. Step 12

    Bring a pan of water to the boil.

  13. Step 13

    Add a small splash of vinegar (10 ml) (about 10 ml).

  14. Step 14

    Reduce to a gentle simmer, slightly more active than Method 1.

  15. Step 15

    Crack each egg into a ramekin.

  16. Step 16

    Gently pour the egg into the water.

  17. Step 17

    Cook for 3 minutes.

  18. Step 18

    Remove with a slotted spoon.

  19. Step 19: Optional

    Place into ice water if not serving immediately.

  20. Step 20: Result

    A slightly firmer, more compact poached egg with a cleaner, rounder shape.

  21. Step 21

    This classic technique uses movement in the water to wrap the egg white around itself.

  22. Step 22

    Bring a pan of water to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

  23. Step 23

    Use a whisk or spoon to create a vortex in the water.

  24. Step 24

    Crack your egg into a ramekin.

  25. Step 25

    Gently drop the egg into the centre of the swirl.

  26. Step 26

    Cook for 3 minutes.

  27. Step 27

    Remove carefully with a slotted spoon.

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

Questions people ask

How long does poached eggs, three ways take?

About 20 min from start to finish, of which 10 min is prep and 6 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.