How to Poach the Perfect Egg

Achieve breakfast perfection with this guide on How to Poach the Perfect Egg! From selecting fresh eggs to mastering the simmer, this easy recipe ensures a flawless poached egg every time.

Poaching an egg for the first time can feel like a momentous milestone. It looks so difficult to achieve something so delicate.

Once you have mastered the technique you can make recipes like this avocado brunch toast. There’s no going back! There’s a whole new way to eat breakfast once you learn this new technique.

I love that you can customize how to dress up your poached eggs. You can make hollandaise sauce, or just add the poached eggs to toast or English muffins with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I also love that poaching provides a healthy way to cook eggs without adding butter or oils.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to Make. Poached eggs might feel intimidating but once you learn the technique it’s easy to make.
• New Way to Eat Eggs. If you’re tired of fried eggs and scrambled eggs, it’s time to try poached eggs.

How to Make a Poached Egg

This is going to be your Sunday morning go-to once you master making poached eggs. You can find the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Key Ingredients 

• White Vinegar. The acid helps the poached egg hold its shape better while poaching.
• Eggs. Use fresh eggs for the best-tasting poached egg.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Boil the Water. Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and add some white vinegar.

2. Prepare the Egg. Crack the egg into a small bowl to transfer it into the simmering water.

3. Create the Technique. Slide the egg into simmering water that has been vigorously stirred in one direction.  

4. Poach the Egg. Leave the egg to simmer gently for 3-4 minutes for a runny yolk, or a few minutes longer for a soft yolk, and even longer for a hard yolk.

5. Serve the Poached Egg. Remove the egg from the saucepan with the slotted spoon and place it onto a paper towel to blot any excess water. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions

• Don’t skip the vinegar. I know it sounds odd to add vinegar but it’s an important step to making poached eggs.
• Always use fresh eggs. Fresh eggs will give you the best flavor and the egg yolk will not break.
• Set a timer. For perfect yolks, it’s best to set a timer so you know exactly when to remove the poached egg.
• Don’t overcrowd the saucepan. It’s best to make 1-2 poached eggs at a time depending on the size of your saucepan.

Make-Ahead & Storage Recommendations

You can make poached eggs ahead of time. This is a great way to save time when feeding a crowd breakfast or brunch. Cook the poached eggs using the recipe but move the cooked poached eggs to a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking process. Place the bowl in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

To serve the poached eggs, add them to simmering water and cook until heated through, about 30-60 seconds. You can poach eggs up to 5 days in advance.

Try These Other Breakfast Recipes

• Breakfast Chia Pudding – This chia seed pudding is made with homemade date-sweetened pecan milk for a satisfying make-ahead breakfast.
• Smoked Salmon Omelet – A restaurant-worthy quick breakfast that’s ready in 10 minutes!
• Breakfast Egg Muffins – It’s an easy recipe to make ahead and grab as you leave the house.
• Healthy Banana Pancakes – Fluffy and sweet banana pancakes made with a few simple pantry ingredients.
• No-Egg Breakfast Burrito – This vegan burrito is stuffed full of breakfast goodness with scrambled chickpeas, vegan bacon, and fresh avocado.