Apparently You Can Make Hard-Boiled Eggs in the Microwave—and They Even Taste Better

Photo credit: Keiko Iwabuchi - Getty Images
Photo credit: Keiko Iwabuchi - Getty Images

From Prevention

Yes, making eggs on the stove is pretty simple, but the microwave can do the trick when you're without full kitchen, in a rush, or just feeling lazy. When we experimented with four different methods in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, tasters in our blind test actually preferred the poached and hard-boiled eggs done in the microwave over the ones cooked on the stove!

Whether you're in the mood for scrambled, poached, sunny-side up, or hard-boiled, here's how to whip eggs any style with a few short zaps.

How to Make Scrambled Eggs in the Microwave

Compared to what you'd get from the stovetop, the microwave scramble tastes more like a broken-up omelet. They can soufflé up a bit, so you'll see a bigger volume too.

  1. Crack two eggs in a mug. Add a splash of milk if you want them fluffier.

  2. Beat to combine.

  3. Microwave for 2 minutes on high, stopping and stirring in 30-second increments.


How to Make Poached Eggs in the Microwave

Photo credit: clubfoto - Getty Images
Photo credit: clubfoto - Getty Images

While the whites won't fully wrap themselves around the yolk like they would in a pot with the whirlpool method, our tasters preferred this microwave version because of its perfectly cooked texture.

  1. Fill a bowl or mug with 1/2 cup water and slip in the egg, making sure it's submerged.

  2. Lightly prick the center of the yolk with the tip of a knife.

  3. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high 1 minute.


How to Make Sunny-Side Up Eggs in the Microwave

This is the fasted method we tried, with less than a minute of cooking time.

  1. Spray a microwave plate with cooking spray or lightly grease with butter.

  2. Crack an egg onto the plate and lightly prick the yolk with the tip of a knife.

  3. Microwave on high 45 seconds.

TIP: Your yolk might look runny and undercooked, but cut into it and you'll probably find that it's done.

How to Boil an Egg in the Microwave

Photo credit: ToscaWhi - Getty Images
Photo credit: ToscaWhi - Getty Images

Another win for the microwave: Our tasters truthfully preferred these zapped eggs over traditional hard-boiled ones, praising the "fudgy yellow yolk." But make sure you halve the microwave power - the first time we tried this method on full blast and the egg exploded!

  1. Microwave a bowl of water (deep enough to submerge the egg) for 3 minutes until hot.

  2. Lightly prick the bottom of the egg with a safety pin or thumbtack to prevent the egg from exploding.

  3. Place the egg into the bowl of hot water, cover with a plate, and microwave at 50% power for 4 minutes. If you like a runnier yolk, remove and peel the egg now.

  4. If you want it more cooked, leave the egg in the water for 2 minutes before peeling.

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