I Swear By This Air Fryer Poached Egg Trick
Okay, here’s the scene: It’s a soggy Saturday, I’ve wandered into the kitchen still wrapped in my old quilt, and for some reason my brain thinks I should attempt poached eggs for breakfast. Now, I don’t know about you, but traditional poaching has always felt like some mysterious Olympic event. Like—bring water to a gentle simmer, swirl it just so, drop the egg in and pray to the kitchen gods it doesn’t explode into ghostly wisps. (Just me?)
Then, one day I saw someone use their air fryer for poached eggs, and wow, mind blown. No more swirling. Zero praying. After a few half-disasters (and, fine, the occasional hard-boiled UFO instead of an actual poach)… this way’s become my go-to. Plus, I get to sip my coffee (or muck about on The Kitchn) while it does all the work. Nothing’s perfect—except maybe breakfast!
Why You’ll Love These (Or, At Least, Why I Do!)
I whip these out when time is short but I don’t want another sad piece of toast. My picky nephew, who claims eggs are gross, actually requests these. (He says it’s because “they look like little clouds,” which… fair?) Plus: barely any pots to scrub! If you hate standing by the stove watching water bubble away, this is a game changer. Once, I gave up halfway through stovetop poaching and just dumped it on avocado toast anyway—so this air fryer hack is my personal tiny rebellion.
What You’ll Need—But Honestly, Substitution is Fair Game
- 2 eggs (or more, but I do two at a time—I’m not made of ramekins!)
- a splash of water (cold tap works, but I’ve used leftover kettle water too, whoops)
- Pinch of salt and pepper (Lately I use flaky salt, but regular is just fine. Grandma always had Morton, so y’know…)
- Butter or a dash of olive oil, for greasing ramekins or a little bowl (Pam spray if you’re absolutely done with sticky clean-ups)
- Ramekins or small oven-safe dishes (when in a pinch, a clean ceramic mug works; I know, weird—but hey, I do it)
How To Actually Do This (No Judgement Zone)
- First, give your ramekins or those microwaveable bowls a gentle swipe with butter or oil. This literally saves your sanity later, trust me.
- Crack one egg into each prepared dish. I do this gently but, let’s be real, sometimes a bit of shell sneaks in. I just fish it out with a spoon and move on.
- Add about a tablespoon (eyeball it!) of water right over the egg. It looks weird, but roll with it.
- Light sprinkle of salt and pepper (or whatever spice you fancy—smoked paprika? Yes please) on each egg.
- Carefully set the ramekins in your air fryer basket. If you need to wedge them a bit to fit, that’s okay. The eggs won’t mind.
- Now the air fryer—set it for 340°F (170°C) for 5 minutes. (This is where I check my messages and regret doomscrolling, oops.) For runnier yolks, start with 4 minutes; firmer, maybe hit 6. Every air fryer’s a bit cheeky so maybe keep an eye on the first go.
- Remove (use tongs—the ramekins are a bit angry-hot) and let them sit for a minute or so. The whites finish setting as they cool, it’s kitchen magic.
- Scoot a spatula around the edge and plop the egg onto whatever you’ve got—toast, salad, even leftover rice. This is where I sneak a taste and pretend I need to check the seasoning. Shhh.
Notes from My Air Fryer Fiascos
- Don’t expect every egg to look Instagram-worthy. Sometimes they’re odd shapes (like one time it looked like New Zealand—oddly specific, but true!)
- If you use a mug instead of a ramekin, water sometimes boils over. Set it on a little tray if you’re trying that.
- Actually, I’ve noticed that really fresh eggs come out neater. Not essential, just an observation.
Other Ways I’ve Messed Around (Some Better Than Others)
- Tried adding a splash of cream instead of water for a richer texture—delicious, but it made cleanup rough. Might stick with water.
- Cracked them onto a bit of cooked spinach once (kind of like a cheater’s Florentine)—not bad, but a bit fiddly.
- Once, in a moment of laziness, didn’t grease anything. Big mistake. Don’t recommend.
- Heard of silicone poach pods? Gave those a go and honestly, didn’t see much difference, but maybe that’s just me?
Gear Talk (And What To Do If You Don’t Have It)
I love my little set of ceramic ramekins, but if you haven’t got those, just use any small oven-proof dish. One time I used a little Pyrex measuring cup and it worked just grand. If you’re nervous about crowding, just do one egg first to see how your air fryer copes (mine whistles if overloaded; why do appliances make so much noise?).
Keeping These… If You Must
Alright, so air fryer poached eggs are really best fresh, but you can stash them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a day. I mean, honestly, they never last—someone always nabs the last one! If you do keep them, gently reheat in warm water or the microwave for a few seconds, but don’t expect perfection (the yolk’s just never the same).
How I Serve These (Or: What I Dream About Eating With Eggs)
Personal favorite: Slap one on buttered toast with hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot is my soulmate). My sister stacks hers over sautéed mushrooms, which I used to make fun of, but it actually works. For brunch with mates, I’ll sometimes scatter chives or parmesan over the top. And, if I’m feeling wild (which, let’s be fair, isn’t on a Monday), I throw one onto warm ramen for extra richness. Oh, and here’s a brilliant roundup of poached egg ideas on Olive Magazine—I’ve pinched a few meal ideas from there!
Hard-Earned Pro Tips (Mostly From Messing Up)
- Once, I tried rushing the preheat because I was late for a Zoom call and the result was half-set egg soup. Always preheat. Five minutes, that’s all.
- Use older eggs if you want slightly fluffier whites (totally opposite of what they say about poaching in water—go figure).
- Don’t try to air fry more eggs than your air fryer comfortably fits. “Eggpocalypse” is not as fun as it sounds.
Curly Questions I’ve Actually Gotten (And My Honest Answers)
- Can I use nonstick spray instead of butter?
- Yes. I do this when I’m being lazy—just don’t use too much, or you’ll taste it.
- Is this as good as stovetop poached eggs?
- Well, it’s different, honestly. Fluffier than traditional but less fussy. For exact replicas, stovetop wins, but this tastes better than any microwave version I’ve ever had.
- Why does the top sometimes look uncooked?
- Air fryers aren’t always even—if you’re fussy, just flip the egg for 20 seconds at the end (but I rarely bother; it sets as it cools).
- Can you do this with more eggs at once?
- Sort of, but crowding will mess with cook time. I recommend 2-3 at most, unless you want a surprise. Or, you could do them in batches but I get grumpy when breakfast takes forever.
- Do I really need ramekins?
- Eh, preferably, but mugs, or any heatproof little pot, will do fine too. Kind of like the time I used a teacup when nothing else was clean…
Bonus tangent: If you ever find yourself in a kitchenware shop (I love the chaos in Yorkshire Trading, honestly), just pick up a couple of those cheap ceramic ramekins—they work for everything. Or nothing, some days. Story of my kitchen.
If you give these air fryer poached eggs a go, send me a message with your “oopsies.” Makes me feel loads better about mine!
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooking spray
- Chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
- Toasted bread, for serving (optional)
Instructions
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1Lightly grease four heatproof ramekins or silicone cups with cooking spray.
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2Add 2 tablespoons of water and a drop of white vinegar to each ramekin.
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3Crack one egg into each ramekin, then season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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4Place the ramekins into the air fryer basket. Set air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and cook for 6-7 minutes, until the egg whites are set but yolks remain runny.
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5Carefully remove ramekins from the air fryer. Use a spoon to lift out poached eggs and drain excess water.
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6Serve immediately, garnished with chopped chives and with toasted bread if desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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