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Air fryer poached eggs are a classic breakfast and brunch staple made effortless! If you love the soft, runny texture of poached eggs but haven’t quite mastered the boiling, swirling, and vinegar techniques for cooking them stovetop, this recipe is for you!
Keto-friendly and nutrient-dense, poached eggs are a perfect protein for any meal. Cook multiple eggs in the air fryer in just 6 minutes, without the stress! Be sure to check out my complete guide to air fryer eggs for more tips and cooking methods!
Table of Contents
Why this will be your go-to recipe
Making poached eggs in air fryer is like cracking a cheat code for an elegant and gourmet meal made ridiculously easy. Here’s why this is the perfect recipe for a tasty breakfast or brunch at home:
- Foolproof: No need for boiling, swirling, vinegar, or other tricks. Making an air fryer poached egg takes all the stress away while delivering a perfectly poached egg every time.
- Great texture: Weather you like them super soft with runny yolks or a bit firmer, poaching eggs in the air fryer gives you so much more control, without having to babysit.
- Quick: Poach 4 eggs at once in the air fryer, as opposed to one or two at a time on the stove! Total cook time can vary slightly, but they’re ready in about 6 minutes!
Ingredients and equipment
Making poached eggs in the air fryer doesn’t take much—another bonus of this recipe! Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
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Ingredients
- Olive oil spray, or avocado oil spray
- 2 large eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Tools and equipment
- Air fryer unit (I use Instant Pot Vortex, but Ninja Foodi, Cosori, or other models will do!)
- Two (4 oz.) ramekins (one egg per ramekin)
- A teaspoon or mini rubber spatula (for releasing the cooked egg from the sides of the ramekin)
- A small strainer
- Mini oven mitts
Ingredient substitutions
- Oil: If you don’t have cooking spray, lightly coat the ramekins by putting some oil onto a clean paper towel and rubbing it along the bottom and sides of the ramekins.
- Seasonings: To add some flavor or experiment with variations, add your favorite herbs and spices. You can even put them into the raw egg/water mixture before cooking!
- Using small eggs: Be sure to adjust the cooking time if your eggs are on the smaller side.
How to make the dish
It truly is this easy to poach eggs in air fryer! Follow these simple instructions for perfect, foolproof poach eggs in air fryer every time.
- Preheat the air fryer. Oil ramekins with oil
- Add water and crack the eggs into the water.
- Carefully place ramekins in the air fryer basket to poach egg in airfryer.
- Using a teaspoon or spatula, “release” the egg from the sides of the ramekins. Air fry for 1-2 minutes more.
- Carefully slide the poached eggs in ramekins into a strainer to drain the water. Plate and season with salt and pepper before serving.
Recipe notes
- Do experiment with your own cook times. Use this recipe as a reference guide and expect a little trial-and-error until you get a handle on your own cookware.
- Test with 1 to 2 eggs first before you try a larger batch. Do not overcrowd the basket.
- Temperature and total time may vary. Due to egg size, room temperature eggs vs. chilled, bakeware material, bakeware size, egg quantities (in volume), and air fryer brand/size/model.
Tips for the perfect poached egg in air fryer
- Use a teaspoon or spatula to gently release the egg partway through cooking.
- Use room temperature water. I don’t pre-boil water, as this adds more time with little difference in cooking time or texture. If you wish, put the water in while preheating the fryer.
- Submerge the egg fully in water to prevent the egg whites from getting crispy.
- Remove the eggs slightly earlier than you think. They will continue to cook in the hot water after you remove them from the fryer, so be careful to not overcook them.
Serving suggestions
Now that you know how to make poached eggs in air fryer, let’s talk about what to serve them with!
While they’re known as the stars of eggs benedict with creamy Hollandaise sauce, poached eggs are a great addition to all your simple breakfast recipes. Serve with avocado toast and bacon, or add some veggies like this frozen broccoli in air fryer or Asian brussel sprouts for a well-rounded feast!
I personally love them with some spinach and roasted cherry tomatoes, with a side of salmon—these air fryer salmon bites or air fryer salmon with Dijon mustard sauce are fantastic options!
Common FAQ
Absolutely! Simply preheat the fryer, add some water, and poach egg in ramekin. Read the full post for details and tips for the perfect poached air fryer eggs!
I do not recommend using making air fryer poached eggs in silicone. While they may be heat-safe, they don’t transfer heat in the same way that ceramic does.
In most standard 6 qt. air fryers, you can poach 4 eggs at a time (one egg per ramekin). A larger model may fit more.
While many recipes call for pre-boiling your water, I don’t find this necessary. Skip this step to shorten your prep time while still delivering perfectly poached eggs!
Storage and make-ahead
Poached eggs are best enjoyed fresh. If you do want to make them ahead of time, put them straight into an ice bath after removing them from the fryer to stop them from over-cooking.
Store made-ahead or leftover eggs in an airtight container (covered in water) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, put them into boiling water or microwave them until warm.
Related recipes
Making eggs in the air fryer is such an easy and fun way to prepare them! If you love these poached eggs, give my air fryer deviled eggs and crispy fried egg in air fryer a try! They are a perfect spring treat for brunches or family celebrations.
Keep an eye out for air fryer scrambled eggs—coming soon!
In the meantime, be sure to bookmark and save this handy air fryer cooking times reference guide! This cheat sheet is a must-have for cooking all of your favorite air fryer recipes, from meats and seafood to vegetables and frozen foods.
Umami Tips
- Be gentle: Poached eggs are delicate be careful when you spoon the egg out of the ramekin.
- Be careful not to overcook: Until you have your cooking times down, check eggs early and often so as to not overcook them. Remove just a tad before you think they’re ready.
- Use room temperature water. I don’t pre-boil water, as this adds more time with little difference in cooking time or texture. If you wish, put the water in while preheating the fryer.
- Submerge the egg fully in water in the ramekin to poach the whole egg evenly.
- Do experiment with your own cook times. Use this recipe as a reference guide and expect a little trial-and-error until you get a handle on your own cookware.
Air fryer poached eggs recipe
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray or avocado oil spray
- 2 large eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
- Two 4 oz ramekins
- 1 teaspoon
- 1 small strainer
- Mini oven mitts
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204 °C) for 5 minutes.
- Spray 2 ramekins with oil. Add ¼ cup room temperature water to each ramekin and crack 1 egg per cup.
- Carefully transfer the ramekins to the heated basket. Air fry at 360°F (182 °C) for 5 minutes.
- Run a small teaspoon inside the cup and along the ring to help “release” the egg. Air fryer for another 1-2 minutes.
- Carefully slide the egg out to a strainer. Drain the water and season with salt and pepper before serving.
Notes
- All the eggs used in this recipe are refrigerated (i.e. not at room temperature). The size of the air fryer is 5.8 qt. and the brand is Instant Pot Vortex air fryer.
- In my previous recipe, I had a Cosori air fryer. The cook time was 6 minutes at 360°F + 1-2 extra minutes.
- Some people add hot water to the ramekin to “poach” the eggs. I did not find it necessary.
- You don’t need to add vinegar to the water.
- Do experiment with your own cook times. Use this recipe as a reference guide and expect a little trial-and-error until you get a handle on your own cookware.
- Test with 1 to 2 eggs first before you try a larger batch. Do not overcrowd the basket.
- The following factors might affect your cook times and temperatures: egg size (even the same carton of eggs come in different sizes), room temperature eggs vs. chilled from the fridge, bakeware material, bakeware size, egg quantities (in volume), and air fryer brand/size/model.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Thanks for sharing this recipe! It was super easy and a fun new way to make “poached” egg. I found that the type of cookware is importantly as the egg needs be completely submerged under the water in the cup. I added a few more minutes to my air fryer and everything else was great. Thanks!
It was so fun to make eggs poached in an air fryer! I made the first one to test my air fryer temperature and the second one came out perfect! Thanks so much for the tips and easy recipe!