If you love a good poached egg but not monitoring it on the stove top, Air Fryer Poached Eggs are for you! It's the easiest way to make perfect eggs in less time (5 minutes cooking time) for a healthy breakfast!
As with making Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs, using the air fryer for poached eggs is a cinch. The egg whites don't spread like they do in a saucepan and the yolks are perfectly runny....or you can make them jammy too.
Poached eggs are a favorite protein when on a weight loss journey or questing for lower fat egg ideas because they cook in water, no fat.
They are delicious on whole grain toast, atop avocado toast and are the star in Eggs Benedict (which is a delicious breakfast dish but is not a skinny dish fyi). If you love cooking in your air fryer these will be a great addition to your breakfast options and easy air fryer recipes.
Jump to:
- The best Air Fryer Poached Egg method
- What makes this skinny?
- Recipe Ingredients Notes
- Equipment + Supplies
- How to make Air Fryer Poached Eggs - Step-by-Step
- Air Fryer Cooking Times note
- Variations
- How many eggs can cook at a time?
- Recipe Tips
- How to Store
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More recipes you'll love!
- Recipe
The best Air Fryer Poached Egg method
Before landing on this favorite method for making poached eggs I experimented.....a lot! I'll spare you the details but will share the highlights of why this method works so well:
- adding the eggs to already heated water speeds the cooking and consolidates the eggs whites quickly
- adding a bit more water better submerges the egg so the tops don't get crusty
- it really produces a perfect poached egg result comparable to stove top poaching
What makes this skinny?
Unlike other recipes we share which are a calorie reduced version of a classic, the calories in this method of poached eggs are not lower than conventionally prepared poached eggs.
It is however easier (in our opinion) and a perfect egg recipe for a quick breakfast. Eggs are a great source of protein and starting the day with protein provides sustained energy. So we feel this option is a perfect recipe for your air fryer breakfast recipes cooking collection.
Recipe Ingredients Notes
Eggs. Using fresh eggs is key for the best results. You'll need as many eggs as you want to poach.
Olive oil spray. You'll spray the custard cups or ramekins with this so the eggs don't stick (even though they are in water they can stick to the cup).
Equipment + Supplies
Custard cups or small ramekins. I used 6-ounce pyrex custard cups. Similar size ramekins will work too. NOTE: we have not tested this recipe method with silicone egg cups and do not recommend them for this method.
Pliable spatula. This is helpful to run around the edge of the egg after it's cooked to free it from the cup without breaking the yolk.
Air Fryer. We used a Cosori 5.8 quart Air Fryer but any air fryer will work!
How to make Air Fryer Poached Eggs - Step-by-Step
The full detailed printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post!
STEP 1. Preparation
Spray each ramekin or custard cup with non-stick cooking spray and set them into the basket of the air fryer (photo 1).
Add 3 tablespoons of water to each cup (photo 2).
STEP 2. Preheat
Preheat the Air Fryer (with the cups of water in it) to 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
STEP 3. Cook
Carefully open the air fryer so the water does not spill out of the cups. Crack one egg into each cup (photo 3). The egg whites may begin to cook as you do this due to the hot water.
Cook on 360 degrees for 5-6 minutes (photo 4).
STEP 4. Releasing the eggs
Check the eggs when the cooking time is complete. They will continue to cook while in the hot water so be careful to not overcook them (unless you want a less runny yolk).
The cups will be hot so take care in removing them from the air fryer. Gently slide a pliable small spatula around the edge of the egg and underneath to free it in the even it has stuck to the cup while cooking.
Use a spoon to gently lift it out of the cup onto your plate or onto a piece of toast.
Air Fryer Cooking Times note
Different brands of air fryers all cook slightly differently which can mean cooking times can vary. Check the eggs for doneness at 5 minutes. If you want them cooked more add one minute at a time. If you are a runny yolk fan be careful not to overcook the eggs.
Variations
If you love a more cooked egg yolk and slightly jammy eggs (the yolks) cook an extra minute or two longer.
How many eggs can cook at a time?
How many you cook at a time will depend on the size of your air fryer model. A 5.8 quart Cosori air fryer can cook 4 at a time as an example thanks to a larger air fryer basket.
Recipe Tips
A few things can affect the cooking time. Your air fryer model, the size of the eggs (small versus extra large eggs) and the temperature of the eggs (starting with cold eggs vs room temperature eggs).
For any air fryer cooking the best way is to monitor the cooking process and adjust for how your air fryer model cooks. Check the food early (at 5 minutes cook time for this recipe) and allow more time if needed.
How to Store
Poached eggs are best eaten as soon as they are prepared.
Frequently Asked Questions
We don't recommend them. Though they work in an air fryer in general the cups need to conduct heat which glass or ceramic will do; silicone will not. So the eggs will not cook the same with this method using silicone egg cups.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Poached Eggs
Ingredients
- 2 fresh eggs any amount of eggs can be made; see notes below
- non-stick cooking spray
- 6 tablespoons water you'll use 3 tablespoons for each egg you cook
Instructions
- Spray each ramekin or custard cup with non-stick cooking spray and set them into the basket of the air fryer.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water to each cup.
- Preheat the Air Fryer (with the cups of water in it) to 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Carefully open the air fryer so the water does not spill water out of the cups. Crack one egg into each cup. NOTE: The egg whites may begin to cook as you do this due to the hot water.
- Cook on 360 degrees for 5-6 minutes.
- Check the eggs when the cooking time is complete. They will continue to cook while in the hot water so be careful to not overcook them (unless you want a less runny yolk).
- The cups will be hot so take care in removing them from the air fryer. Gently slide a small pliable small spatula around the edge of the egg and underneath to free it in the even it has stuck to the cup while cooking.
- Use a spoon to gently lift it out of the cup onto your plate or onto a piece of toast.
Cherry Dunbar says
This method of poaching was spot on! Wish I could post a photo of my poached egg on toast so you could see how great it turned out. Used a small glass ramekin, sprayed with EVOO, AF for 5 minutes and perfectly poached! So yum! I have tried several recipes before this one with results that weren't quite right, but this was the best. Thank you!
Kim says
I had to try this for my daughter in law. She loves peached eggs and gave this two thumbs up.
wilhelmina says
This is a genius was to make the perfect poached egg! I had to tinker with the time to get it perfect for me and my air fryer, but we have it dialed in now and breakfast has never been better!
Taylor says
I've never been good at making poached eggs UNTIL this air fryer version! They came out perfectly and it was so easy to make. I'm going to be having poached eggs for breakfast ALL the time now!
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Donna Batrone says
These are cooked perfectly! The only way I will make them from now on!
Gina Ceraso says
These are cooked perfectly every time! I will only make them this way from now on.
Emily Flint says
What a brilliant idea! I love poached eggs and will be making them this way from now on!
Elaine says
My breakfast will never be the same! These poached eggs are absolutely outstanding - love them!
Sonya says
This is a life changer recipe!! I had given up on poached eggs never having enough time to monitor on the stove top and coax them to cook. I made this for breakfast and they turned out perfectly. Thank you!
Teresa says
OMG I never in a million years would have thought to make poached eggs in my air fryer. These were so easy and fast. The yolk was PERFECT! Glad to have the 'jammy yolk' instructions too.
Helena says
I'd given up on poached eggs because I find them so fussy to make on the stovetop. Between the whites spreading and having to watch them, it's too much. I tried this recipe for breakfast and am IN LOVE! It was so easy. I have the same air fryer as you do and mine cooked for the same time. Genius to put the water in when the air fryer is preheating to heat it up. Thank yo!