How to Cook Eggs on an Induction Cooktop

Eggs are inexpensive and provide an assortment of nutritional benefits and   are also easy to prepare.

There are many ways to cook eggs. They can be served sunny side up, over easy, scrambled, or poached. Boiled eggs are easy to make and good to have on hand. Many people use them as a snack during the day. Omelets and frittatas are a great way to get some extra protein and vegetables.  

It's just as easy to cook eggs on an induction as it is on an electric or gas stove. Eggs cook very quickly on induction cooktop, so it is not a good time to multi-task! 

Be sure to check your cookware to make sure it is induction ready. 

This article provides tested steps to use when cooking eggs with an induction cooktop. 

What is an Induction Stove?

Before we give you cooking tips, it’s helpful to understand how induction stoves work.

Conventional cooktops are designed to heat the cooking surface and then the cookware, which heats the food. Induction stoves heat the cookware directly, resulting in a much faster cooking process.

Do You Have the Right Cookware?

The first thing you need to determine is the cookware material. Cookware that can be used on induction stoves must be made of ferromagnetic material (contains iron).

Do you have pans or pots made of cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel? Then you’re one step nearer to cooking eggs on your induction stove because those are examples of induction-ready cookware.

Secondly, you want to make sure that your pan has a flat base. Why? Cookware that has a flat base is capable of conducting the heat more effectively on an induction stove.

Tips for Cooking Eggs on an Induction Cooktop

• Make sure you look at the texture of your eggs while you cook to get your desired result
• Monitor the firmness of your eggs continuously while you cook so that they come out exactly the way you like them
• It’s important to have all your ingredients ready prior to cooking because induction stoves heat up fast
• Use a good spatula
• Always hold the pan handle firmly while flipping for stability

How to Prep Your Pan Before Cooking Your Eggs

Next, we outline the tips to keep in mind when prepping your cookware before cooking. Decide how you want your eggs and then complete these steps.

• Place your induction stove on a flat, stable, non-metallic surface.
• Make sure you leave a 3’’- 5” gap around your stove to avoid blocking its air vents.
• Wipe the hob and ensure that it’s dry.
• Wipe the bottom of the pan you’re going to use.

Here are a few tips to use an induction cooktop safely.

• Use a pan with a base that covers the cooking zone
• Make sure the base of the pan is flat
• Place the pan in the center of the cooking zone before switching the unit on
• Don't use metal utensils
• Check the user manual to see if you can use your induction cooktop in an outdoor environment. If so, you can take it with you when you go camping.

Cooking Hard Boiled Eggs on Induction

We’ll start with the easiest—cooking hard boiled eggs.  The perfect egg has no green ring around the yolk and tends to have a creamy consistency in the middle. The time for cooking depends upon the size of the egg and pan.

I used a Duxtop 9600LS and large eggs to develop this process for preparing hard-boiled store bought eggs.

Preparation

• Set eggs on counter 20 minutes before you intend to cook them.
• Gather bowl for ice bath, vinegar, and slotted spoon or tongs.

Cooking Instructions

1. Place eggs in an induction friendly saucepan. 
2. Add enough cold water so there is about an inch of water over the top of the eggs. Add 1 tbsp white vinegar. 
3. Set the induction cooktop to power level 8.5
4. As soon as a rolling boil begins, remove the pan from the heat, cover with a lid, and set a timer for 10 minutes.
5. Prepare an ice water bath. I used almost one tray of ice cubes.
6. After 10 minutes, transfer the eggs to the ice water bath using a slotted spoon.
7. Let sit for 10 minutes.
8. Take the egg out of the water bath, crack it and let it sit for 10 minutes.
9. Start peeling at large end of egg

Why start with cold water?

It allows the egg to heat more slowly. This in turn keeps the whites form getting rubbery.

Why plunge eggs in ice water bath?

An ice bath stops the cooking process which avoids overcooked, rubbery eggs. 

How long can hard boiled eggs be left out of the refrigerator?

According to the Egg Safety Center, hardboiled eggs and shell eggs can be left out for two hours. However, if the temperature is 85 degrees or above, then the eggs can only be left out for one hour.

How long are hardboiled eggs safe to eat?

Hardboiled eggs that were not cracked during cooking should be used within one week. As stated above, they should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking as long as the temperature is below 85. If the egg cracked while cooking then they should be eaten within 2 days of cooking.

Can you freeze hardboiled eggs?

The yolks of hard-boiled eggs can be frozen for about 3 months. Egg whites cannot be stored in the freezer as they become tough, watery and inedible.

What is the best way to store peeled hard-boiled eggs?

The eggs will be kept moist if they are covered on the bottom and top with a damp paper towel before placing them in the container.

Why are older eggs easier to peel than fresh eggs?

As the egg ages, the pH increases. This makes the membrane not stick as much to albumen, thus making the shell peel off easier.  Also, as the egg ages, the air space between the egg shell and membrane increases. 

Where is the best place to store eggs in the refrigerator?

To keep the eggs at a consistent temperature, store them in the middle of the refrigerator towards the back.

Cooking Fried Eggs on Induction

Ingredients & Utensils

• 8” nonstick pan
• Cover for pan
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 tbsp butter
• Coarse salt and Freshly ground pepper (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Place a non-stick pan on the cooking surface, making sure to align it to the ring on the hob.
2. Place about ¾ tbsp of butter in 8” nonstick pan.
3. Set the induction cooktop to power level 5.0.
4. Swirl the pan so the surface is coated.
5. When the butter starts to sizzle (about 1 min), crack the egg into the pan.
6. Cover the pan briefly to set the yolk.
7. Cook until the top of the white is set and golden underneath and the yolk is still runny (about 1 minute 45 seconds on Duxtop 9600LS). Slide onto a plate.
8. Season with salt and pepper (optional).

Do you want steak to go along with your eggs? Check out our post on cooking steak on an induction cooktop.

Cooking Scrambled Eggs on Induction

There is not a consensus as to when to salt scrambled eggs. Some chefs think salting them before cooking breaks the eggs down and makes them watery. Others whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Although some cooks add milk or cream to the eggs, I did not.

Ingredients & Utensils

• 8” nonstick pan
• Bowl
• Spatula
• Whisk
• Eggs
• Butter
• Salt and Pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Crack the eggs in a bowl, whisk until blended and slightly foamy.
2. Set the induction cooktop to power level 5.0.
3. Heat a nonstick skillet and add ½ tbsp of butter making sure the pan is coated. Melt butter until it is sizzling and bubbly.  
4. Pour the eggs into the hot skillet.
5. Using a spatula move the eggs from edge of pan to center. When there is just a bit of liquid left, stir the eggs.
6. Once the scrambled eggs reach your preferred texture, remove them from the pan and serve.

If you want pancakes along with your eggs, check out our article, How to Cook Pancakes on an Induction Cooktop.

Cooking an Omelet on Induction

Ingredients & Utensils

• 8” nonstick pan
• Bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Filling
• Salt and pepper(optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Crack the eggs in the bowl.(They need to be ready to whisk while the butter is melting. The butter melts quickly on an induction cooktop.)
2. Set the induction cooktop to power level 5.0.
3. Heat a nonstick skillet and add 1/2 tbsp of butter.
4. Whisk the eggs until they are well mixed (foamy  and immediately pour them into the pan.
5. When the edges are just beginning to set (this takes about 1 minute), shake the pan to move the eggs around so the runny part is incorporated with the curds.
6. When the edges are mostly set, using a spatula, quickly push the eggs to the center and hold it there so the runny eggs flow underneath to the side of the pan.
7. Put ingredients in the middle of the omelet.
8. Using spatula, fold half of the omelet over the filling. Press down slightly to seal the omelet.
9. Slide the curved edge of the omelet onto a plate. Invert the pan and fold the part of the omelet that is in the skillet over the curved edge that is on the plate.

Final Thoughts

We’ll wrap up this article by saying that cooking eggs on an induction cooktop is fairly easy. They cook quickly so you’ll want to have all the ingredients and utensils ready. If your induction cooktop can be used outdoors, you can take it with you on camping trips.

It may take a couple of tries to get the temperature and the timing exactly right so your eggs are cooked exactly how you like them. An added bonus is eggs have nutritional benefits.