Soft Boiled Quail Eggs are a jammy, delicious treat that add protein to salads, hors d'oeuvres, avocado toast, and more. Use our precise cooking method to achieve perfect soft egg yolks and silky egg whites.
Quail eggs are a simple way to elevate any dish. We enjoy them raw, as seen in Tobiko Gunkan Sushi (with Quail Egg), and soft-boiled. They are an excellent source of protein and add a rich yolky flavor without overpowering a dish. Plus, they're delightfully small and make for a conversation starter!
Enjoy them on top of a Flank Steak Salad with Balsamic Dressing or as a chicken egg substitute for brunch recipes, like Bacon and Egg Breakfast Rice Bowl and Breakfast Hash with Sweet Potatoes and Eggs.
Jump to:
About Soft Boiled Quail Eggs
- Taste - We love these soft boiled eggs with just a little salt and pepper for extra flavor.
- Texture - After 2 ½ minutes, the eggs should be perfectly soft boiled and runny.
- Effort - All you need to do is boil the eggs, cool them, then peel their shell.
- Time - It takes just 2 ½ minutes to soft boil the eggs, or 3 ½ minutes to hard boil them. Then a few more minutes to cool and peel them.
Ingredients
- Quail eggs - Quail eggs are an excellent source of protein. They taste a little richer than chicken eggs and have a larger yolk.
- Ice - The ice bath stops the eggs from cooking and preserves the soft yolk.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Temper eggs - Let the eggs sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to let them reach room temperature. If the eggs are cold and right out of the fridge, they will crack when lowered into the hot water. If you don't have time to let your eggs get to room temperature on their own, fill a bowl with tepid water (not hot) and let the eggs sit in the water for a few minutes to expedite the temperature change.
- Boil the water - Fill a saucepan or small pot with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium heat.
- Boil quail eggs - Use a spoon to carefully lower the eggs in the water and cook for 2 ½ minutes exactly for soft-boiled, or 4 minutes for hard boiled. Then lower the heat so that the water simmers.
- Fill a bowl with ice water - As the eggs cook on the stovetop, fill a bowl with cold water and ice. The bowl of ice water stops the eggs from cooking and will preserve the soft yolk.
- Cool the eggs - Once the timer pings, immediately use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and transfer them into the bowl of ice water. Then let the eggs sit in the ice water for a few minutes before you peel them. This will help the peels come right off.
- Crack the eggshells - Using a spoon, lightly tap each egg to crack the shell. Since the egg is cool, the shell should easily peel off.
Pro tip: Use fresh eggs for the best results!
How to Enjoy Quail Eggs
There are a ton of ways to enjoy these tasty eggs. You can enjoy them on their own, with a yummy side like hash browns, or chop the eggs and toss them with Kewpie mayo to make an egg salad sandwich. You can also prepare them with a simple piece of toast and top with fresh cracked pepper and Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. They are especially delicious as an added source of protein in a salad, like a Salmon or Tuna Niçoise.
Other Ways to Cook Quail Eggs
While we love soft boiled quail eggs, here are a few other ways to cook quail eggs:
- Soft Boiled Jammy Quail Eggs - Soft boiled jammy eggs will have a soft yolk with a spreadable jammy texture. Just boil eggs for 3 minutes then enjoy them in bowl of ramen, in an egg salad sandwich, or on top of avocado toast.
- Hard Boiled Eggs - Hard boiled eggs are great for a breakfast sandwich if you prefer a firm yolk. Please note you will probably need a couple of quail eggs for each breakfast sandwich.In order to hard boil eggs, just boil the eggs for 4 minutes then cool them and peel the shell.
- Fried Eggs - We love 4 types of fried eggs. For breakfast fried rice or avocado toast, we use runny sunny side up or over easy eggs because the yolk melds perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. For breakfast sandwiches, we make jammy or over hard eggs to keep the dish neater and easier to eat.
- Poached Eggs - Poached eggs are famously used in eggs benedict due to their runny consistency. They are usually cooked in simmering water then pulled out when the white is set but before the yolk is cooked.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, quail eggs have many health benefits . Specifically, they are protein and iron rich. When compared to chicken eggs by weight, they contain more fat, protein, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.
Yes, they are slightly richer than chicken eggs due to the larger egg yolk to egg white ratio. With regard to texture, cooked quail eggs are creamier than cooked chicken eggs..
With regard to nutritional value, 3 or 4 quail eggs are equivalent to a single chicken egg.
They are usually slightly more expensive than and slightly harder to find than chicken eggs.
Yes, quail eggs last longer in the refrigerator and are usually good for up to 6 weeks.
You can buy them at specialty grocery stores and many Asian grocery stores. You can also find them online.
Equipment
These easy soft boiled eggs require just a few kitchen essentials. You need tongs or a slotted spoon, a pot to boil the eggs, a knife, and a cutting board.
Storage
You can refrigerate Soft Boiled Quail Eggs in an air tight container for up to 2 days. Here are some containers we recommend: OXO Pop Containers, Glass Meal Prep Containers, Glass Food Containers.
Top tips
- Figure out what you want to make with your jammy quail eggs before you start making them so your eggs are ready at the same time as your other food and you can enjoy everything hot and fresh.
- These tiny eggs are the perfect size for small dogs, feel free to give them one soft boiled egg as a treat. Our dogs love them!
- Crush the leftover shells and use them as compost for your garden.
Similar Egg Recipes
Did You Like This Recipe?
Love this quail egg recipe? Please leave a 5-star ?????rating in the recipe card below & consider leaving a comment below. Thanks in advance!
Soft Boiled Quail Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 quail eggs room temperature
- ice
- water
Instructions
- Boil the water - Bring a pot of water to a soft boil on medium heat. Lower the heat if the water reaches a rapid boil.6 quail eggs
- Cook the eggs - Use a spoon to carefully lower the eggs at the same time in the water and cook for 2 ½ minutes exactly for soft-boiled.
- Fill a bowl with ice water - As the eggs cook on the stovetop, fill a bowl with cold water and ice. The bowl of ice water stops the eggs from cooking and will preserve the soft yolk. If you don't have ice water, use very cold running water.ice, water
- Cool the eggs - Once the timer pings, immediately use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and transfer them into the bowl of ice water. Let the eggs sit in the ice water for a few minutes before you peel them. This will help the peels come right off.
- Crack the eggshells - Using a spoon, lightly tap each egg to crack the shell. The shell should easily peel off once the egg is cooled. Enjoy whole or slice in half and season as desired.
Notes
- You can refrigerate Soft Boiled Quail Eggs in an air tight container for up to 2 days. Here are some containers we recommend: OXO Pop Containers, Glass Meal Prep Containers, Glass Food Containers.
- Figure out what you want to make with your jammy quail eggs before you start making them so your eggs are ready at the same time as your other food and you can enjoy everything hot and fresh.
- These eggs are the perfect size for small dogs, feel free to give them one soft boiled egg as a treat. Our dogs love them!
- Let the eggs sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to let them reach room temperature. If the eggs are cold and right out of the fridge, they will crack when lowered into the hot water. If you don't have time to let your eggs get to room temperature on their own, fill a bowl with tepid water (not hot) and let the eggs sit in the water for a few minutes to expedite the temperature change.
- Quail eggs are best enjoyed soft-boiled; however, for a firmer yolk, cook for 3 ½ minutes for hard boiled.
- Use a spoon to carefully lower the eggs at the same time so they can all cook evenly.Â
Lea M
This really is the perfect way to prepare quail eggs! I have only done it twice, but this method was perfect both times.
Kathleen Higashiyama
Fantastic, Lea! Thank you so much for trying our recipe and leaving a thoughtful review. Have a great day!