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A cooked quail egg on a plate with some uncooked eggs on the side.
Victoria Haneveer

How to Cook Quail Eggs

Boil quail eggs for a soft, medium or firm yolk, or fry them for a small toast topping or garnish.
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Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes
Servings: 4 quail eggs
Course: Breakfast, Garnish, Side Dish
Cuisine: International
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
 

  • 4 quail eggs
  • Water, enough to cover the eggs when boiling
  • A little cooking oil, for frying only

Equipment

  • Small saucepan
  • Slotted spoon
  • Bowl of cold water
  • Nonstick skillet (for frying)
  • Small sharp knife or quail-egg scissors (for opening raw shells)

Method
 

To Boil Them
  1. Fill a small saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs and bring it to a boil.
  2. Lower the quail eggs into the boiling water with a spoon, leaving room around them. Start the timer when they enter the water.
  3. Boil for about 2 ½ minutes for a runny yolk, 3 minutes for a partly set yolk or 4 minutes for a firm yolk.
  4. Move the eggs promptly into cold water. When cool enough to handle, tap and gently roll each shell, then peel away the shell and membrane.
To Fry Them
  1. For the fried variation, omit the water. Heat a nonstick skillet and add a little oil.
    2. You only need a tiny bit, so I usually use spray oil for this.
  2. Carefully cut the top of each raw shell with a small sharp knife or quail-egg scissors and tip the eggs into the skillet.
  3. Fry for about 1 minute, until the whites are set. Cook longer if you want the yolks firm.

Notes

  • The boiling times start when the eggs enter already boiling water. Egg size and starting temperature can affect the yolk.
  • Cook both whites and yolks until firm, for the safest option.
  • Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs for up to 1 week; use peeled eggs within 3 to 5 days. Don't freeze hard-boiled eggs.
  • This recipe makes 4 eggs, which is for a garnish. Use more eggs if you need a larger portion.