A kitchen mainstay and much-loved food staple, eggs are easy to work with and are mainly consumed for their health benefits, distinctive taste, and unique texture.
Besides packing plenty of flavor and nutrients, they are also a vital ingredient needed to make various foods.
From savory to sweet meals, there’s no denying that eggs offer plenty of versatility. Besides being featured in multiple dishes, they can even be enjoyed alone, and are a popular breakfast food often enjoyed scrambled, boiled, or sunny side up.
Whether omelets are your morning go-to, or you love nothing more than preparing a shakshuka dish from scratch as a mid-week treat, you might be wondering whether or not you can reheat eggs after you’ve already cooked them.
Below, you’ll find the answer to that question as well as step-by-step instructions for heating up eggs, all depending on the dish.
From fried eggs to poached, we’ve covered all bases so that you can learn how to reheat your eggs safely. Read on.
So, Can Eggs Be Reheated?
As you might have already guessed, eggs can be reheated, though it does depend on the type of dish.
To help you gain a better understanding of the types of ways you can make with eggs, here are some of the most popular kinds:
Quiche
Poached
Scrambled
Fried
Boiled
Souffle
Omelet
The good news? All of these types of egg dishes can be reheated and enjoyed, with the exception of boiled eggs, which is where things get a little tricker. Don’t worry, though, because this guide will talk you through all of the instructions you need to follow in order to effectively reheat your eggs so that they are both safe to eat and enjoy.
Can Boiled Eggs Be Reheated?
Just ask any egg lover, and we’ll bet that boiled eggs are on the top of their favorite food list!
Not only are they delicious, but they’re also very easy to prepare, making them a great choice for those wanting a nutritious breakfast or snack while in a hurry.
They’re so nutritious, in fact, that one single egg contains all of the essential nutrients required to turn a single cell into a baby chick! Here’s why:
A boiled egg contains -
Vitamin B12
Folate
Vitamin B5
Vitamin A
Vitamin B2
Selenium
Phosphorus
Calcium
Zinc
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamin B6
Trace nutrients
As boiled eggs in particular are so jam-packed with nutrients, it’s easy to see why they’re such a hot commodity in the kitchen, and why many people wonder whether or not they can reheat them while preserving the nutritional value held inside.
Generally speaking, boiled eggs are actually pretty simple to reheat, though there is one risk that you’ll face. If you’re pinched for time and choose to reheat your boiled eggs in the microwave, there’s a very strong possibility that the eggs could explode due to the extreme temperature it will be subjected to.
In addition to this, there is also a possibility that the egg could explode when you bite into it, which we’re sure you most definitely don’t want to happen!
Therefore, even though boiled eggs can be reheated in this way, the safest way to do so is by placing them inside boiling water (just like the way you would do if you were boiling them for the first time) and allowing them to heat up that way.
By choosing to reheat the boiled eggs in this way, not only will there be a lower chance of the egg cracking open and making a mess, but you’ll also be able to preserve some of the nutritional contents that we talked about above.
Reheating Boiled Eggs: Step-by-Step Instructions
If you want to preserve the nutritional value of your boiled eggs, then we recommend simply choosing to enjoy it cold.
However, if you do want to go ahead and reheat them, then we recommend following these methods below:
Reheating boiled eggs with boiling water:
Firstly, begin by taking your boiled eggs from the refrigerator (or wherever you have been storing them) and set them aside.
With either a kettle or stove, begin heating up some water until you can see that it has reached boiling point.
Pour the boiling water into a heat-resistant bowl, and then submerge your boiled eggs into the water.
After a minute or two, take the egg out of the boiling water using a slotted spoon, as you are only heating it up, so it will not need much time to become hot.
Reheat the eggs for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on how hot you want your egg to be. We recommend checking the egg every 30 seconds, so you can keep an eye on whether or not it has cracked.
Reheating boiled eggs in the oven:
Take a baking pan and apply cooking spray to the inside.
Place the boiled eggs inside the baking pan.
To hold in moisture and prevent the eggs from becoming rubbery, cover the baking pan with aluminum foil.
Bake the boiled eggs at medium heat for around 10 minutes, as this will ensure that the boiled eggs are able to warm all the way through without causing the eggshell to crack.
Can Fried Eggs Be Reheated?
Fried eggs are a little different from boiled eggs, and are one of the most difficult types of egg to reheat due to the yolk.
Though fried eggs can be reheated, there is a chance that their texture can change during the reheating process, causing them to become dry and rubbery-like in texture.
There is also a chance that the yolk of the fried eggs can become cracked, which can be an issue if you want it to remain runny.
However, there are some steps that you can take to help minimize the chances of that happening - just follow these steps below:
Reheating Fried Eggs: Step-by-Step Instructions:
Fried eggs are delicious, versatile, and slightly different from boiled eggs.
Therefore, if you wish to reheat your fried eggs for later, then we recommend following these methods to ensure their texture and taste remains the same as they did the first time they were cooked:
Reheating fried eggs in the oven:
Take a large to medium-sized baking pan and line it with aluminum foil. Then, coat the pan with a cooking spray, as this will help to prevent the fried eggs from accidentally sticking to the baking pan as they heat up.
Place your fried egg or fried eggs onto the baking pan, ensuring that the fried eggs are not touching each other, so they will not stick to one another by accident.
To help retain the moisture of the fried eggs, cover the top of the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil, as this will help to maintain the moisture of the fried eggs so that their texture doesn’t change or become ‘rubbery’ and dry.
Bake the eggs at medium heat for around 10-15 minutes, until they have been warmed up all the way through.
After 10-15 minutes, your eggs should be fully warmed through and ready to serve, as you are not cooking them but simply warming them up. We recommend checking on them in 5-minute intervals so that you can check that they are warming properly.
Reheating fried eggs in the microwave:
Take a microwave-safe plate or bowl (that is large enough to accommodate the fried eggs without squishing them or causing them to overlap) and place it inside the microwave.
We recommend taking a damp paper towel, and covering each fried egg with it so that the eggs will not turn dry or rubbery while subjected to the high temperatures of the microwave. If you do this, we recommend stopping the microwave and double-checking the fried eggs in intervals of 30 seconds, so that you can be sure that they are cooking properly and are not becoming overcooked.
Unlike other types of eggs, it’s very important to make sure that you are not overheating the fried eggs, especially if you want to keep the yolk runny.
Place the fried eggs onto a plate and serve!
Reheating fried eggs on the stove/hob:
Heat a small amount of butter or oil into a cooking skillet on light to medium heat, depending on your preference.
After the cooking skillet has warmed, place the fried eggs onto the now heated skillet.
Allow the eggs to warm up for around 2-5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Unlike how you would if you were cooking fried eggs for the first time, we do not recommend flipping the fried eggs over, as this may cause the egg yolk to break. Instead, you can simply cover the top of the pan with a lid, which will help to warm up the top of the eggs.
After a few minutes, remove the fried eggs from the pan, place them onto a dinner plate, and enjoy!
Reheating sunny side up eggs:
Before we move on to the next type of eggs to reheat, we’d first like to take a moment to show you how to reheat sunny side up eggs, which are the trickiest of all fried eggs to reheat, due to the very runny yolk.
Follow these steps for the best results:
Preheat a microwaveable plate for around 30 seconds and gently rub butter across the surface of the plate.
Place your sunny side up eggs on the plate, and then place inside the microwave.
Warm up the eggs for around 30-45 seconds, ensuring to check it every 15 seconds so that you can be sure it is not overheating. Due to the nature of sunny-side-up eggs, there is a chance that the egg yolk can explode.
After you have warmed the sunny-side-up eggs, remove them from the microwave and allow them to cool for a minute or so. By doing this, the yolk will be given time to cool off, so that it will not explode when cut into.
Can Scrambled Eggs Be Reheated?
If scrambled eggs are more your thing, then the good news is that they are one of the easiest types of eggs to reheat!
As scrambled eggs do not contain any runny yolk, you won’t have to worry about the yolk becoming dry or rubbery during the reheating process.
Plus, as scrambled eggs are so versatile, you can even choose to customize them with different ingredients.
Scrambled eggs go very well with mushrooms, onions, and even peppers. You can flavor them with pepper, salt, and herbs, and you can even sprinkle them with cheese.
Scrambled can also be enjoyed all throughout the day, and make a great breakfast food, as well as a delicious side dish for lunch and dinner!
If you have recently made scrambled eggs and have leftovers that you’d like to reheat, then they shouldn’t be too difficult to warm up, regardless of the method you followed to make them.
As long as you have made sure to properly store them in your refrigerator, then reheating your leftover scrambled eggs will be easy! Just follow the steps below for the very best results:
Reheating scrambled eggs in the oven:
Take a baking pan, and line it with grease-proof paper. Then, coat the paper with either butter, oil, or cooking spray so that the scrambled eggs will not stick to the paper as they are warmed up.
Carefully place the scrambled eggs into the pan, and then spread across a pan so that all of the scrambled eggs are able to warm up.
Cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil, as this will help to maintain the moisture of the scrambled eggs, and prevent their texture from becoming rubbery or dry.
Bake the scrambled eggs for around 15-20 minutes on medium heat, being sure to stir the scrambled eggs halfway through so that all of the scrambled eggs are able to heat evenly.
After 15-20 minutes, remove the scrambled eggs from the oven, stir them, place them on your serving plate and enjoy!
Reheating scrambled eggs on the stovetop/hob:
Take a frying skillet and place it over medium heat. Then, line the pan with your choice of either cooking spray, oil, or butter.
After you have allowed the pan to heat up, you can then go ahead and place the scrambled eggs into the pan.
Place the pan over low medium heat, and then cover the pan with a lid so that the moisture will be retained.
Allow the eggs to cook like this for around 5 minutes before removing the lid and giving them a stir. This will help to ensure that the scrambled eggs are cooked all the way through.
Then, continue to keep cooking the scrambled eggs until they have reached the temperature that you would like them to be.
Reheating scrambled eggs on the microwave:
To reheat scrambled eggs in the microwave, take a microwavable bowl or container, and line the bowl with butter so that it will not stick.
Place the scrambled eggs inside the heat-safe bowl, and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Place inside the microwave, and allow to warm up for around 20 seconds.
After 20 seconds, stop the microwave, remove the plastic wrap and give the scrambled eggs a stir. This will help to ensure no sticking and that the scrambled eggs will be heated all the way through.
Then, put the plastic wrap back over the bowl and place it back into the microwave. Heat the eggs once again for 20 seconds before pausing to give them a stir, continue to do this until the scrambled eggs have reached your desired temperature.
After the eggs have cooked to your liking, remove them from the bowl onto your serving plate and enjoy!
Can Poached Eggs Be Reheated?
Despite their tricky nature to cook, poached eggs are relatively simple to reheat, especially in the microwave.
They are generally quite similar to fried eggs, in the sense that you’ll have to be careful that you do not cause the yolk to explode during the reheating process.
In the same way, poached eggs and fried eggs are pretty much the same, the only difference being that fried eggs are prepared in a pan, while poached eggs are prepared in boiling water.
Poached eggs are also healthier than fried eggs, as they do not need to be fried, meaning that there is no need for oil or butter. Thanks to that, poached eggs are a great alternative for those that love fried eggs, but wish to adopt a healthier lifestyle option.
If you have recently prepared one too many poached eggs and wish to reheat them, the good news is that they’re pretty simple to reheat, as long as you follow the correct steps!
Unlike the other type of eggs we have covered already, poached eggs can only be reheated in one way.
To make sure that you reheat them correctly and maintain their flavor and original texture, just follow our instructions below to make sure that you prepare your poached eggs properly:
Reheating poached eggs on the stovetop/hob:
Take a medium-sized saucepan or pot, and fill it with lots of water (enough for the poached eggs to be submerged within).
Before adding the poached eggs, simmer the water for a few minutes, until the water has become hot. A good indication of when the water has reached a light simmer will be bubbles beginning to form.
Then, after the water has been brought to a light simmer, you can go ahead and place the poached eggs into the water for around 1-2 minutes.
Depending on the size of the saucepan or pot you have selected, you should be able to cook more than one poached egg without any issues.
After you have allowed the poached eggs to warm for a minute or two, you can then go ahead and remove the eggs from the pan of water.
As you will have seen from the instructions above, the method required to reheat the poached eggs is nearly the same as the method you would use if you were preparing the poached eggs for the very first time.
What’s more, you’ll also be able to reheat more than one poached egg at a time, which will ensure that you will be able to both save time and feed more than one hungry mouth more quickly!
Plus, if you follow our instructions above, then the reheated poached eggs will taste exactly the same as freshly prepared poached eggs, all while having the exact same fluffy texture that is unique to poached eggs.
What Are The Effects of Reheating Eggs?
Before we jump into the methods for reheating each kind of egg dish, we’d like to firstly go over what the effects of reheating will do to your eggs, so that you’re aware prior to consuming them.
Firstly, regardless of the type of food that you’re planning to reheat, it’s safe to assume that the reheating process is likely to have an effect on the flavor, nutritional content, and even the texture of the food.
This is to be expected if you plan on reheating your eggs, as some people have found that reheating eggs can cause the texture of the eggs to change, causing the eggs to become ‘rubbery’ and even dry.
In addition to changes to the texture, there is also a chance that the flavor can change, although this isn’t as common as texture changes.
On top of that, there has also been some research made that suggests that reheating eggs can cause their nutritional content to drop significantly, which is something to keep in mind.
However, all in all, even though reheating eggs can cause changes to their nutritional makeup, there is nothing to suggest that this is unsafe in any way, especially as so many people report that the only notable differences to keep in mind is that the texture is likely to change slightly.
Final Thoughts
So, there we have it! Thank you for taking the time to read through our guide, we hope that you enjoyed reading it, just as much as we enjoyed writing it.
As you will have seen from what we’ve written above, eggs are very easy to work with and are a versatile food that can be reheated and enjoyed after they have been freshly cooked.
You can even freeze eggs for up to 3 months after preparing them, which makes them an ideal food choice for those that like to prepare food to eat at a later date.
In addition, it’s important to remember that though all types of eggs can be reheated, each type of egg will require a slightly different method of reheating to ensure that they are able to warm up correctly.
For example, poached eggs need to be heated in a pan of boiling water, while fried eggs need to be prepared in such a way that there is a lower chance of the yolk exploding.
Therefore, regardless of the type of egg that you plan on reheating, we strongly recommend making sure to follow the specific instructions that have been tailored to each type of egg, to ensure the best results.
Why don’t you bookmark this page? That way, if you ever forget a step, or want to prepare eggs in a different way than usual, then you’ll know how to properly reheat your eggs to enjoy at a later date. Thank you for reading!
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
