Are you ready to go beyond pressure-cooked hard-boiled eggs? The next breakfast to try in your Instant Pot or multicooker is eggs en cocotte, French for "in pot" or ramekins more specifically. Traditionally, raw eggs are cracked into a buttered ramekin along with a splash of cream and, optionally, your choice of cheese, veggies, and herbs. The ramekins are then placed in a pot filled with a little bit of water. The lid goes on the pot, and the pot goes on the stovetop to boil the water and steam the contents of the ramekins until the egg whites set. It tastes like a cross between poached eggs and an omelette and is heavenly when scooped and spread onto fresh toast. A multicooker makes this process less than five minutes compared to the traditional method, which can take eight minutes to bring the water to boil and another six to seven minutes for the eggs to steam.
You will need an electric multicooker like Instant Pot or Crock-Pot Express, as pictured, as well as a trivet that will fit in the base of the multicooker's bowl and three small ceramic ramekins. We sautéed mushrooms and chives for our pressure-cooked eggs in cocotte, but you can also add in sautéed leek or shallot if you have them on hand. Just keep the overall veggie ingredients about the same so everything fits below the lipped rim of the ramekins.
If you have slightly larger ramekins, try cracking in an additional egg to fill it to just below the rim. A bigger vessel may affect your overall cook time, so be patient as you fiddle with what settings yield eggs the way you like them.
Consider this recipe a loose guideline to introduce the technique. The most important thing to remember is the multicooker will set those egg yolks FAST. So, if you love a runny yolk, start with setting it on a low pressure cook for one minute. Medium eggs, as pictured, will take two minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee, plus more for greasing
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped (or other veggies of your choosing)
- salt
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions
Using the sauté setting of a multicooker, melt ghee, then sauté mushrooms together, until tender, caramelized, and reduced to 3/4 cup. Season with salt to taste.
Meanwhile, grease the ramekins. When mushrooms are cooked, divide into ramekins. Top each with a teaspoon of chives, a freshly cracked egg, and a tablespoon of cream.
The multicooker pots are nonstick, and so you shouldn’t need to wash them. Simply add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Add the trivet, and place the egg-filled ramekins on top. Secure and lock the lid of the multicooker. Pressure cook on low for 1-2 minutes. Quick release and immediately remove the top when the pressure has normalized. Carefully remove the ramekins. They’ll be hot, so use heatproof oven mitts or mason jar lifters (if you have them).
Serve with freshly toasted bread, like walnut levain as pictured.
(Photos via Brittany Griffin / Brit + Co)
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Anna Monette Roberts
As Brit + Co's Food Editor, Anna Monette Roberts has an insatiable appetite for developing tasty dishes. When she's not dreaming about her next meal, she's . . . well, probably cooking up her creations. Her favorite foods include chewy chocolate chip cookies, Rosé Champagne, and gooey French cheeses — in no particular order.
FAQs
Cover each ramekin with foil. Place the trivet in the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker and pour in 1 1/2 cups water. Arrange three ramekins on top of the trivet and carefully stack the remaining three ramekins on top of the first three. (If you have an additional rack, use it for stacking the ramekins.)
How many minutes does it take to boil an egg in a pressure cooker? ›
Place eggs in a single layer on the trivet. Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for your desired time: 3 minutes for soft yolks, 5 minutes for medium, or 7 minutes for fully set whites (see below for exact cooking times). Once the cooking time is up, manually release the pressure.
What happens if you put an egg in a pressure cooker? ›
Some say that, similar to steaming eggs, the pressure cooker forces steam inside the egg's shell during cooking, causing it to separate from the egg white.
What to avoid when using pressure cooker? ›
Pressure Cooker Don'ts:
- Don't open the pressure cooker while cooking. ...
- Don't release the pressure before it's time. ...
- Don't overfill the pressure cooker. ...
- Don't add thickeners. ...
- Don't give up after one bad experience.
Pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs aren't any quicker to make (the pressure cooker's usual claim to fame), but here's why it's great: it actually makes fresh eggs easy to peel! If you happen to raise chickens or have access to really fresh eggs, a pressure cooker is the best way to make hard-cooked eggs.
How do I know when egg cooker is done? ›
Once all the water is gone, a cute jingle will play to alert you that your eggs are done. After that, I tend to plunge them into ice water to prevent them from overcooking, but that's not a necessary step.
Is it OK to eat 5 eggs in one day? ›
"I will recommend three to five eggs, depending on their current caloric needs and activity levels. Some people may not need as many eggs if they're smaller or less active." He continued: "One rule of thumb that I've learned is to make sure your plate looks colorful.
What happens if I eat 5 whole eggs everyday? ›
You Might Feel More Full and Energized
Though they come in a small and affordable package, eggs pack an impressive nutritional punch. The yolk, in particular, is a source of important nutrients like vitamin B12, vitamin D and choline, which are all important for helping our bodies process food into energy we can use.
How to cook an egg in a pressure cooker? ›
Seal pressure cooker and cook on high for:
- Allow a 5 minutes natural release with each time.
- 1 minute for soft yolks.
- 2 minutes for soft-medium yolks.
- 3 minutes for medium yolks.
- 4 minutes for medium-hard yolks.
- 5 minutes for hard yolks.
Follow this tip: To prevent the eggs from being damaged during cooking, set them in a steamer basket or rack inside the pressure cooker so they're not sitting directly in the water and against the pressure-cooker insert.
Eggs are prone to cracking because the force from the boiling action causes them to clash into each other. This leads to the shell splitting open and the whites spilling out of it. What you'll end up with is a boiled egg that's safe to eat, but will have a mushy texture.
What happens to meat in a pressure cooker? ›
Pressure cooking, like slow cooking, will tenderize tough cuts of meat like beef brisket, beef chuck, pork shoulder and lots of other cheaper, tougher cuts. Pressure cooking (or slow cooking) is not the best approach for cooking expensive, tender steaks or rib roasts.
Can I put a ceramic bowl in a pressure cooker? ›
You must be wondering what are the best containers that you can use for the PIP method. There are numerous options available for the pot-in-pot method. Instant pot-safe bowls can be made of stainless steel, glass, ceramic, silicone, aluminum, bamboo, or copper.
What kind of containers can go in a pressure cooker? ›
Pressure cookers generate high temperatures and pressure, which can cause plastic to melt or release harmful chemicals. It is important to only use materials that are approved for pressure cooking, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or heat-resistant glass.
Can you put porcelain in a pressure cooker? ›
Oven-safe dish made of stainless steel, oven-safe glass, silicone, or ceramic/porcelain. The container shouldn't touch the walls of the inner pot and should allow the Instant Pot lid to be closed easily.
Can you put anything in a pressure cooker? ›
Pressure cooking is the process of cooking food at high pressure, by using water or stock, in a specialty cooking pot called a pressure cooker. Just about any ingredient that can be steamed, or is cooked with liquids, can be cooked in a pressure cooker.
