Here's Every Way You Can Air Fry Eggs

It’s hard to overstate the health benefits of eggs. They’re high in protein (with about 6 grams per egg) and contain all nine essential amino acids, as well as various vitamins and minerals (like B12, calcium, zinc and more).

Plus, “the yolk contains choline, which helps with brain function. Eggs also have the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for eye health,” says Ilyse Schapiro MS, RD, CDN. However, cooking technique matters — especially when dining out.

“It’s important to be aware that restaurants often prepare eggs with extra oils, butter, and salt, and could be using four or five eggs to make an omelet, which will turn your healthy dish into a high-calorie one,” says Schapiro.

But don’t worry — you can easily cut down on the oil and butter needed for great eggs when you cook them in the air fryer. While hard- or soft-boiled eggs are the easiest choice, you can fry or scramble eggs with a little bit of prep work.

“Other egg preparations will require either a small pan that fits into your air fryer or enough aluminum foil that you can create high edges in the basket, so they don't pour over into your air fryer,” says Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN.

To maximize the benefits of eggs, remember that cholesterol in the yolk should be moderated for heart health. “I recommend clients to eat one to two whole eggs per meal, and they can add as many egg whites as they desire,” says Schapiro.

Now that you know how many eggs you should eat (and why!), check out the following methods for making delicious eggs in the air fryer.

“Put your pan or foil into the fryer for one minute at 300 before spraying with cooking spray or coating with a small amount of butter, letting it sit in the air fryer while you scramble your eggs,” says Jones. Add the eggs to the pan and cook for six to seven minutes, stirring twice during that time.

For extra-fluffy scrambled eggs, Schapiro recommends using two to three eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of skim milk.

You can use the same method to make an omelet instead of scrambled. Schapiro recommends one to two whole eggs and egg whites for the rest, or an egg-white only omelet. “For an egg white omelet, add veggies like spinach, kale, tomatoes, peppers and a pinch of goat cheese or part-skim mozzarella,” says Schapiro. Have some fun with protein and toppings—avocado, chicken, broccoli, or feta all make great additions.

After coating the basket with cooking spray, preheat the air fryer to 275 degrees F for two minutes. Add the eggs to the basket, leaving space between each one. For soft boiled eggs, cook for nine to 11 minutes. For hard boiled eggs, cook for about 14 to 15 minutes. Either way, make sure to have a bowl filled with ice water ready to go when the eggs are done.

Once the eggs are cooked, place the eggs into the ice bath for around five minutes, which will make them easier to peel. “These make a great on-the-go breakfast or snack, so make extra and save for use later in the week,” says Schapiro.

Preheat the air fryer to 300 degrees for about two minutes. Crack two to three eggs and pour the batter into an oiled air fryer pan or aluminum foil in the basket, then cook the eggs for about five to 10 minutes. Pay attention to the time frame, as it’ll differ depending on how runny you like your eggs.

To make fried eggs fried over-hard, “prepare the pan or aluminum foil the same way as you would with scrambled eggs but set your air fryer to 350 F. Crack two to three eggs and let them cook for about six to seven minutes,” says Jones. And for over-easy, Jones suggests preparing your pan the same way but setting the air fryer to 320 F and letting the eggs cook for about four to five minutes, instead.