Learn how to quickly and easily poach an egg using just your microwave

Poaching an egg makes a simple ingredient into an impressive dish. However, making poached eggs in a pan can be cumbersome.[1] Using the microwave to poach an egg is the easiest way to make a stunning poached egg.

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Preparing Your Ingredients

  1. 1
  2. 2
    Fill the microwave safe mug with ½ cup of cold water from the tap. Using a measuring cup, measure out ½ cup of water. Pour the water into the mug.
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  3. 3
    Crack the egg into the mug. Using the side of the mug, tap the egg firmly once or twice to break through the shell, taking care to not break the yolk. Pry open the egg halves, and let the egg fall into the mug of water and make sure to prick the yolk with a fork to prevent mess.
  4. 4
    Ensure the egg is completely submerged in water.[2] If the egg is not submerged in water, use the measuring cup to add another ¼ cup of water. The egg should be submerged now.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Cooking the Poached Egg

  1. 1
    Microwave the egg on high for one minute.[3] Place the mug in the microwave, and cover it with the microwave safe lid. Then, close the door and microwave the egg for one minute on high.
  2. 2
    Make sure the egg is cooked before serving it. Open the microwave door and remove the carefully lid. The egg white should be firm, but the yolk should still be runny.[4] If the egg white still appears runny even after 1 minute, close the microwave door and add 15 seconds. Check the egg again, ensuring the egg white is not runny.
  3. 3
    Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and place on a plate.[5] Now that the egg is done, remove the lid carefully, and remove the mug from the microwave. Use a slotted spoon to gently place the egg on a plate or in a bowl. If you leave the egg in the hot water, the egg will continue to cook.[6]
  4. 4
    Salt and pepper the egg to taste. Add a dash of salt and pepper to your perfectly poached egg. Serve as desired.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do you tell if an egg is spoiled?
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Expert Answer
    Fill a bowl or prep sink with cool water. Gently place the eggs into the water. The waterline should be high enough that all of the eggs are submerged. If they float they are bad and should be discarded. The ones that stay at the bottom of the bowl or prep sink are good.
  • Question
    Does the water have to be hot to do this in a microwave?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No. In fact, you should use cold water.
  • Question
    Should the water be hot or cold before dropping the egg in the water
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Use cold water. The water temperature should be about the same each time or the cooking time will be altered.
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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

  • Microwave safe mug with a tapered bottom
  • Microwave safe lid/plate
  • Microwave
  • Measuring cup
  • Slotted spoon

About This Article

Tested by:
wikiHow Test Kitchen
wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 28 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 1,291,797 times.
71 votes - 92%
Co-authors: 28
Updated: February 25, 2023
Views: 1,291,797
Categories: Basic Cooking Skills
Article SummaryX

To poach an egg in the microwave, add 1/2 cup of water to a microwave safe mug and then crack the egg into the mug. Ensure that the egg is fully submerged in water and, if it isn't, add another 1/4 cup of water. Then, place a microwave safe lid, like a small plate, on top of the mug and microwave the egg for 1 minute or until the whites are firm but the yolk is still runny. Use a slotted spoon or fork to remove the egg and enjoy! For more details on how to know when your egg is done, scroll down!

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