Can You Freeze Hard Boiled Eggs? Yes, But There Are Rules to Follow

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Boiled eggs are delicious and healthy and if you want to keep them for longer, you can send them to the freezer. However, things aren’t as straightforward as with other ingredients or dishes.

While boiled eggs can be frozen, you’ll need to go through a few changes to make this work.

Can You Freeze Hard Boiled Eggs?

One of our readers had the same curiosities as we did about freezing hard boiled eggs, so we put together this article to clear things up. First, here’s the message we received.

I like to cook hard boiled eggs at the beginning of the week to eat as a high protein snack, to add to salads, or to make egg salad with, but sometimes I cook too many. Can you freeze hard boiled eggs?

Yes, and no. Let me explain.

While hard boiled eggs can be frozen, if hard boiled eggs are frozen whole, their texture after being thawed is rubbery and unappetizing, and so it’s not generally recommended to freeze them this way.

However, there are ways to freeze hard boiled eggs that make them suitable for use in recipes as garnishes, although it’s generally recommended to freeze raw rather than hard boiled eggs for more versatility and better texture.

How to Freeze Hard Boiled Eggs?

To freeze hard boiled eggs, you must decide if you want to freeze both the white and the yolk, or just the yolk. Freezing just the whites is not recommended because they become hard and rubbery, although some people grate the yolk and the white together. I don’t recommend that, however.

Here’s what you have to do to freeze just the yolk:

Hard boil the desired number of eggs.
Place the eggs in a pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, and let stand in the water for about 10 minutes, then remove, drain, and separate the yolk from the white.
Use the egg whites immediately in salads or to make egg salad, or refrigerate and use within 24-48 hours.
Place the hard-boiled egg yolks in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or in a freezer bag, and then remove as much air as possible from the bag.
Label and date all packages for future reference.

How Long to Boil Eggs?

If you want to make sure you have the right form of egg, you should be careful for how long you boil them.

Soft boiled eggs need about 4-5 minutes on the stove.
Creamy hard boiled eggs require about 7 minutes on the stove.
Firm hard boiled eggs, like the ones we’re making to freeze, need about 10 minutes on the stove.

How Long Can You Freeze Boiled Eggs?

Frozen yolks can be stored safely for about 1 year. Of course, it’s always best if you use them beforehand, so make sure that you keep track of the bag or container and plan ahead.

How to Keep Hard Boiled Eggs Frozen Longer?

If you want to make sure that the frozen hard boiled eggs keep for longer in the freezer, you should use a food saver. These appliances are awesome as they take out all the air in the bag or container and create a perfect seal for your eggs.

We have a whole list of great vacuum sealers you can buy, if you want to try them out, but we’re partial to the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine which enables you to keep food fresh for longer, works with multiple types of containers, and lots more.

How to Thaw Hard Boiled Eggs?

When it comes to eating the hard boiled eggs – well, the yolks, more specifically – there are a few ways to use them.

To use as a garnish, yolks can be crumbled and laid flat in a freezer bag before freezing.

To thaw frozen egg yolks, remove the package from the refrigerator and let the eggs thaw for several hours or overnight.
Egg yolks can also be thawed under cold, running water.
Thawed eggs should be eaten immediately for the best results and to ensure the best taste and texture.
Crumble or chop the yolks and add to salads or use to make egg salad.

Thawed eggs should never be refrozen, and should be thrown away if not consumed within 24-48 hours.

The yolks will not have the exact texture they had prior to freezing, and some people find them too rubbery to enjoy, so start with freezing just a few to see if you like them.