Hard Boiled Quail Eggs - Crafty Cooking Mama

Jump to Recipe Print RecipeHow to cook hard boiled quail eggs, peel & crack quail eggs and other quail egg stuff you need to know.

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Post was created 3/8/17. Updated 1/21/25.

All About Quail Eggs

I have chickens. My hens are loved and well cared for, free ranged & eat the best of the best. They’re happy, spoiled little chickies, living the good life.

I kept & raised quail for a few years. My family loves quail eggs and I have a super-picky little eater who requests “tiny eggs” so I always keep a few dozen around. It was honestly cheaper for me to keep quail than it was to buy a few dozen quail eggs each week.

Let’s talk all about quail eggs.

Besides being bite-sized and absolutely adorable, there are a few other differences.

I have always preferred them over chicken eggs. They have a higher yolk to white ratio which gives you a much richer egg. The flavor of chicken eggs & quail eggs are very similar – but – I find that boiled quail eggs do not need to be salt to be delicious.

Quail eggs are a bit more nutritious. I won’t bore you with the details but you can read the breakdown of nutrition info on both eggs here.

The other interesting thing is that quail eggs are safe to eat raw. Use them in mayo, aioli, pastas, mashed potatoes, desserts, protein shakes, booze – whatever – it’s all good. Some folks recommend eating the shell for added health benefits. I’ve always passed on that one.

Let’s use those quail eggs! Here’s my recipe for Quail Egg Mayonnaise

How To Crack, Cook, Hard Boil & Peel Quail Eggs

Quail eggs are a bit tricky to crack, but I’ve found a small sharp knife does the trick. I crack it with the knife & then cut it open. I crack a few at a time in a bowl and pour into my pan for over easy quail eggs.

I recently bought a little cutter gadget for quail eggs – it does makes the job easier.

The key to making hard boiled quail eggs is adding them to already boiling water. Then cook for 3-4 minutes.

Peeling hard boiled quail eggs is tricky if you don’t cook them the right way. When peeling, gently crack the bottom of the egg. I find it easiest to peel from the bottom, taking care to get under the membrane. My daughter finds it easiest to roll the egg between her hands, gently cracking the entire shell, and then peeling.

If you want to bake with quail eggs – you should substitute 3-4 quail eggs for each large chicken egg.

Quail eggs fry up quickly & look absolutely adorable – so sunny-side-up quail eggs are a must! Here’s a recipe for Bacon Wrapped Asparagus topped with Quail Eggs.  Simple & delicious and just a bit fancy 🙂

Hope you enjoy! Thanks for stopping by!

Amanda ♥

Hard Boiled Quail Eggs

AmandaAll about Quail Eggs. How to hard boil quail eggs, peel & crack quail eggs and other quail egg stuff you need to know. 4.31 from 13 votes Print Recipe Pin RecipePrep Time 5 minutes minsCook Time 5 minutes minsTotal Time 10 minutes minsCourse eggs

Ingredients

• 12 quail eggs or whatever amount you need

Instructions

• Fill an appropriate sized saucepan with enough water to cover eggs by one inch. Do not add eggs yet.
• Bring water to a full boil. Gently add eggs – I lower them in with a slotted spoon.
• Maintain a light boil and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Carefully drain hot water and fill saucepan with ice cold water.
• I find hard-boiled quail eggs are best served warm. Peel & serve or refrigerate until ready to use.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!