This is a great trick! I've made eggs in the microwave a couple of times before and they have always turned out well - I forgot about it thought and it would definitely come in handy for some good office lunches! Thanks =)

I have often thought of trying this out too see if it would work. I figured the microwaves themselves would partially cook the egg before it heated up the water enough to set the whites, but I guess that is why you experiment instead of hypothesize all day long, LOL.

I wonder if it would work better if you start with hot (but not boiling) water, say in the 170-175 degree range?

@Dembellyfull_DOT_com - that's a great idea! I've done it this way ever since I was a kid, so I didn't even think of experimenting with that. If you try it, let us know how it works!

POACH! the egg! Ah ha! On many occasions I tried cooking eggs in a mug in the microwave and without fail they exploded! every. single. time. resulting in an awful egg scented stuck on mess. This is a much better idea! I'm sure having the water creates much more even and gentle cooking.

Genius! I must try this. Love poached eggs!

Best. Post. Ever. I love poached eggs but they never come out right when I do them stove-top and frankly, I feel like I should use my microwave more (for all the precious counter space it hogs). Thank you!

Cool! I wonder if heating up the water before putting in the egg could help cook the white faster than the yolk

This might be the highlight of my summer (excluding the birth of my son).

Just a reminder we're being advised to not eat runny eggs right now, given the current salmonella outbreak. Not trying to be a downer!

Such a great tip! I love poached eggs but never quite get then right on the stovetop.

I have had good success with heating the water to boiling first. Then it only needs about 40 seconds. Also, before putting it in the micro - break the yolk with a toothpick to prevent yolk explosion.

I'm going to have to try this!

Back in my college dorm days, I used to make microwave scrambled eggs a lot. All you have to do for that is: mix up two eggs with about a tablespoon of sour cream (yes, really), microwave for 30 seconds, fluff with fork, and then microwave for 30 more seconds.

My host grandmother in Japan used to make this for me for breakfast every morning. She would break the egg into a little dish and microwave it for 10-20 seconds and take it out, barely cooked (salmonella was not a concern, apparently!). This would then be poured over a bowl of rice and topped with umeboshi, pickled garlic, and whatever other pickled vegetables were around, and a splash of soy sauce. The liquid yolk would coat each grain of rice with a sweet golden film, offset by the bite of the garlic and vinegar. The jiggliness of the egg white would freak me out at first, but I got to really like it, and I swear she would cook it for less and less time as the summer went on.

The funniest part is, my host sister would join us for breakfast as we were going through this elaborate ritual and sleepily make herself toast and coffee.

I haven't had it for a long time - I stopped eating rice this year - but it would definitely be on one of my top ten meals of all time!

Do poached eggs taste vinegary?

Oh. Genius. I can't wait to try this is at work.

And yes, I can taste the vinegar and never use it.

This is life changing. Really! I thought poached eggs were a weekend delicacy only! I regularly cook scrambled eggs in a mug in the microwave at work (the trick to not having an explosion is to cook for 15 seconds, then stir, then cook for another 15, then stir.... repeat until eggs are cooked to your liking. I add diced ham and a little cheese too when cooking.) Any hoo.... never thought poaching would work in the microwave! Can't wait to try it with eggs from our local farmer's market - don't think the salmonella crisis is a problem with smaller local farms.

This is so awesome, thank you so much! It seriously broadens my office lunch options.

I was so excited to read this yesterday that I made myself a microwave poached egg this morning.

Following the instructions, my egg exploded all over the microwave and now rather than one pot to clean, I have a whole microwave. Thought I would be saving time and now I have at least 30 minutes of scrubbing ahead of me.

Next question: how to clean cooked egg out of the microwave?

@Mama Gigi! So sorry. Your microwave must have a much higher wattage than mine. I have had this happen in the past, and I just brush all the egg out with a paper towel, and then wash it down with soap and water.

In our household, we call this a "cup egg". And actually, no water or vinegar is necessary. The shape of the vessel matters, and the power of your microwave. In general, one large egg in an old fashioned diner style coffee cup, cook at 50% power for slightly more than a minute. Easy peasy.

I ran @100% for 80 sec. and it was pretty good, 60 was a bit soft. My microwave is a bit of a weakling though. I plan to do this once or twice a week now. Anytime you can make a good breakfast in under two minutes is very helpful. thank you.

OMG, thanks!

Another life-changing post, Faith! I cook scrambled eggs in the microwave all the time, but sometimes I just want a poached one and don't have time. I tried this yesterday and it worked perfectly. Poached egg on toast is one of my absolute favorite breakfasts.

When I poach eggs I usually transfer them from the pot to a bowl of warm/hot water to rinse off the vinegar. Does the vinegar flavor the egg at all this way?

why not just post the power of your microwave so we know what "80%" is?

only problem with poaching or cooking eggs in the office microwave is that the sulfurous smell drifts into the rest of the office later....

I love a quick micowave egg on mornings where I'm craving eggs but don't have the time for a proper fried egg. I've never used water in the cup before, though. I'll have to try it next time!

Just tried this and it was delicious, what a great idea!

I don't mean to be dim-witted, but how do I get the raw egg to the office without crushing it?

There were loud thumping noises when I did this, eventually followed by the saucer jumping off the top of the mug. Help?

I've done this many times. it takes some experiments to get the timing right, but it's worth the effort. as for the vinegar, the point is that the acid helps the egg set. if you don't like the flavor of white vinegar, try other acids. I prefer tarragon vinegar. malt or balsamic vinegar work, too. or even lemon juice. put the egg on toast with slices of cheese and tomato, sprinkled with a smidgen of salt, ground grains of paradise, and a few leaves of basil... delicious!

this is an awesome recipe for home, but keeping vinegar and a slotted spoon at work - no go.

We have the same microwave!!

Sounds like another micro-tip to add to my breakfast arsenal, especially since I've taken to toast with greens and an egg atop. This might be much easier than my constantly breaking fried egg, too!

Wow, I've attempted this 2 times now and both time, the egg exploded. I was so careful the second time but it ended with me cleaning out the microwave - the same amount of time needed to cook an egg the old fashioned way.

This is one of the worst "suggestions" I've seen on any of the Apartment Therapy sites.

Complete b.s.

As ingdesign states - the thing explodes..

i like to think that the kitchn tests everything b4 they post it telling us to do it. . . anyway, ive done this a couple times, and my egg doesnt explode, even when i cook it on high and hard boil the yolk. just watch it i guess? mines never come close to exploding, but im not saying its impossible!

I've done this many times and the egg hasn't exploded, but I do it slightly differently. First, I get the water to 80 degrees (my microwave has a setting that reads temperature). Just get it to a pre-boiling state. If it boils, the egg will get rubbery. Crack the egg into and microwave on medium-high (600 watts for me) for about 40 seconds. Allow it to rest in the water to finish cooking. If you want it harder or softer, take it out of the bath sooner or reduce the cooking time by 5-10 seconds. It has never exploded on me using this method because the water cooks the egg, not the microwave.

@Sparkula: I'm pretty sure that caveat doesn't apply to fresh, totally organic free-range farm eggs purchased directly from the farmer.

Salmonella comes from the outside of the egg
being dirty and then being handled and bacteria transferred to the food.
I grew up on rice, raw egg, and soy sauce and never got sick. People eat raw eggs in protein shakes all the time

This recipe is more like soft boiled rather than poached and very easy and works each time. Use a glass custard cup. Butter it very well (use extra if you'd like). Break 1 -2 eggs into cup. Use toothpick and 2x poke each egg yoke (won't blow up this way, or shouldn't). Place small paper plate on top of custard cup and microwave about 45 seconds or so. BEST and EASY eggs ever. Every microwave varies so all you need to do is use a time that fits your liking, maybe a few more seconds. Using a clear glass custard cup allows you to see the eggs (and yokes) as they cook. ENJOY

I just tried this in my work microwave minutes ago. This will revolutionize my breakfasts and lunches now. Thanks for the tip!

To the posters that had the egg explode: If it exploded and you ended up with egg all over the inside of your microwave, maybe you didn't cover the cup before turning on the power?

To the posters that prick the egg before microwaving: Doesn't the egg yolk run into the whites while cooking?

Just wondering.

I haven't tried this technique yet but will soon. I like the idea of heating the water first.

This is a much-needed post for me. I poached an egg in some leftover ratatouille and it didn't explode... until I had taken it out of the microwave, sat down at my desk and proceeded to dig in. BOOM! Hot egg on my face. And desk. And suit. Have been too scared to try anything other than bringing in already-cooked scrambles and egg bakes.

I have the same thoughts as MARILYNCH - Doesn't poking the yolk first make it run into the whites while cooking (thus ruining the whole point of 'poaching' the egg)?

Those who got egg "all over the microwave" - obviously you didn't cover your cup or you also have broken glass all over your microwave as well

and @THEKITCHN - DO YOU HAVE THE WATTAGE OF THE MICROWAVE YOU USE?

Guess I'll have a carton of eggs on standby to run trial and error this weekend lol

I've cooked eggs in the microwave before, and here are my tips:

Pricking the yolk does not cause the yolk to run. You can just prick the top with a fork.

If the egg is exploding, it's probably because the microwave is too powerful. I would use less power, so if it's exploding when you're using 100% power, try using only 80%. And decrease the cooking time you're using by a few seconds as well.

I usually just use a paper towel to cover the container, rather than a plate.

If it's exploding after you take it out and getting ready to eat it, then you cooked it at too high a power, I think. Try decreasing the power and also the cook time, and to be safe keep it loosely covered with a paper towel for at least 30 seconds.

As an example, I have a powerful microwave, so if I cooked an egg for 60 seconds in the microwave, it would be way too hot and too done. I can only cook at full power for 30 seconds. Then, if it needs more cook time, I cook for an additional 10 - 15 seconds at a time. Sorry, I don't recall the wattage - it might be 1250 watts.

C'mon people. It takes only 5 minutes to poach an egg... And you can poach 2-6 at a time.