How 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
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.
Amanda that was amazing on the quail eggs. I have hens and really enjoy their eggs, they are spoiled free range hens. I just ordered my favorite breed blue lace red wyandottes this evening, I was a bit late they are sold out until June. I can relate to your post we always hunted our food, gardened and canned everything we could. I still keep many of our family tradition, canning is a must and I love good quality food. I’m in Oxford PA just south of you. We’re living the good life and blessed. Will check out more of your recipes later, really enjoyed visiting.
Hi Marjorie!
So glad you enjoyed the piece on quail eggs!
I’m right with you – I appreciate living a simple, good life. Homesteading is a tradition I hope my children carry on!
I have an ever growing flock of chickens – I LOVE my hens & the free range eggs they give us. We just hatched chicks for the first time – so much fun to see our chickens babies ♥
Amanda
The Quails egg recipe works fine. Four minutes cooking at a gentle rolling boil. Before, draining & cooling the eggs in a pan, or bowl of iced water.Until the eggs are totally cool. Is the way to go.
Then, I like to peel the eggs and place in an air tight plastic container, in the fridge . Until required to serve.
Either as a predinner party snack with drinks.
Or more often, as part of a gorge fest picnic with other choice fair,& libations .In the summer, by a river in the English countryside.
Whatever the occasion . The eggs must be rolled on a cocktail stick in the condiment CELERY SALT ,until the eggs outer surface is covered in the salt by one/third.
Now you are ready for the delight of consumption!
Sounds wonderful Andrew!
I haven’t had quail eggs in a few months – so costly lately. I’m thinking of raising them in the near future 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
I just tried them in a can and am amazed at how good they are , no crazy can taste and stays fresh in fridgerator for a week as I used them
* my little 5 pound fog is in heaven when I roll him one to eat
I have intolerance to chicken eggs too 🙁 and was doing to try quail or duck eggs…but they probably have the same dna make up as chicken eggs that our immune system would recognize? Oh how I miss eating eggs….
You might get lucky. Some people who are truly allergic to chicken eggs can eat duck eggs. Those of us who are intolerant have a problem with the proteins in the egg whites. Some people can tolerate quail or duck eggs…it’s definitely worth a try. I’ll admit, though, I can’t eat any of them. According to my allergist – I should be able to eat any kind of yolk. Haven’t tried yet…
Duck eggs are gross, can’t get past the “ dirty” earthy taste
Thanks for the tips. Just picked up some at the asian market and wondered how to handle them.
I have that exact same Cutco paring knife, lol. Have had mine for almost 30 years, now.
Anyway, thanks again!
Really interesting and detailed post on quail eggs. Really had no idea how to cook them but know that a perfect hard-boiled egg is not as easy as people think. Our quail eggs turned out perfectly and we eat them a a snack and also plop them raw into not Asian soups. I am also not allergic to these eggs so a great find. Thank!
Really interesting and detailed post on quail eggs. Really had no idea how to cook them but know that a perfect hard-boiled egg is not as easy as people think. Our quail eggs turned out perfectly and we eat them as a snack and also plop them raw into hot Asian soups. I am also not allergic to these eggs so a great find. Thank!
I like to serve deviled quail eggs when I have a tea. Delicious and pretty!
Two minutes?
You’re full of it.
Thanks for screwing up 2 dozen quail eggs.
Nowhere does it say two minutes – not sure what recipe you were reading!?
That poster was mean. If you are buying two dozen quail eggs, maybe check out more than one post on how to cook them instead of heaping blame on one person who MERELY described her experience with quail eggs. I”m v. tired of the lack of common decency in the country and on the internet where everyone hides behind their screens.
Her recipe says gently boil for four minutes. Where in the world did you get two minutes? And then you try to blame it on her?
No need to be so aggressive and rude. Mind your manners.
The recipe said 3-4 minutes! NOT 2 minutes. The recipe is great ~ I would recommend you use a large enough pan to give the eggs some rolling room while they boil. Try again❣️
And thanks MaMa for a great recipe❣️
I have the same issue as you! I looove eggs – but I can’t eat them fresh or I instantly get sick! However I can eat cake and other products made with eggs The conundrum. My dogs love quail eggs though lol!
Thanks for showing me how to hard boil. Try making deviled quail eggs and top with a bit of black caviar.
Your advice worked perfect! I was making scotch eggs for family visiting for the holidays. Chicken eggs are just so big, by the time I get them covered in fresh sausage & cooked, they are Huge! The boiled quail eggs are the perfect size, and actually taste better. For anyone interested: boil and peel the quail eggs, as per directions on this page, dry them well. Mix pork sausage & turkey, chicken or deer sausage (low fat is the key here to minimize the shrinkage while cooking), carefully cover entire egg with raw sausage, roll in breadcrumbs (I have to use gluten free), then cook till sausage is done. I like them cooked in my air fryer. Serve hot with remoulade sauce…….we’re cajun, everything’s better with remoulade sauce…
I love quail eggs and also have an egg-white problem. There are lots of delicious things to do with yolks. Good luck!
Thanks for the info, eggs turned out great
Thanks for sharing your experience. I am planning on making Scotch eggs with mine.
Hey! I have the exact same egg intolerance that you are talking about! It started in my mid 20’s after taking some antibiotics. If I eat an egg I am doubled over in pain for about two hours! After taking a ton of probiotics and taking an enzyme pill before eating any eggs, I was able to eat up to two chicken eggs a day with no problems. Then I took antibiotics again and am back to square one! Just wanted to share what worked for me! Take probiotics every day for a couple of months, then take an enzyme that helps break down protein ( used digest basic by enzymesica). Take the enzymes for everyday for a few weeks before adding an egg in . Then right before you try an egg take the enzyme. Start slow. I couldn’t believe that it worked! Antibiotics are a huge gut killer for me evidentally!
If you like quail eggs deviled or pickled, there is a really easy way to remove the shell. I cook them and cool them, then place them in a mason jar full of white vinegar. If you leave it overnight the shell disintegrates. Wash them real well to remove the ink left behind and then peel the membrane off that is left. They will have a bit of a vinegary taste is why I mention to only do this if you plan to devil them or pickle them. We love them pickled – 2/3 parts cider vinegar to 1/3 part white vinegar, and add mustard seed, peppercorns, garlic, and fresh dill stalk. (all can be adjusted to taste) Let that all sit for a week (if you can make yourself wait!) and you have some wonderful pickled eggs that will last a month or more in the fridge. Our neighbors beg me to make them for them.
We do the exact same thing! We raised a lot of quail, chukars, and pheasants when I was growing up and this was the way we always pickled our quail eggs. Are you from the South by any chance? lol
We would also pickle our chicken eggs but I prefer quail over everything. I like duck and goose, but yeah quail is a favorite.
Honestly adding such small fragile eggs to already boiling water made many of mine burst open. I feel like these eggs should be added to cold water and slowly brought to a boil.
Quail eggs are small but not at all fragile. Quails will not lay eggs in nest boxes like chickens and will literally stomp and roll around the egg until it’s collected.
I’ve never had any of my quails eggs burst while cooking. The shells of a healthy quail should be thin & hard and the egg should have a very strong membrane. Check that the birds are fed a high calcium & protein crumble – we use a high protein & calcium game bird feed. If it’s not a feed issue, weak shelled eggs can occur from older hens.
I used this recipe to make boiled quail eggs for my deviled quail eggs snack! Delicious! I cooked ’em a little longer, so they’d be nice and fluffy in the center, and it went well! Just a minute longer works for cooking the yolks completely.
This is perfect for pickled quail eggs with lots of jalapeño slices