• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's

Where Is My Spoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Spring Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Sweets
    • About
    • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ร—
    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Appetizer

    How to Cook Quail Eggs

    Published by: Adina May 13, 2022 ยท Last modified: July 12, 2024 2 Comments
    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image with title of boiled quail's eggs.

    Last Updated on 12/07/2024 by Adina

    Learn how to cook quail eggs, the tiny version of a chicken egg. You can use them as a garnish for salads, sandwiches, and canapes or serve them on toast. 

    close up of intensly yellow boiled and halved quail eggs.

    Cooking quail eggs is easy and, as you can imagine, considering their size, incredibly fast. Quail eggs might not be a typical breakfast, but they are great for entertaining or for a special brunch occasionally. Learn how to boil or fry quail eggs following todayโ€™s easy tutorials.

    Jump to recipe
    • What are quail eggs?
    • Good to know!
    • How to boil quail eggs?
    • How long does it take to boil them?
    • How to fry quail eggs?
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Serving suggestions
    • More recipes with eggs
    • Recipe
    • How to Cook Quail Eggs

    What are quail eggs?

    A quail is a small game bird from the pheasant and partridge family. They are brown and small; they are about 10-20 cm/ 4-8 inches, and they weigh between 70 and 140 g/ 2.5-5 oz. Thatโ€™s why their eggs are so small compared to those of a chicken.

    They are wild birds, but they are also kept as poultry birds, both for their meat and eggs.

    Fresh quail eggs are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, and buying them might not always be an easy task. However, they are becoming more popular nowadays; I usually find them in larger supermarkets.

    A quail's egg is tiny; it only weighs about 9-10 g/ โ…“ oz. As a comparison, a regular chicken egg weighs about 50 g/ 1.8 oz, while duck eggs weigh about 70 g/2.5 oz. You would need about 4-5 tiny eggs to make up for one normal egg.

    They are whitish cream and speckled with brown or grey spots. Their yolk is intensely yellow.

    Despite their small size, they are packed with nutrients like Vitamin B12, selenium, riboflavin, choline, and iron. One piece only has 14 calories.

    tiny cooked eggs on a white plate with a bowl of seasoning beside it.

    Where to buy them?

    You can find them in supermarkets; the best time would probably be around a holiday season like Easter or Christmas. Nowadays, I can see them more often than that. I might have to go searching first, but eventually, I would find them.

    Ideally, you would buy them directly from a farmer, which is also relatively easy in the rural area where I live.

    Otherwise, you could try specialty stores, and you could probably always find them online.

    The packages usually contain a dozen quail eggs.

    collage of two pictures of tiny eggs in plastic packages and in a bowl.

    How to prepare them?

    The same way you would prepare chicken eggs, just that the cooking time will be much shorter.

    How to use them?

    Due to their size, they are more suitable to use as a garnish or as a special treat. They are more expensive than chicken eggs, so it can be costly to cook a quail egg omelet for the family unless you farm your birds.

    Good to know!

    Size and weight will affect the cooking time; the smaller ones will need a shorter time. To ensure that all of them are cooked perfectly, you might want to divide the eggs in a package into two batches, one containing the smaller ones and one containing the larger ones. Cook them separately or leave the larger ones a bit longer in the boiling water.

    Room temperature: They should be at room temperature before cooking. This method does not guarantee faster cooking, but it reduces the chances of breaking when you add them to boiling water.

    To bring them to room temperature, remove them from the fridge about 30-60 minutes before cooking or place them in a bowl of warm water (not hot) for about 10 minutes before cooking.

    Let the water in the pan boil gently, not rolling.

    How to boil quail eggs?

    You can cook them soft or hard, I prefer the soft/waxy version, but depending on how you intend to use them, you might need them to be hard-boiled.

    • Bring a saucepan of water to a boil on high heat. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, turn down the heat and wait for a few seconds until it only bubbles very gently.
    • Get your timer ready.
    • Place them on a slotted spoon (1) and carefully lower eggs into the gently boiling water. They all need to go into the water at the same time.
    • Start the timer immediately.
    • Boil them as required (see below) (2).
    • Cool them immediately: Carefully remove them from the water or pour the water out of the pot and run them under cold water or place them in an ice-water bath so that the cooking process will stop immediately.
    collage of two pictures of quail eggs on a slotted spoon and then in a pot of water.

    How long does it take to boil them?

    • Soft boiled: 2 minutes and 20-30 seconds or a few seconds longer if they are larger than average. You will have a runny yolk and slightly set whites.
    • Medium-boiled: 3 minutes. The egg whites will be set, and the yolks will be firmer but still shiny and wet.
    • Hard-boiled: 4 minutes. The yolks and whites will be set entirely.
    three stages of cooking quail eggs from soft to hard with cooking times written beside them.

    How to fry quail eggs?

    • Crack each egg in a separate small bowl or small ramekin.
    • Use a sharp paring knife to make a small incision into the shell and membrane beneath (4).
    • Keeping your fingers safe, cut around the egg until the cut is large enough so that you can open and empty it into a small container (5).
    collage of two pictures of cracking quail eggs with a knife and placing them in bowls.
    • Heat a little oil in a small or medium frying pan (I use a nonstick pan) on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, reduce heat to low.
    • Carefully slide each of the raw quail eggs into the pan, remembering the sequence.
    • Fry them to your liking or until the whites become opaque, and remove them from the pan, starting with the first one you placed into the pan (6).
    frying quail eggs in a pan.

    Recipe FAQs

    How long to store fresh eggs?

    Their shelf-life is longer than that of chicken eggs.
    Room temperature: they will keep for about 1 ยฝ months, but always regard the "Use by date" on the package; you never know how long they were kept before you bought them.
    Refrigerated, they will keep even longer, about two months. Again, please pay attention to the "Use by date" on their package.

    How long to store boiled eggs?

    Room temperature: No longer than 10-12 hours, even less if the weather is hot.
    Refrigerator: About two days if they are soft-boiled and about one week if they are hard-boiled and the shell is intact.

    How to peel quail eggs?

    Tap and lightly roll each one on a hard surface to crack the shell all over. Remove the shell and the membrane around each one. I prefer to start removing the shell at the top side of each piece; I find it easiest.
    Work gently; if they are soft-boiled, it is more likely that some of the white will come off with the peel if you are not careful. Itโ€™s easier when they are hard-boiled.

    close up of a beautiful fried quail egg.

    Serving suggestions

    Party food: Use boiled or fried quail eggs to top canapes or smorrebrod for a party or make other small party nibbles. Sprinkle them with a small pinch of sea salt and a little black pepper. Add a dill sprig, chopped chives or parsley, and perhaps a grating of Parmesan cheese.

    Mini scotch eggs are super cute and delicious. Wrap them in the ground beef coating and deep fry them.

    Breakfast or brunch: Use them to top an English muffin or sandwich, like this Salmon Sandwich. Make Eggs and Asparagus on Toast, Garlic Mushroom Egg Toast, or Tomatoes and Eggs on Toast, and use the tiny eggs (either boiled or fried) instead of those of a chicken.

    Soups: Add them to your soup plate, for instance, on top of this Spicy Tomato Egg Soup instead of the poached egg.

    Pasta: I love to add them to a simple olive oil and garlic pasta dish. They are also great with Garlic Butter Noodles or Truffle Pasta.

    Salads: They are perfect on top of green salads, especially some made with arugula or lambโ€™s lettuce. 

    many halved tiny quai eggs from soft to hard boiled.

    More recipes with eggs

    • meatloaf with eggs cut to show the egg inside with sauce on a platter.
      Easy Meatloaf with Eggs
    • two sourdough toast slices piled with fluffy scrambled eggs.
      Scrambled Eggs on Toast
    • truffle eggs on a small white plate with fork and parsley.
      Truffle Eggs
    • romanian soup with spinach, omelet and lemon slices in a bowl.
      Romanian Spinach Soup with Eggs

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    bright yellow halved eggs from the quail on a white plate with a bowl of seasoning.

    How to Cook Quail Eggs

    Learn how to cook quail eggs, the tiny version of a chicken egg. Use them as a garnish for salads, sandwiches, and canapes, or serve them on toast.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 14kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • 1 pan OR 1 frying pan
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 12 quail eggs Note 1
    • Water OR 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    Instructions

    Boiled quail eggs (Note 2):

    • Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Turn the heat down and wait a few seconds until the water boils only gently.
    • Get your timer ready.
    • Place the eggs on a slotted spoon and carefully lower them into the water. They all need to go into the water at the same time.
    • Start the timer immediately.
    • Soft-boiled: 2 minutes and 30 seconds; add about 10-15 for those eggs larger than the average.
      Medium-boiled: 3 minutes.
      Hard-boiled: 4 minutes.
    • Cool eggs: Carefully remove them from the water or pour the water out of the pot and run the eggs under cold water or place them in a bowl with ice water so that the cooking process will stop immediately.
    • Peel eggs: Tap and lightly roll each one on a hard surface to crack the shell all over. Remove the shell and the membrane around each one. I prefer to start removing the shell at the top side of the egg; I find it easier this way (Note 2).

    Fried quail eggs

    • Crack each egg in a separate tiny bowl or container. Use a paring knife to make a small incision into the egg. Keeping your fingers safe, cut around the egg until the cut is large enough so that you can open and empty it into a small bowl (Note 3).
    • Heat a little oil in a small or medium frying pan (I use a nonstick pan).
    • Carefully slide each egg into the pan remembering the sequence.
    • Fry them shortly and to your liking or until the egg whites are opaque. It will not take long, about a minute.
    • Remove them from the pan, starting with the first one you placed into the pan.

    Notes

    1. To get all of them cooked perfectly, you might want to divide the eggs in a package into two different batches, one containing the smaller eggs and one containing the larger ones. Cook them separately or leave the larger ones a bit longer in the boiling water.
    2. Work gently; if the eggs are soft-boiled, it is more likely that some of the egg white will come off with the peel if you are not careful. Itโ€™s easier when the eggs are hard-boiled.
    3. Place them in separate tiny bowls or small ramekins.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1egg | Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 12mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Easy and Quick Appetizer Recipes

    • romanian saratele sprinkled with caraways seeds and cheese.
      Romanian Saratele - Cheese Caraway Crackers
    • many golden ham and cheese empanadas and a small bowl of salsa.
      Ham and Cheese Empanadas
    • irish hot chocolate topped with cream and chocolate shavings in a cup.
      Irish Hot Chocolate
    • collage of four pictures for foodball party food ideas.
      Football Party Food Ideas

    Sharing is caring!

    608 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    • X

    web banner representing all the websites logos that featured our food blog.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. BadMedisin says

      December 27, 2022 at 7:09 am

      This is useful, thank you. But the nutrition section doesnโ€™t make sense so I guess itโ€™s incorrect. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Adina says

        December 27, 2022 at 10:48 am

        Hi. I am glad it helped. I googled it to check if the automatic nutrition calculator was right or wrong. Google also says that one quail egg has 14 calories, which should be right considering how tiny it is.

        Reply
    4.84 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! Where Is My Spoon is a blog where you will find delicious and family friendly recipes, all made from scratch. From simple healthy soups to sumptuous cakes for special occasions, all our recipes have been tried and loved by our family and our friends.

    More about me โ†’

    More Rhubarb Recipes

    • close up of rhubarb raspberry jam spooned from a jar.
      Rhubarb Raspberry Jam
    • piece of rhubarb meringue cake with a fork sticking in it.
      Rhubarb Meringue Cake
    • rhubarb apple crisp in a baking dish with a spoon and juices.
      Tangy Rhubarb Apple Crisp
    • rhubarb crumb cake piece being lifted from the tray.
      Rhubarb Crumb Cake

    Popular Recipes

    • air fryer frozen chicken breast after cooking, one whole and one sliced piece.
      Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
    • juicy, golden brown brats cooked on the stove in a skillet.
      How to Cook Brats on the Stove
    • lifting one piece of baked chicken breast with a spoon.
      How to Bake Frozen Chicken Breast
    • stapled sliced pork belly slices sprinkled with parsley, pool of fat in the back.
      How to Cook Pork Belly Strips

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    If you have any questions or want to work with me, please email me @ contact@whereismyspoon.co

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ยฉ 2025 - Where Is My Spoon. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.