Instant Pot Chinese Tea Eggs

Chinese Tea Eggs spark a lot of joy because it’s a popular yummy homemade snack for celebrations and outings!

It’s also a traditional street food that’s often found simmering in a big pot of ancient tea master stock. Even when it’s sold in a mobile food cart, tea eggs have the power to lure pedestrians in with its savory rich tea aroma. mmm…

This has always been one of my favorite ways of enjoying hard boiled eggs! Love the slightly sweet-savory rich flavors & tea aroma that lingers in your mouth.

Tasty, satisfying, and easy to eat! 😀

I’m not a fan of overcooked hard boiled eggs with a greenish grey ring around the yolk. Sadly, many tea eggs are often overcooked because they had been simmering long in the tea master stock. 

So we’ve developed this method using our Instant Pot to get the best of both worlds – perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs richly infused with the tea master stock flavors.

The result?

• Egg White: tender silky smooth yet firm; not chalky or rubbery; packed with tea master stock’s flavors & aroma
• Egg Yolk: light, evenly-cooked, slightly creamy yet fluffy; not crumbly, dry or powdery

How about you? How do you like your hard boiled eggs? 🙂

Step-by-Step Guide: Instant Pot Tea Eggs

Just a few simple ingredients to pull off this deliciously fragrant Chinese Tea Eggs!

Traditionally, Tea Eggs are made with Pu’er tea (Chinese: 普洱茶), but you can also use Oolong tea (Chinese: 烏龍茶).

What is Pu’er Tea (Chinese: 普洱茶)?

Pu’er or Pu-erh Tea is a Chinese specialty fermented dark tea (hēichá -Chinese: 黑茶), produced in Yunnan, China.

There’s a huge fanbase for Pu’er Tea. Like wine, it can be categorized by grade, year, and region of production.

Did you know there’s vintage aged Pu’er Tea (Chinese: 陳年普洱) that can cost more than thousands of dollars? There’s even an investment grade Pu-erh Tea!

The higher the quality, the deeper the aroma, the richer & “thicker” the taste & mouthfeel. 

Don’t worry though! For this Tea Egg Recipe, we simply used regular Pu’er tea we found in our grocery store, nothing fancy or high grade. 🙂

This Pu-erh Tea is aromatic, slightly bitter, with a sweet aftertaste.

Pressure Cook Eggs and Tea Master Stock

Add 1.5 – 2 tbsp (6 – 9g) Pu’er tea leaves, 1.5 tbsp (20g) rock sugar or white sugar, 2 tbsp (30ml) regular soy sauce, 1 ⅓ tbsp (20ml) dark soy sauce, 3 (2.5g) star anise, ½ tsp (1.5g) Sichuan pepper, and 1 piece (2g) chenpi to the Instant Pot.

Pour in 1 cup (250ml) cold water. Give it a quick mix.

Place a trivet in the Instant Pot, then layer 6 eggs on top.

Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position.

• Pressure Cooking Method: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes, then Quick Release.

As soon as the pressure cooking cycle ends, release the pressure by turning the Venting Knob to the Venting position.

Remove the lid carefully.

Marinate Tea Eggs

Place the 6 eggs in a bowl of ice cold water for 5 minutes to stop them from cooking. Turn off the Keep Warm Mode as well.

After 5 minutes, lightly crack the eggs with the back of a spoon. This will give the eggs a marble looking texture.

Filter out the chenpi and star anise. The master stock should cool down to 140°F (60°C) at this point. You can use a thermometer to make sure.

Place the unpeeled eggs in a small bowl and fill the bowl with tea master stock to marinate for at least 6 hours.

Serve Instant Pot Tea Eggs

Once the eggs cool down to room temperature, place the eggs in the fridge.

*Pro Tip: The longer you marinate the tea eggs, the more flavors & aroma the eggs will soak in.

The eggs can be served cold or warm.

*To Reheat the Eggs: bring the tea master stock (without eggs) to a boil. Turn off the heat and submerge the peeled eggs in the stock for roughly 30 – 45 seconds.

Enjoy your Deliciously Aromatic Instant Pot Chinese Tea Eggs!~ 🙂

Tools for Instant Pot Chinese Tea Eggs

• Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
• Trivet or Steamer Rack
• Food Thermometer

More Instant Pot Egg Recipes You’ll Love

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Instant Pot Ramen Egg

Instant Pot Egg Brulee