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This cured egg yolk crispy rice layers jammy, glossy yolks over hot, crisp rice for a bite that’s rich, salty, and full of texture. The tamari cure and gentle confit turn each yolk silky and spoonable, melting beautifully into the crunch beneath it.
I’ve been on a cured-yolk kick lately, and this might be my favorite way to use them. That first bite of crispy rice with a rich, jammy yolk on top… it gets me every time. Add the crunchy shallots and a little lemon zest, and it’s honestly dangerous how addictive these are.
Why You’ll Fall For This Confit Egg Recipe
These bites bring together rich, jammy cured egg yolks and hot, crispy rice in the most satisfying way. The tamari cure adds depth, the confit keeps the yolks silky, and the crispy shallots and lemon zest brighten everything.
Table of Contents
Prep Your Ingredients: Crispy Rice Appetizer
The Rice Block
Sushi Rice | Rice Vinegar | Sugar | Salt
Season the rice while it’s still warm so the grains absorb the flavor evenly and become easier to shape. Line a small square or rectangular container with plastic wrap and press the rice in firmly, making sure the surface is level and the corners are compact. Adding weight on top helps create a tighter block that holds up during frying. Refrigerate overnight so the rice becomes firm enough to cut cleanly and fry without breaking.
The Soy Cured Egg Yolk
Egg Yolks | Soy Sauce | Mirin | Kombu | Shallow Dish | Spoon
Combine the soy sauce and mirin in a shallow dish large enough for the yolks to sit in one layer, and place the kombu along the side to infuse. Lower the yolks gently into the mixture so they’re fully coated, spooning some of the liquid over the tops if needed. As they cure, the yolks will firm slightly, which makes them easier to handle for the confit. Plan for a 2–3 hour cure depending on how soft you want the centers, flipping carefully at the halfway point. Avoid curing much longer because the yolks can become too firm and lose their jammy texture. They can be cured earlier in the day and kept chilled until you’re ready to confit.
The Cured Egg Yolk Setup
Cured Yolks | Olive Oil | Small Oven-Safe Dish | Foil | Larger Baking Dish | Boiling Water
Transfer the cured yolks to a small oven-safe dish and pour enough olive oil over them to fully submerge. Cover tightly with foil to keep moisture out. Set the dish inside a larger baking pan and surround it with boiling water to create a gentle water bath that helps the yolks cook evenly. Preheat the oven to 180°F, then bake for 40 minutes. Let them cool in the oil.
The Crispy Shallots
Shallots | Oil | Small Pan | Paper Towels
Slice the shallots thin and even so they crisp consistently. Add them to a cold pan and cover with oil, which allows them to soften gradually before taking on color. They darken quickly once they begin to brown, so keep a close eye near the end. Drain on paper towels and keep the shallot oil — this flavored oil is ideal for crisping the rice squares and adds depth that plain oil wouldn’t provide.
Finishing Touches
Chives | Lemon Zest | Flaky Sea Salt | Microplane | Knife
Prep the chives and lemon zest just before serving so they stay bright and fresh. Having these ready before frying the rice makes the final assembly quick. All you’ll need to do is top the hot, crispy rice with the warm yolk and your garnishes right away so everything lands on the plate at its best.
Substitutions and Variations
Ingredient Swaps
- Soy Sauce – You can use tamari if you need a gluten-free option.
- Mirin – Swap for rice vinegar with a pinch of sugar if you don’t have mirin. It won’t be as rounded in flavor, but it still works well for curing the egg yolks.
- Kombu – If unavailable, simply omit it. The yolks will cure beautifully without it, though they’ll lose the umami taste.
- Shallots – Thinly sliced leeks or yellow onions can be fried the same way.
- Olive Oil for Confit – A neutral oil like avocado or grapeseed works, but olive oil gives the best flavor and aroma for finishing.
- Chives – Substitute with finely sliced scallions or microgreens for a similar bright, fresh finish.
- Calrose Rice – Any short-grain sushi rice works as long as it’s pressed tightly and chilled to set. Just make sure it’s sushi rice because anything else isn’t sticky enough.
Flavor Twist: Similar Soy Egg Yolk Crispy Rice Appetizers
- Confit Egg Yolks on Toast: This recipe features soft, oil-baked yolks spread over garlic-rubbed toast with chives and parm for a simple, yolk-forward variation.
- Spicy Egg Yolk Confit: Salsa macha confit egg yolks bring heat and richness together, served over toasted ciabatta with chives and parm for a bold variation.
- Crispy Egg Yolks with Asparagus Herb Pesto: Fried panko-coated egg yolks served over a bright asparagus and herb pesto create a crisp-and-jammy variation that’s rich, fresh, and perfect with lemon and Parmigiano.
Chef Nadia’s Tip
- Prep the rice a day or two ahead to make assembly easier, just press it firmly into the container and chill until it’s fully set. You can even give the rice squares a light first fry a couple of hours before serving. They crisp up great with a quick second fry right before topping. The shallots can be fried a day ahead as well, and they stay perfectly crisp if stored in an airtight container.
- For the cured egg yolks, don’t leave them in too long. Cure them for only 2–3 hours so they don’t become too firm or salty.
The Perfect Pairings
Cucumbertini: This cocktail offers a cool, citrusy counterpoint to this rich confit egg yolk recipe. Its fresh cucumber base keeps the pairing light and balanced.
Sushi Bundt Cake: This Sushi Bundt layers seasoned rice, crab Tampico, and spicy salmon with nori, cucumber, and avocado to make a great main to follow your appetizer.
Sesame Handheld Salad: Every meal needs a fresh salad and these sesame handheld salads bring crisp romaine, a tangy rice-vinegar dressing, and toasted sesame seeds.
Melon Dessert: Marinated melon with citrus and vanilla provides a light, refreshing dessert to end out this menu.
Appetizers
Cured Yolk Crispy Rice
Cooking 101
Nobu Crispy Rice Recipe
Breakfast
Spicy Crispy Yolk Toast
Breakfast
Crispy Egg Yolks
Cured Egg Yolks: Questions Answered
You can find sushi rice as Calrose, Japonica, Japanese sushi rice or California sushi rice. I like to use I use Calrose Rice by Botan.
You can top it with your favorite seafood, such as scallops, salmon, tuna, etc! You can top it with pretty much anything your heart desires.
Confit Yolk Crispy Rice
Equipment
- 2 Small containers for pressing rice
- plastic wrap
- Mixing bowl or shallow curing dish
- Small oven-safe dish
- Larger dish for water bath
- foil
- frying pan,
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 1 cup cooked sushi rice, Calrose
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ tbsp sugar
For the Tamari-Cured Yolks
- 8 egg yolks
- ¾ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tbsp mirin
- 1 2-inch strip kombu
- olive oil, enough to fully submerge yolks
For Frying and Assembly
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- oil, for frying
- lemon zest, to taste
- chives, chopped
- flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Press the Rice: Season the warm cooked rice with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Transfer to a small container and press firmly to form a compact block. Cover with plastic wrap and place a similar size flat container on top of it, weighing it down as much as you can to compact it. Refrigerate overnight so the rice sets fully.1 cup cooked sushi rice, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 pinch salt, ½ tbsp sugar
- Cure the Yolks: In a shallow dish, combine soy sauce, mirin, and kombu. Carefully lower the yolks into the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours max, flipping at the halfway point for an even cure.8 egg yolks, ¾ cup soy sauce or tamari, 3 tbsp mirin, 1 2-inch strip kombu
- Confit the Yolks: Preheat your oven to 180°F. Transfer the cured yolks to a small oven-safe dish and cover fully with olive oil. Cover tightly with foil (If making the yolks a day ahead, you can refrigerate them at this point until you're ready to continue). Place the dish inside a larger baking dish and pour boiling water around it to create a water bath. Bake for 40 minutes, then turn off the oven and let them sit for 20–30 minutes to finish gently cooking. Extend the baking time slightly if you prefer firmer yolks.olive oil
- Fry the Shallots: Add the sliced shallots to a pan and cover them with oil. Fry over medium heat until lightly golden. Remove and drain, reserving the shallot oil for frying the rice.oil, 2 shallots
- Crisp the Rice: Remove the set rice block from the refrigerator and cut it into squares. Heat the reserved shallot oil in the same pan to about 325–350°F. Add the rice squares and fry for 3–4 minutes per side, or until they turn deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to a rack or paper towel to drain.
- Assemble the Bites: Top each crispy rice square with a confit yolk, then garnish with lemon zest, chopped chives, crispy shallots, and flaky salt. Serve immediately.lemon zest, chives, flaky sea salt
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
What did you do with the left over soy sauce?
I save it and use it to cure more yolks! 🙂
Super yummy! But definitely hard to master. The yolks broke at almost every step of the process. And you have to make sure it’s the right kind of rice. We didn’t have any so we substituted and it didn’t hold together well. Totally would try again though!
Hey Emma, It is one of those recipes that once you have some practice you get the hang of it, but I’m glad you liked it even if it can be hard to master!