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Ramen eggs, aka ajitsuke tamago or ajitama, are Japanese soft-boiled eggs that have been marinated in a savory sweet sauce. Ramen eggs are a pretty common recipe used in Korean Japanese and Chinese cuisines, and after trying them, I’ve realized we are missing out! These days, I’ve been making sure there’s a full container in my fridge at all times, that’s how much I crave them!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Ramen Eggs
This Ramen Eggs recipe is simply amazing – the texture of the jammy eggs is perfect and the savory, slightly sweet marinade adds so much depth to each bite. Each bite is almost buttery, making these soft-boiled eggs super addicting!
Prep Like a Pro
Pierce the Eggs First – Use an egg piercer or a thumbtack to pierce the eggs. This really helps with getting that beautifully peeled egg.
Have your Ice Bath Ready – The inside of your eggs will continue to cook if you don’t cool them off quickly. So if you are looking for that deliciously jammy texture, make sure you submerge your eggs in an ice bath immediately to stop them from overcooking.
Roll, Don’t Crack – Gently rolling your egg helps the membrane detach from the egg white. This will help the shell to peel off easily and nicely.
Don’t Marinate in Metal – If you use a metal container to marinate the eggs in the fridge, it can change the taste of these Ramen Eggs.
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🔥Chef Nadia’s Tip🔥
- Use an egg piercer. If you don’t have one, a thumbtack works great. The end of the pin makes it so that it can’t go too far into the egg. Piercing the egg really helps the membrane to not stick which makes the peeling much easier, so you have the perfect Ramen Eggs.
- Don’t add the pierced eggs to cold water. When you pierce the egg before adding it to the water, it allows the internal air to escape. This prevents it from cracking when you add it to the boiling water, so adding it to cold water becomes unnecessary. Boiling your eggs in already boiling water is the better way to do it since it gives you more consistent and controllable cooking results.
- Don’t skip the water bath. This immediately stops the eggs from continuing to cook. It also helps with the peeling because the rapid cooling causes the membrane and the egg white to separate.
Substitutions
- Mirin → Sweet marsala wine, dry sherry, or even a mix of sake and sugar would work as a sub for mirin.
- Scallions → You can use chives, finely chopped leeks or shallots instead.
- Rice Vinegar → White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar (use a little less of this one because it’s sharper) work as well.
The Perfect Pairings
These Ramen Eggs are amazing on their own, but here are some recipes that they go great in!
Spicy Ramen: This spicy ramen is a recipe that is just a super simple way to elevate store-bought ramen. It comes together in 15 minutes, and it is perfect when you want a quick meal or even for sick days!
Birria Ramen: This is my ode to Disney. When I tasted a Birria Ramen recipe at Disney, I was in love! When I got home, you know I had to recreate it!
Garlic Noodles: These garlic noodles are a low effort high reward meal. They’re garlicky, creamy, a little bit spicy and oooooh so delicious.
Oxtail Ramen: This one is for the ones that want an amazing homemade ramen. The broth does take a bit of time, but it is worth it… trust me. And the rest is very easy to make. This is such a cozy meal that is perfect for fall/winter.
Ramen Eggs: Questions Answered
You absolutely can! You can use it in other recipes like stir-fries or even another batch of eggs within 4-5 days. Make sure you boil it again for food safety purposes though.
Stick to the 6-6½ of cook time for soft-boiled eggs. Then immediately place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. An egg piercer is also a big deal if you want those perfect jammy eggs. It releases the inside air from the egg, allowing you to cook the egg in already boiling water without the possibility of the shell cracking while cooking. This gives you much more control over how the egg is cooked.
Leave them stored in the marinade for up to 4 days. Although, you may want to remove them sooner based on your taste preferences. If you want to remove them sooner, continue to store them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within the 4 days.
Ramen Eggs
Equipment
- sauce pan
- egg piercer, or a thumbtack
- pot
- large bowl
- sealable container
Ingredients
- ½ cup mirin
- ½ cup tamari, or soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp cane sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ tbsp salsa macha, or chili crisp
- 8-10 eggs
Instructions
- Combine the mirin, tamari, sugar and rice vinegar to a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, cook for 2 minutes and then turn off heat. Mix in the scallions, water and salsa macha.
- For easier peeling, piercing your eggs with an egg piercer (or a thumbtack, that way the needle doesn't go in too far) is a must.
- Fill a large pot with enough water to cover your eggs by 1 inch. Bring your water to a boil and carefully add your eggs. Cook for 6-6½ minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath. Make sure the bowl is large enough to fit all the eggs. When the eggs are done, immediately add them to your ice bath.
- Take your eggs one at a time and crack them gently them roll VERY gently to release the membrane from the shell. Peel under water.
- Add the peeled eggs to the marinade in a sealable container and refrigerate for 1 day minimum and a maximum of 4 days in the fridge, depending on your taste preference. When they have marinated to your liking, remove from he marinade but continue to store them in an airtight container in the fridge no longer than the 4 days.
- Enjoy with rice, ramen, or by themselves!
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!