Ajitama or Ajitsuke Tamago are sweet, salty, and rich with plenty of umami flavor. These jammy ramen eggs are simple, versatile, and perfect in a bowl of ramen or any other dish. The marinade includes mirin, soy sauce, and a non-traditional secret ingredient. This recipe is easy and delicious; just whip them up a day before you plan to make your ramen.
These Japanese-inspired marinated soft-boiled eggs are mostly hands-off. You can cook, chill, and marinate them using an
| Instant Pot (Makes cooking marinated eggs quick and hassle-free! ⏲️) |
or follow the stovetop instructions. Enjoy these marinated eggs at home in your favorite bowl of ramen.
What are Ramen Eggs? (Ajitsuke Tamago)? The Answer
Japanese ramen eggs, also known as ajitsuke tamago or ajitama, are soft boiled and marinated in a sweet-salty soy sauce and mirin mixture. This marinade gives them their umami taste and brown color. These soy sauce eggs or shoyu tamago are a popular topping for ramen noodles like shoyu ramen and pork ramen.
In our house, we love eggs in all forms: hard boiled, poached, fried, omelet, deviled eggs, and scrambled eggs. We eat marinated or seasoned eggs often, with ramen eggs being a favorite. They are packed with flavor and are a staple in our fridge. My husband likes them for breakfast or as a snack. We never have to worry about salt and pepper with these delicious ajitama.
Why You’ll Love This Ramen Eggs Recipe
These ramen eggs are packed with robust umami flavor from the marinade. You only need to marinate the eggs for a minimum of two hours, but you can leave them for up to 24 hours to let the flavor permeate the yolk. This makes the yolks taste extra jammy and rich, almost like they were preserved. Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The versatility of this seasoned egg recipe is amazing. You can infuse the simple marinade with different spices like garlic, ginger, and star anise. The soy sauce and mirin mixture doesn’t require heating, but you can add some cayenne pepper for a kick. The dark soy sauce adds both color and flavor. The eggs are cooked in boiling water, making the process easy and fast. If you want to keep the eggs in the marinade for a longer period of time, just add water to dilute the marinade and let the flavors infuse slowly.
Ramen Egg Ingredients
- For the best ramen eggs, start with large eggs that weigh about 2 oz (57 g) with the shell. This ensures similar weight and consistent results. If your eggs are smaller or larger, adjust the cook time accordingly. Smaller eggs (1.5 oz / 43 g) cook faster, while XL eggs (2.25 oz / 64 g) take longer.
- Mirin, a Japanese sweet rice wine, adds sweetness to the marinade. You can use alcohol-free mirin (ideal for a delicious, non-alcoholic marinade🥤) , also known as AJI MIRIN, which is available in the supermarket. If you can’t find mirin, substitute with dry white wine or sherry wine (Enhances the marinade with a rich, complex taste!🍸) and add a bit of sugar.
- For the soy sauce, use regular soy sauce or light soy sauce from the grocery stores. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean soy sauces work well. If you need a gluten-free option, try tamari or low sodium soy sauce.
- A non-traditional ingredient, dark soy sauce, is thicker, darker, and less salty. It gives a rich, umami flavor and deep color. You can find it as mushroom soy sauce in stores, adding a unique taste from the straw mushroom. Adding additional spices like garlic, ginger, or aromatics can enhance the flavor even more.
How to Make Ramen Eggs
Prepping the Water for Boiling
Start with a large pot of water. This can be cold or hot, but make sure there is enough water so the eggs can sit in the pot without overcrowding. The water level should be at least 1 inch above the eggs. Place the pot on high heat and bring it to a boil. Add some salt or vinegar to the water to prevent the egg whites from leaking out if there are small cracks.
When the water reaches a rolling boil, remove the pot from the heat momentarily to reduce the bubbles. Gently lower the eggs into the hot water. Once all the eggs are in, put the lid back on and bring the water back to a boil. Then, lower the heat to a simmer and start the timer to begin the cooking process. This method reduces the chance of the eggs bumping into each other and cracking.
Cooking Time for Jammy Eggs
Timing is crucial for soft boiled ramen eggs to get that perfect, delicious texture. For jammy yolks that are not too runny and not completely set, use room temperature eggs. Cooked for 6 minutes, you’ll get a set white with a runny yolk. For a jammy yolk, cook for 6 ½ minutes; this is my favorite.
Once the eggs are cooked, they must be cooled quickly to prevent over-cooking. Remove the eggs and place them in an ice bath
| ice bath (Essential for stopping the cooking process perfectly! ❄️) |
or a bowl with the coldest water from your tap or sink, keeping the water running for a few minutes. Dunking the eggs in the ice water bath stops the cooking process. After they have cooled down, carefully peel them to avoid damage, as these eggs are softer than hard boiled eggs.
Marinating the Eggs
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a container. If you have simmered the marinade with spices, ensure it has cooled to room temperature. Place the eggs in the marinade, making sure they are mostly submerged. Move the eggs periodically to ensure they are well marinated. Due to the dark soy sauce, the eggs will marinate and color well in about 2 hours, but you can leave them for even longer. If you plan to marinate for about 8 hours or longer, add water to the marinade to prevent the eggs from becoming too salty. Once marinated, the eggs are ready to be eaten.
Storage Instructions
Store the eggs in an airtight container
| airtight container Keeps your marinated eggs fresh and flavorful for days! 🗃️ |
in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you dilute the marinade with water, you can keep the eggs in the marinade for the whole 5 days. Ensure the eggs are not cracked so the egg yolks do not leak out while they marinate. If the marinade is not diluted, remove the eggs after about 4 hours and store them separately in an airtight container.
Key Tips for Perfect Soy Marinated Eggs for Ramen 🍜
- Soft-Boil the Eggs: 🥚 Start by soft-boiling the eggs. Use an egg piercer to make a small hole on the flat side of each egg. This helps the egg white set smoothly and ensures the perfect texture.
- Cool and Peel: 🥶 After boiling, let the eggs cool and then gently peel them.
- Marinate for Flavor: 🥢 Sit the eggs in the marinade for 24 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate without being overpowering. A combination of soy sauce, mirin, and sake creates a balanced taste. For a stronger flavor, marinate for up to 2 days.
- Storage: 🧊 Keep the marinated eggs in the fridge for up to 4 days to maintain their taste and texture.
- Practice Makes Perfect: ⏲️ Using a timer can make the process easier. If piercing by hand is tricky, practice will help.
This method ensures a delicious result every time, making your ramen experience even better! 🍲
A NOTE ON SERVING SIZES
When it comes to serving sizes for AJITAMA soy marinated eggs for ramen, the recipe is pretty simple. Typically, restaurants might only serve you a half egg, but I believe a full egg is the way to go. Usually, I’ll throw in a second egg because they’re my favorite part. Sometimes, I even think that at least two eggs make the perfect addition to any bowl of ramen.
One egg is the standard, but if you’re like me and love the flavor, I’ll throw in an extra to enhance the dish. This approach ensures you get the most out of your ramen experience. It’s a delightful way to enjoy your meal, much like savoring the best TRI TIP STREET TACOS.
How do you make the soft boiled eggs for Ramen Eggs?
To make perfect soft boiled eggs for your ramen, start by deciding whether your eggs are at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator. If they’re from the refrigerator, boil them for exactly 7 minutes. For room temperature eggs, 6 minutes is ideal. This method ensures they yield the perfect texture.
As soon as the cooking time is up, focus on removing the eggs immediately and plunging them into an ice bath. This crucial step helps to prevent further cooking, maintaining the soft, delicate center that complements the rich flavors of your ramen. Following these steps guarantees perfect soft boiled eggs every time.
Allergy Friendly Ramen Eggs
These Japanese style marinated eggs are very simple to make and delicious. Known as Ajitsuke Tamago, they are easy to adapt if you have allergies. The marinade typically consists of soy sauce, mirin, water, and sugar. If you have a soy allergy, you can modify the recipe by using soy-free soy sauce or omitting it and adding 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
| Coconut amino sauce A sweet, soy-free alternative perfect for marinades! 🥥 |
is a perfect substitute for soy since it adds the needed sweetness to the marinade. There are other options for soy-free ingredients as well. If you are allergic to wheat, gluten-free tamari is a great option instead of soy sauce.
FAQS
Difference Between Ajitama Eggs and Onsen Eggs
Ajitama eggs and onsen eggs are both types of boiled eggs, but they have distinct textures. Ajitama eggs feature firm and seasoned egg whites with a soft and succulent egg yolk. In contrast, onsen eggs have jelly-like egg whites and a firm but little soft egg yolk. This unique preparation makes each style perfect for different culinary uses.
Can you reuse Ajitama egg marinade?
When the Ajitama are done, remove them from the marinade and store them in an airtight container until they are ready to use. They should last for at least 3 days in the fridge. You can also reuse the marinade up to 3 times before it becomes too diluted, so make sure to hang onto it.
How long do marinated ramen eggs last?
You can enhance the steeping liquid for your ramen eggs with flavourings like dried shiitake mushrooms, dried sardines, anchovies, bonito flakes, kombu, onion, and garlic. These ramen eggs will keep for around 4 days when refrigerated either in their liquid or out of it. They will likely be fully cured after 2 days.