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These super easy ramen eggs have custardy, jammy to slightly runny yolks and are soaked in a sweet, savory, umami-rich soy sauce marinade, perfect for a topping on ramen, and more!
Eggs are one of my all-time favorite ingredients and these ramen eggs are one of my obsessions. They’re perfectly jammy and packed with flavor. Plus, they only require pantry-staple ingredients and a simple method to prepare.
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What are ramen eggs
Ramen eggs are also called shoyu eggs, soy sauce eggs, or soy-marinated eggs. In Japan they are called shoyu tamago, nitamago, ajitama, or ajitsuke tamago. They are flavorful soft-boiled eggs (they MUST have a jammy yolk) and are marinated in a sweet and savory, soy sauce-based marinade. When done right, the eggs absorb the marinade flavors and take on a deep brown color on the exterior. They’re creamy in the middle and packed with rich, umami-dense flavor, ready to take your chicken ramen or miso ramen to the next level.
Watch how to make it!
What do you need
Rely on a few ingredients to prepare these aromatic marinated eggs.
- Eggs: I used large, room-temperature eggs that are similar in size.
- White vinegar: To add to the eggs while cooking for easier peeling.
- Salt: To add to the water – which is also meant to help with peeling.
For the Marinade:
- Soy Sauce: Dark soy sauce is best for its depth of flavor and deeper color.
- Aromatics: Use garlic and ginger for a robust and slightly hot flavor.
- Sugar: To balance the tangy and salty flavors and add a subtle sweetness.
- Mirin: It is a slightly sweet, acidic rice wine that adds a tangy, sweet flavor.
- Water: To bring the marinade to the correct consistency.
How to make ramen eggs
Prepare the marinade
First, peel and slice the ginger and smash or slice the garlic. Then, add them to a small saucepan along with the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, often stirring, until the sugar dissolves, then for a further 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the water. Remove the ginger and garlic with a strainer and set the liquid aside to cool.
There’s no need to discard the ginger/garlic. Instead, chop it up and use it within your ramen, stir-fries, and other recipes. If you leave them in the marinade, their flavor will become stronger over time and may throw off the flavor balance.
Cook soft-boiled eggs
Bring a large pot of water and the white vinegar to a boil. Once boiling, use a slotted spoon to carefully lower the eggs in the water. Then lower the heat to a simmer (bubbling but not causing the eggs to bounce about). Allow them to boil for exactly 7 minutes. Keep in mind that cooking times vary depending on the size of the eggs as well as your preference for their doneness.
Set a timer
Set a timer from when the first egg is submerged in the boiling water to ensure they aren’t overcooked. Boil for 6.5 minutes for a firm white with a runny yolk. 7 minutes for a firm white and a jammy/runny yolk, which is my favorite, as shown in the photos. If you use refrigerated eggs, you will need to add one minute to the cooking time.
Immediately after cooking, transfer the eggs to an ice bath (a bowl of iced water with ice). Leave them to sit for at least 8-10 minutes or until they’re entirely cooled. This step is important to maintain the jammy/runny yolk. If you don’t halt the cooking process, the residual heat will continue to cook the eggs.
Once cool, peel the eggs. Gently tap one side against a surface and then roll the egg back and forth over the counter to break up the shell. Then carefully peel them. Here are my top tips for peeling eggs if you need extra help.
Marinate the eggs
Transfer the boiled eggs to a glass container (I prefer a large jar, but a bowl will work, too). Cover them with the soy sauce mixture. It can help to place a little weight (a small coaster/plate) over the top to ensure any floating eggs still get soaked.
You can also use a Ziplock. First, place it in a bowl and add the eggs and marinade. Then push out all excess air. Clip the bag closed just above the eggs rather than at the “zip” top.
Leave the ramen eggs to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours (for a very subtle color/flavor) and up to 3 days. I find overnight is best.
Wet the knife before cutting ramen eggs to keep the yolk from sticking. Use a sharp knife with a straight edge. Remember to wash and wet it again after each egg.
Serve
Enjoy these Japanese soft-boiled eggs in a warm bowl of chicken ramen, as a side dish with sushi rice, in salads, over avocado toast, or enjoy the ramen eggs as a snack, lightly sprinkled with sesame seeds.
FAQs
You can store the soy-marinated eggs in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow them to marinate to your desired color and flavor, then move them to a clean airtight container so they don’t become too salty.
To warm a ramen egg for serving, slice it in half and add it directly to your ramen, where the heat of the broth will warm it. If you want it a little warmer still, briefly submerge it in boiling water for 10-15 seconds before slicing and adding it to your dish.
Technically yes, you can reuse the marinade for a further 1-2 batches, though many people report the flavor isn’t the same/as good. So it’s best practice to make a fresh batch. However, you could add the marinade to other recipes, like re-boiling it to enjoy with rice or stew.
More simple egg recipes
If you try this ramen egg recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Super Easy Ramen Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 eggs large, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 4 cups water or more for boiling the eggs, make sure to cover them by at least 1 inch
Marinade
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 slices ginger
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar or regular sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce dark soy is best for deeper color and flavor
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 1.5 cups water
Ice Bath
- 3-4 cups ice water a bowl of cold water with ice – needed to cool the eggs after cooking
Instructions
Prepare the marinade
- Peel and slice the ginger and smash or slice the garlic. Add them to a small saucepan along with the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves, then for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, add the water, remove the ginger and garlic with a strainer, and set the liquid aside to cool.There’s no need to discard the ginger/garlic. Instead, chop it up and use it within your ramen, stir-fries, and other recipes. If you leave them in the marinade, their flavor will become stronger over time and may throw off the flavor balance.
Boil the eggs
- Bring a large pot of water and the white vinegar to a boil.
- Once boiling, use a slotted spoon to carefully lower the eggs into the water. Lower the heat to a simmer (bubbling but not causing the eggs to bounce about) and allow them to boil for exactly 7 minutes.Set a timer from when the first egg is submerged in the boiling water to ensure they aren't overcooked. You can cook them +/- 1 minute depending on how runny or custardy you like them.
- Immediately after cooking, transfer the eggs to an ice bath (a bowl of cold water with ice) and leave them to sit for at least 8-10 minutes or until they’re entirely cooled.
- Once cool, peel the eggs by gently tapping one side against a surface and then rolling it back and forth over the counter to break up the shell. Then carefully peel them.
Marinate the eggs
- Transfer the boiled eggs to a glass container (I prefer a large jar, but a bowl will work, too). Cover them with the soy sauce mixture. It can help to place a little weight (a small coaster/plate) over the top to ensure any floating eggs still get soaked.
- Leave the eggs to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours (for a very subtle color/flavor) up to 3 days. I find overnight is best.Enjoy with ramen or as a snack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the best ramen egg recipe. I add a few more ingredients to the marinade but these make a delicious snack. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your comment, Tracey! I’m so glad you liked the ramen egg recipe! Enjoy your delicious meal!
Super delicious! I like to add the eggs to ramen noodle soup. Next I’ll try to make pork chashu to go with it. I decided to brûlée an egg by sprinkling with sugar and blow-torching it (saw it on a food show) and it’s next-level good! Great recipe, I let the eggs soak for 2 nights because I like flavour to be strong. Delish!
Thank you so much for your comment, Tammy. Making brûlée ramen eggs sounds delicious indeed 🙂
These eggs are so good. I love jammy eggs, and these are perfection. I did not pierce the eggs, they were beautiful anyway. I always stem my eggs for 6 to 7 minutes, and that is what I did. The rest is entirely this recipe. WOW!
Now, I want your recipe for ramen…that picture makes me salivate.
Thank you so much for your comment, Marj. Glad you like them. I already have the ramen recipe on the blog – https://www.alphafoodie.com/japanese-inspired-ramen-noodle-soup/
What brand of eggs did you use that gave you such a spectacular yolk?
Hi Lulia,
I use free-range eggs and they tend to have more of an orange yolk.
This recipe was VERY helpful, especially with boiling the eggs since I really *despise* peeling the little suckers when their shells start sticking. The key is to follow your boiling and cooling instructions, but PEEL THEM IMMEDIATELY! Once the eggs sit for more than an hour or two, the shells get clingy again and that weird opaque skin covering each hard-boiled egg causes problems.
As for flavor, definitely marinate for a few days to achieve spectacular flavor; nothing delicious happens in mere minutes, haha…
Thank you so much for your comment, Drew. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
My peels never stick, and I let them sit in a bowl in the refrigerator for up to a week. It’s my go to protein snack. If you steam them, then chill in ice, no problems.
Thanks for your tip! 🙂