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Soy Sauce Eggs are a quintessential ramen topping that you can easily make at home with just 4 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep. I love how quickly they come together – they’ll be ready to enjoy in a few hours and are even better when marinated overnight.
What would a ramen bowl be without soft cooked egg halves bobbing around with their vibrant, runny yolks and soy sauce tinged whites? It’s one of my favorite sights in a steaming bowl of ramen. But don’t limit these versatile eggs to just a soup topper. I find they’re wonderful served over rice or noodles, on stir fried vegetables or just on their own as a snack! They’re a delicious way to add a touch of umami to so many dishes.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Soy Sauce Eggs
- Eggs: I use large or extra-large eggs for this recipe.
- Water: Filtered water is best here. It ensures a clean flavor in the marinade without any unwanted taste from tap water.
- Soy Sauce: I prefer Japanese-style soy sauce (shoyu) for its rich, complex flavor. It adds depth to the marinade without being overly salty.
- Mirin: This sweet rice wine adds a subtle sweetness. If you don’t have it, sake works well too. Both bring a lovely depth of flavor to the eggs.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger root is key. Choose pieces that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, unwrinkled skin. The aroma should be sharp and spicy when you give it a sniff.
How to Make Soy Sauce Eggs
To make these Soy Sauce Eggs (“marinated half cooked egg“), you’ll cook the eggs and prepare marinade separately before combining them. The eggs are best soft boiled, so the whites are cooked through and their runny yolks remain. Simmering the marinade ingredients separately allows the flavors to meld before adding the eggs.
How long do soy sauce eggs last?
Once you’ve added the soft boiled eggs to the marinade, they’ll be ready to enjoy in a few hours. They’re best when refrigerated overnight to allow the flavors to permeate, and the whites to firm up slightly while the yolk gets creamier. The longer they stay in the marinade, the stronger the flavor will become and, left too long, the eggs will become hard and rubbery. So plan on enjoying them within three days.
These Soy Sauce Eggs are a delicious addition to ramen bowls, rice dishes, or even as a protein-packed snack. They’re so easy to make, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing this all along! Play around with the marinating time to find your perfect balance – a few hours for a subtle flavor, or overnight for a more intense umami kick. Once you start making these, don’t be surprised if you find yourself always having a batch ready to go.
Build Your Perfect Bowl of Ramen
- Pork Belly Ramen
- Easy Homemade Ramen
- Miso Ramen Broth or my complete Miso Ramen Recipe
- Shoyu Ramen Broth or my complete Shoyu Ramen Recipe
- Shrimp Ramen
- Homemade Ramen Noodles
- Chashu Pork
- Menma
Soy Sauce Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh ginger root
Instructions
- Prepare an ice bath for the eggs.
- Add enough water to a medium saucepan to cover eggs and bring to boil; slowly lower eggs into boiling water to keep them from cracking (see recipe note). Reduce heat to simmer and cook 7 minutes; transfer eggs to ice bath.
- Meanwhile, combine water, soy sauce, mirin and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a glass quart jar; set aside to cool.
- When eggs are cool enough to handle, peel by gently tapping eggs all over on the counter or a cutting board, then rolling with your palm using gentle pressure. Starting from the bottom peel away shell and membrane. Rinse off any tiny shell fragments with cold water.
- Carefully lower peeled eggs into marinade; cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and ideally 1 day before serving. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy within 3 days.
Notes
- Or place the eggs in a steamer basket over boiling water in a medium saucepan. Cover and steam 7 minutes; transfer to ice bath and continue with recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ok so does this recipe need sugar. Mine were beautiful but sooooo salty. Any idea what went wrong?
Hi Stephanie! These do have a punchy salt flavor. You could certainly add sugar and you could certainly use low sodium soy sauce for a less salty verssion.
What can you use the marinade for after the eggs are done? It feels like a waste to just throw it away.
Hi Lena! You can reuse the marinade for one or two more batches of eggs.
My marinade turned starchy on my second use. What could have caused it. I put sugar, soy sauce, water, sesame seeds some green chili, green onions and minced garlic.
hmm…I’m not sure, Nor. I wish I could be of more help.
It’s alright. Thank you for replying.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I used apple cider vinegar w sugar as substitute to mirin. It taste good but i shall buy me a mirin soon and follow this instructions. Have you tried reusing the soy mixture for another batch of soft boiled eggs?
My pleasure, Jill! Great question. Yes, I’ve reused the marinade for a second batch and it worked just fine.
What can I use as Mirin substitute (non-alcoholic, it an allergy), or can I just leave it out?
Hi Connie! I’d substitute an equal amount of unseasoned rice vinegar (3 tablespoons) along with 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar.
My favorite part of the ramen bowl. (My son’s too.) I’ve made tea eggs but I’ve never tried these. This has inspired me to do so! 🙂 ~Valentina
I’m so excited for you and your son to taste these, Valentina!
You’ve been on the ramen bowl kick lately! I love it! These soy sauce eggs sound fantastic, and I could definitely go for a batch. I love how you can prep a bunch at one time, too!
haha…you’re right about that, David! It’s such a fun cooking project to make a ramen bowl just the way you like it.
These eggs look terrific! I love the gorgeous vibrant egg yolks and this lovely brown-dyed exterior. Look forward to the recipes with these eggs.
Thanks, Ben! These eggs really are so flavorful and versatile.
They are so perfectly done!
Thanks Angie!