Easy Ramen Egg Recipe (Ajitsuke Tamago)
How to Make Ramen Eggs – This easy recipe for Ajitsuke Tamago, aka Ramen Eggs, only requires 5 simple ingredients. Get ready to have perfectly silky soft-boiled eggs for your ramen soup in under 30 minutes!
Easy Ramen Eggs
Ramen noodle soup is one of those terrific dishes that can be made any number of ways, based on your tastes and what’s available in the pantry. We’ve shared a few of our favorite and easily customizable recipes over the years, including this Spicy Vegan Ramen, our irresistible Shrimp Ramen, and Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen Noodles. While these versions of ramen are quite different, they all feature tender noodles and a rich broth and are perfect to load with whatever goodies you like.
IMO there is nothing quite as delicious as a silky soft-boiled egg to garnish ramen. They can be made as 6 or 7-minute eggs, depending on how creamy you want the yolk and how thick you want the broth.
From start to finish the eggs can be ready in under 30 minutes. However, we do recommend that you marinate them before adding them to the soup… If you have the time, it’s definitely worth the effort. Continue reading for the easy steps and best tips for how to make the fail-proof Ramen Eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago) of your dreams!
Ingredients You Need
There are only a handful of simple ingredients needed to make soft-boiled eggs from scratch. Letting them sit in a marinade for a bit really infuses them with lots of deep flavor that pairs perfectly with nearly any ramen recipe.
For this classic Ajitsuke Tamago (ramen egg) recipe you need:
- Large eggs – this recipe uses 6 eggs
- White vinegar
- Soy sauce – can be low sodium or gluten-free
- Mirin cooking wine – or dry white wine, sake, or rice vinegar mixed with a bit of sugar
- Brown sugar – light or dark brown
Pro Tip: If you don’t know if your eggs are older eggs you can do a quick test to see if they are still good enough to eat. Before boiling them, fill a bowl of water and dunk the eggs in the water, fresh eggs will stay at the bottom and bad eggs will float to the top of the water.
6 Minute vs 7 Minute Ramen Eggs
It might be hard to believe, but YES there is a huge difference between 6 and 7 minute eggs.
6-minute soft-boiled eggs have runnier egg yolks. This helps to create a richer, thicker ramen broth. A 7-minute egg has a more solid and custard-like center.
It’s totally a matter of preference which type of eggs you prepare. Personally, I like a 7-minute egg – but you can always pull the other eggs a minute earlier to suit a variety of tastes!
How to Make a Perfect Ramen Egg
Instructions
If you don’t plan to marinate the eggs, I suggest you start to make this soft-boiled eggs recipe whenever you begin to prepare the ramen. They both take about 30 minutes, and the eggs can rest for a bit while you finish up and serve the soup hot.
First, fill a medium sauce pot with enough water to fully cover the eggs, once added. Place the sauce pot over high heat and add the vinegar. The vinegar makes the eggs easier to peel, and doesn’t do anything to the taste of the eggs.
Bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, use a needle to prick a hole in the wide end of each egg. This does two things: 1) it helps the egg to form a prettier shape as it cooks, without a flat end, and 2) it makes the eggs even easier to peel.
Once boiling, use a skimmer or slotted spoon to gently lower all of the eggs one at a time into the water.
Then set a timer for 6 or 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a medium mixing bowl with ice and cold water. The moment the timer goes off, use the slotted spoon to carefully move the eggs from the boiling water to the ice water to cool. Cool in this ice water bath for at least 10 minutes.
While the eggs are cooling, make the marinade. Set out a large jar or measuring pitcher that will fit all the eggs. In the container, mix the soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar.
Get the Complete (Printable) Easy Ramen Egg Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!
Once they have cooled, gently peel off the eggshells and lower them into the marinade.
Chill the eggs in the marinade for 1-4 hours. Make sure to gently stir them at least once to reduce discoloration spots.
When ready to serve, remove from the marinade and slice each egg in half.
How to Enjoy Ajitsuke Tamago
Add two egg halves to a bowl of ramen noodle soup and enjoy!
These savory and tangy eggs are also great to eat plain on their own as a snack. Or slice and add 7-minute boiled eggs to salads, or use them to make Avocado Toast with Egg.
Storage Tips
Marinated ramen eggs will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Remove from the marinade and transfer to an airtight container before placing them in the fridge. They do not need to be room temperature before going into the refrigerator.
If you don’t marinate the soft-boiled eggs, however, they need to be eaten within a day or so. Keep in the fridge and enjoy within 48 hours. They’ll be heated to perfection once they are added to the hot soup.
Looking for More Easy and Delicious Egg Recipes?
- How to Make Pickled Eggs (Spicy Beet Pickled Eggs)
- Wasabi Deviled Eggs with Ahi Tuna
- Korean Bibimbap
- Smoked Salmon Dip Deviled Eggs
- Best Avocado Toast with Egg
Check the printable recipe card below for the prep time, how long to marinate, and the total time to make this Japanese side dish or snack. Also check the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, vitamin, and calcium percentages.
Easy Ramen Egg Recipe (Ajitsuke Tamago)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs or as many as you need
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Fill a medium saucepot with enough water to fully cover the eggs, once added. Place the saucepot over high heat and add the vinegar. Bring to a boil. (The vinegar makes the eggs easier to peel.)
- Use a needle to prick a hole in the wide end of each egg. (This does two things, it helps the egg to form a prettier shape as it cooks, without a flat end, and it makes the eggs easier to peel.)
- Once boiling, use a skimmer or slotted spoon to gently lower the eggs into the water. Once they are all in, set a timer for 6 or 7 minutes, depending on wether you want saucy yolks or custardy yolks.
- Meanwhile, fill a medium mixing bowl with ice and cold water. The moment the timer goes off, use the slotted spoon to carefully move the eggs from the boiling water to the ice water to cool. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
- While the eggs are cooling, pull out a large jar or measuring pitcher, that will fit all the eggs. In the container, mix the soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar.
- Once the eggs have cooled, gently peel off the shells, and lower them into the marinade. Chill the eggs in the marinade for 1-4 hours. Make sure to gently stir them at least once to reduce discoloration spots.
- When ready to serve, remove from the marinade, and cut in half.
I looooove this recipe! Have a question though. Can I use the marinade more than once? Thanks so much.
Hi Summer,
Sure you can! It should keep for 2-3 months in the refrigerator, so feel free to use it as many times as you like. :)
Just looking at this recipe makes your mouth water and I will make this recipe at home which will be bao tasty. Share it with Awaaz Recipe which we can make at home
Best Regards,
– Deepa’s Reviews
I’ve ordered this at a restaurant but couldn’t quite get the egg right. Thanks for the pictures and explanation. It turned out perfectly and I can’t wait to have it again.
Wow! I love anything in a marinade and these will be no different! Delish!
I love ramen eggs, had never known how to make them, interesting, and good tip about the marinade too, thank you!
I never knew how easy these eggs were to make! I will definitely keep this in mind!