Korean Soy-Marinated Eggs Recipe
These are hard- or soft-boiled eggs soaked in an aromatic marinade made with soy sauce, garlic, and scallions. In Korea they’re often served as a topping for rice or soups, similar to how we add an egg to sour rye soup. They’re full of flavor, easy to store, and perfect for a quick breakfast or snack.
These Korean-style soy-marinated eggs are deeply flavorful yet incredibly simple to make, and they turn basic boiled eggs into a versatile, umami-rich topping for rice, noodles, and salads. They keep well in the fridge, making them ideal for meal prep and quick, protein-packed snacks.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip cooling the marinade before pouring it over the eggs—hot liquid can overcook the whites and make the texture rubbery. Adjust the saltiness by diluting the soy sauce with a bit more water if needed, especially if your soy sauce is very strong. Lightly cracking the shells before peeling under running water can also help you get perfectly smooth eggs.
How to serve
Serve one or two egg halves over steamed rice with some of the marinade spooned on top, plus extra scallions and sesame seeds. They’re also excellent in ramen, udon, or other noodle soups, or sliced on toast with avocado or cucumber for a quick breakfast. For a simple bento-style lunch, pack them with rice, kimchi, and a few raw veggies.
Ingredients
- egg - 8 pieces
- soy sauce - 120 ml
- water - 120 ml
- sugar - 20 g
- garlic - 3 cloves
- onion - 3 pieces
- sesame oil - 5 ml
- sesame seeds - 5 g
- chili pepper - 0.5 pieces
Preparation
- Gently place the eggs in a pot, cover with cold water so they are fully submerged, and bring to a boil. From the moment the water boils, cook for 6–7 minutes for slightly creamy yolks, or 9–10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
- As soon as they’re cooked, transfer the eggs to a bowl of very cold water (you can add ice cubes) to stop the cooking and make them easier to peel. Leave for a few minutes, then peel off the shells.
- Finely chop the garlic. Slice the scallions, separating the white parts from the green. Slice the chili pepper into thin rounds.
- In a small saucepan, mix the soy sauce, water, and sugar. Add the garlic, the white parts of the scallions, and the chili. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid just starts to steam. You don’t need to cook it for long—2–3 minutes is enough.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the sesame oil, and let the marinade cool to room temperature.
- Place the peeled eggs in a glass jar or container. Pour over the cooled marinade so the eggs are completely covered. Add the green parts of the scallions and the sesame seeds.
- Close the container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the eggs can absorb the flavor. The longer they sit, the more intense the taste and the darker the ring around the whites becomes.
Storage
Jajka trzymaj w marynacie w lodówce i wyjmuj tylko tyle, ile zjesz. Z czasem będą coraz bardziej słone, więc po 4–5 dniach możesz je przełożyć do czystego pojemnika bez marynaty.
