Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich

Name: Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich with Soy-Pickled Egg
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 10 large eggs; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup mirin; 1/2 cup Japanese mayonnaise; salt, to taste; 1/4 tsp white pepper; 2 tbsp green onions, sliced; 8 slices Japanese milk bread; ice, for ice bath; water, for ice bath

This Japanese egg salad sandwich features a perfectly jammy, soy-pickled egg as the centerpiece, mixed with Japanese mayonnaise and mirin for creaminess, served on soft Japanese milk bread. The combination of umami-rich soy sauce and sweet mirin sets it apart from Western-style egg salad.

🌍Japanese 🏷️Egg salad 🏷️Sandwich 🏷️Tamago sando 🏷️Soy-pickled egg Kewpie

🏷️

-0:00

thatdudecancookonTikTok

Total

30 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$20–$33

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by thatdudecancook

-0:00

thatdudecancookonTikTok

Ingredients

10 large eggs
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/2 cup Japanese mayonnaise
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp green onions, sliced
8 slices Japanese milk bread
ice, for ice bath
water, for ice bath

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Instructions

1
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully lower 10 eggs into the boiling water.
2
Prepare a large bowl with ice and water for an ice bath.
3
After 7 minutes of boiling, remove 4 of the eggs and immediately place them in the ice bath. These will be the jammy-yolk eggs.
4
Continue boiling the remaining 6 eggs for another 3 minutes (10 minutes total). Remove them and place them in the ice bath to cool completely.
5
Once cooled, peel the 4 jammy eggs. Place them in a bag with soy sauce and mirin. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and let them marinate.
6
Peel the remaining 6 hard-boiled eggs.
7
Finely chop the 6 hard-boiled eggs and place them in a mixing bowl.
8
To the chopped eggs, add Japanese mayonnaise, salt, white pepper, and sliced green onions.
9
Mix everything together until well combined.
10
Lay out 8 slices of Japanese milk bread. Spread the egg salad mixture evenly on 4 of the slices.
11
Take the soy-pickled eggs from the marinade and place one in the center of each of the 4 slices with egg salad.
12
Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Gently press down to compress the sandwiches.
13
Wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap.
14
Chill the wrapped sandwiches in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to help them set.
15
Unwrap the sandwiches and slice them in half to serve, revealing the jammy egg yolk in the center.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use an ice bath immediately after boiling to stop the cooking process and achieve a perfectly jammy, runny yolk that stays intact when sliced.
Marinate boiled eggs in the soy-mirin brine for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, so the umami flavors fully penetrate the whites and yolk.
Mix the egg salad gently to avoid breaking up the soft yolk; fold in green onions just before assembly to maintain their freshness and color.
Toast the milk bread lightly before assembling to prevent sogginess and provide a slight textural contrast to the creamy filling.

Substitutions

Japanese mayonnaise → regular mayonnaise + 1 tsp mirin (sweeter, less rich result)
Mirin → honey or agave nectar (less complex umami; use same volume)
Japanese milk bread → brioche or white sandwich bread (less soft, different crumb texture)
Green onions → chives or shallots (milder or sharper allium note)

Storage & make-ahead

Assemble sandwiches immediately before serving. Store the egg salad and pickled eggs separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days to prevent the bread from becoming soggy.

Common Questions

How do you get a jammy yolk in the center?

Boil eggs for approximately 6-7 minutes, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. This preserves a soft, runny yolk while setting the whites.

Can you make the soy-pickled eggs ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare the soy-mirin brine, cool it completely, add boiled eggs, and refrigerate for 2-24 hours for flavor to develop.

What if you don't have Japanese mayonnaise?

Regular mayonnaise works as a substitute, but Japanese mayo contains more egg yolks and sugar, creating a richer, sweeter flavor. Add a small drizzle of mirin to regular mayo to approximate the taste.

How long does the egg salad sandwich keep?

Assemble just before serving to prevent the bread from becoming soggy. Store the egg salad filling and pickled eggs separately in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Can you scale this recipe for meal prep?

Yes. The soy-mirin brine scales easily—use equal parts soy sauce and mirin. Store pickled eggs and egg salad separately, then assemble sandwiches as needed within 2 days.