Ramen Eggs (Ajitama)
Ramen eggs, or ajitama, are Japanese soft boiled eggs soaked in a sweetened soy marinade. They're sweet and savory with umami-packed soft, jammy yolks! Great for ramen and also as a side. For a similar addictive Korean soy marinated eggs, try mayak eggs.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 6 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 6 large egg (*see note)
- Vinegar (optional for boiling eggs)
- ½ cup soy sauce (light sodium)
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup mirin
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Boil the eggs:Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently place the eggs in the boiling water. Let the eggs boil for 6 minutes for the perfect soft boiled eggs.*If you wish, add some vinegar to the water. This will make the eggs a bit easier to peel, especial when the eggs are not hard boil eggs. Use 2 tablespoons of vinegar per 5 to 6 cups of water.*
- 2
After 6 minutes, remove the eggs from the boiling water and shock them in ice water. Let the eggs cool completely.*This shocking process will help stop the eggs from cooking further and also help to make the eggs easier to peel. We found that soaking the eggs for about 15 minutes or longer is the key to make the eggs much easier to peel. So if you have time, we highly recommend.*
- 3
Make the marinade:While the eggs are cooling, make the soy marinade. In the marinating container or a bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, mirin, and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. If the marinate was made in a bowl, transfer to the container that you'll be marinating in.
- 4
Marinate the eggs:After the cooling process, crack and peel the eggs. Rinse with water if needed to remove any stray egg shells. Place the peeled eggs into the prepared marinade and allow the eggs to soak for at last 8 hours in the fridge, best overnight.*If the eggs are not totally submerged in the marinate, be sure to rotate the eggs occasionally.*
- 5
Enjoy the eggs in ramen, as a side, or as a snack. Leftover ramen eggs should be removed from the marinade after 12 to 36 hours, depending on how seasoned you'd like the eggs.