Ramen eggs, or ajitama, are seasoned soft-boiled eggs with jammy yolks and a subtle soy sauce flavor, essential for topping ramen noodles, so easy to make!
Ramen Eggs Recipe (Ajitama)
Do you love ramen noodles? If so, this is a recipe you'll need to bring them to the next level. We're talking Ramen Eggs, my friends!
Ramen eggs, or "ajitama" in Japan, are soft-boiled eggs with jammy yolks seasoned in a soy sauce marinade. They are also called soy sauce eggs, ajitama eggs, or shoyu eggs.
You'll often find them served over steaming bowls of ramen noodles, sliced in half to expose their creamy yolk centers, enticing you with their rich yellow hue.
They're easy to make and only require a few simple ingredients, and you can doctor up the simple marinade with other flavors to your preference.
Let's talk about how to make ramen eggs, shall we?
Why You'll Love These Ramen Eggs
- Most recipes call for a simple soy sauce marinade, but we're upping the flavor with a few additions like star anise, ginger, and sesame oil to make them so much better.
- You can make a batch of ramen eggs that'll last the entire week so you can enjoy a quick bowl of ramen all week long.
Ramen Eggs Ingredients (Ajitama)
- Eggs.
- Vinegar. This helps with the peeling.
- SOY SAUCE MARINADE
- Soy Sauce.
- Sake. Or use rice wine.
- Mirin.
- OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- Sesame Oil.
- Fresh Garlic.
- Fresh Ginger.
- Scallions.
- Star Anise.
- Sugar. Or use honey.
How to Make Ramen Eggs (Ajitama)- the Recipe Method
Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Swirl in vinegar.
Submerge the eggs and boil them for 5-7 minutes (5 minutes for runny yolks, 7 minutes for soft but firm yolks). Swirl the eggs gently in the boiling water for the first 2 minutes of cooking to help center the yolks. Remove the eggs and submerge them in ice bath or very cold water to cool.
Carefully peel the eggs and set into a bowl or baggie for marinating.
MAKE THE MARINADE
Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Cool completely.
Pour the marinade over the eggs. Seal or cover then marinate the eggs in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Marinate longer for a stronger flavor. 24 hours is better.
Slice in half and serve over bowls of ramen.
Boom! Done! Your ramen eggs are ready to serve. Get that ramen ready! These are going to be great on top of your next bowl of ramen noodles.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Use cold eggs right out of the refrigerator to ensure the yolks don't cook all the way through.
- Swirling the eggs in the boiling water as they cook will help the egg yolks move to the center of the eggs, making them more even. It helps with peeling, too.
- If starting with room temperature eggs, reduce cooking time by 1 minute.
Serving Ramen Eggs
Serve your ramen eggs by slicing them in half lengthwise to expose their jammy yolks, then setting them atop your favorite bowl of ramen noodles. Try my spicy ramen noodles recipe for ramen with a kick of huge flavor.
You can't go wrong with a bowl of miso ramen, or try my chicken ramen recipe to really satisfy that crave.
Storage
Ramen eggs will last up to 7 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Simply slice and serve them as desired on your next bowl of ramen noodles.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this ramen eggs recipe. Let me know if you enjoy them! I'd love to hear.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Ramen Eggs Recipe (Ajitama)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs (straight from the refrigerator)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
SOY SAUCE MARINADE
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ½ cup sake or rice wine
- ¼ cup mirin
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 ounce knob ginger peeled and crushed
- 1 scallions chopped
- 1 piece star anise
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle boil. Swirl in vinegar.
- Submerge the eggs and boil them for 5-7 minutes (5 minutes for runny yolks, 7 minutes for soft but firm yolks*). Swirl the eggs gently in the boiling water for the first 2 minutes of cooking to help center the yolks. Remove the eggs and submerge them in ice water to cool.
- Carefully peel them and set into a bowl or baggie for marinating.
MAKE THE MARINADE
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Cool completely.
- Pour the marinade over the eggs. Seal or cover then marinate the eggs in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Marinate longer for a stronger flavor.
- Slice in half and serve over bowls of ramen.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Kua Emilie says
Yummmmmy
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks!!
Judy P. says
Right above the recipe, there is a bowl of ramen and the eggs. What else is there? Looks like mushrooms and maybe cabbage? And the sauce looks delicious!!! Can't wait to try this.
Mike Hultquist says
That is my kimchi ramen recipe, Judy. It is publishing very soon! It's mushrooms with kimchi and some other delicious additions.