There are few things I love more than a classic egg sandwich. Even better – is an egg sandwich recipe that goes beyond the traditional American version and is made Tamago Style featuring an extra creamy egg mixture made from some very special ingredients, and hard-boiled eggs all served between sweet slices of bread. More on this in a bit.
Trust me on this one loves. I’ve tried dozens (and I do mean dozens) of Japanese egg salad sandwich recipes. This is by far a superior version because it maintains all the best parts of a traditional homemade recipe but features Japanese bread, white pepper, kewpie pie mayo (yes this is way better than traditional mayo), and a dollop of whole-grain mustard that takes the full recipe to the next level. The total time to cook is less than 15 minutes. What’s not to love?
Here’s the tea. I used to travel to Japan for work, and one of my favorite things to do when in a rush was a dash to the local convenience stores or Konbini. These are small well maintained family mart locations that serve lunches and even a light dinner. They are the center of daily life in Japan. Grabbing a Japanese egg sandwich was always a go-to for me. So, I have a close affinity with the snack and find them comforting stateside.
In the end, this Japanese egg sandwich recipe is super easy – However, there are a few special tips and tricks to consider to get your sandwich just right. Here’s how:
Japanese Egg Sandwich Recipe & Ingredients
Egg Sandwich Mixture
- 8 large eggs – I use two eggs per sandwich. This will serve a family of four
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. I prefer to use 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper instead of black
- 4-6 tablespoons Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of milk
- Squeeze of lemon juice (Optional)
Egg Sandwich Bread
- 6 slices Japanese milk bread or brioche. Avoid an English muffin or Italian bread commonly used elsewhere in the world for this recipe.
- 2 tablespoons of butter, softened – let sit out for 1 hour.
- green onions or chives, diced (for garnish) (Optional)
How to make egg salad
Prepare an ice bath for your hard or medium-boiled eggs
The first step is to prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. There are different ways to do this. I just fill a bowl 1/4 way up with ice and fill the rest with room temperature water. Set aside for the right time
Cook your hard or medium-boiled eggs perfectly
Cooking eggs isn’t too bad. Simply bring a pot of water to a boil. The water should be just high enough to cover your eggs. Sprinkle salt into your water to help the eggs boil faster and reduce the boiling time.
Once the water begins boiling, lower the eggs using a ladle very carefully. Boil for 7 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 1 minute for medium soft boiled eggs.
Do the same but for 10 minutes for a hard boiled egg. Note that I like medium as it produces a creamier sandwich that isn’t runny.
Peel your eggs
Then peel the eggs. The easiest way to peel an egg is to crackle the egg all over by tapping it on your counter. Roll the egg gently between your hands to loosen the shell and then peel the egg starting at the largest end. If you place your eggs under cold running water this will help remove the shell.
Once your eggs are peeled, transfer them to the ice bath and let sit for 2 minutes to stop cooking, but remove them while they’re still lukewarm. I don’t like cold egg salad.
Make the egg salad
Transfer the peeled eggs to a large bowl. I like to cut mine in half first to speed the next steps along a bit quicker.
Mash the eggs with a fork for about a minute to break them down into your egg salad.
Add the dash of sugar, salt, and pepper (black or white). I prefer white for a better umami taste.
Continue mashing eggs until they are just above a mince.
Add kewpie mayonnaise, and whole grain mustard (If you made hard boiled eggs, stir in 1 teaspoon of milk for that extra fluffy texture).
Mix all the egg recipe ingredients together. Be sure to taste as you go – I often adjust salt and mayo ratios depending on my mood!
Assemble the sandwich
I like a perfectly neat Tamago style egg sandwich. To do this lay down first a layer of plastic wraps. Then lay on top of that your slices of white bread.
To assemble a sandwich, spread 1/2 tablespoon of the room temperature butter onto each slice of bread. If it’s too hard it will slice up your bread so be sure to let it sit for an hour ahead of time.
Then, spread the egg mixture onto one side of the bread. Then place the other slice of bread on top. Make sure the buttered side is facing down.
Gently press the bread slices together.
Optional: you can place a hard-boiled egg cut in half in the center for a dramatic look when sliced. See above and below for a peek at how this look complete.
Optional: Slice the crust of the bread for an authentic Japanese experience. Assemble the remaining sandwiches the same way.
Once done wrap up the sandwich in the plastic wrap and let stand for two minutes – this will help your sandwich look neat and uniform. This is how the Japanese do it!
Serve your Japanese-style egg sandwich
Cut the sandwiches in half and serve them immediately garnished with diced chives or green onion. You can even cut them lengthwise three times and make them a finger sandwich. My husband likes them this way during a lazy afternoon lunch with a dash of hot sauce.
I prefer to pair them with a crunchy green salad, a side of bacon, or even an heirloom tomato salad with a balsamic drizzle.
Commonly asked questions about egg sandwiches
What goes well on an egg sandwich?
- 1/2 ripe avocado, sliced or mashed
- Sliced tomatoes.
- Red pepper flakes.
- Crispy bacon
- pepper jack, havarti, or goat cheese
How long should egg boil for?
4 minutes for slightly set yolk and set white. 5 minutes for a medium cooked firmer yolk and white. 6 minutes for hard boiled with slightly soft yolk. 8 minutes for firmly hard boiled.
How to store leftover egg sandwiches
To store the sandwiches, wrap up each sandwich with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Are egg sandwiches healthy?
A boiled egg sandwich is a highly proteinaceous diet that assists in metabolism enhancement. Its thermic effects help your body digest and process all the nutrients faster. Not just protein but carbohydrates and protein present in the healthy boiled egg sandwich also boost your body metabolism.
What are egg sandwiches made of?
An egg sandwich is a sandwich with some kind of cooked egg filling. Fried eggs, scrambled eggs, omelet, sliced boiled eggs, and egg salad (a mix of chopped cooked egg and mustard and mayonnaise) are popular options. In the fifth case, it may be called an egg salad sandwich.
How do you cut an egg sandwich without squashing it?
Set up your chopping board with a damp Chux-style cloth underneath to keep it steady. Use a serrated knife to gently slice the sandwiches and “let the blade do the work for you,” Alderson says. Be careful not to press down too hard and squash the bread.
What is the trick to boiling eggs so they peel easily?
Adding white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your pot of water allegedly results in softer, easier-to-peel eggshells. That’s because the acid in vinegar dissolves some of the calcium carbonate that makes up the egg’s hard exterior.
In Conclusion
Consider making these not-so-traditional egg sandwiches. They are perfect for a quick afternoon snack and work great as pack-away lunches for the kids. You can even make a big batch of the egg salad mixture and keep it for two to three days. These are great taste of Japan right here at home. I promise you won’t regret giving them a go. See ya in the kitchen loves. xoxox
The Creamiest Egg Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 count eggs I use two eggs per sandwich.
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1.4 tsp ground black or white pepper I prefer white pepper but both are good
- 6 tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp whole-grain mustard
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp milk
- 1 tsp lemon juice Optional
- 6 slices Japanese milk bread or brioche
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 sprig green onions or chives, diced (for garnish) Optional
Instructions
Cook and peel your hard or medium-boiled eggs
- Cooking eggs isn’t too bad. Simply bring a pot of water to a boil. The water should be just high enough to cover your eggs. Sprinkle salt into your water to help the eggs boil faster and reduce the boiling time.
- Once the water begins boiling, lower the eggs using a ladle very carefully. Boil for 7 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 1 minute for medium soft boiled eggs.
- Do the same but for 10 minutes for a hard boiled egg. Note that I like medium as it produces a creamier sandwich that isn’t runny.
Peel your eggs
- Then peel the eggs. The easiest way to peel an egg is to crackle the egg all over by tapping it on your counter. Roll the egg gently between your hands to loosen the shell and then peel the egg starting at the largest end. If you place your eggs under cold running water this will help remove the shell.
- Once your eggs are peeled, transfer them to the ice bath and let sit for 2 minutes to stop cooking, but remove them while they’re still lukewarm. I don’t like cold egg salad.
Make the egg salad
- Transfer the peeled eggs to a large bowl. I like to cut mine in half first to speed the next steps along a bit quicker.
- Mash the eggs with a fork for about a minute to break them down into your egg salad.
- Add the dash of sugar, salt, and pepper (black or white). I prefer white for a better umami taste.
- Continue mashing eggs until they are just above a mince.
- Add kewpie mayonnaise, and whole grain mustard (If you made hard boiled eggs, stir in 1 teaspoon of milk for that extra fluffy texture).
- Mix all the egg recipe ingredients together. Be sure to taste as you go – I often adjust salt and mayo ratios depending on my mood!
Assemble the sandwich
- I like a perfectly neat Tamago style egg sandwich. To do this lay down first a layer of plastic wraps. Then lay on top of that your slices of white bread.
- To assemble a sandwich, spread 1/2 tablespoon of the room temperature butter onto each slice of bread. If it’s too hard it will slice up your bread so be sure to let it sit for an hour ahead of time.
- Then, spread the egg mixture onto one side of the bread. Then place the other slice of bread on top. Make sure the buttered side is facing down.
- Gently press the bread slices together.
- Optional: you can place a hard-boiled egg cut in half in the center for a dramatic look when sliced.
- Optional: Slice the crust of the bread for an authentic Japanese experience. Assemble the remaining sandwiches the same way.
- Once done wrap up the sandwich in the plastic wrap and let stand for two minutes – this will help your sandwich look neat and uniform. This is how the Japanese do it!
Serve your Japanese-style egg sandwich
- Cut the sandwiches in half and serve them immediately garnished with diced chives or green onion. You can even cut them lengthwise three times and make them a finger sandwich. My husband likes them this way during a lazy afternoon lunch with a dash of hot sauce.
- I prefer to pair them with a crunchy green salad, a side of bacon, or even an heirloom tomato salad with a balsamic drizzle.
