Korean Marinated Eggs (Mayak Eggs) Recipe

I’m excited to share my Mayak recipe for Korean Jammy Eggs, a simple pantry friendly marinated egg made by letting soft boiled yolks sit overnight in a soy based sauce.

I got obsessed with these Korean Jammy Eggs the minute I tasted one. They look humble but the yolk is this molten, silky center that makes you want to steal another bite, trust me.

I use large eggs room temperature and a punchy light soy sauce to build that salty sweet vibe, but it’s the little weird details that make them addictive. It’s the kind of side that disappears first at any table, and I still can’t explain why they hit different.

Come for the texture, stay because you can’t stop dipping bread in the leftover sauce.

Ingredients

• Eggs bring rich protein, creamy yolks, and make this snack satisfyingly filling.
• Soy sauce gives salty umami and color, adds sodium so taste is bold.
• Mirin adds gentle sweetness and gloss, like a tiny sweet wine touch.
• Toasted sesame oil gives toasty aroma, rich mouthfeel and nutty finish.
• Garlic gives bite and depth, works like glue for all the flavors.
• Green onions add fresh sharpness and crunch, brightens each salty bite.
• Gochugaru brings smoky heat and red pepper sweetness if you like spice.
• Rice vinegar gives subtle tang that balances sweet and salty marinade.

Ingredient Quantities

• 6 large eggs room temperature if you can
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce low sodium ok
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons mirin or sweet rice wine
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 green onions thinly sliced
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes optional
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

How to Make this

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. If you can, use room temperature eggs so they crack less. Optional trick: poke a tiny hole in the wide end with a pin to help prevent cracking and make peeling easier.

2. Lower eggs gently into the boiling water with a slotted spoon, keep the water at a gentle boil and start timing. For jammy yolks cook 6 to 7 minutes (6 = softer, 7 = slightly firmer but still jammy).

3. As soon as the timer goes off transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop cooking, then let them sit a couple more minutes so they cool all the way through.

4. Peel the eggs under running water or in the bowl of ice water, rolling each egg gently to crack the shell and remove the membrane. Fresh eggs are harder to peel, so if you have very fresh ones add 1/2 tsp baking soda to the boiling water next time.

5. While eggs cook, make the marinade: whisk together 1/2 cup light soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil until the sugar dissolves.

6. Stir in the flavorings: 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 green onions thinly sliced, 1 small onion thinly sliced, 1 tsp gochugaru (optional), and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.

7. Place peeled eggs in a shallow airtight container or a zip-top bag, pour the marinade over so eggs are fully covered. If using a bag squeeze out excess air and lay flat; if a container put a small plate or paper towel weighted down on top so eggs stay submerged.

8. Refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours but preferably 8 to 12 hours or overnight for best flavor. Flip or turn the eggs once or twice if you can so they color evenly. You can leave them up to 24 hours for stronger flavor but they get saltier the longer they sit.

9. Remove eggs from the marinade, slice in half and serve warm or chilled. Sprinkle extra toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top, and save the leftover marinade to drizzle on rice or salads.

10. Store leftover marinated eggs in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want quicker prep next time, cut the eggs in half before marinating so they soak up the sauce faster, but they will lose some of the pretty even coloring.

Equipment Needed

1. Medium pot with lid for boiling the eggs
2. Slotted spoon or spider strainer to lower and lift eggs
3. Large bowl for an ice bath, big enough to hold all the eggs
4. Timer or phone timer (6 to 7 minutes is key)
5. Whisk for the marinade
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup to mix the sauce
8. Shallow airtight container or zip top bag and a small plate or paper towel to keep eggs submerged
9. Cutting board and a sharp knife for slicing, plus a kitchen towel for cleanup

FAQ

Korean Marinated Eggs (Mayak Eggs) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Soy sauce: try tamari for a gluten free swap, coconut aminos if you want less salt and a slightly sweeter hit, or mix low sodium soy with a tiny splash of Worcestershire for extra depth.
• Mirin: use sake plus a teaspoon of sugar, or sweet sherry or a sweet white wine if you dont have mirin, or stir 1 tablespoon sugar into 2 tablespoons water for a quick sweet rice wine stand in.
• Granulated sugar: substitute light brown sugar, honey or maple syrup (use a bit less since theyre sweeter), or coconut sugar for a deeper flavor.
• Toasted sesame oil: if you need more oil, use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola and add extra toasted sesame seeds for flavor, or use a teaspoon of tahini thinned with a little oil, or try peanut oil for a nutty alternative.

Pro Tips

1. Warm the marinade a little before you pour it over the eggs so the sugar and mirin dissolve and the flavors bloom faster, then let it cool to room temp first — dont pour hot liquid on cold eggs or you´ll partially cook them.

2. Peel like a pro: crack the shell, peel under running water and use older eggs when you can; if youre stuck with very fresh eggs add a pinch of baking soda to the boiling water next time to make peeling way easier.

3. Get even color and max contact by using a zip bag or vacuum sealer to remove air, lay the bag flat in the fridge and flip it once or twice; if you dont want to fuss, weigh a small plate on top so all eggs stay submerged.

4. Want quicker flavor without losing all the pretty color? Cut eggs in half before marinating — they soak up the sauce much faster but will lose the perfect outer ring, so decide what matters more this time.

5. Keep leftover marinade food safe and useful: either reserve a portion before you add raw eggs for drizzling, or if you want to reuse the used marinade boil it hard for several minutes to kill any bacteria, then taste and adjust salt before using.