Sweet and savory jammy soy sauce Korean mayak marinated eggs are incredibly delicious.
They’re fun and easy to make and taste amazing over a bowl of piping hot rice.
What are marinated eggs?
Mayak eggs or mayak gyeran are Korean marinated eggs. Literally translated mayak gyeran means “drug egg.” They’re one of the most addictive Korean banchan out there, hence the name. These eggs are garlicky, savory, jammy, and absolutely delicious. The yolks are soft and perfect for yolk porn over a bowl of hot rice. The sweet, savory, spicy marinade is incredibly addictive. Honestly, these eggs and a bowl of rice is the perfect comfort meal.
What do marinated eggs taste like?
They’re sweet and savory and a bit spicy if you add in a chili pepper. If you’ve ever had a marinated ramen egg, they taste a little bit like that but with even more flavor. The yolks are jammy and full of creamy flavor and the whites are infused with an umami-forward soy-honey garlic mixture with a bit of nuttiness from the toasted sesame seeds.
Marinated egg ingredients
- eggs – you can use as many or as few eggs as you like, as long as the eggs submerge completely in the marinade.
soy sauce – this is what gives the eggs a salty, umami flavor. Use a soy sauce that you love the flavor of and always, always use a natural brewed soy sauce. - honey – using honey instead of sugar makes it easy to mix into the soy sauce and it adds a slight malty honey flavor instead of straight sugar. Many mayak eggs use rice syrup so if you have that on hand, you can use that as a substitute.
- green onions, garlic, toasted sesame seeds – these are the aromatics that add layers of flavor. Garlic, of course adds a hit of mild spicy garlicky flavor, the green onions add a hint of freshness, and the toasted sesame seeds add a lovely layer of nuttiness.
- sliced chili – if you love spice (or even if you like a little spice!) I recommend adding sliced chili peppers into your marinade. There are so many chilis out there with varying degrees of spiciness, so you can use the pepper that most suits you. If you want a milder spice, go for sliced jalapeños and if you want spicier eggs, go for thinly sliced red bird’s eye peppers.
How to make marinated eggs
- Prep the marinade. Simply mix together soy sauce, honey, sliced green onions, garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced chili peppers. The only thing you need to think about in regards to the marinade is do you have enough to fully cover your eggs. This depends on what size/shape the container you marinate your eggs in. You may need to double the marinade recipe depending on container size.
- Boil your eggs. You want a boiled egg between soft and medium boiled for this recipe. As the eggs marinate in the fridge, the yolks become a brilliant, gooey, flavorful jammy center.
- Marinate. Once your eggs are ready, it’s time to marinate them in the marinade for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight) so all the flavors soak in.
- Enjoy. Once your eggs have soaked up all the flavor, it’s time to enjoy!
How to make jammy eggs
- Remove your eggs from the fridge. Let them come to room temp for a bit while you’re bringing your pot of water up to a boil. This helps them cook more evenly since they won’t be as cold as straight from the fridge. When you shock a cold egg from the fridge into boiling water it has a tendency to crack due to the rapid change in temperature.
- Bring a pot of water up to a boil. Choose a pot that’s large enough for your eggs, but not too big. You want enough water in the pot to easily cover the eggs when they’re lowered in. Bring the water to a hard boil over high heat. If you like, you can add a pinch of salt and a tsp of white vinegar into the water – this helps the shells slip off the eggs more easily.
- Lower your eggs into the water. When the water is at a rolling boil, lower the heat and gently add your eggs in using a slotted spoon.
- Simmer. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and maintain a happy bubbling simmer for 7-8 minutes (less if your eggs have been sitting at room temperature for over an hour).
- Put the eggs in an ice bath. While your eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and very cold water. When the eggs are ready, immediately use a slotted spoon and scoop them from the pot into the ice bath to let them chill for 5-10 minutes or until they are cold to the touch.
- Peel. Gently tap the eggs at the wide egg of the egg, then flip and tap the narrow end. Very gently roll the egg on the counter top. Start peeling at the wide base and make sure to peel the membrane away from the egg. When the eggs are ready to go, it’s time to marinate.
Mayak egg marinade
It’s super simple to make mayak egg marinade. All you do is mix together soy sauce, honey, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced chilis.
How long do you need to marinate eggs
Once your eggs and marinade are ready, all you need to do is add the eggs to the marinade and marinate for a minimum of 4 hours and up to overnight. The longer the eggs marinate, the more flavor they soak up. You can keep the eggs, covered in the marinade, in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Meal prep mayak eggs
Meal prepped mayak eggs are amazing. You can make a huge batch for the week and have eggs and rice easily for every meal. You can also serve the eggs with noodles or just as a quick protein snack.
How long do marinated eggs last in the fridge?
You can keep your marinated eggs in the fridge for about 4-5 days, making them ideal for meal prepping on Sunday night so you have marinated eggs throughout the week.
What can I do with the leftover marinade?
You can definitely make another batch of eggs, but they won’t have the same amount of flavor and because the fresh ingredients (the garlic, green onions, chilis) are older, the eggs and marinade won’t keep as long as the first batch. Instead, you can spoon the marinade onto rice, along with your eggs, or use it in stir-fries to flavor meats or noodles.
What to serve with mayak eggs
- They taste amazing on their own and also on top of rice with a bit of roasted seaweed.
- They’re a great addition to a salmon rice bowl
- With spicy chili garlic noodles
- With super savory scallion oil noodles
Happy marinated egg making!
xoxo steph
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce low sodium preferred
- 1/4 cup honey or rice syrup
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 green onions sliced
- 1 Thai bird’s eye chili sliced, or pepper of choice
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Take the eggs out of the fridge and leave them on the countertop. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. If desired, add a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the water to make the eggs easier to peel. Prepare and set aside a large bowl with ice and cold water for when the eggs finish cooking.
- While the water is coming to a boil, make the marinade. In a container with a lid, mix together 1/2 cup water with the soy sauce, honey/rice syrup, garlic, green onions, chili, and toasted sesame seeds. Set aside.
- Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium-high and gently add the eggs in with a slotted spoon. Maintain a simmer for 7-8 minutes, depending on yolk preference.
- When the time is up, remove the eggs from the water and immerse in an ice bath to cool.
- When the eggs are cool to touch, peel and immerse the eggs into the marinade. Marinate for minimum 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove the eggs from the marinade and serve over rice, enjoy!
