Korean Marinated Eggs – Mayak Eggs

By Jeri Mobley-Arias
May 24, 2023 | Updated on June 20, 2023

Mayak eggs are Korean marinated eggs, soaked in a sweet, spicy, savory soy sauce mixture with a rich, jammy, golden center. Learn how to make Korean marinated eggs to enjoy with rice, noodles, or whatever your taste buds desire!

Craving more delicious egg recipes? Try my Japanese Egg Sandwich with Yuzu Kosho and Soy Sauce Eggs next.

four eggs in a green bowl in mayak eggs soy sauce mixture

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Add mayak eggs to any dish for an instant upgrade. You’ve never had an egg packed with so much flavor. Make a batch and you’ll enjoy the best Korean marinated eggs all week!

Why This Korean Marinated Eggs Recipe Works

  • Easy – Simply boil eggs, make your marinade, let them soak overnight, and devour them the next day!
  • Nutritious – Mayak marinated eggs are a rich source of protein for meatless meals, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
  • Delicious – These soft-boiled eggs are steeped in a mouthwatering umami flavored sauce enhanced with peppers, green onions, and honey.
four Korean marinated eggs in a green bowl in a soy sauce mixture

What are Mayak Eggs?

Mayak Gyeran eggs translates to “drug eggs” in Japanese; the assumption being that the Korean marinated eggs are truly addicting. And it’s true because once you have one, you’ll inevitably want more.

This banchan (Korean side dish) is versatile enough to eat throughout the day, as a snack or side dish.

Tools You’ll Need

eggs, red pepper, korean green pepper, sesame seeds, and garlic, on a wooden board to show ingredients for korean marinated eggs, mayak eggs

Mayak Eggs Ingredients

These Korean style marinated eggs are so flavorful thanks to an array of sauces, peppers, and aromatics.

Eggs

  • Eggs: Use quality large eggs.
  • Apple cider vinegar: Adding this to the boiling water makes it easier to peel the eggs later.
  • Kosher salt: This ingredient also aides is easier peeling. I use Diamond Kosher.

Soy Sauce Mixture

  • Water: Using this as the liquid base of the sauce so as to dilute the sauce mixture a bit.
  • Light soy sauce: Not to be confused with reduced sodium soy sauce. Used for flavor and not for color, this adds a savory flavor.
  • Honey: This adds sweetness to balance the other ingredients out.
  • Dark soy sauce: This provides deeper flavor notes compared to light soy sauce, as well as the familiar umami notes, but is mainly used to give the eggs a darker color.
  • Aromatics: I use green onions and grated garlic cloves.
  • Korean green pepper: Thinly sliced. You can also use jalapeños.
  • Fresno chili: For a punch of spice.
  • Toasted sesame seeds: This adds a nutty taste.

Garnish

  • Sesame oil: Poured over eggs just before serving.
before and after of four eggs in mayak egg sauce with eggs just added to sauce and then after marinating overnight

How To Make Korean Marinated Eggs

Soft boil the eggs and prepare your soy sauce mixture.

Eggs

  1. In a medium saucepan, add 5 cups of water, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, carefully add eggs using a spider strainer, then cover with a lid. Set a timer for 6 minutes for soft boiled eggs, or 9 minutes for a more set (hard boiled) egg. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath.
  2. Once cooked, transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Set a timer for 6 minutes. While waiting on the eggs to cool, start making the soy sauce egg mixture.

Soy Sauce Mixture

  1. Add both soy sauces, honey, and water to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk until honey completely dissolves.
  2. Add remaining sauce ingredients then stir to combine.
  3. Carefully peel eggs then add to the soy sauce mixture. Cover with plastic wrap then place in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. Top steamed rice with the desired amount of soy sauce, along with peppers, green onion, and sesame seeds from the sauce. Top with an egg and use a spoon to split the egg in half. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil just before serving. Enjoy!
korean marinated eggs split in the middle and plaed on white rice with soy sauce marinade, sesame seeds, green onion, korean peppers on a yellow bowl.

Tips and Tricks

  • Don’t skip the ice water bath. It prevents the eggs from overcooking and makes it easier to peel the eggshells. Have the ice bath set prior to boiling the boils for a quick and easy transition.
  • For perfectly jammy eggs, use room temperature eggs. They will cook more evenly. The eggs should not be super fresh. Older eggs are more acidic and therefore, easier to peel.
  • This recipe can be made with as many eggs as you like. Just make sure each egg is fully submerged in the soy sauce mixture.

What to Serve with Korean Marinated Eggs

You can always enjoy them as a snack. Alternatively, serve the eggs with steamed hot rice, or use them as a replacement for ramen eggs.

Storage

Store leftover mayak eggs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you reuse egg marinade?

Egg marinade can be reused but it will lose its potency over time. Keep it stored for up to 1 week and boil it for 2-3 minutes before reusing. You can also use it to flavor stir-fries or to sauté veggies or proteins.

Are mayak eggs healthy?

They are a rich source of protein and low in calories. If you are concerned with salt intake, consider using a low-sodium soy sauce.

How long can you marinate eggs?

You can marinate eggs for up to 3 days although 6 hours will suffice for this recipe. Keep them in the marinade for much longer than 72 hours, and they will become hard and rubbery.

four korean marinated eggs in a green bowl in soy sauce mixture

Looking for More Egg Recipes

Loving this Korean Marinated Eggs Recipe?

There’s a reason these Japanese Marinated Eggs are loved by all! Leave a comment below and share your love for this recipe on Instagram and Pinterest. We love to see you get down in the kitchen. Thank you for supporting Whisper of Yum and happy eating!

korean marinated eggs in a green bowl surrounded with soy sauce marinade, chopped korean chili, chopped fresno chili, sesame seeds, and green onions.

Korean Marinated Eggs – Mayak Eggs!

5 from 1 vote
Mayak eggs are Korean marinated eggs, soaked in a sweet, spicy, savory soy sauce mixture with a rich, jammy, golden center. Learn how to make Korean marinated eggs to enjoy with rice, noodles, or whatever your taste buds desire!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes
Servings 6 eggs
Author Jeri Mobley-Arias
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Korean

Equipment

  • saucepan
  • mixing bowls

Ingredients

Eggs

  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • teaspoons kosher salt, Diamond Kosher

Soy Sauce Mixture

  • cup water
  • ½ cup light soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 5 green onions
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 korean green pepper, thinly sliced,
  • 1 fresno chili, diced
  • 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Garnish

  • Sesame oil, poured over eggs just before serving

Instructions

Eggs

  • In a medium saucepan, add 5 cups of water, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, carefully add eggs using a spider strainer, then cover with lid. Set a timer for 6 minutes for soft boiled eggs, or 9 minutes for a more set (hard boiled) egg. Meanwhile prepare an ice bath.
  • Once cooked, transfer eggs to ice bath. Set a timer for 6 minutes. While waiting on eggs to cool, start making the soy sauce egg mixture.

Soy Sauce Mixture

  • Add both soy sauces, honey, and water to a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk until honey completely dissolves.
  • Add remaining sauce ingredients then stir to combine.
  • Carefully peel eggs then add to the soy sauce mixture. Cover with plastic wrap then place in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Top steamed rice with desired amount of soy sauce, along with peppers, green onion, sesame seeds from the sauce. Top with an egg and use a spoon to split the egg in half. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil just before serving. Enjoy!
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korean marinated eggs in a green bowl surrounded with soy sauce marinade, chopped korean chili, chopped fresno chili, sesame seeds, and green onions.

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2 Comments

  1. Seth says...

    5 stars
    These were great. Perfect balance of flavor. I had them over rice and also with spam. My new go-to recipe for flavored eggs.

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jeri-mobley

Hey, I'm Jeri!

At Whisper of Yum, we explore ALL cuisines - comfort foods, classics, elevated originals. If you love food like me, I invite you to settle in to this place, where swoon-worthy food is attainable + inspo for your next meal awaits.

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