Mayak eggs are eggs soaked in a sweet, savory, and refreshing soy sauce marinade. It’s super easy to make, but super flavorful and addicting!
When I was growing up, my mom used to make a batch of these eggs along with other side dishes like napa cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, or stir-fried fish cake. It was always stored in the fridge so I could just have it with freshly cooked rice anytime.
My parents used to work 80+ hours a week in the restaurant so that is how I got by every day, and honestly, making this recipe makes me remember those good old times.
These “mayak eggs” literally translate to “drug eggs” simply because of the addicting sauce it has. In this recipe, I’ll be sharing a secret that makes it so much better than the other recipes you will see online.
What You’ll Need
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Soft Boiled Eggs
One of the best parts of this dish is the soft, jammy center of the eggs. While I love mine a little bit done, I know you will enjoy the additional creamy texture of the yolk. To ensure that you keep the yolks soft:
- Fill your pot with water and add salt.
- Turn the heat to high and place your eggs in the pot.
- Once the water starts to boil, cover for 6-7 minutes on the dot.
- Right after the time goes off, place the eggs in cold water or an ice bath.
- Allow the eggs to cool down before peeling. Be careful when you do so!
Aside from eggs, you can also use quail eggs in this recipe just like in K-dramas!
Soy Sauce
The main base of this dish is soy sauce. Use regular soy sauce for this recipe, it will bring saltiness and savor to the whole dish! One cup may seem like a lot, but such quantity is needed because we need the eggs to be fully submerged in the marinade for the taste to come through.
Kelp and Radish Stock
This is my secret for the marinade. The kelp will bring umami, while the radish will bring that refreshing taste and feel when you drizzle the marinade on your food. To make this, boil kelp and radish for 20 minutes.
Alternatively, you can simply use water to make the recipe easier to make.
Sugar
For this recipe, the sugar will balance the savory taste of the soy sauce. Feel free to substitute it with another sweetener like erythritol or honey according to your preference. This is a must!
Garlic, Onion, Peppers, Sesame Seeds
These are additional aromatics that will make the marinade even more flavorful!
How to Make Korean Marinated Eggs?
This is a super easy recipe. I know there are extra steps like cooking the egg to the dot or making stock, but they are super worth it.
In making this, you need a deep container because the eggs may overflow and you need it to be fully submerged to ensure they are marinated.
Once your eggs, stock, and aromatics are prepared, all you need to do it to combine soy sauce, stock, and sugar. Make sure that the sugar is dissolved, then you can add the aromatics.
Taste and adjust: If you think it needs more sweetness, add sugar. If you think it’s salty, add more stock. It’s not going to be bland, but if you need more, add soy sauce. Mix them thoroughly, then add the eggs to marinate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you marinate the eggs in soy sauce?
- You can marinate the eggs minimum of 2 hours to overnight for the best taste.
How long do Mayak eggs last?
- The marinated eggs can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. Take note, however, that the longer they sit in soy sauce, the saltier it gets. The taste may vary as days go by.
Can you reuse the soy sauce marinade?
- You can reuse and add more eggs to the marinade. Do take note of how long you have already used it. It can last for 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can repurpose the marinade into Korean pancake or dumpling sauce.
What to serve with Korean marinated eggs?
- The eggs are best served with freshly cooked rice! To take it up a notch, drizzle the sauce and some sesame oil on the rice and eat it with the eggs. This is great for a quick meal or midnight snack cravings! Furthermore, as this is very similar to Japanese ramen eggs, you can also use these as a garnish for any noodle dish you may have!
Do you eat Mayak eggs cold?
- You don’t need to reheat the eggs when you consume them. The hot rice should suffice to make it hot!
Other easy and delicious side dishes you may like:
- Korean Crabcake
- Spicy Dried Squid
- Soy Garlic Enoki Mushroom
- Korean Sausage Stir Fry
- Korean Steamed Egg
- Korean Rolled Omelette
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Korean Soy Marinated Eggs (Mayak Eggs)
Ingredients
- 10 pcs Eggs
- Salt
Kelp and Radish Stock
- 4 cups Water
- 5 grams Dried Kelp
- 200 grams Korean Radish
Soy Sauce Marinade
- 1 cup Soy Sauce
- 1 cup Kelp and Radish Stock
- 1/2 cup Sugar or Erythritol
- 2 stalks Scallions Chopped
- 1/2 of Whole Onion Diced
- 2 pcs Jalapeño Dessed and diced, Optional
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- Sesame Oil For garnish
Instructions
Soft Boiled Eggs
- To make soft-boiled eggs, fill your pot with water and add salt.
- Turn the heat to high and place your eggs in the pot.
- Once the water starts to boil, cover for 6-7 minutes on the dot.
- Right after the time comes off, place the eggs in cold water or an ice bath.
- Allow the eggs to cool down before peeling.
Kelp and Radish Broth
- Prepare kelp and radish stock by boiling the kelp and radish for 20 minutes. Afterward, set it aside to cool.
Making Mayak Eggs
- Combine soy sauce, sugar, and stock. Mix thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the chopped garlic, onion, scallion, jalapeno, and sesame seeds. Mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust it accordingly.
- Add the eggs and let marinate for 2 hours to 24 hours.
- Serve with rice and enjoy!
Judy Sharma says
OMG. So cool and I can’t wait to try this tomorrow. I love the sounds of the marinade.. I’m not sure I will be able to find the kelp and radish. If not I will be so disappointed. I will let you know thanks so much Chris. Judy
Chef Chris Cho says
Go for it! I hope you enjoy the recipe! You can also try finding the dashi packs or dashi powder to make the dashi stock. 🙂
Letsdothis says
We just made these. Wondering if we could eat them warmed. Only one way to find out.. #excited!
Chef Chris Cho says
No need to warm, just serve on a bed of hot rice. But you can still carefully heat it up in the microwave too. Hope you enjoyed it!!
Laura says
Do you need to refrigerate it while marinating or leave on the counter? Thanks
Chef Chris Cho says
You can refrigerate it to marinate and it can be consumed cold~ Serve with fresh, hot rice!!
Andreea says
Great recipe. But I have a question. What do you do with the marinade afterwards? Do you just throw it away? Or do you use it as a sauce for other dishes? And if so, for how long do you keep/store it?
Chef Chris Cho says
You can make another batch of eggs or you can use it as a dipping sauce to Korean pancakes, dumplings, soft tofu, etc. As long as it is placed in the fridge after use and handled properly (using serving spoon, etc.), it can stored for a long time.
GENNY TRAN says
can we use dashi stock instead?
Chef Chris Cho says
Yes! 🙂
Vero Stevens says
These are delicious, thank you. I love your recipes!!
Chef Chris Cho says
Thank you so so much!! Yeobosayo!!