Tamago Sando (Japanese Egg Sandwich)

Featuring a rich and creamy egg salad tucked between soft slices of milk bread, this Tamago Sando is quick & easy to make, yet makes for an incredibly satisfying breakfast or snack to instantly brighten your day. This Japanese egg sandwich is truly melt-in-your-mouth delicious and comes together with just a few ingredients.

What is Tamago Sando?

Tamago Sando (たまごサンド), which translates to “egg sandwich” in Japanese, is a very popular ‘grab-and-go’ snack that can be found in many konbini (or convenience stores) all across the country.

This Japanese egg salad sandwich has since reached global popularity and can be found in bakeries and cafes all around the world.

In fact, my first time trying Tamago Sando was at the popular bakery chain in Korea called Paris Baguette, and I was immediately hooked at how comforting and delicious this sandwich tasted.

Although they call for a handful of simple ingredients, Japanese egg sandwiches are known for their soft & pillowy slices of shokupan (milk bread) that encase a rich & creamy egg filling flavored with kewpie mayo.

A popular variation of this sandwich features a jammy egg in the middle of the egg salad, which is the version I will be sharing with you guys today.

With that said, the Japanese egg salad that we will be making today is irresistibly delicious on its own, so please feel free to prepare the sandwich to your liking!

What do I need to make Tamago Sando?

As mentioned earlier, making a Japanese egg salad sandwich only requires a few simple components, but that also means that using the right ingredients can make a huge difference in the overall taste.

Here is a list of ingredients that you will need for this Tamago Sando recipe:

• Shokupan (or Japanese milk bread) + butter: using soft & pillowy slices of bread is essential to this recipe, as it contributes to the overall melt-in-your-mouth texture of the sandwich.
  • Milk bread can be found in most Asian bakeries, but you can also use a loaf of brioche or soft white bread if that’s all you have at hand.
• Eggs: I recommend using high-quality eggs as they are the main component of this recipe! Organic, pasture-raised eggs often have that beautiful golden egg yolk, but you can use any eggs that you have in the fridge.
  • You will need to boil the eggs for 10 minutes for the egg salad, and 6 minutes for a jammy egg in the middle as you prefer.
    • A useful tip I have for distinguishing one with a shorter boil time is to mark the outer shell of the egg with a permanent marker, and transfer it to the ice bath before taking out the rest of the eggs, as demonstrated in the video!
    • By stirring the eggs in one direction for about 30 seconds, the yolk will set in the middle for that perfect cross-section.
• Kewpie mayonnaise: Japanese mayonnaise has a different flavor profile than American-style mayonnaise in that it is slightly sweeter and made with a base of egg yolk, resulting in a much creamier and rich egg salad.
  • Kewpie mayo is easy to find at most Asian grocery stores, and can also be found on Amazon for a reasonable price.
  • Japanese mayo is also an essential condiment used in several Japanese dishes, so it’s definitely a staple ingredient I always have in my kitchen.
• Onion, sugar, salt, and pepper: to season the egg salad.

And that’s it! All the ingredients to make your own Tamago Sando in the comfort of your home.

How do you get boiled eggs to peel easily?

Peeling boiled eggs can be tricky especially for soft-boiled jammy eggs, so here are some tips to help you through the process.

• Add salt and vinegar to your boiling water. This will make it easier for the eggs to peel, especially for soft-boiled eggs with a jammy egg yolk.
• Ensure the eggs are completely cooled before peeling, for at least 10 minutes. The ice bath will cause the egg to contract and pull away from the shell, which will make the peeling process a lot easier.
• To peel the eggs without any scratches or cracks, work slowly with each egg.
  • The first step is to gently tap and crack the entire surface of the egg, and proceed to gently peel off a small portion of the eggshell and its thin layer of the membrane.
  • Once a small portion is peeled off, use a small teaspoon to gently peel off the rest of the eggshell. You can also use your fingers, but ladies, this trick will help you a ton especially if you are working with longer nails!
• Prepare a bucket of ice water before the eggs finish cooking, to immediately submerge them to cool when your timer goes off.

These simple tips and tricks can make your process a lot easier, especially if you are preparing a large batch of eggs when making Japanese egg salad, amongst many other recipes.

With travel restrictions in place, it has been a breath of fresh air for me to make these iconic snacks at home, and I hope that these little gems will bring a smile to your face as well. ツ

I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Tamago Sando recipe, and please leave me a comment below or message me on Instagram if you have any questions!

Other easy brunch recipes you may like:

• Strawberry Sando (Japanese Fruit Sandwich)
• Korean Egg Drop Sandwich
• 10-Minute Tomato Egg Stir Fry
• Fairfax Breakfast Sandwich (Eggslut Copycat)
• Sweet Potato Latte