Published: / Modified: by Mei / This post may contain affiliate links / 32 Comments
Mayak eggs, or Korean soy marinated eggs, is a popular Korean side dish (banchan) made by marinating soft boiled eggs in a soy sauce based marinade. It's sweet, savory, soft, and jammy!
What is your favorite Korean banchan? Because these mayak eggs are so good, they may become your favorite!
Have these eggs with some rice and a generous drizzle of the marinade, and you've got yourself a quick meal/snack! It's honestly so easy to make and requires only a few basic ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
If you're looking for more banchan recipes, you may also like our cucumber kimchi, geotjeori (fresh kimchi), traditional napa cabbage kimchi, and this super silky steamed egg recipe!
Jump to:
- What are mayak eggs?
- Ingredients
- How to make mayak eggs
- Recipe Tips
- How to eat mayak eggs
- Storage
- FAQ
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Feedback
What are mayak eggs?
Mayak eggs, also known as mayak gyeran (마약계란), is a Korean banchan that literally translates to "drug eggs," due to how tasty and addicting they are!
They are soft boiled eggs marinated in a soy sauce based marinade loaded with onion, garlic, pepper, and sesame seeds. After marinating, the egg whites take on a brown color while the egg yolks become rich orange and jammy.
Mayak eggs are incredibly delicious and super easy to make with basic ingredients you probably already have!
Ingredients
- Eggs - Because the eggs are the star of this recipe, it's great to use good quality eggs, but regular eggs tastes just as good! Most importantly, this recipe's cook time is based off of large eggs. If you are using smaller or larger eggs, you'll have to adjust the egg's cook time accordingly.
- Vinegar - When boiling eggs, adding some vinegar to the water can make the egg shells easier to peel. This is not necessary at if you're making hard boiled eggs, but we did find that adding vinegar did help with peeling soft boiled eggs.
- Use 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to 5 cups of water.
- Onion, garlic, green onions - These three adds flavor to the marinade. Since the marinade also makes for a great sauce, the vegetables adds texture to whatever you add it to.
- Chili peppers - This is only necessary if you want some spice in the marinade, although the chili peppers will also add color and texture. We used Korean chili peppers and jalapeños.
🌟 Pro tip: Majority of a spicy pepper's heat comes from the seeds. So if you wish to add more spice, include the seeds! You can simply slice the peppers into wheels instead of chopping them up.
- Sesame seed - This adds nuttiness and additional texture to marinated eggs. If you prefer, you could omit.
- Soy sauce - The main flavoring of mayak eggs is soy sauce. We used Kikoman's light sodium soy sauce for the recipe. If you only have regular sodium soy sauce, you may need to add a couple tablespoons extra water, but it's totally personal preference.
- Honey - Because we like to eat the marinade with rice, we used honey as a natural, healthier sweetener. You could also use brown rice syrup or corn syrup to substitute.
- Water - To ensure that the marinade is not overly salty, even if the eggs are marinated for more than 24 hours, water is added to dilute the marinade.
How to make mayak eggs
Korean marinated eggs are incredibly easy to make! Just follow the follow steps to make these tasty soy marinated eggs with jammy yolks:
Boil the eggs:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then gently place the eggs into the water. Set a timer for 6 minutes and keep the water at a gentle boil.
🌟 Pro tip: Adding some vinegar to the water will make the egg shells easier to boil. Use 2 tablespoons per 5 cups of water. Also, you can use a spoon or ladle to gently place the eggs into the boiling water.
2. While the eggs are boiling, prepare an ice bath (bowl of water with ice).
3. Once the eggs have boiled for 6 minutes, immediately remove them from the water and place them in the prepared ice bath. Let them cool completely. This will stop the eggs from cooking further and also help release the eggs from their shells.
Make the mayak marinade:
4. While the eggs are cooling, prepare the marinade. Add all the ingredients for the marinade into a bowl (onion, garlic, green onion, chili pepper, sesame seeds, soy sauce, honey, and water).
Marinate the eggs:
5. Once the eggs have cooled, crack the eggs on a hard surface and peel.
6. Place the eggs in an airtight container and pour the mayak marinade over the eggs. Place the lid on the container and let the eggs marinate in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight, for best flavor.
🌟 Pro tip: We found that the amount of marinade and eggs fits perfectly in an airtight container with 3 cups capacity. If the eggs float a little, you can place a sheet of plastic wrap over the eggs and push them down. Make sure the plastic wrap is touch the eggs!
Recipe Tips
- Use large eggs straight from the fridge. This recipe's cook time is based on large eggs take straight from the fridge. So if you use smaller or larger eggs or eggs that are room temperature, please adjust the egg's cook time accordingly.
- Marinate the eggs for at least 6 hours or overnight. Although you could eat mayak eggs with some marinade right after making them. However, they taste the best after the eggs absorb the marinade and become flavorful.
- For hard boiled eggs, boil the eggs for 11 to 12 minutes. Although mayak eggs are best with soft boiled eggs, you can make hard boiled eggs if you prefer.
- Use deep container rather than a shallow one. Make sure to choose a container that's at least 2 inches deep so that the eggs can be fully submerged in the marinade. Otherwise you'll have to rotate the eggs occasionally.
How to eat mayak eggs
Mayak eggs are really flavorful on their own, making them a great banchan/side dish. So you can easily enjoy them over some white rice with a generous drizzle of marinade, a splash of sesame oil, and furikake or seaweed.
We like to bibim (mix) the eggs with marinade and rice for a quick snack/ meal.
You can also use these mayak eggs as for your ramen! Although a they're little different than ramen eggs, Korean marinated eggs are great as an easy to make substitute.
Storage
Store these mayak eggs in the fridge, in an airtight container, with the marinade. They will be good up to 1 week, but best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days of making.
FAQ
How to make soft boiled eggs for mayak eggs?
To make soft boil eggs for mayak eggs, bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the eggs and boil for 6 minutes. Immediately remove the eggs and place them in ice water.
How long do mayak eggs last?
Mayak eggs will stay good for up to 1 week, however, it is best to enjoy them within 3 to 4 days.
What to do with the leftover marinade?
Although you could reuse the leftover marinade for another batch of mayak eggs, the flavors will not be as good as the first. We recommend that you enjoy the marinade over rice or use it for sautéing!
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📖 Recipe
4.9 from 23 votes
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Mayak Eggs (Korean Marinated Eggs)
Mayak eggs, or Korean soy marinated eggs, is a popular Korean side dish (banchan) made by marinating soft boiled eggs in a soy sauce based marinade. It's sweet, savory, soft, and jammy!
Prep Time9 minutes mins
Cook Time6 minutes mins
Marinating Time6 hours hrs
Total Time15 minutes mins
Yield: 6 eggs
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- Vinegar (optional for boiling eggs)
- ¼ medium yellow onion finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 2 TBSP)
- 1 stalk green onion sliced
- 1 chili pepper finely chopped or sliced* (optional for spice)
- 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame seed
- 10 tablespoons soy sauce we used low sodium soy sauce (½ cup + 2 TBSP)
- 5 tablespoons honey rice syrup and corn syrup are fine too
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Boil the eggs:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently place the eggs in the boiling water. Let the eggs boil for 6 minutes for the perfect soft boiled eggs.
*If you wish, add some vinegar to the water. This will make the eggs a bit easier to peel, especial when the eggs are not hard boil eggs. Use 5 cups of water to 2 tablespoons of vinegar.*
After 6 minutes, remove the eggs from the boiling water and shock them in iced water. Let the eggs cool completely.
*The shocking process will help stop the eggs from cooking further and also help release the egg shell from the egg.*
Make the mayak marinade:
While the eggs are cooling, make the mayak marinade. Combine everything except the eggs and vinegar in a bowl (onion, garlic, green onion, chili pepper, sesame seeds, soy sauce, honey, and water). Mix unti combined.
Marinate the eggs:
Once the eggs are cooled, crack and peel the eggs. Place them in a suitable airtight container and pour the mayak marinade over the eggs. Place the lid on the container and let the eggs marinade in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight for best flavor.
*If your eggs float in the marinade, you can use a sheet of plastic wrap to keep them submerged. Refer to the post for more details and photo reference!*
After marinating, the eggs will look brown and the yolks will take on a rich orange color. Enjoy the eggs with some rice, a splash of sesame oil, and some marinade!
Notes
Please refer to the post above for step by step photos, tips, and FAQs!
- Mayak eggs are best enjoyed soft boiled. However, if you prefer hard boiled eggs, boil the eggs for 11 to 12 minutes instead.
- Cook time for the eggs are based on large eggs taken straight from the fridge. If you are using smaller or larger eggs, or eggs that are room temperature, please adjust the cook time accordingly.
- Adding vinegar to the water is totally optional. It's used to help making peeling the egg shells easier. If using, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar per 5 cups water.
- Using chili peppers in the marinade is optional. They are for adding some spiciness, color, and texture. If you like it spicy, make sure to use the seeds of the pepper as well.
Equipments Recommended
Nutrition
Serving: 1egg | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 1750mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg
Keywords: mayak geyran, soy marinated eggs
Tried this recipe?Mention @two_plaid_aprons or tag #twoplaidaprons!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Sara says
I made them yesterday and enjoyed them tonight for dinner! I love the flavor but couldn’t figure out how to reheat the eggs and sauce without cooking the eggs. Are they meant to be served cold? If not how do you suggest reheating them?
Reply
Mei says
Hi Sara!
Thank you for trying our mayak egg recipe! Mayak egg is meant to be enjoyed cold, so no reheating is necessary. But if you prefer it warm, you can reheat the sauce with the rice until hot and mix the eggs into the rice. The heat of the rice and sauce will make the eggs warm.Mei❤️
Reply
Jenna S says
About how long will they be good for in the fridge?
Reply
Mei says
Hi Jenna!
These eggs are best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days because they are soft-boiled eggs. Also, we provide lots of tips and FAQs in our post above the recipe card if you have more questions.
Mei ❤️Reply
Melissa says
Hello,
I've seen some recipes add Mirin to the mixture also. Can we add that also and do you know how much?
Thank you for the help!Reply
See Also30 Best Greek RecipesMei says
Hi Melissa!
Usually, mayak eggs do not need mirin, although we are not sure about the other recipes. However, there are these Japanese ramen eggs (ajitama) that uses mirin in the marinade. The flavor are similar but the marinade does not use the aromatics used for mayak egg marinade. Hope this helps!
Mei ❤️Reply
summer says
despite the ice bath and the vinegar, i still have a hard time peeling the shells from the eggs! the eggs end up looking quite deformed by the time i get it to the marinade. any suggestions?
Reply
Mei says
Hi Summer!
I'm so sorry to hear about your eggs! Depending on the types of eggs used, the shells can be a little harder to peel. Soft boiled eggs, in particular, are the hardest to peel. I recommend that you try these two additional methods:
1) Peeling with a spoon. Crack the shells all around the egg and peel a small section. Use a regular size spoon and insert it between the egg white and shell membrane, along the same curves (front of the spoon to the curve of the egg).
2) Place the eggs in a jar or plastic container and gently shake until all of them are cracked all around. Transfer them to a bowl of water and peel them in the water.Of course, still shock the eggs in ice bath to prevent them from overcooking. Hope this helps!
Best,
Mei ❤️Reply
D Sc says
once I learned to do eggs in pressure cooker, I don't even boil on stove anymore. Soft boil....Put in an egg rack, add 1 cup of water, 4 min manual high pressure (valve closed), QUICK release. Never ever have a problem peeling eggs this way (med...4 min high, natural release 4 min then quick release. Hard 5 min high then 5 min natural then quick release)
Mei! these are sooooo good!Reply
Mei says
Thank you for sharing your pressure cooker method, we'll have to try it! And so glad to hear that you enjoyed the mayak eggs!
Mei ❤️Reply
Victoria says
Can you reuse marinade?
Reply
Mei says
Hi Victoria! You could reuse the marinade once more, however, the marinade may not be as flavorful the 2nd time around. We recommend drizzling some of the marinade over rice and mixing it together or even use it as a stir fry sauce. Both are tasty!
Mei ❤️Reply
Liz says
This is so delicious! I realized half way through cooking my eggs that Alexa didn't set my timer 🤦🏻♀️, so my eggs were a little more done than desired. But, the flavor was amazing. It was pretty straightforward to make. And I will be making this again!Reply
Mei says
Hi Liz! We're so happy that you enjoyed the mayak eggs! They are truly addictive, even if they're cooked a bit longer =)
Mei ❤️Reply
Marina says
Hello !
Thanks for the recipe, i want to try it soon !
I like batchcooking, so i was wondering how long i can keep the eggs in the marinade (and stored in the fridge of course). Should i make only the eggs i can eat the next day or can i cook some for several days, and for how long ?
Thanks again !Reply
Mei says
Hi Marina!
These mayak eggs will keep well in the marinade for up to 1 week. However, as they are soft-boiled eggs, it is best to finish them within 3 to 4 days. Hope you enjoy them!
Mei ❤️Reply
Keoshia says
I'm completely addicted!
This is my first recipe from you guys. It's so easy and tastes so good. My family is a fan of Ramen and stir fry, so the egg is so great in the Ramen, and the marinade is excellent for stir-frying veggies to go with rice. I can't wait to try others.
Reply
Mei says
Hi Keoshia!
We're so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed the mayak eggs! Absolutely love that you used the leftover marinade for stir-frying veggies! We hope you enjoy our other recipes as well =)
Mei ❤️Reply
Flor says
My boyfriend just texted "Oh my, these eggs are amazing". The expression in our faces when we tried them! So easy to make!
I still have to get better at pealing the eggs, they broke a bit... But the flavor is not altered!
These eggs will become a part of my weekly meal prepping.
Thanks for sharing!Reply
Mei says
Hi Flor!
So glad you guys enjoyed the Mayak eggs! We love adding them to our breakfast routine. So yummy! Peeling eggs can be so hard! Did you try our vinegar and ice bath trick? We recommend letting the eggs chill in the ice bath for at least 15 minutes. It really helps us with peeling them =)
Mei ❤️Reply
Melo says
Hi! This recipe looks so delicious! I really want to make this but I am a college student and our dorms doest not allow a fridge, so can I ask, can you leave the mayak eggs in the counter (unfortunately, not the fridge? for 24hrs too and can it still be consumable? And if possible, how long will it last if I want to keep some portion of the eggs if left in the counter? Thank you so much for answering my question!Reply
Mei says
Hi Melo!
Thank you for your kind words! Unfortunately, it is not safe to leave eggs out at room temperature, especially soft-boiled eggs. So we highly do not recommend leaving the mayak eggs out. Hope this answers you question!
Mei ❤️Reply
RW says
Hello! How
Long should I boil room temperature eggs?? Anyone know?? Thanks 😊Reply
Mei says
Hi RW! I recommend boiling your eggs for 4-5 minutes if they are at room temperature. If needed, you can experiment on an egg before cooking off the whole batch. Hope this helps!
Mei ❤️Reply
Izabela says
Omg, its just the best egg I've eaten in my life! I made for my whole family and they all loved so much (ps. my sister and father didn't used to like asian food) xD
And so much love for this website, its so practical and easy to use, I just enjoyed very much. Thank you guys!Reply
Mei says
Hi Izabela! Thank you so much for dropping us such a sweet comment—you totally made our day! We're so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the mayak eggs and that your sister and father may be converted and become Asian food lovers because of you!
Mei ❤️Reply
Maggie says
Are there milder peppers that can be used as a sub? I want to add some in for color and spice, but my body gets mad at me when I eat too spicy. It's very sad because I love spicy food 😭
Reply
Mei says
Hi Maggie! You can use those small sweet peppers if you'd like. We find that jalapeños without the seeds are practically not spicy (very mild) so that could be an option too.
Mei ❤️Reply
Debbie says
So delicious and yes you are right, definitely addictive! The ingredients are super accessible and this does not take long to put together. I can't wait to try the remaining marinade with rice/srit fryReply
Mei says
Hi Debbie! So glad to hear that you enjoyed the mayak eggs! The leftover marinade will definitely make any stir fried dishes tastes amazing. Hope you enjoy that too!
Mei ❤️Reply
Angela Ilac says
Has anybody tried using sugar instead of honey? We don’t keep honey on hand nor use it often so I really don’t want to go out get some if I can swap it. If I can how much sugar? Thank you!
Reply
Mei says
Hi Angela! Yes, you can definitely swap the honey for sugar in equal amounts. =)
Mei ❤️Reply
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