Japanese Egg Sandwich

If you’ve recently come back from a trip to Japan and you're craving a Tamago Sando or Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich, then you’re in luck! I’m bringing your favourite Lawson, FamilyMart and 7-ELEVEN egg sandwich straight into your home with my Japanese Egg Sandwich recipe! No flight to Tokyo required! This sandwich is made using Japanese milk bread and a custardy egg filling. It’s creamy, fluffy, rich, sweet and incredibly delicious!

A Japanese Egg Sandwich starts off with a few thick slices of Japanese Milk Bread, also referred to as shokupan. Japanese Milk Bread consists of bread flour, milk, butter, sugar, yeast and salt. The combination of ingredients gives this bread its signature sweet and rich flavour profile and cloud-like texture. If you can’t find Japanese Milk Bread at your local grocer or specialty store, you can substitute it for thick slices of brioche or Texas toast. A thin layer of butter is spread over the top of each of the slices of bread. The butter adds incremental flavour and richness and also serves as a barrier, giving the bread some added structure by preventing it from absorbing the custardy egg filling.

Let’s put the egg in egg sandwich with a creamy, rich and savoury egg custard filling. This filling is comprised of two handfuls of large, hard-boiled eggs, Kewpie mayo, milk, sugar, salt and ground white pepper. The eggs are boiled for 10 minutes, producing hard-boiled eggs with firm egg whites and tender yolks. The eggs are then cracked, peeled and separated. The yolks are added to a bowl to create the creamy filling while the egg whites are roughly chopped and set aside.

Kewpie mayonnaise is added to the yolks, imparting creaminess, sweetness, tanginess and tons of umami flavour! If you’ve never had Kewpie mayo, you’re missing out! This Japanese condiment differs from its western counterpart in that; it’s made using only egg yolks as opposed to whole eggs. The use of egg yolks gives the Kewpie mayo a richer flavour profile and a thicker consistency. Milk and granulated sugar are added to the mix, giving this egg filling a smooth and velvety texture and hint of sweetness. The egg filling is then seasoned with salt and white pepper, balancing out the flavours in this sandwich. The salt gives the egg sandwich some salinity while the white pepper adds earthiness and a little funk. The ingredients are then mashed until silky and smooth. The eggs whites are tossed in and folded until fully combined.

The custard-like egg filling is piled high and is sandwiched between slices of buttered bread. You can enjoy the sandwich as is or slice it in half to give you the quintessential convenience store vibes! Cutting these sandwiches can be tricky given the copious amounts of egg filling. To keep the sandwiches intact, wrap them tightly in wax or parchment paper, grab a sharp knife and cut them in half.

Save yourself a trip to the convenience store and make these sandwiches at home. My Japanese Egg Sandwich recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients, comes together quickly and couldn’t be easier to make! Enjoy it for lunch, dinner or as an afternoon snack. You really can’t go wrong! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDmEpBTiuaI

For more fun and exciting sandwich ideas, try my Crispy Chicken Sandwich, New York Style Italian Sandwich, BLT Sandwich with Fried Green Tomatoes, Meatball Sub and Veggie Sandwich recipes!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Makes: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs (See Notes below)

• Cold water

• Ice cubes

• 2 Tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise (See Notes below)

• 2 tsp 2% milk (See Notes below)

• ½ tsp granulated sugar

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper

• 4 thick slices of Japanese milk bread, brioche or Texas toast (See Notes below)

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Instructions:

1. Fill a large saucepan or pot with cold water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, gently lower the eggs into the water and cook for 10 minutes. Then, transfer the cooked eggs into an ice bath and let them cool for at least 10 minutes.

2. Once cool, crack and peel the eggs. Place the cooked eggs onto a cutting board or plate and cut them in half. Pop out the yolks, transfer them to a medium bowl and set aside. Then, roughly chop the egg whites into small pieces.

3. To the cooked yolks, add the mayonnaise, milk, sugar, salt and white pepper and mash until smooth. Then, toss in the chopped egg whites and mix until combined. Set aside.

4. Lay the slices of bread onto a cutting board and cut off the crust (optional). Spread butter over top of each of the slices.

5. Divide the egg salad into two portions and spread the egg mixture over top of two slices of bread.

6. Cover with the remaining slices of bread and serve and enjoy!

Notes:

1. Skip the Ice Bath: If you don’t have any ice cubes handy, then skip the ice bath and use cold running water instead. Add the cooked eggs to a medium stainless-steel bowl, place the bowl in the sink and run cold water over top for at least 2 minutes or until sufficiently chilled.

2. Keeping it Gluten-Free: To make this sandwich gluten-free, look for certified gluten-free Kewpie Mayonnaise and opt for thick slices of white or brioche-based gluten-free bread. The original Kewpie formulation is made in Japan and is not gluten-free in nature, given its use of malt vinegar. The gluten-free variety is made in the U.S. and uses a combination of red wine and rice vinegar. If you have any allergies and/or dietary restrictions, be sure to check Kewpie’s website and the ingredients listed on the packaging to ensure that the product is safe for you!

3. Got Milk: I love using 2% milk in this recipe, but if you want to indulge just a little more, substitute the milk in this recipe on a 1:1 basis with whole milk, half and half or cream.

4. Don’t Let that Crust go to Waste: Before spreading butter over the bread, cut the crust off of each of the slices and set aside. Waste not, want not! Repurpose the crust and use it to make breadcrumbs or croutons.

5. Meal Prep: If you’re looking to enjoy this meal over two days, simply prep the egg salad, place one portion in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready for use. Then, when you’re hungry, assemble the remaining sandwich and serve and enjoy! Avoid refrigerating a previously assembled sandwich as a prolonged refrigeration period can result in softened or soggy bread.