
Tamagoyaki is a sweet and savory Japanese omelette that's subtly seasoned and cooked in thin layers that are rolled together before being sliced. It's a quintessential part of Japanese cuisine, and it's one of those dishes that reminds most people in Japan about their mom's home cooking. And the best part? It's surprisingly easy to make, requiring just four ingredients and a touch of patience.
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Why This Recipe Works?
- It's important not to overbeat the egg. This ensures it stays tender while preventing the Tamagoyaki from puffing up too much.
- Using a small amount of usukuchi soy sauce (light-colored soy sauce) and salt to season the Tamagoyaki preserves its golden yellow color while ensuring it's properly seasoned.
- Cooking the Japanese omelette over medium-low heat prevents the egg from overcooking, ensuring it stays moist and tender.
Types of Tamagoyaki
If you've ever wondered why Tamagoyaki recipes vary so much, it's because "tamagoyaki" is an umbrella term that includes several different egg dishes.
- Tamagoyaki (卵焼き or 玉子焼き) - Literally translating to "grilled egg," Tamagoyaki is the cornerstone of Japanese omelettes, which is why it's become the umbrella term for this class of dishes. Homemade Tamagoyaki is made by layering and rolling thinly poured sheets of seasoned egg into a log, which is then sliced to reveal its luscious, layered interior. The term tamagoyaki is often used interchangeably with Atsuyaki Tamago (厚焼き玉子,) which means "thick grilled egg."
- Dashimaki Tamago (出汁巻き卵) - This variation means "dashi rolled egg," setting it apart from the standard Tamagoyaki through its inclusion of dashi stock. The terms Dashimaki Tamago and Tamagoyaki can be used interchangeably in Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto region. However, venture down to the Kansai region, and the distinction is keenly observed. A high ratio of dashi to egg gives Dashimaki Tamago a velvety texture that's intensely juicy and brimming with umami. Though incredibly tasty, its higher moisture and lower salt content make it less suitable for bento boxes due to spoilage concerns.
- High-End Sushi Restaurant Variant - At upscale sushi establishments, Tamagoyaki is enriched with pureed seafood, like fish and shrimp, and generous amounts of sugar. This luxurious version isn't cooked layer by layer. Instead, the entire mixture is poured into a square pan and cooked at a low temperature. The resulting omelette has a dense cake-like consistency, which is served as the grand finale of a traditional sushi meal.
Tamagoyaki Pan
Owning a specialized pan makes perfect sense in Japan, where Tamagoyaki is a staple of home cooking. But if you're not planning on making this dish multiple times a week, there's no reason to pick one up. Here are your pan options for making Tamagoyaki:
- Traditional Tamagoyaki Pan - If you're a purist, nothing beats a shallow, rectangular pan crafted from cast iron or copper. These materials are not just traditional; they offer superior heat conductivity, ensuring your Tamagoyaki cooks evenly without developing those dreaded brown spots. The downside is that they are not non-stick, so they can be difficult to work with if you don't have a lot of experience. You can pick one of these up on my online store.
- Non-Stick Tamagoyaki Pan - Most Japanese home cooks use budget-friendly non-stick aluminum pans. They're easier to handle, especially for Tamagoyaki novices, but you might compromise a tad on even heating. These pans offer a good balance of convenience and functionality.
- Round Frying Pan - If you're just venturing into the world of Tamagoyaki or don't see yourself making it frequently enough to justify a specialized pan, fret not! A good old round frying pan has got you covered. I've included instructions—and even a segment in the video—to show you how to accomplish beautiful Tamagoyaki using a regular round pan and some plastic wrap.
Ingredients
- Egg - Egg, or Tamago in Japanese, is the star of this Tamagoyaki recipe. I like using fresh eggs with large yolks, which contribute richness and color. If you want to make this recipe even more special, consider using eggs laid by hens fed a diet high in beta-carotene. This produces eggs with deep orange yolks, yielding a visually stunning Japanese omelette.
- Sugar - While Tamagoyaki isn't a dessert, sugar is used extensively in Japanese cuisine to soften salt's sharp taste and accentuate the umami in a dish. If you don't have evaporated cane sugar, regular granulated sugar or even a touch of honey will work. Some people like to use mirin to add the sweetness, but the egg doesn't get hot enough to evaporate all of the alcohol, so I don't recommend using mirin.
- Soy Sauce - Adding soy sauce to Tamagoyaki tends to discolor it, so many people only use salt to season it. I like the boost in umami that soy sauce provides, so my solution is to use Usukuchi soy sauce. This light-colored soy sauce seasons the Tamagoyaki without darkening its vibrant yellow hue. If usukuchi isn't available, you can use regular soy sauce, but just know that your rolled omelette will be a shade darker. For a gluten-free alternative, Tamari works well too.
- Salt - Unlike Western omelettes, which are eaten immediately, Tamagoyaki is often packed into bento boxes and taken to lunch. This is why ensuring your tamago is well-seasoned is important. This helps preserve the egg and turns it into Okazu (a savory side dish) that goes well with plain rice.
- Dashi - Some people like to add a little dashi to their Tamagoyaki for extra umami. This blurs the line with Dashimaki Tamago, which is why I don't add it to this type of Japanese omelette. If you do choose to add dashi, I recommend using dashi granules or a concentrate such as mentsuyu or shirodashi in place of the soy sauce.
- Mix Ins - Tamagoyaki can also be made with other ingredients sprinkled in between the layers such as green onions, nori, cheese, ham, carrot, etc.
How to Make Tamagoyaki
I think one of the reasons why Tamagoyaki has become such a staple of Japanese cuisine is because of how easy it is to make. Once you've made it a few times, you should be able to put one together in under five minutes. That being said, there are a few tricks, and the rolling can take a bit of practice to get right.
First, crack your large eggs into a bowl or a large cup with a spout. Using a spouted cup makes pouring the egg into the pan much easier, ensuring a smooth, even layer every time. Add your evaporated cane sugar, usukuchi soy sauce, and a pinch of salt to the eggs.
Beat the eggs together while minimizing the amount of air you incorporate. Overbeating injects excess air into the egg mixture, causing your Tamagoyaki to puff up, changing its texture.
Next, it's time to turn our attention to the pan. Preheat it over medium-low heat until it's warm enough to quickly set the egg, but not so hot that it will brown the egg before you have a chance to roll it. Pour the oil into the preheated pan and use a folded paper towel to spread it evenly, coating all surfaces, including the sides. This will keep the egg from sticking.
Pour a thin layer of the egg mixture into the pan, just enough to cover the bottom evenly. Let it cook until it's not runny on the surface but still slightly wet—this is the ideal stage to start rolling. Using chopsticks or a spatula, carefully roll the sheet of egg from one end to the other as tightly as possible. Rolling it tightly and pressing out any air with a spatula ensures the layers adhere well, eliminating any air pockets that could cause it to unravel once sliced. If you're using a round pan, fold the sides of the egg towards the center before rolling it. This will give your tamagoyaki a better shape. Repeat these steps until you've used up all the egg mixture.
You can serve the finished Tamagoyaki immediately by slicing it into 4-8 pieces, or if you plan to use it in a bento box lunch, I recommend letting it cool before you slice it.
If the shape of your tamagoyaki isn't perfect, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then press it into a rectangular mold as it cools to give it a nice shape.
Serve it With
The beauty of this Japanese omelette is its incredible versatility—it's equally at home in an elegant kaiseki spread as it is in a homemade bento box. To serve this as part of a traditional Japanese breakfast, I'd serve the Tamagoyaki with a bowl of Japanese short-grain rice, Miso Soup, and Japanese pickles. A side of Japanese Breakfast Salmon (shiozake) is a great way to add additional protein to your meal. To pack as a bento, Tamagoyaki goes great with Karaage, Chicken Teriyaki, or Miso Salmon, and you can pack it alongside a few Onigiri.
Other Tamago Recipes
- Datemaki
- Tamago Kake Gohan (Egg Over Rice)
- Usuyaki Tamago (Thin Omelette)
- Onsen Tamago
- Tamago Sando
- Omurice (omelette rice)
FAQ
Tamago (卵 or 玉子) is egg in Japanese. It does not refer to any particular dish.
When people in the West say "tamago" they're usually referring to Tamagoyaki (卵焼き), which is a Japanese rolled omelette that's usually made by seasoning beaten eggs with salt (or soy sauce) and sugar before cooking it into thin sheets that are then rolled up into a log.
Tamagoyaki is a 5-syllable name pronounced as follows (read the italicized parts).
ta like tonic
ma like mall
go like ghost
ya like yacht
ki like key
Technically, it wouldn't be tamagoyaki without eggs; however, I've devised a method of making a vegan tamagoyaki here.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons evaporated cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon usukuchi soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Break 4 large eggs into a bowl or large cup with a spout.
- Add 2 teaspoons evaporated cane sugar, ½ teaspoon usukuchi soy sauce, and ⅛ teaspoon salt to the eggs and beat them together while trying to minimize the air you incorporate into them.
- Preheat your pan over medium-low heat until it's hot.
- Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the pan and use a folded up paper towel to spread it around the pan, ensuring every surface of the pan (including the sides) are well oiled. You can use the oil-soaked paper towel to re-oil the pan if you find the eggs are starting to stick.
- Pour enough egg into the pan to evenly cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of egg, and swirl around to make an even layer. Let this cook until it's not runny on top anymore, but the egg is still wet.
- Carefully roll the egg from one end using chopsticks or a spatula. You want to roll it as tight as possible so that you don't have air pockets inside. Once you get the egg rolled, you can use a spatula to press the air out of the roll and help the layers adhere to each other.
- If you are using a round pan, fold the sides of the egg towards the center so that when you roll it, the egg ends up a consistent thickness.
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you run out of egg.
- If you used a round pan, or if the shape of your tamagoyaki didn't turn out well, you can turn the warm tamagoyaki out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and then wrap it tightly. As it cools, the egg will set into the desired shape.
- If you are serving your tamagoyaki immediately, you can cut it into 4-8 slices immediately. If you plan to include your tamagoyaki in a bento box, let it cool completely before slicing it.
N says
My go to recipe for tamagoyaki! The ingredient list is short without compromising the taste!
Marc Matsumoto says
Happy to hear it!
Isaak says
I knew if I follow your recipe my tamagoyaki will be a success. I was so pleased even with a round pan! I kinda panicked and didn't find the time to fold the sides but it still ended up nice and rectangular, I just sliced off the edges.
I get so overexcited when making Japanese food, it literally feeds my inner geek hah
Keep doing what you do! All the best
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! A few more times and you'll be able to make tamagoyaki in your sleep😉 You can do a lot with the base recipe. I made one with ham, herbs and cheese in between the layers a few weeks ago and it turned out like a frittata.
Amanda says
Just made this! Thank you for all the helpful tips. So tasty
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Amanda, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! You're welcome!
KamiNana says
Thank you for this! I've been looking for a simple recipe that didn't call for mirin or dashi...as I can't find either near me in my small American town. Again, thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi KamiNana, you're welcome! I live in Japan, but I don't add dashi or mirin to my tamagoyaki. The former usually gets added to Dashimaki Tamago which is technically a different dish, and I don't like adding mirin (or any alcohol) to my eggs because it won't fully burn off unless you really overcook the egg.
Chris Hammond says
Do you have any recommendation for keeping the egg yellow? I get a brown on them, always, whether I use medium, low, or super low heat. I've tried reducing the amount of sugar, and using various oils. I'm sure I could bake it, but I enjoy the tamagoyakiki I have. Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Chris, there are a couple of possibilities here. The first is that your burner is just too hot (even at it's lowest setting). If you have a heat diffuser you can put between the pan and the flame, that could help. You could also try to not preheat the pan quite as much and then work very quickly. If the pan is hot, you can start rolling almost immediately. It's a little tricker when the egg isn't fully set as it's more delicate, but I prefer rolling my tamagoyaki when it's a little raw in parts as it will set via residual heat and keeps the egg from getting chewy.
Katrin says
Hi Marc, thank you so much for this recipe. Whilst Tamagoyaki might sound "simple" I have not yet found a recipe that did not stick ( in non sticking pan), did not burn ( in non sticking pan!) nor teared apart whilst folding. I don´t know what you´re doing different but it works. I´m actually fan of your Hambāgu recipe coming back for years to your homepage everytime I´m cooking it. So this time I thought, if somebody knows how to make a decent Tamagoyaki then Marc. And my intuition was right. Thanks a bunch.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Katrin, most egg dishes seem pretty simple, but there are a few small things that can trip people up. I'm so glad to hear I was able to help you with your Tamagoyaki, thanks for stopping by to let me know!
Miranda says
Looks awesome! Your recipes are so detailed - I love the history and the rationale that you give to all of your recipes. They’re not only inspiring, they’re also educational and they make me hungry! I think this sets people like you - with a genuine interest in the dish and what goes into it - apart from “foodies” who want to eat the latest dishes so they can post about it. Ps I particularly liked this video and I like the energy. I get as excited when I talk about food. Keep it up!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Miranda, thanks so much for your kind comment. I'm so glad to hear you found this post helpful! As for the video, I can't help but get excited when geeking out about food😆 Have a great weekend!
Emily says
Well done, simple and easy to follow! We love Japanese food!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Emily! I have a ton of other Japanese recipes on here, so I hope you have a chance to check some others out.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment Sher, I hope you enjoy it!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jeremy, thanks for stopping by to let me know. I've received some negative feedback about the intros being too energetic so it's helpful to hear that there are people who have differing opinions. As for the tamagoyaki, people in Japan have varying tastes. In the south of Japan where I'm from, people tend to prefer tamagoyaki sweeter, but if that's not your cup of tea, feel free to cut back on the sugar. As for the salt, it's 1/8 teaspoon. If you feel like it's not salty enough, feel free to adjust to make it work for you.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Digisan, you're not the first to mention this, but for every comment negative comment I've gotten there's also been at least one positive comment about the "energy" so I honestly don't know what to make of it. I think there's probably a couple of things going on here. The first is that I'm genuinely excited to be sharing with you (and everyone else watching). I didn't fall into food blogging on accident and although every job has it's ups and downs, I'm still convinced its the best job in the world. The second is that I've been doing TV for the past few years and having directors beg me for more energy has subconsciously trained me to put out my best effort on camera. Also, if you are comparing to my early youtube videos when I was extremely nervous (like hands shaking, and feeling like I'm going to be sick), I've gotten a lot more comfortable in front of the camera.
Digisan says
Hi Marc, I totally understand, you can’t please everyone! I hope I didn’t come across as negative, I love your work and your site. I guess I’m just too much of a fan of the more natural school of presenting. The editing and framing of the videos is great by the way and the overall production quality is excellent. Anyway keep up the good work, I’ve learnt so much from you over the years.