Tamagoyaki is a Japanese omelette made of eggs mixed with salt and soy milk. The process to make this dish requires no special skills, making it an easy appetizer or side that goes well over rice!
Tamagoyaki (rolled egg or rolled omelette) is one of the popular egg dishes in Japanese home cooking, which is great for breakfast and obento boxes (lunch boxes).
Our kids love this egg dish.
Ingredients are simple, and how to make it is not complicated. You make thin layers, roll, and repeat the process. Once you finish the first layer and you will master it in no time!
- This recipe is for you if:
- You love Japanese food and Japanese egg dish
- You want to know how to make tamagoyaki
- You are looking for easy tamagoyaki recipe
- You want to make fluffy tamagoyaki
Do you want to learn how? If you want to check the recipe, jump to the recipe. Let's get started!
Jump to:
About this recipe
- Japanese egg dish
- Use 3 eggs
- Season with salt only
- Tips for extra fluffy and moist
What is Tamagoyaki?
First of all, let me explain what tamagoyaki is.
It's a classic Japanese egg dish which is called the rolled egg, or Japanese egg roll.
"Tamago" means egg, "yaki" means fry.
Season eggs, make a thin egg layer in a rectangular tamagoyaki pan, roll it, and repeat the steps several times. We make 3 layers in this recipe.
What does Tamagoyaki taste like?
In general, it tastes simple and savory, but some people like to add some sugar to make it sweet.
I like it simple so I only use salt as a seasoning in this recipe.
Helpful tips for making tamagoyaki
Here are some tips you can follow for a successful tamagoyaki.
- Strain egg through a sieve: Strain with a strainer 2 to 3 times. Even if this is an extra step, it will make finished tamagoyaki more bouncy and soft.
- Preheat the pan and spread the oil: Preheat the pan well and spread the oil with a paper towel to prevent the egg from sticking.
- Do not lower the heat from start to finish: Preheat on medium heat and cook on medium heat. If the heat is low, tamagoyaki will be thin because the egg will not rise. If you think the heat is a little strong, move your pan from the heat to cool it down.
- Do not cook too much: It will get dry if you overcook it. Roll it before completely cooked.
Special Tamagoyaki Pan
We use a special pan called tamagoyaki pan for making tamagoyaki, which is a rectangular pan like the picture above.
You can choose these types of pan.
- Nonstick tamagoyaki pan
- Iron tamagoyaki pan
- Copper tamagoyaki pan
If you are just starting out in the kitchen, I recommend a nonstick pan. It's so easy to use and cleaning up is also very simple.
Professional chefs at a high-end sushi restaurant use a copper pan for the extra fluffy results.
I use this iron pan: River light kiwami tamagoyaki pan (13cm x 18cm)
It is the perfect size for tamagoyaki with 3 eggs. The finished height is about the same as the pan. It cooks faster than the nonstick pan, and it is finished beautifully.
If you live in the US, this tamagoyaki pan is a nonstick pan and would be perfect for making this recipe.
How to make tamagoyaki in a round pan
If you don't have a tamagoyaki pan, you can use your small frying pan. I used to cook it with my 20cm round pan, and it's totally ok.
If you cook tamagoyaki in a round pan, the tamagoyaki edge will be round.
If you want to make a rectangular shape, you can fold the left and right ends a little and then roll it.
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).
- Eggs
- Salt: I use sea salt.
- Soy milk: I use unsweetened soy milk. You can substitute it with other milk or water. Adding soy milk will make tamagoyaki softer.
🔪Instructions
Ok, let me walk you through how to make it step by step. You can also watch this video.
- All ingredients in a bowl: Put eggs, soy milk, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Make egg mixture: Mix well by cutting chunks of egg white.
- Strain through a sieve: Strain the mixture through a sieve 2 to 3 times to make the mixture smooth.
- Tamagoyaki pan: Heat a tamagoyaki pan over medium heat, add oil and wipe off excess oil with a paper towel.
- First layer: Egg mixture is added in 3 times. Pour ⅓ of the egg mixture in an entire pan. If you see bubbles, poke with a chopstick to break them.
- First roll: When the surface is still soft and the bottom is cooked well, roll it 3 to 4 times from the front to the end of the pan and move to the front. It's ok if the first roll is a little messy, as you can recover later.
- Second layer: Add some oil if necessary, pour half of the egg mixture, lift the tamagoyaki and pour the mixture under the bottom. When the surface is almost cooked, roll it 3 to 4 times from the front and move to the front.
- Third layer: Repeat step 7.
Transfer tamagoyaki to a plate and tweak the shape with a paper towel or sushi mat if you have one.
The fluffy and thick tamagoyaki is ready! Let it cool down before cutting as it is still fragile right from the pan.
No rolling technique is required for tamagoyaki!
I use chopsticks to roll it but I recommend using a rubber spatula if you make it for the first time.
Storage
If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge and they will last for 3 days.
Types of Tamagoyaki
There are two main types of tamagoyaki: Atsuyaki tamago and Dashimaki tamago.
Atsuyaki Tamago
The most basic and common tamagoyaki is called Atuyaki tamago, and if we say tamagoyaki, generally refers to Atsuyaki tamago.
In this recipe, I'm showing the most simple Atuyaki tamago but there are so many ways to make it.
Variations of seasoning:
- Sugar
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Mirin
- Mayonaise
I like simple taste tamagoyaki with only salt, but some people like sweet tamagoyaki with sugar. If you add sugar, it will burn easily, so It's better to cook quickly.
Variations of filling:
These are my favorite fillings.
- Scallion
- Tuna
- Tofu
- Hijiki seaweed
- Nori seaweed
- Edamame
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Potato
- Cheese
If you like the ideas of filling, here are some recipes you can try.
Dashimaki tamago
Dashimaki tamago is a type of tamagoyaki that uses dashi (Japanese stock).
It's more fluffy, and softer than Atuyaki tamago because of the higher liquid content.
You can make dashi stock from the scratch like this Awase dashi (bonito flakes and kombu) recipe, otherwise, it's easy to use dashi powder.
How to make it is the same as Atsuyaki tamago.
Dashimaki tamago recipe:
- 3 Eggs
- ⅓ teaspoon Dashi powder
- ¼c (60ml) Water or milk of your choice
- 1 teaspoon Soy sauce
Thanks for Stopping By
Does this basic tamagoyaki look delicious? It's fluffy and just good. And the seasoning is simple, so you won't get tired of eating it every day.
I hope you like the recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe(or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!
Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes include vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
More Tamagoyaki Recipes You Might Like
📖 Recipe
The Best Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette)
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 3 Eggs, 150g
- 2 tablespoon Soy Milk, 30g
- 3 pinch of Salt, 1g
- Oil for cooking
Instructions
- Make egg mixture: Put eggs, soy milk, and salt in a bowl and mix well by cutting chunks of egg white.
- Strain through a sieve: Strain the mixture through a sieve 2 to 3 times.
- Prepare a pan: Heat a Japanese omelette pan over medium heat, add oil and wipe off excess oil with a paper towel.
- First layer: The egg mixture is added in 3 times. Pour ⅓ of the egg mixture in an entire pan, and when the surface is still soft and the bottom is cooked well, roll it 3 to 4 times from the back and move to the back.
- Second layer: Add some oil if necessary, pour half of the egg mixture, lift the tamagoyaki and pour the mixture under the bottom. When the surface is almost cooked, roll it 3 to 4 times from the back and move to the back.
- Third layer: Repeat step 5.
Video
Notes
- Equipment: Japanese tamaoyaki pan (13 x 18cm/5.1 x 7.1 inch)
- Storage: It will last for 3 days in the fridge.
- Substitute: You can substitute soy milk with your favorite milk, such as oat milk and almond milk.
- Servings: This recipe will make 6 to 7 slices.
Leave a Reply