Marinated Soft Boiled Eggs (2024)

The perfect addition to any piping hot bowl of ramen or spicy noodles, Marinated Soft Boiled Eggs add flavour and texture. The velvety consistency of that golden yellow yolk offers a touch of creaminess and smoothness to soups and noodles. Try chopping a couple of these eggs over steamed rice too!

Boiled eggs – whether they be hard-boiled or soft-boiled – have to be one of the simplest and most humble of foods, yet to me, they scream comfort. We stock our fridge with hard-boiled eggs quite often so that we can have one as a quick snack or quickly make an egg salad sandwich on occasion. But, these Marinated Soft Boiled Eggs are meant to be savoured and enjoyed. I’m sure you could eat one as a snack, but I think they’re too special for that. Make them a part of a meal like you see here!

I know that are many people out there who screw up their noses at a slightly undercooked yolk, but I’m not one of them. Even when it comes to scrambled eggs, I prefer it if there is just a little trace of undercooked eggs scattered throughout. John.e is the complete opposite. He likes the yolk to be completely set. However, I did convince him to try one of these eggs on top of some steamed rice with broccoli and he enjoyed it.

If you think that the yolks in these eggs are runny like a breakfast-style soft-boiled egg, you’re wrong. Unlike a soft-boiled breakfast egg where the yolk is still runny and can be used to dip one’s toast into, a marinated soft-boiled egg is different. The yolk isn’t as runny; it has more of a gel consistency. Think of it as a soft, smooth jam or jelly that can be smeared rather than poured. I hope that makes sense!

DID YOU EAT SOFT-BOILED EGGS AS A CHILD?

Was a soft-boiled egg a part of your childhood breakfast? It wasn’t a regular part of my breakfast. In fact, I can’t ever remember eating breakfast before going to school. I honestly can’t! My mom never prepared even cereal for us. We basically dressed, brushed our teeth, downed a glass of water, and were out the door.

But, I can remember still the soft-boiled eggs that I would eat almost every time I would visit my grandfather (my mom’s dad) whenever we visited Woodstock, Newfoundland. I can’t remember who made the eggs, but I was addicted to the taste of homemade bread with butter, a cup of tea with milk and sugar, and of course, a soft-boiled egg with a very yolky center!

There was a period of time when my family relocated from Middle Arm (my dad’s hometown) back to Woodstock. I was in grade four at the time. Come to think of it, when we lived there, my grandfather had already passed away, so the memories of soft-boiled eggs at his home would have been sometime around grade one.

And that homemade bread I’m talking about – I’m pretty sure that was my Aunt Donna’s doing. I loved my mom’s homemade bread, but my Aunt Donna made the best bread I can ever remember eating! It might have something to do with the fact that she would buy the brand name Cheese Whiz, unlike the knock-off brand my parents used to buy. (Yes, Cheese Whiz! I still love it so much I can’t buy it because I have no self-control!)

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Eggs – I prepared a dozen eggs in this batch. If you prefer to make less, you can halve all of the ingredients listed below.
• Vinegar – White vinegar is best here.
• Water
• Soy Sauce – To prevent overly salty marinated eggs, use low-sodium soy sauce.
• Mirin– This is a type of rice wine. You can use white wine if you don’t have mirin.
• Dark Soy Sauce– This adds flavour and colour.
• Sesame Oil– A little bit goes a long way in terms of flavour, but I can’t imagine these eggs without it!

HOW TO MAKE MARINATED SOFT-BOILED EGGS

Using a pan or pot with a large surface, fill it with two inches of water. Add the vinegar. (You will want to use a pan or pot large enough so that 12 eggs can sit in the pan in a single layer.) Over high heat, bring the water and vinegar mixture to a boil. Once boiling, carefully add the eggs directly from the fridge. The eggs should not be at room temperature! Boil the eggs for 7 minutes.

Use a rubber spoon or spatula to gently stir the eggs in a clockwise manner for 30 seconds. (These 30 seconds are included in the 7 minutes of boiling time.) After the 7 minutes have passed, transfer the eggs into an ice bath (A large bowl of very cold ice water.) to cool.

In the meantime, add the remaining ingredients to a large resealable bag. Once the eggs are cool to the touch, peel them and transfer them to the bag with the marinade ingredients. Push as much air as possible out of the bag and seal it. Refrigerate and marinate the eggs for a minimum of 24 hours. The eggs can be stored refrigerated in the marinade for up to 3 days. After that, remove any leftover eggs from the marinade and transfer them to a food-safe container with a lid. Those can be refrigerated for another 2-3 days.

HOW TO EASILY PEEL BOILED EGGS

The addition of the vinegar to the water the eggs are boiled in will help to break down the hard shell, which in turn, makes it easier to peel the shell away from the egg. That helps, but there are other things you can do to make peeling an egg easier. Ensuring that you immediately transfer the eggs to ice-cold water will help as well.

You will want to gently, yet firmly, tap the egg on a hard surface to crack the shell. I like to use a cutting board and I tap the entire surface of the egg on the board, turning the egg as I go. The more the shell is shattered, the easier it will be to remove. Next, the pointy end of the egg always has a small air bubble. Start peeling from that end. Breaking the shell open at that end also breaks the membrane which acts as a barrier between the shell and the egg itself.

If all else fails, find an opening, somewhere on the cracked egg where the shell has separated. Gently insert a teaspoon, upside down, pushing it gently against the egg, while sliding it along the egg and under the shell. This should help to remove the shell quite easily and quickly. As a rule of thumb, any eggs that are just too stubborn end up being mashed or chopped to make these Irish Egg Salad Sandwiches, so it’s a win, not a loss!

WAYS TO SERVE MARINATED SOFT-BOILED EGGS

It’s a given that these eggs will pair well with ramen or any other Asian-inspired noodle dish. As you can see in the photographs, I topped a bowl of Momof*cku-brand ramen noodles with fresh green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a spoonful of spicy chili crunch oil. I tell you, Dear Reader, I completely devoured that entire meal as soon as the last photo was taken!

There are other ways to use these eggs outside of ramen or on a bowl of steamed rice as I mentioned previously. I would consider adding one of the eggs to a serving of this Spicy Potsticker Soup, and most certainly to this delicious Sweet and Sour Tofu meal! Pair it with this Glazed Pork Belly or this Garlic Sesame Lo Mein!