Japanese Tamago Egg

4.7
(41)

Tamago is a Japanese rolled omelet, also known as tamagoyaki. The omelet is sweet, has a light texture, and works well when served over sushi rice with soy and wasabi sauce for dipping.

A plate of sliced Japanese tamago egg
21
21
21
21
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Servings:
6

This top-rated tamago recipe seems intimidating, but it’s surprisingly easy to make at home! 

What Is Tamago?

Tamago (a.k.a. tamagoyaki) is a Japanese omelet. It’s made by rolling together thin layers of fried eggs, then slicing the log into rectangles. Since the egg is mixed with dashi, sugar, and mirin, the finished product has a complex and subtly sweet flavor. Tamago is traditionally served for breakfast or as a sushi ingredient. 

Tamago Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this tamago recipe: 

  • Eggs: Four eggs will make about six servings. 
  • Dashi stock: You can use store-bought dashi stock or make your own at home.
  • Sugar: Sweeten things up with a tablespoon of white sugar. 
  • Mirin: Mirin (Japanese sweet wine) adds a blend of sweetness and umami. 
  • Soy sauce: Salty soy sauce lends savory flavor. 
  • Oil: Use vegetable oil to cook the tamago in a skillet. 

How to Make Tamago

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below – but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make tamago at home: 

  1. Beat the eggs, then whisk in the remaining ingredients (except the oil). 
  2. Follow the detailed instructions in Step 3 to cook and form the rolled omelet. 
  3. Cut into six equal pieces to serve. 

Tip from recipe creator Pokerman11: It is best to use a tamago pan, which is a 5x7-inch square nonstick frying pan, but any small pan will work — you just won't have square ends on your finished omelet.

How to Store Tamago

Enjoy the homemade tamago right away or freeze it for up to two weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“This was a great recipe,” according to one Allrecipes community member. “I did not have the dashi, so I substituted with chicken broth and a splash of seasoned rice wine vinegar. It was great.”

“So yummy and easy,” raves NicholeB. “I used a round skillet and it worked great. Probably not as pretty, but tasted fantastic.”

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • 4 eggs

  • 1/4 cup prepared dashi stock

  • 1 tablespoon white sugar

  • 1 teaspoon mirin (Japanese sweet wine)

  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil, or more as needed

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Ingredients to make Japanese tamago egg

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Beat eggs thoroughly in a bowl; whisk in dashi stock, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce until sugar has dissolved. Lightly grease a nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat.

    A glass measuring cup with whisked eggs with mirin, sugar, soy sauce, and dashi stock

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Pour a thin layer of egg mixture into the hot pan and swirl to coat the pan. Cook until egg layer is firm on the bottom but still slightly liquid on top, about 1 minute.

    An oiled nonstick omelet pan with a thin layer of egg mixture

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. Then lift up one edge using a spatula and roll up the egg layer.

    A spatula rolling up a thin layer of cooked egg in a greased omelet pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Push omelet roll to one side of the skillet. Oil the skillet again and pour in another thin layer of egg, lifting the first omelet roll up slightly to allow the egg to flow underneath.

    A rolled up omelet at the end of an omelet pan, with more egg mixture in the pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  6. Roll up the first omelet in the new layer of egg and push omelet to the edge of the skillet as before.

    A rolled omelet in a greased omelet pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  7. Repeat the process with the remaining egg mixture, oiling the pan each time if needed.

    A rolled omelet in an omelet pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. Remove rolled omelet to a serving platter and cut into 6 equal pieces to serve.

    A rolled Japanese tamago egg omelet on a cutting board, being cut into slices

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Recipe Tips

It is best to use a tamago pan, a 5x7-inch square nonstick frying pan, but any small pan will work — you just won't have square ends on your finished omelet.

Mirin is a sweet rice wine, and dashi is a Japanese soup stock made from kelp or shiitake. These ingredients are now carried in most larger grocery stores or at Asian markets.

100 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

63 Calories
4g Fat
3g Carbs
4g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 63
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 124mg 41%
Sodium 87mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 4g 9%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 60mg 1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.