Keto Ramen Eggs: Japanese Ajitsuke Tamago

I have always loved eggs and these keto ramen eggs are no exception! During the years we lived in Japan, I was overjoyed at how plentiful eggs were. You can buy them in tiny packets (boiled and pre-salted) from the convenience store, they appear in daily bento lunches and are served as a topping on all manner of foods; most especially my beloved ramen.

It’s no surprise then, that ramen eggs were a staple of my diet in Japan. In Japanese these marinated eggs are known as ajitsuke tamago (味付け玉子, seasoned egg) or shoyu tamago (醤油卵, soy sauce egg).

These keto ramen eggs are packed with flavor and have an incredible texture when cooked perfectly, with a jammy yolk hidden in the middle. The best thing is, they are super easy to prepare, leave in the fridge and have on hand for snacking.

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Perfect timing

Key to this dish is the ideal boiling time for the eggs. Boil the eggs for exactly 7 minutes before dumping them into ice-cold water and you’ll be left with beautifully boiled eggs; which still have a gummy, slightly runny middle.

Pell gently

Peeling the eggs can be the most daunting part of the whole process. Because the eggs are only soft boiled, they are much more delicate to work with and can break easily. After soaking in the ice-cold water for 2 minutes, gently peel the eggs with care.

Tip: Use a freezer bag

To avoid staining your kitchenware, place the eggs inside a sealable freezer bag (like these) with the marinade and then sit it all inside a bowl or container to hold them up. It helps seal in the smell and contains the color!

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Marinade time

You can leave the eggs for as little as 2 hours, for a gentle soy flavor or for a few days for a stronger saltier flavor. The most I would personally leave them is two days, as the flavor is pronounced. Once you’ve removed the eggs, you can reuse the marinade again!

How to eat Keto Ramen Eggs

I love these keto ramen eggs as a snack on their own with a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi (my all-time favorite Japanese spice mixture), sesame seeds or black pepper on top. They also pair well with some grilled salmon for a Japanese-style breakfast, on top of a salad or as the crowning glory on top of a keto ramen.

Ingredient Notes

Japanese marinades can differ and call for many different ingredients such as soy sauce, mirin, tamari, rice vinegar, sake and sugar. To keep this recipe keto-friendly, I’ve switched some of these ingredients out for low carb alternatives.

Tamari is an amazing soy sauce alternative, with much the same flavor profile. It is also made of fermented soybeans, but lacks the presence of wheat that soy sauce has. This makes it a great gluten-free alternative too!

Rice vinegar has a delicate and mild flavor. It comes in many varieties, so it’s important to choose a plain one which contains zero carbs (this one is my favorite!) Avoid seasoned rice vinegars as they have plenty of additives with carbs to match.

Shichimi Togarashi is my favorite Japanese spice blend and is lovely when sprinkled on top of these eggs. It’s totally optional, but I put it on top of pretty much everything; so highly recommend having it in the pantry!

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Keto Ramen Eggs: Japanese Ajitsuke Tamago

Servings 4 eggs

Ingredients

4 fresh eggs
3 tbsp tamari see ingredient notes above
3 tbsp rice vinegar see ingredient notes above
3 tbsp water
ice cubes
artificial sweetener to taste, optional
sesame seeds for serving
shichimi togarashi for serving

Instructions

Fill a pot (large enough for the eggs) with water and bring it to the boil.
While the water is warming up, take a resealable freezer bag, open it wide and sit it inside a bowl for support. Put equal portions of tamari, rice vinegar and water inside the bag and stir until well combined. If you’d like to add some sweetness, add your preferred artificial sweetener to taste.
Once the water in the pot is boiling, gently lower the eggs into the water and boil for exactly 7 minutes.
While the water is boiling, prepare a bowl of ice water. When the eggs have are finished, remove from the boiling water and place them straight into the ice water. This will stop them from cooking.
Let the eggs sit in the ice water for 2 minutes, before gently peeling the eggs. This can be delicate as the yolks are still runny.
Once the eggs are peeled, gently place them inside the bag with the tamari mixture. Arrange them in the bowl until they are submerged in the mixture, seal the bag and place in the fridge.
Let the eggs marinade in the mixture for 2 hours (for a gentle flavor) to 2 days (for a stronger flavor).
Remove the eggs from the bag. The marinade can be used again if you wish. Serve the eggs with a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi, sesame seeds or black pepper on top.