Japanese Egg Sandwich (Tamago Sando) たまごサンド

Egg salad tucked between slices of white bread, Japanese egg sandwich or Tamago Sando is a timeless snack you can find in every convenience store in Japan. The filling is creamy and bursting with a rich egg yolk flavor and the bread is soft and pillowy. Some claim it’s the best egg sandwich they ever tasted. 

Sandwiches are not a new thing in the world of Japanese cuisine, but they seem to be having their moment right now. One particular sandwich that makes it to international stardom, which honestly took me by surprise, is Tamago Sando (たまごサンド).

It is basically the grab-and-go Japanese egg sandwich that is sold everywhere at conbini/ the convenience stores in Japan. Have you tried it before?

I finally understood its popularity when I found out the legendary Anthony Bourdain glorified Tamago Sando over Twitter. “Inexplicable Deliciousness” were his words.

Watch How to Make Japanese Egg Sandwich (Tamago Sando)

Egg salad tucked between slices of white bread, Japanese egg sandwich or Tamago Sando is a timeless snack you can find in every convenience store in Japan.

 

What is Tamago Sando?

Tamago (たまご) means eggs and Sando is a short for San-doh- itchi (サンドイッチ) – sandwich in Japanese. You probably heard of both words from Onsen Tamago, Tamagoyaki, Tamagotchi (the nostalgic toy!), and Katsu Sando or Wanpaku Sando from my blog.

The egg sandwich is pretty much a homey snack to the Japanese because we all grow up eating it. It is modest, low maintenance, convenience store sort of food. I don’t exactly know when Tamago Sando became so popular internationally, but I’ve been seeing it on the menu of trendy cafes and restaurants in the U.S.

Even Just One Cookbook readers tell me how much they miss the egg sandwich from 7-Eleven and Lawson convenience stores in Japan. Only $2 for each sandwich! You can’t beat that.

What’s the Difference between American and Japanese Egg Sandwich?

In comparison with American-style egg sandwich, Japanese egg sandwich is a lot simpler. Usually just mashed boiled eggs between the bread. There is no spices, lettuce, or anything extra. It’s as pure as an egg salad sandwich can get. I actually do like the American-style egg salad sandwich too and I’d say both versions have their own unique flavors. So what’s all the fuss about Japanese egg salad sandwich? I think you can say it stands out because of these characteristics:

1. Shokupan – Japanese Pullman Bread

Tamago Sando always uses soft and pillowy Shokupan, Japanese Pullman. The sandwich bread is sweet, milky with a nice bounce, and the crust around the Pullman is completely removed so you get the perfect soft texture of a sandwich.

2. Mayonnaise

And of course, the mayo. Tamago Sando uses Japanese mayonnaise (with Kewpie mayo being the most recognizable) which gives the egg filling an extra tang and creaminess. If needed, you can use American mayonnaise, but the flavor complexity can be quite different. Many Just One Cookbook readers told me that they won’t go back to American mayonnaise after trying Japanese mayo. If you get a chance, it’s worth grabbing a bottle of Japanese mayonnaise at your local Asian grocery stores (available on Amazon too).

3. Eggs

Needless to say, eggs are the main ingredients in the egg salad sandwich, and the taste of eggs totally shines through. There is something about Japanese eggs. They are fresh and the york is almost orange, and they are so darn delicious. In the US, you can certainly procure some quality eggs from your local farmers market or good quality free range eggs.

The Secrets to Making Perfect Tamago Sando At Home

I want to throw in a few cooking secrets to make perfect tamago sando at home. You may think 7-Eleven egg sandwich is perfect, but if you look at the label on the sandwich, the ingredients are full of preservatives. To make the truly perfect and healthy homemade Japanese egg sandwich at home, here are my tips:

• Use older but quality eggs, not the freshest eggs, if you want to peel the shells easily.
• Use soft white bread if you can’t find Shoukupan, Japanese Pullman bread.
• Add milk for a creamy and smooth texture
• Don’t be afraid to add salt. For a simple dish like this, salt plays an important role in bringing out the flavors.
• If you want your sandwich to taste very much like the 7-Eleven version, add a tiny bit of sugar for some sweetness. Otherwise, you can skip.
• Don’t skip the butter. It acts as a waterproof barrier so the bread stays dry, not soggy.

If you are used to eating the 7-Eleven egg sandwich in Japan, this homemade recipe will make you very happy. It is good with coffee or tea, but even better if you enjoy it with a cup of royal milk tea.

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Japanese Egg Sandwich (Tamago Sando)

Egg salad tucked between slices of white bread, Japanese egg sandwich (Tamago Sando) is a grab-and-go snack you can find in every convenience store in Japan. The filling is creamy and bursting with a rich egg yolk flavor and the bread is soft and pillowy. 

• 3 large eggs
• 4 slices Shokupan (Japanese pullman loaf bread)
• salted butter

Seasonings

• ¼ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt (kosher or sea salt; use half if using table salt)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp milk
• 2 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise

1. Gather all the ingredients.
   

To Make Egg Salad

1. Put the eggs in a medium saucepan and pour water till it covers the eggs. Bring it to boil on medium heat and once boiling, cook for 12 minutes.
   

2. Once finish cooking, transfer the eggs to iced water to stop cooking. Let cool completely and peel the egg shells.

   

3. Transfer the peeled eggs in a bowl and mash with a fork. Try to mash egg whites into small, same-size pieces.
   
4. Add ¼ tsp sugar and ¼ tsp salt.
   
5. Add freshly ground black pepper and 2 tsp milk. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
   
6. Add 2 Tbsp mayonnaise and mix very well.
   

To Assemble Tamago Sando

1. Spread the butter on both sides of bread and evenly distribute the egg salad on one side of the bread.

   

2. Put the other slice of bread on top and place the sandwich between two plates. Set aside for 5 minutes.
   

3. Cut all sides of crusts off the bread.

   

4. Cut the sandwich in half and ready to serve.
   

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

 

Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.