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Tamago sando (Japanese egg salad sandwich)

卵サンド · Soft milk-bread sandwiches with creamy egg salad

Every Japanese convenience store fridge holds a row of tamago sando, and Tokyo coffee shops (kissaten) have served them with morning coffee for decades. The filling is egg salad made rich with Japanese-style mayonnaise and a little milk, spread thickly between crustless slices of soft milk bread and cut into neat rectangles. Make them for a picnic, a lunchbox or a lazy breakfast. The usual mistake is overboiling the eggs: past 10 minutes the yolks go dry with a grey ring, and the salad loses its soft, sunny colour. Chef's tip: chop the whites finely but mash the yolks into the mayonnaise first, so the filling is creamy with little bouncy flecks of white.
Total time
20 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
2
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Ingredients

Serves2

For the egg salad

For the sandwiches

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Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Lower 4 eggs into boiling water and simmer for 9 minutes, then move them straight into iced water until cold.

    12 min
  2. Step 2: Peel the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Mash the yolks in a bowl with 3 tbsp Japanese-style mayonnaise, 1 tbsp milk, ½ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp salt, 1 pinch white pepper and ½ tsp English mustard until smooth.

  3. Step 3: Chop the whites finely and fold them into the yolk mixture. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.

  4. Step 4: Spread ½ oz butter thinly over one side of each slice of 4 slices Japanese milk bread or soft white bread; it stops the bread going soggy.

  5. Step 5: Spread the egg salad thickly over two slices, mounding it a little in the middle, and close with the other slices. Press gently.

  6. Step 6: Wrap in cling film and chill for 10 minutes so they firm up, then cut off the crusts with a sharp knife and cut each sandwich in half.

    10 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
470 kcal
Protein
18 g
Carbs
30 g
Fat
30 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does tamago sando (Japanese egg salad sandwich) take?
About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of eggs?
1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
What can I use instead of milk?
Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).

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Perfect for:Picnic & travel