Lightly sweet yet savory, Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette) is flavored with dashi stock and makes a delightful Japanese breakfast or side dish for your bento lunches.
Tamagoyaki (卵焼き or 玉子焼き) is a sweetened Japanese omelette that resembles mini bars of golden pillows. With a slightly sweet taste and custardy texture, tamagoyaki is well-loved amongst Japanese children and adults alike. You’ve most likely tasted the rolled eggs as part of a Japanese-style breakfast or as a side dish in a bento (Japanese lunch box) or atop sushi. Let’s learn how to make tamagoyaki today!
Table of contents
What is Tamagoyaki?
In Japanese, tamago means egg and yaki means grill, so tamagoyaki literally translates to ‘grilled egg’. This classic dish is made by rolling together thin omelettes in a frying pan, folding them into a layered log, and then sliced into pillows. It has a light sweet taste, thanks to flavoring the egg mixture with mirin, sugar, and dashi.
The rolled egg can look deceivingly difficult to make because of the artful presentation, but it’s not an impossible task for home cooks like you and me.
In fact, it is a staple in Japanese home cooking. We love the eggy goodness so much that we even invest in a special pan just for making tamagoyaki at home! My children adore tamagoyaki so I make it regularly for their bento box.
How to Make Tamagoyaki
To make a basic tamagoyaki, you first beat the eggs just like you would with a regular American-style omelette. Then season the whisked eggs with sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt before pouring a thin layer of the egg mixture into a pan to cook. Once the bottom of the egg mixture is set, roll it up in multiple thin layers until the egg looks like a thick log. Finally, shape the egg and slice it into thick pieces for serving.
The great thing about making Japanese rolled omelette at home is that you have the flexibility to experiment and be creative with the shapes and fillings. You can also add other ingredients such as seaweed, cheese, veggies, salmon flakes (picture above), and meat into tamagoyaki to change up the flavors.
The recipe that I am sharing today is called Dashimaki Tamago (だし巻き玉子) because of the addition of dashi. It’s fluffy, moist, and deeply flavorful.
Helpful Tips on Making the Best Tamagoyaki at Home
Tamagoyaki might require some practice to get right, but it’s something you will get better at each time you cook it. Here are a few helpful tips:
- The ratio of dashi to eggs – When we add dashi into the egg mixture, it enhances the overall flavor and texture, but the liquid does make the cooking trickier. I used 3 tablespoons of dashi to make it easier for everyone to try. As a rule of thumb, 1 tablespoon of dashi per egg is a good ratio, but you can definitely add more once you’re better at it.
- Do not worry about the first few rolls. The inner rolls do not need to be neat at all, as you will keep rolling more layers on top. The first few rolls are the center of the tamagoyaki, so even if the layers are not perfectly lined up, do not worry!
- Do not skip oiling the pan. I know you want to use less oil. Me, too! However, make sure you coat the pan with oil very well. You don’t want your egg mixture to stick to the pan – even for a non-stick pan.
- Wait till the pan is completely heated up. Test the temperature of the pan with a small amount of the egg mixture. You need to see the egg sizzle to confirm the pan is hot enough.
- Don’t turn off the heat; instead, move the pan away from the heat source. Keep your heat at medium at all times. We need to quickly roll up the thin omelette layer before it’s completely cooked, so there is no time to adjust the heat. The best way to control the heat is to move the pan closer and away from the stove.
It’s also important to find the right ratio of each seasoning, creating a balance between sweet and savory. If you like, adjust the amount of sugar and salt until it suits your taste.
Tamagoyaki Pan
A typical Japanese kitchen has one set of tamagoyaki pan because we commonly enjoy the rolled omelette for breakfast and bento. It’s either square or rectangular so the tamagoyaki will turn into a rectangular shape easily.
I used to use a non-stick T-fal Tamagoyaki pan (right on the picture below) but I switched to a 15 cm (roughly 6 inches) copper tamagoyaki pan (Silver Arrow/Endo Shoji brand) and I love it. Both of my tamagoyaki pans were purchased at TokyuHands in Japan.
I personally recommend the copper tamagoyaki pan (nickel coating inside). The copper transfers heat so easily, and my egg never sticks to the pan (you will still need to grease the pan). The pan is very light that you can move the pan easily while cooking.
Can I Use Round Frying Pan for Tamagoyaki?
My answer is yes! You don’t need a special tamagoyaki pan as long as you are not aiming for the classic shape. A tamagoyaki pan definitely helps to make the rolled omelette into a nice thick rectangular log; but a round frying pan will work just fine. You will see both methods demonstrated in my cooking video and the step-by-step pictures in the recipe below.
I recommend using a 9 or 10-inch non-stick frying pan for a thicker tamagoyaki. In the recipe below, I used my 12-inch pan which works as well.
As you can see with the result, it will be flatter when your frying pan is bigger. If you only have a 12-inch pan, you can solve the issue by doubling the recipe. If you don’t mind the shape too much, then don’t worry about it.
Now, if you’re concerned about non-stick coating, I recommend using a carbon steel pan. However, please remember that you will need to control the amount of heat by lifting the pan from the stove and a heavy skillet would be challenging.
I’ve tried using stainless-steel or cast-iron frying pan for tamagoyaki, but without adding a lot of oil, I haven’t been successful. Since I don’t like my tamagoyaki too oily, I steer away from using stainless steel or cast iron. For most of my cooking, I refrain from using non-stick cookware, but it is easier to make tamagoyaki with a non-stick pan.
Easy Tamagoyaki for Beginners
If you’re a beginner cook or prefer to take a shortcut, you can try my Quick & Easy Tamagoyaki recipe which takes only 3 minutes to make! It’s perfect to make just one tamagoyaki for your meal or bento box.
Differences Between Tamagoyaki, Atsuyaki Tamago, and Dashimaki Tamago
There are actually a few versions of tamagoyaki in Japanese cuisine, which can be confusing.
In general, you can find atsuyaki tamago (厚焼き玉子) and dashimaki tamago (だし巻き卵). Each variation uses slightly different ingredients, varying ratios of seasonings, and cooking methods, but sometimes the names are interchangeable.
When Japanese people say tamagoyaki, it typically refers to rolled egg or rolled omelette in broad term. Atsuyaki tamago refers to a thick grilled omelette, but we usually just call it tamagoyaki. The texture of astuyaki tamago is firm and dense, and it’s much easier to make.
On the other hand, dashimaki tamago (出し巻き卵) refers to rolled egg which includes dashi (Japanese soup stock). In the Kanto region (Tokyo area), dashimaki is also called tamagoyaki. However, in the Kansai region (Osaka area), these two rolled eggs are considered totally separate dishes. The main difference lies in the use of dashi, which results in a much more refined, juicy, silky, and flavorful rolled egg. At high-end sushi restaurants, they use an even higher amount of dashi and sugar and sometimes by mixing seafood into the egg mixture. You’d get a really flavorful and elegant egg dish that is served toward the end of a sushi course.
Compared to astuyaki tamago, dashimaki tamago is a lot softer due to the higher liquid content in the egg mixture. You can easily tell both versions of tamagoyaki apart by the textures and flavors, but both are delicious in their own way.
More Tamago (Egg) Recipes
- Onsen Tamago (Japanese Hot Spring Eggs)
- Hanjuku Tamago (Perfect Soft-Boiled Eggs)
- Omurice (Japanese Omelette Rice)
- Tamago Sando (Japanese Egg Sandwich)
- Ajitsuke Tamago (Ramen Egg)
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Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette)
Video
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
For the Seasonings
- 3 Tbsp dashi (Japanese soup stock) (use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce (use GF soy sauce for gluten-free)
- 1 tsp mirin
- 2 pinches Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For Cooking
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil
- 1½ sheets nori (dried laver seaweed) (optional; see Method 2 below)
For the Garnish
- 3 oz daikon radish (1 inch, 2.5 cm; use the sweeter, greenish part near the top of the radish)
- soy sauce (use GF soy sauce for gluten-free)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- In a bowl, gently whisk 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell). It‘s best to “cut“ the eggs with chopsticks in a zig-zag motion; do not overmix.
- In another bowl, combine the seasonings: 3 Tbsp dashi (Japanese soup stock), 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp mirin, and 2 pinches Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Mix well.
- Pour the seasonings mixture into the eggs and whisk gently to combine. Then, pour the mixture into a measuring cup with a spout and handle so that it‘ll be easier to pour into the frying pan. Next, I‘ll show you how to make your omelette in either a tamagoyaki pan or a round frying pan.
(Method 1) To Cook in a Tamagoyaki Pan
- Heat the pan over medium heat. Then, dip a folded paper towel in 2 Tbsp neutral oil and apply a thin layer of oil to the pan. To check if the pan is hot enough, put a drop of the egg mixture in the pan. When you hear a sizzling sound, the pan is ready.
- Pour a thin layer of the egg mixture into the pan, quickly tilting the pan so that the egg mixture coats the entire cooking surface.
- Poke any air bubbles to release the air. After the bottom of the egg has set but is still soft on top, start rolling the egg into a log shape from one side to the other, starting from the far side of the pan and rolling toward the pan handle.
- Move the rolled omelette to the far side of the pan where you started to roll, and apply more oil to the pan with a paper towel, even under the omelette.
- Pour in a thin layer of the egg mixture to just cover the bottom of the pan again. Make sure to lift the omelette to spread the mixture underneath.
- When the new layer of egg has set and is still soft on top, start rolling it from one side to the other.
- Move the rolled omelette to the side where you started to roll and apply more oil to the pan with a paper towel, even under the omelette.
- Pour in a thin layer of the egg mixture to just cover the bottom of the pan again. Make sure to lift the omelette to spread the mixture underneath.
- When the new layer of egg has set and is still soft on top, start rolling it from one side to the other.
- Repeat the process. This is now the third round.
- This is the fourth round. Pour in more egg mixture and make sure it thinly coats the bottom of the pan, including under the rolled omelette.
- Continue rolling it into a log shape. Tip: Control the temperature of the pan by lifting the frying pan rather than adjusting the stove heat. If the heat is too weak, the egg will stick to the frying pan, so be careful.
- This is the fifth round.
- This is the sixth and final round.
- You can brown the omelette a little bit.
- Remove it from the pan and place the omelette on a bamboo sushi mat. While it’s still hot, roll up the omelette in the bamboo mat to help set its shape. Let it stand for 5 minutes.
(Method 2) To Cook in a Round Frying Pan
- Heat the pan over medium heat. Then, dip a folded paper towel in 2 Tbsp neutral oil and apply a thin layer of oil to the pan. To check if the pan is hot enough, put a drop of the egg mixture in the pan. When you hear a sizzling sound, the pan is ready. Then, pour a thin layer of the egg mixture into the pan, quickly tilting the pan so that the egg mixture coats the entire cooking surface.
- Poke any air bubbles to release the air. After the bottom of the egg has set but is still soft on top, start rolling the egg into a log shape from one side to the other, starting from the far side of the pan and rolling toward the pan handle. Here, I added ½ sheet of nori (optional) to my omelette and then rolled.
- Move the rolled omelette to the far side of the pan where you started to roll and apply more oil to the pan with a paper towel, even under the omelette. Pour in a thin layer of the egg mixture to just cover the bottom of the pan again. Make sure to lift the omelette to spread the mixture underneath.
- When the new layer of egg has set and is still soft on top, start rolling it from one side to the other. This is optional, but I placed another layer of ½ nori sheet on top before rolling.
- Move the rolled omelette to the far side of the pan where you started to roll and apply more oil to the pan with a paper towel, even under the omelette. Then pour in a thin layer of the egg mixture to just cover the bottom of the pan again. Make sure to lift the omelette to spread the mixture underneath.
- When the new layer of egg has set and is still soft on top, start rolling it from one side to the other. I placed another ½ sheet of nori here before rolling. Continue until you’ve used all of the egg mixture.
- Remove it from the pan and place the omelette on a bamboo sushi mat. While it’s still hot, roll up the omelette in the bamboo mat to help set its shape. Let it stand for 5 minutes.
To Serve
- Slice the omelette into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces.
- Peel and grate 3 oz daikon radish. Gently squeeze the water out and place in a small dish or bowl. Pour soy sauce over the grated daikon and serve on the side with the Tamagoyaki.
To Store
- You can put the Tamagoyaki in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or microwave.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2012. The video and new photos were added in January 2016. The post content was updated in August 2019.
When I mix in 1tsp of mirin, 1tsp of soy sauce, and 3 Tbsp of dashi, it becomes a thick hard mixture of dashi instead of liquid like on the picture. What am I doing wrong?
Hello! I’m a little bit afraid that you used 3 Tbsp of dashi POWDER..??? There are 3 ways to make dashi (https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-dashi-3-ways/). Dashi means the liquid. 🙂
Hi Nami!
I would like to ask, i saw a tamago yaki recipe on a japanese cook book too. But the first step it says to heat up the mirin and allow it to cool before adding to the egg mixture. Do you know what is the reason behind this? I do not have any japanese friend to ask, would really like to know why!
Thank you very much! and of course for all your great recipes!!
Huimin 😀
Hi Huimin! Sure! Mirin has high alcohol content in it, especially when Hon Mirin is used (https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/mirin/). So by cooking in the stove for a few seconds to 1 minute, alcohol evaporates. You can wave the steam to see if alcohol went away. While cooking tamagoyaki, alcohol will evaporate too. 🙂
Hi Nami, is it ok if I use Ajinomoto hondashi? I use it for many Japanese dishes and find it to be perfectly satisfactory. I sometimes make my own from scratch but I find the granular convenient.
Hi Darryl! Sure, you can! If you want convenience AND good taste, I highly recommend dashi packet (like a tea bag style). Your dashi taste will improve significantly! 🙂
You make it look so easy! What is it served with?
Hi Cindy! Tamagoyaki is always a small side dish, so you can serve with any meat or fish dishes for breakfast or lunch box. Typically in Japan, it’s served with grilled fish for breakfast, and lunch time with any main dishes in lunch box, like this:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/shio-koji-karaage-bento/
Hope that helps?
Dear Nami, love this recipe, thank you!!! Flavour is fantastic but my egg rolling skills need major improvement. Does dashitamago keep well in fridge? It’s too rush to make it for bento in 4.30an in morning. Thinking of making it the afternoon 1-2 day ahead. Many thanks,
Hi Dawn! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Don’t worry, practice makes it perfect, and I feel like mine is not good either… Yes, you can store in the fridge or freezer too. 🙂
About to try this! Very excited~
Hi Kimberly! Hope yours come out! If not, don’t worry… I’ve been cooking this for over 2 decades… still I consider mine is not perfect. xD
I bought a tiny tamagoyaki pan from my recent trip to Japan. Try making it for the first time ever and succeeded! Thanks for your good recipe, video and tips!! It’s not difficult even for cooking beginners like me.
Hi Judith! I’m so happy to hear that your tamagoyaki came out well! Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
Just made this. Flipping was kinda hard for me so it wasn’t much to look. But the taste was good. Need more practice. Will try to find a tamagoyaki pan.
Hi Lucien! Yeah tamagoyaki is all about practice… If I don’t make it for a while, my tamagoyaki won’t look as pretty. Hope you enjoy making it! Glad to hear you enjoy the flavor. 🙂
Nice, very detailed recipe. Since you mentioned that it is hard to find a good quality tamagoyaki pan outside of Japan, I did a search for tamagoyaki pan and the only picture of a round ruffled pan I saw is the one on this very page. Is a pan like that made for the classic shape? Do you know where one can buy a pan like that or is it not really worth worrying about? I realize a rectangular pan makes it easier to roll the omelette, but it’s the ruffled texture of that pan in the picture I am curious about, I’ve never seen a pan like that before.
Hi Nathan! Thank you for reading my post! I’m a bit confused with the word “ruffled” you used. Then I realized that you’re probably talking about the “ruffled” shape on Tamagoyaki (final result).
That’s made by the bamboo mat (final step), not by the frying pan. 🙂
Let me know if I misunderstood your comment. 🙂
After the 10′ try the “result” finally looks like a tamagoyaki… and not like a battlefield where every roll got more or less destroyed :Y
Hi Philipp! You’re doing great job practicing! I’ve been making tamagoyaki from middle school, yet my skill is nearly perfect…. 😉
I finally have a tamagoyaki pan and I’m so excited to use it! It never went so well for me when I tried to make this dish without one, hopefully it will go well when I try it now..
Where do you get those adorable chopstick rests? I love how every now and again a different one pops up in one of your posts and they’re always so cute.
Hi Emy! I hope yours will come out well. Sometimes frying pan needs to be oiled well, so don’t give up with your first trial. 🙂
The chopstick rests are from Japan. I’m glad you liked them. I try to collect for fun and for props. 🙂
Would you mind giving me some advice on using the pan?
I oiled it well and spread it with a paper towel before turning the pan on the heat, but the eggs just stuck to the bottom of the pan, so I couldn’t fold it over, but I’m not sure if there is something I’m doing wrong.
I adore tamagoyaki, but I am yet to make it successfully 😀
Hi Emy! First of all, the pan has to be heated well before you apply. Don’t apply cold oil on the pan (forgot the logic) but always heat the pan (doesn’t have to be “ready” temperature yet, but at least warm). Then apply the oil. I’m not sure the material of your tamagoyaki pan, but for the first few rounds, put extra oil than normal (not a lot though) and let the pan get used to the cooking. When the egg mixture is poured, make sure the pan is hot so you hear “jjjjuahhh” sound (sorry I don’t know how to write that sound). If you don’t hear it, the egg might stick. If you feel your pan got too hot during the cooking, instead of turning off the heat, REMOVE the tamagoyaki pan away from the heat. If the pan is still hot, place the pan on the wet towel to quickly reduce heat, but don’t do it too long; or else you have to heat the pan again and takes time.
Hope this helps a bit. 🙂
Besides the nori, is there anything else that can be place in the middle, as long as it is not a wet ingredient?
Hi Elizabeth! We put a lot of different things. Yes, wet ingredients are tough to put. Vegetables (I recommend minced so it’ll be cooked through), fish cakes (if you can get it), blanched veggies (like asparagus and green beans), etc. 🙂
I made this for the first time today. It’s absolutely delicious. I give myself a B- for the first time trying to roll it in the pan. My tamagoyaki pan is coated, so it’s pretty slippery… But it came out not-bad for a first try. And was completely delicious.
Hi Debbie! I’m so happy to hear you made this! B- is not so bad for the first try! My first time wasn’t definitely that great. 😉 Thanks so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback! xo
Hello. I am keen to try this recipe and will be using the instant dashi powder. I would like to check if I should use 3 tbsp of instant dashi powder? Thank you.
Hi Eva! If you are using dashi powder, you don’t need 3 tbsp of dashi powder for this recipe. Usually, for 3 cups (480-720 ml) water, you put 1 tsp. (6 g) instant dashi powder. For more dashi flavor, you can use 1 tsp for 2 cups. You only need 3 tbsp which is about 1/4 cups (= 4 tbsp), so 1/8 tsp for 1/4 cup water. Hope this helps and enjoy this recipe!
hi Nami, thank you so much!
Thank you for the easy instructions!!
I hesitated to make this at first, because it looks so hard!
But I finally had the courage to try it and I did it with my round pan! And it was not that hard, especially if you’re using chopsticks.
Will definitately make this again 🙂
Hi Steph! I’m so happy to hear you tried this recipe and liked it! Thanks for your kind feedback. 🙂