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.
This recipe is my white whale. I’ve been working on it for over a decade.
It turns out good. It really does. This recipe has been pivotal for my progress. Is it ever perfect like I’ve had in Japan? No. This recipe may be the hardest possible way to make an egg. It also might be the most delicious.
Does it take a little more time than scrambling an egg and throwing it in the pan? Is it worth? YES!
Hi John! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
We hope Nami’s tips on making the best Tamagoyaki at home are helpful!
Happy Cooking!
What brand of tamago pan do you recommend?
Hi Laura! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
There are two recommended brands posted in this post with links. Nami’s favorite one is the copper tamagoyaki pan (nickel coating inside)-Silver Arrow/Endo Shoji brand.
We hope this helps!
Do you think putting beni shoga in one layer and maybe the nori in another layer or two and salmon flakes in the rest of the layers would turn out well? This sort of just struck me as a neat idea to try. I haven’t made tamagoyaki in a while so maybe I will give it a try like this. 🙂
Hi Nicholas! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
There are many ways to arrange the Tamagoyaki. Beni Shoga, Nori, and Salmon Flakes layer sound great combi!🤗
Too much liquid in this. I would cut down to 1.5 TBSP of broth and just a little less of the mirin and soy. Great flavor though.
Hi J Johns! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your feedback!
[…] It’s used as a garnish in miso soup, rice bowls, noodle dishes, chawanmushi, or folded into tamagoyaki. An herb native to East Asia, the entire plant, from the root, stem, leaves, and seeds is […]
I’ve made this recipe several times and it came out great every time! I recently went to a sushi bar and they served me a castella type tamagoyaki and it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever had. However I struggle to find recipes in english to make it at home, all I can find are videos of sushi restauraunts showing how it’s made with no ingredient list. I wonder if there’s recipe I can refer to? Thanks!
Hi Martin! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are not sure what type of Tamagoyaki the sushi bar served, but it could be Datemaki: https://www.justonecookbook.com/datemaki-sweet-rolled-omelette/
The Datemaki is very sweet, and it has a wet castella texture.
We hope this is it! 🙂
When I go to sushi bars, I love to order Chirashi sushi. When I was in Redding several years ago, I had chirashi sushi at an independent Japanese restaurant. It was amazing, but I asked the chef what the tasty yellow stuff was and he heckled me and said it was an omelette… Tamagoyaki. I wish I could remember the name of that place. It was a little sketchy, but the sushi was totally fantastic and I would totally go there again. The chef was totally cool 🙂
I think I need to try and make this… I may have to break down any buy a non-stick pan first.
Hi Nick! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipes!
Chirashi sushi usually uses Kinshi Tamago (Shredded Egg Crepe) 錦糸卵 on top.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-usuyaki-tamago-kinshi-tamago/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/chirashi-sushi/
And for Nigiri sushi, Tamagoyaki, but it’s a bit sweeter, sweet rolled omelet
https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-sweet-rolled-omelet
We hope you try all the recipes!🤗
I made this the other day and it was very good!! Just the right amount of sweetness. Thank you! 🙂
Hi Kayune! We are glad to hear you enjoyed the sweetness of this Tamagoyaki!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!🥰
Why did my eggs just fall apart? They basically disintegrated.
Hi Andrea! We are sorry to hear your eggs fall apart.
Do you think you used enough oil on the pan?
Please make sure to heat the pan over medium heat and put a drop of the egg mixture in the pan to see if the pan is hot. When you hear a sizzling sound, the pan is ready for eggs. We hope this helps!
What happens if you over beat the eggs?
Hi Thao, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
If you overbeat the eggs and the air is beaten into it, the egg’s protein bonds/chains come apart and squeeze out the moisture, leaving the eggs dry, firm, and rubbery. So to make fluffy Tamagoyaki, we recommend not to overbeat the eggs.
We hope this helps!
This is my favorite dish I’ve made from your recipes. I went ahead and bought a tamagoyaki pan because I know I am going to be making this a LOT. The egg doesn’t even taste like an egg, more like a desert…can’t get enough!
Hi Austin! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed homemade Tamagoyaki!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your feedback!
This is the first cooking blog I’m actually reading, not only scrolling down to the recipe. I appreciate that every bit of information is concise and valid for the recipe.
Hi Aurelia! Thank you very much for your kind feedback!
Nami and JOC team are so happy to hear you enjoy reading our site and trying Nami’s recipe.
We hope you enjoy many posts!🥰
Wonderful recipe and great details with pics for rolling the eggs. Having difficulty cleaning the residual eggs from the bamboo mat after rolling at the end of the process. Any magic tricks for cleaning out the bits of eggs? Or is it ok to skip the bamboo rolling?
Hi Hiroyuki! Thank you very much for your kind words!
Yes. You can skip the bamboo technic or use the kitchen cloth instead.🙂
To wash the bamboo mat, you can soak in the water for a while and gently brush off the eggs.
We hope this helps!
I wrap my bamboo mats in plastic wrap, secured with tape on one side. I use the tape-free side to roll the food. Keeps the mats clean!
“large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)”
Isn’t this obvious? Who eats the shell of an egg?
Hi Barbara! Thank you for reading Nami’s post!
This note indicates the size of the egg. Our readers are from many different countries, and egg sizes are often different from American standards.
We hope this helps!
I made it this morning and it tastes great! I just lessened the sugar a bit and jazzed it up with some mayo and bonito flakes on top. I’ll be making this again! I’ll try it with the nori sheets next time. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Hi Jet! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Tamagoyaki! Happy Cooking!