This classic Japanese egg sandwich (tamago sando) is made with soft shokupan and a rich, creamy egg filling seasoned with Kewpie mayonnaise. My version uses a yolk-forward filling for an extra creamy texture with just enough chopped egg white for contrast.
Tamago sando is the kind of sandwich I always go for whenever I need something quick and satisfying. Here in Japan, it’s sold virtually everywhere – in bakeries, supermarkets, coffee shops, family restaurants, and convenience stores such as 7 Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart. The same goes for Japanese potato salad sandwich and tuna sandwich.
The good news is that you don’t need to fly to Japan to enjoy one. This homemade version is easy, quick, and comes very close to the soft and creamy tamago sando you can find at a Japanese konbini. The result is a rich, smooth, eggy filling with just enough texture.
If you like Japanese konbini food, check out my post on Japanese Convenience Store Foods You Can Make at Home.
About This Recipe
Tamago sando, or たまごサンド, is a Japanese-style egg salad sandwich made with shokupan, also called Japanese milk bread, and a creamy egg filling seasoned with Japanese mayonnaise.
What makes it different from a classic American egg salad sandwich is how simple it is. There are no crunchy vegetables, no lettuce, and little added seasonings. The focus is on the soft bread, natural flavor of the eggs, and the use of Kewpie mayonnaise, which is more tangy and savory than regular mayonnaise.
Table of contents
Comparing Japanese Convenience Store Egg Sandwiches
One of the nice things about living in Japan is that I can walk into any convenience store and find an egg sandwich in the refrigerated section.
But here what’s interesting: each store has its own version.
If you look closely at the three convenience store sandwiches pictured here, you can see that the filling is slightly different. The color, ratio of creamy filling to chopped egg, and amount of filling can vary.
And they taste quite different too:
- 7-Eleven: Has the shortest ingredient list and the creamiest filling. The first bite is very flavorful and umami-forward, although the flavor becomes milder after a few seconds.
- Family Mart: Has the most filling and is the most vibrant in color—almost orange. It also tastes much more intensely eggy than the other two. This is Ben’s favorite and my second favorite.
- Lawson: To me, Lawson’s egg sandwich falls somewhere between 7-Eleven and Family Mart. It has the least filling of the three (making it the lowest in calories) and a strong savory, umami flavor with a little sweetness.
What they have in common is more important: the bread is extremely soft, the filling is generous and creamy, and the flavor is kept simple enough that the egg remains the star. That’s the balance I’m trying to recreate with this homemade version.
Ingredients Needed
- Japanese milk bread: Shokupan is the best bread to use for tamago sando because it’s soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet. You can find it in Japanese grocery stores, Japanese bakeries, some Korean bakeries, or you can make it from scratch using my shokupan recipe. If you can’t find it, use the softest white sandwich bread you can get.
- Butter: A thin layer of butter keeps the bread from getting soggy and makes each bite slightly creamier. Salted or unsalted butter both work for this recipe.
- Eggs: Two large eggs cooked until they are medium boiled.
- Milk: Milk loosens the mashed yolks and gives the filling a softer, creamier consistency without having to add a large amount of mayonnaise.
- Japanese mayonnaise: This is the ingredient that gives the sandwich its signature Japanese flavor. Kewpie mayo is richer, tangier, and more eggy than regular mayonnaise. I highly recommend using it for this recipe. If you can’t find it, make it from scratch using my homemade Kewpie mayo recipe.
- Salt: Salt to season and balance the flavors.
- Msg: MSG is optional, but I recommend trying a small amount. I find that it brings out the savory quality of the yolks and makes the filling taste even more intensely eggy. You only need a little, so season gradually and taste as you go.
How to Make Japanese Egg Sandwich
See the recipe card below for the full instructions and exact measurements.
- Cook the eggs until medium-boiled, then cool them in an ice bath.
- Separate the yolks from the whites and chop some of the egg white.
- Mix the yolks with Kewpie mayonnaise and milk until creamy, then season and add the chopped egg white.
- Spread butter on the shokupan, add the egg filling, and close the sandwich.
- Trim the crusts, slice, and serve.
Cooking Tips to Remember
- Don’t use all the egg whites. This is intentional. Using more yolk than white gives the filling a richer, creamier texture. One chopped white gives enough texture without overwhelming the yolk mixture.
- Don’t overcook the eggs. Use medium-boiled eggs. The yolks stay moist and creamy without being runny. Soft-boiled eggs are too runny, while hard-boiled yolks can be dry and chalky.
- Keep the filling thick enough to hold its shape. The finished filling should spread easily but stay put when you close the sandwich.
- Use a bread knife to trim the crusts. A serrated knife cuts through shokupan cleanly without squashing the sandwich.
- Use soft bread. Avoid using crusty bread such as a baguette, or toasted bread. The soft texture is part of what makes tamago sando so comforting.
Storage
To make ahead: Keep the egg salad and bread separate until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches. Store the egg salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Leftovers: Wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap or save them in a storage container with a lid. They will keep for about 24 hours. After that the bread might be too soggy to enjoy.
Best texture: Tamago sando tastes best the day it’s made, especially if you are using soft milk bread.
What To Serve With A Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich
Tamago sando can be served for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack. It’s high in protein and filling enough on its own. But I often like to eat it with a small side dish, light or savory, to complement the sandwich. Some of my favorites are:
- Green salad with carrot ginger dressing or sesame dressing
- Miso soup
- Edamame
- Chicken karaage
- Furikake fries
- Japanese macaroni salad
- Kani salad
- Japanese potato salad
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
PrintJapanese Egg Sandwich (Tamago Sando)
Tamago sando is a soft and creamy egg sandwich made with shokupan, hard-boiled eggs, and Kewpie mayonnaise.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 sandwich 1x
- Category: Sandwiches
- Method: N/A
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons kewpie mayonnaise. Click here for homemade kewpie mayonnaise (which is very easy to make).
- 1 teaspoon milk
- Salt, for seasoning
- Msg, optional but recommended
- 2 slices Japanese milk bread (shokupan). If you cannot find Japanese milk bread, make it from scratch using my recipe.
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Boil the eggs: Fill a small pot with water and gently add the eggs. Bring the water to boil and continue to boil for 7 minutes, until the eggs are medium boiled. While the eggs are boiling, fill a bowl with ice and cold water.
- Cool the eggs: Turn the heat off, drain the eggs, and place them in the ice bath. Let them cool for a few minutes.
- Separate the eggs: Peel and slice the eggs in half, lengthwise. Scoop up the egg yolk and transfer them to a bowl and set aside. Take 2 halves of the egg whites and chop them up. Store the other two halves in a storage container as you will not need them. I like to eat them for breakfast the next day or add them to a salad.
- Make the egg salad: Add the mayonnaise and milk to the egg yolks and mix well, until the eggs are creamy. Season with salt and msg (it makes the egg even more eggy) to your liking.
- Make the sandwich: Spread the butter on both sliced of bread and add the egg salad. Top with the other slice of bread.
- Cut the crust and serve:Using a bread knife, cut off the crust and slice the sandwich in half, diagonally. Serve.
Notes
To add sweetness: To make the egg filling a little sweet, add about 1/8 teaspoon of sugar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 596
- Sugar: 4.6g
- Sodium: 951.9mg
- Fat: 44.2g
- Saturated Fat: 11.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 30.1g
- Fiber: 1.6g
- Protein: 18.2g
- Cholesterol: 402.8mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Tamago means egg in Japanese, and sando is the shortened Japanese word for sandwich. So tamago sando means egg sandwich.
7-Eleven’s egg sandwich is one version of tamago sando. FamilyMart, Lawson, bakeries, supermarkets, and cafes in Japan all sell their own versions, and the texture and flavor of the filling can vary. My recipe is inspired by the classic Japanese style rather than being an exact copy of one brand.
Soft supermarket white bread works well. Challah can also work because it’s fluffy and thicker than standard sandwich bread, although it is richer and sweeter than shokupan.
For the most authentic flavor, yes, I recommend using Kewpie mayonnaise. It has a richer, tangier, and more savory taste than regular mayonnaise. If you can’t find it, you can use regular mayonnaise or follow my homemade recipe for Kewpie mayo.
No, you don’t have to. But if you want the sandwich to look and feel more like the ones sold in Japan, trim the crusts before slicing.
Yes, but the butter adds richness and helps keep the bread from getting soggy. If you skip it, I recommend eating the sandwich right away.
The filling may have too much mayonnaise or the yolks may be softer than expected. The finished egg salad should be creamy and spreadable but thick enough to stay between the bread.
Japanese Egg Sandwiches are amazingly compared to the regular egg salad sandwich most of us were used to and/or making. But after our visit to Japan I find those boring in comparison. The tip to use some mustard is a good one which I’ve always done to give my sandwiches an edge. However, the Kewpie mayo makes the biggest difference and should not be substituted if anyone is making this Sando! I loved these sandwiches for breakfast and/or lunch when we were in Japan and they were ideal to enjoy with a beer while travelling from city to city on the fantastic Japanese high speed trains! Glad you posted this recipe and that of the mayo–thanks!
Hi Bill, egg sandos are the best! If you can get your hands on real Kewpie mayo, please share where you were able to find it. I know that in the US and Canada, Kewpie mayonnaise lacks the msg element and sugar as well – so it doesn’t taste the same as the one you get in Japan. But I know that it’s possible to find the real thing, I think it’s even available on Amazon 🙂
Kewpie mayo is available in most of or grocery stores now but I did not know that there was a difference between what they sell here in Canada vs what you’r buy in Japan. Then again, things like that are not unusual and sometimes laws in other countries might be the reason. MSG is not tolerated by everyone so that might explain its ommision.
Fingers get very messy from the butter. But it’s still very good.
With the exception of the use of shokupan, this is exactly the recipe that my daughter and I developed a few weeks ago. We started using Kewpie Mayo about a year ago. Here in Hawaii, it’s readily available at Walmart. Anyway, we love these sandwiches. Next time I am at Don Quijote, Marukai, or at Ala Moana where they have two Brug Hokkaido bakeries, I’ll grab some shokupan to see if we can make it even better!
I’m so envious of you Frank! I love Don Quixote in Honolulu! ❤️
If you can get shokupan or make it, you will get the authentic taste. But a word to the wise. This surprised me the most! I went to my local grocery store and was glad to see that they were selling Kewpie mayonnaise. When I made my egg sando, there was something missing in the taste. Lo and behold, the Kewpie mayonnaise was made in USA not Japan! Tasting the mayo on it’s own, there was the culprit to may odd taste. Just an FYI, when you buy Kewpie mayo, make sure it’s made in Japan or follow Pickled Plum’s recipe.
Good point Margaret! I think American Kewpie mayo doesn’t contain any msg and that’s why it tastes so different. Thanks for sharing your tip, I will also make sure to double check where it’s from next time I buy it! 🙂
After you guys mentioned that the American Kewpie is different than the Japanese Kewpie, I took a look at what I had. Interestingly, the Kewpie I bought at Costco (little bottles shaped like the traditional Kewpie bottles but much firmer plastic) says that it’s made in America but the Kewpie I bought at Walmart (larger bottle made of thinner, floppier plastic) says “Product of Japan”. So, look around, different places might have different Kewpies!
I love to cook
But i really need to eat more healthy foods.
And i always have been drawn to Asian way of cooking or any meal cooked full of flavor and more vegetables.