Chinese Tea Eggs (w/ Soft and Hard Boiled Eggs, 茶叶蛋)
User Reviews
4.9
Chinese Tea Eggs (w/ Soft and Hard Boiled Eggs, 茶叶蛋)
Description
Chinese Tea Eggs combine a spiced soy and black tea marinade with boiled eggs to create a visually unique and flavorful snack. The marinade is simmered with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black tea, sugar, salt, and traditional Chinese spices including star anise, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorn, and bay leaves, forming a deeply aromatic broth. Eggs are boiled to desired doneness—soft, medium, or hard—then cracked gently to allow the marinade to permeate the shells and soak in overnight or longer. As the eggs rest in the marinade, they develop a marbled pattern where the liquid seeps through the cracks, infusing the egg whites with complex savory, slightly salty, and spiced flavors from the tea and spices. The technique of rapid cooling in an ice bath stops cooking and makes peeling easier.
This recipe suits those who appreciate textured, savory eggs as a protein-rich snack, addition to rice bowls, or as part of a traditional Chinese meal. The balance of soy and tea, alongside warm spices, makes the eggs both aromatic and visually appealing, with textures ranging from creamy in soft-boiled eggs to firm in hard-boiled. It also offers a way to extend cooked eggs with extra flavor for snacks or meals over days.
For marinating, a quart-size ziplock bag suffices with half the marinade liquid quantity; double the marinade if using a larger container. Proper cracking ensures the marinade penetrates well. The tea bags should be discarded after simmering the marinade to prevent bitterness. Eggs can be refrigerated in the marinade for convenience and flavor development.
Ingredients
- 12 egg large
Marinade (*Footnote 1)
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce or soy sauce, light
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick small
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons black tea leaves)
- 2 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a small pot. Cook over medium heat until bringing to a boil. Turn to medium-low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from your stove and let cool completely. Once done, remove and discard the tea bags.
- To boil the eggs, heat a pot of water (enough to cover all the eggs) over high heat until boiling. Turn to low heat. Carefully place the eggs in the pot using a ladle, to prevent the eggs from cracking.
- Boil 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, 7 minutes for medium eggs, or 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
- While cooking the eggs, prepare an ice bath by combining ice and tap water in a big bowl.
- Once the eggs are cooked, immediately transfer them to the ice bath to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. If you don’t have ice on hand, simply run cool tap water over the eggs for a couple minutes until they cool down.
- Gently crack the eggs using the back of a spoon. You want to make sure the egg shells are cracked enough so the marinade will reach the interior, without cracking the eggs apart (especially if you made soft boiled eggs). If you’re in a hurry, you can also peel the eggs and marinate them peeled. The eggs will be ready in 12 hours this way.
- Transfer the eggs to a quart-size ziplock bag, then carefully pour in the marinade along with the dry ingredients. Marinate overnight for peeled eggs, or 24 hours for cracked “marble” eggs.
- Peel the eggs and enjoy them cold or at room temperature!
- You can store the leftover eggs in the marinade for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. The marinade will help with preserving the eggs. Note, the eggs will become more flavorful and saltier over time.
Notes
- A quart-size ziplock bag works well for marinating using less liquid; double marinade if using a container.
- Crack eggs gently to let the marinade seep in without breaking the egg whites.
- Remove tea bags after simmering the marinade to avoid bitterness.
- Cooling eggs in an ice bath stops the cooking and eases peeling.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 72 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 72kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 0.4g | 0% |
| Protein | 6.3g | 13% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.6g | 8% |
| Cholesterol | 186mg | 62% |
| Sodium | 70mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 67mg | 1% |
| Sugar | 0.4g | 1% |
| Calcium | 20mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.9mg | 5% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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