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Egg Tofu (Tamago Tofu)
4.5 from 68 votes

Egg Tofu (Tamago Tofu)

Egg Tofu (Tamago Tofu) is a smooth, steamed egg custard made with eggs, dashi, soy sauce, and salt. The mixture is strained for a silky texture and steamed gently until set, resulting in a delicate, tender block resembling tofu. Served with a savory sauce of mirin, dashi, and light soy sauce, this dish offers subtle umami flavors and a soft, moist consistency common in Japanese cuisine.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 87 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 4 egg large, 50 g each, without shell
  • 1¼ cups dashi use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi, Japanese soup stock
  • 2 tsp soy sauce usukuchi (light-colored
  • ⅛ tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
For the Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp mirin
  • 150 ml dashi ⅔ cup minus 2 tsp, Japanese soup stock
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce usukuchi (light-colored
For the Toppings
  • mitsuba optional, Japanese parsley

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Gather all the ingredients. Set up a steamer with water in the pot. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat and keep the lid on. I use a nagashikan (egg tofu ramekin). You can buy it on Amazon (finally they have one!) You can also use a square/rectangular container or individual bowl such as chawanmushi cups.
To Make the Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 Tbsp mirin to a boil and let the alcohol evaporate. When the alcohol smell disappears (after 10–15 seconds), add 150 ml dashi (Japanese soup stock) (⅔ cup minus 2 tsp).
  2. Add 1 Tbsp usukuchi (light-colored) soy sauce and bring it to a boil. Once it‘s boiling, turn off the heat and set aside.
To Make the Egg Tofu
  1. Crack 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) into a bowl and whisk well. Add 2 tsp usukuchi (light-colored) soy sauce, ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 1¼ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock).
  2. Strain the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to achieve a silky, fine texture. I believe this step makes a huge difference in the final result.
  3. Quickly rinse the nagashikan or ramekin under cold running water. Pour the egg mixture into it.
  4. Scoop away the small bubbles on the surface with a spoon. Place the nagashikan or ramekin on a steamer* rack. Tip: After trying this recipe a few more times, I figured out a new trick. It was a bit difficult to remove the hot stainless steel nagashikan from the steamer. However, if you line the bottom and sides of the steamer with a cotton cloth, you can easily use it to pull up the egg tofu ramekin. This also prevents overheating the bottom of the nagashikan from the heat beneath. * As my bamboo steamer didn‘t have enough height for my egg tofu ramekin to go inside, I used a 5½ QT Le Creuset Dutch oven and an 8⅝" round cooling rack as a steamer.
  5. Close the lid wrapped with a large kitchen towel; otherwise, the condensation collecting on the lid will drop onto your Tamago Tofu and ruin it. Leave the lid slightly ajar so it won't get super hot inside the pot but just hot. Steam on the lowest heat possible on the stove for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  6. Once it’s done, take the ramekin or nagashikan out of the steamer immediately. Let it cool completely on the countertop and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. If you plan to serve immediately, place the nagashikan in an ice water bath to cool.
  7. Run the knife along the edges of the nagashikan and slide out the Tamago Tofu.
  8. Cut into 4 to 6 pieces. Transfer to a serving plate/bowl. Pour the sauce and garnish with mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (if using).
To Store
  1. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can‘t freeze Tamago Tofu as the texture will change.

Nutrition Information

Calories 87kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 186mg (62%) Sodium 470mg (20%) Potassium 72mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 270IU (5%) Calcium 29mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 87

% Daily Value*

Calories 87kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 186mg 62%
Sodium 470mg 20%
Potassium 72mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 270IU 5%
Calcium 29mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.