Kimchi Pickled Eggs Recipe

By
Jess Kapadia
Jess Kapadia
Jess Kapadia
Jess Kapadia is a food writer and editor with a decade of experience specializing in food and dining.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/2/22
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Pickling time: 24 hrs
Total: 24 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 12 eggs
Yield: 12 eggs

A fried egg over kimchi fried rice is a classic comfort food, as is a bowl of steaming ramen with a half perfect soft-boiled egg perched on top. The combination of these two ideas inspired these kimchi pickled eggs, an extra-flavorful garnish for rice bowls, ramen, salads, and sandwiches.

The original preparation calls for pickling the eggs in a 32-ounce kimchi jar along with the strongest kimchi at the bottom of the jar, where it's hopefully been aging for at least a few weeks. This results in the most pronounced flavor and fastest pickling time, but there are two other methods for making these tasty little fridge jewels. Pickling eggs traditionally in brine along with kimchi — the recipe you'll see below — and "swaddling" eggs in kimchi leaves in a brine-less variation will result in the kind of deliciousness you're bound to see any time kimchi teams up with eggs (see all three methods in the video).

When a preparation is this simple, the ingredients really shine. That's why we highly recommend using the highest-grade eggs you can find for the best possible flavor.

Kimchi picked eggs recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Ingredients

  • 1 cup seasoned rice vinegar

  • 1 cup white vinegar

  • 1 scallion, cut into 1-inch pieces, optional

  • 12 large free-range eggs, boiled and peeled

  • 1/2 to 1 cup kimchi, depending on your taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for kimchi pickled eggs
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Place a layer of kimchi in the bottom of the jar, then carefully drop 2 to 3 eggs on top.

    Kimchi in jar
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Using chopsticks or a fork, place another layer of pieces of kimchi over the eggs, then add another 2 to 3 eggs on top.

    Add kimchi
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Repeat until all the eggs are used, with the kimchi evenly distributed between the layers.

    Add jar
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Pour in the white and seasoned rice vinegars until the eggs are just covered.

    Add brine
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Tightly cap the jar and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, then consume within a week.

    Pickled eggs
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Recipe Tip

  • Use these to make deviled eggs, with Japanese kewpie mayonnaise, a sprinkle of black or toasted sesame seeds, nori flakes, and sliced scallions.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
87 Calories
5g Fat
1g Carbs
6g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 187mg 62%
Sodium 125mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 32mg 2%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 83mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: