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Tamago Sando: the egg salad sandwich of perfection

Name: tamago sando
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 large eggs (or 3 medium eggs); 2 slices Shokupan (Japanese milk bread or any white bread); 1.5 tablespoons Kewpie (Japanese mayonnaise); 1.5 tablespoons milk; 1 pinch salt (to taste); 1 pinch sugar (to taste); 1 teaspoon butter; 1 bowl ice water (ice bath for eggs); 1/4 teaspoon chopped parsley (optional for garnish)

by Kristina Reynolds

tamago sando Japanese egg salad sandwich

A tamago sando is the Japanese version of an egg salad sandwich. If you are familiar with Japanese culture, you are aware that Japanese people pride themselves on efficiency and perfection (or as close to it as humanly possible). This sandwich is a reflection of this mindset and is made with the utmost precision using only the most essential ingredients. It is made with the crust off and is sliced into small neat bricks.

What is in a tamago sando? How does it taste?

These Japanese egg salad sandos traditionally include

shokupan (Japanese milk bread)
Kewpie (Japanese mayo)
ajitama (Japanese ramen eggs)
seasoning (e.g. salt, sugar, etc)

Using these traditional Japanese ingredients gives the sandwich a greater depth of flavor than using the traditional American versions of these ingredients. There is more of a balance of sweetness and saltiness than your traditional American egg salad sandwich, which is preferable to most. Even the late great father foodie figure Anthony Bourdain only had praise for this Japanese egg salad sandwich:

The Unnatural, Inexplicable Deliciousness of the Lawson’s egg salad sandwich #Tokyo @PartsUnknownCNN pic.twitter.com/g5MxQ7BSRC

— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) November 4, 2013

How is it different from an egg salad sandwich?

The tamago sando is a type of egg salad sandwich. It differs from the traditional American egg salad sandwich in that:

it does not have any crust on the bread,
it is precisely cut into small rectangular shapes and
it uses Japanese ingredients like shokupan, Kewpie and ajitama

Where can I get it?

If you want a professionally-made sando, you can find eateries that serve these neatly prepared Japanese sandwiches using the interactive map below. Additionally, here are links to find fruit, wagyu and other katsu sandos.

How can I make a tamago sando?

If you’re not located anywhere near a sando shop, or would simply prefer making this Japanese sandwich yourself, follow this quick and easy version to enjoy it in the comfort of your own home!

tamago sando

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Japanese egg salad sandwich

Ingredients

2 large eggs (or 3 medium eggs)
2 slices Shokupan (Japanese milk bread or any white bread)
1.5 tablespoons Kewpie (Japanese mayonnaise)
1.5 tablespoons milk
1 pinch salt (to taste)
1 pinch sugar (to taste)
1 teaspoon butter
1 bowl ice water (ice bath for eggs)
1/4 teaspoon chopped parsley (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Place eggs in pot of water (enough to completely soak eggs) and to a boil
Once boiling, slightly reduce heat and continue to boil for 10-12 mins
Place eggs in bowl of ice water for 5-10 mins to stop cooking
Peel and dice hardboiled eggs
Mix diced eggs with Kewpie, milk, salt and sugar until evenly incorporated
Butter each slice of bread
Add egg filling to one slice with buttered side up (make sure to spread to edges); place other slice on top with buttered side down
Cut off crust and cut in half into rectangles; add parsley to garnish if you like
Enjoy!

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Kristina Reynolds is the Founder & CEO of Glutto and an alumna of the University of California, San Diego. She writes articles & posts for Glutto Digest with insights from fellow industry experts. Furthermore, she is the author of The Fittest Food Lovers: How EVERY BODY Can be Incredibly Fit and Still Enjoy Food, a collaborative philanthropic book with proceeds going to charities that fight world hunger.