Tamagoyaki: Japanese Rolled Omelet

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a freelance food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/18/22
Tested by
Rick Horiike
Rick Horiike
Tested by Rick Horiike

Rick has experience as a cook and chef for multiple Asian-inspired restaurants in NYC, as well as being a charcutier for several French and New American restaurants.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Japanese tamagoyaki recipe

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
255 Calories
16g Fat
13g Carbs
13g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 255
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 372mg 124%
Sodium 176mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 57mg 4%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 170mg 4%
*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.)

Tamagoyaki is the Japanese rolled omelet that is popularly served for breakfast, put in a bento (Japanese lunch box) as a side dish, or used as a filling in sushi. Tamagoyaki, literally meaning "grilled/fried egg," is made by rolling together thin layers of seasoned egg in a frying pan.

The flavors of tamagoyaki vary and different types of fillings can be added. Tamagoyaki is often seasoned with soy sauce and sugars, but nothing can beat the flavor of dashi. Dashi is very simple to make, but umami-rich kombu and katsuobushi give this stock wonderful rich flavors without overpowering the other ingredients. By adding dashi to the egg mixture, the egg gets a nice umami boost and the dashimaki tamago has deeper, more complex flavors than regular tamagoyaki.

"The sweetness of this recipe can be adjusted to suit your taste or can be eliminated. Rolling the omelet while cooking does take some practice to achieve the distinctive layers within. The omelet can be enjoyed hot, cold, or at room temperature. Serve this with white rice and Japanese pickles for a light Japanese breakfast." —Rick Horiike

Tamagoyaki: Japanese Rolled Omelet Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs

  • 3 tablespoons dashi soup stock, or instant dashi

  • 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons sugar

  • Vegetable oil, as needed

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Japanese tamagoyaki
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Beat eggs in a bowl.

    Beat eggs in a bowl
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add dashi soup and sugar in the egg and mix well.

    Add dashi
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Heat a tamagoyaki pan over medium heat. Oil the pan.

    Heat a tamagoyaki pan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Pour a scoop of egg mixture in the pan and spread over the surface.

    Pour egg in pan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Cook it until half done and roll the egg toward the bottom side.

    Cook until halfway done, then roll toward bottom of pan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Move the rolled egg to the top side.

    Move rolled egg to side
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Oil the empty part of the pan and pour another scoop of egg mixture in the space and under the rolled egg.

    Oil pan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Cook it until half done and roll the egg again so that the omelet becomes thicker.

    Roll egg
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Cook the omelet until done.

    Cook omelet
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. If you are using a regular frying pan, shape tamagoyaki on bamboo mat.

    Shape on bamboo mat if using regular pan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Cut tamagoyaki into 1-inch-thick pieces.

    Cut up
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  13. Serve for breakfast, put in a bento as a side dish, or used as a filling in sushi.

    Tamagoyaki - Japanese Rolled Omelet
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Preferably, it's good to use a square tamagoyaki pan to make tamagoyaki, but it can be cooked in a regular frying pan.
  • When sugar is added to tamagoyaki, it gets burned easily, so please watch the heat carefully.

Recipe Variations

  • Feel free to add cheese, veggies, seaweed, or your meat of choice. We recommend getting the hang of making these as is first.
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