A favorite side dish at the Korean table: Soy Sauce Quail Eggs, also known as Mechurial Jorim. A classic for a reason! Petite, salty-sweet, umami-rich flavor bombs. A subtle hint of spice makes these especially irresistible. Serve with rice and kimchi for an easy, flavor-packed meal.
What are Korean Quail Eggs or Mechurial Jorim?
Korean Quail Eggs, also called Mechurial Jorim, are a popular Korean side dish. Tiny little quail eggs are soaked in soy sauce for addictively tasty morsels of eggs. Filling and packed with protein, they are also a lunch box favorite.
Every bite is full of velvety smoothness from the creamy rich yolks. As a bonus, the braising liquid is so tasty. Drizzle extra sauce over the eggs. And serve with rice — to soak up all that savory, salty-sweet sauce!
Similar to JangJorim with Quail Eggs, Mechurial Jorim tastes good pulled straight from the fridge. Enjoy cold or room temperature. An easy side dish or Korean banchan that’s truly delicious. I can’t help but crave these tiny bites of soy sauce marinated eggs!
Typically, Korean Quail Eggs are cooked in soy sauce. That’s the way my Korean grandma made this dish. However, I prefer to marinate the quail eggs overnight with the “braising” liquid. A slight tweak that prevents overcooked, chalky yolks and rubbery egg whites.
Quail Eggs vs Regular (Chicken) Eggs
For this recipe, I prefer Quail Eggs over Chicken Eggs for many reasons:
- Quail eggs contain more fat, protein, iron, B12, and riboflavin (per weight) than chicken eggs.
- Quail Eggs are tiny — small enough to soak up ALL that soy sauce flavor.
- The perfect ratio of egg white to egg yolk — in my humble opinion!
- Family-friendly. Kids love these tiny little, petite eggs soaking in a salty-sweet sauce.
Ingredients:
- Quail Eggs. Tiny eggs that are HUGE on flavor! Find them at your local grocery store, Asian grocery store, Walmart, Whole Foods, or Costco. They come in packs of 18. You can also find pre-cooked, canned quail eggs in water at the Asian grocery store.
- Soy sauce + Sugar. For the perfect balance of salty and sweet. If it seems like a lot of sugar — remember you are not consuming all the sugar. The liquid is mainly used for braising/soaking purposes.
- Water. To submerge all the quail eggs in liquid without becoming too salty.
- Green onion + Garlic. The essential aromatics. Adds a subtle garlicky bite.
- Chili pepper. Adds a subtle spicy kick. Fresno, Jalapeno, or medium green chilies all work well. If you don’t like spice, leave it out.
Instructions:
- Cook Quail Eggs. Cover quail eggs with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Chill Quail Eggs. Transfer to a medium bowl with cold water and ice, or an ice water bath. Chill for 5 minutes until cold. Peel eggs.
- Make soy sauce marinade. In a glass jar or Tupperware container, mix ingredients together. Add peeled eggs to the marinade. Rest for 24 hours or overnight.
- Serve and enjoy. Don’t forget to spoon more soy sauce marinade over eggs and rice!
PRO Tips for peeling:
Quail eggs are tiny and can be difficult to peel. To make things easier:
- Chill in ice water. Cold eggs are easier to peel than warm eggs.
- Crack the shell first. Gently tap each end (top and bottom) on a clean cutting board until cracks show. Grab one end of the eggshell and gently peel downward in a spiral.
- Look for the thin layer of clear egg protein that holds the shell together. Grab a bit of the egg protein when peeling. Makes shell removal much, much easier!
Serve with:
For a simple meal, enjoy with rice and drizzle the soy sauce marinade all over. A protein-packed and filling meal. YUM!
Or, add a variety of Korean banchan (side dishes) for a bigger meal.
Some suggestions:
- Dubu Jorim [Spicy Braised Tofu]
- Kkakdugi [Cubed Radish Kimchi]
- Oi Muchim [Cucumber Salad]
- Gamja Salad [Potato Salad]
FAQ:
Where can I find Quail Eggs?
Quail Eggs are available at most local grocery stores and Asian grocery stores, as well as Whole Foods, Walmart, and Costco. Look in the egg aisle and you’ll soon find these speckled beauties. They come in packs of 18.
Can I use canned Quail Eggs for this recipe?
Yes, canned Quail Eggs work great in this recipe. Look for them at Asian grocery stores in the canned food section. Look for canned Quail Eggs packed in water and make sure they are not pickled!
Can I use chicken eggs in this recipe instead?
Yes, I’ve also used this marinade for chicken eggs. The only difference is the size and texture. Make sure the chicken eggs are completely submerged in liquid for best flavor, about 6 large eggs. Soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs both work. And don’t forget to soak for 24 hours!
How long do the eggs stay good?
Keep the soy sauce quail eggs in the fridge, tightly sealed, for about 5 days. Be careful of cross-contamination and peel the eggs with clean hands. When serving, use a clean spoon every time.
What do quail eggs taste like?
Quail eggs taste very similar to chicken eggs. They look like chicken eggs, too — except they are much smaller. FYI Quail eggs contain more fat, protein, iron, B12, and riboflavin than chicken eggs.
More recipes:
Korean Soy Sauce Quail Eggs (Mechurial Jorim)
Equipment
- 2 cup/ 1.5 L mason jar
Ingredients
- 18 quail eggs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 2 green onions (minced)
- 1 red chili pepper, optional (minced with seeds) *can be subbed with 1 jalapeno pepper
Instructions
- Cook quail eggs. In a medium saucepan, cover quail eggs with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain water and immediately transfer eggs to a bowl with cold water and 1 cup ice cubes to chill.
- Make soy sauce marinade. While the quail eggs boil and chill, assemble the marinade. In a 1.5L jar (I use a large jam jar), add remaining ingredients: soy sauce, water, sugar, garlic, green onions, red pepper. Stir with spoon until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Peel quail eggs. When the quail eggs are cold, peel carefully. Immediately drop them into the marinade-filled jar. Repeat for all 18 eggs. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for 24 hours.
- Serve and enjoy! When ready to serve, spoon eggs and sauce into a small serving dish. Or, spoon eggs and sauce directly on top of rice. Enjoy!
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How would I make this with regular sized eggs?
I’ve done this with soft boiled regular eggs (steamed 7 minutes, then shocked into an ice bath) and placed in the same liquid. It’s still delicious!
I’m so interested to make this!!! Looks great!!! How long can this be kept in the fridge before it spoils? Gonna have to manage the amount I should make. Thanks!
I usually keep the quail eggs refrigerated for 1 week, making sure there’s no cross contamination. Store in the coldest part of your fridge!
LIS!!! This recipe is so easy and so addictive I’ve marinated !!72!! quail eggs within the last 5 days 🥺😅😂😋 I used canned quail eggs & they worked beautifully, but also dangerous given the ease of making this dish lol Not mad about it though 🙂 I just look for the cans that are just eggs in water with nothing else added. Thank you!!!!