Eggs in Korean food
Eggs (알류)
In Korean food, eggs go in more often as garnish and batter than as the main ingredient. The thin yellow and white strips on top are egg.
Where it hides in Korean food
Jidan, egg whites and yolks cooked separately into thin sheets and cut into strips, is the classic Korean garnish. It often tops rice cake soup, japchae, naengmyeon and janchi guksu.
Jeon are pan-fried after being coated in flour and egg wash. Pajeon, donggeurangttaeng, fish jeon and beef jeon all contain egg.
Bibimbap and yukhoe are often topped with a raw egg yolk. The bowl is mixed before eating, so ask to leave it out when you order.
Steamed egg and rolled omelet are common side dishes, and egg is one of the basic gimbap fillings. Haejangguk and bean sprout rice soup may have an egg cracked in or a poached egg on the side.
How it is written in Korean
- 달걀dalgyalchicken egg
- 계란gyeranchicken egg, another word
- 난백nanbaekegg white, on ingredient lists
- 난황nanhwangegg yolk, on ingredient lists
- 메추리알mechurialquail egg
These are common words, not a complete list. A word missing here does not mean the ingredient is missing from the food.
Korean law requires packaged food that contains this ingredient to name it in a separate allergy box near the ingredient list. The legal name is 알류(가금류).
Dishes that contain it
Usually in it
- BibimbapA fried or raw egg on top is a standard part of the bowl. Everything is stirred together before eating, so ask for it to be left off when you order.
- GimbapA strip of thin omelette is one of the standard fillings, rolled in the centre with the radish and vegetables.
- Haemul-pajeon (seafood scallion pancake)Egg is mixed into the batter itself, so it cannot be left off the way a topping could.
- Naengmyeon (cold noodles)Whether the noodles come in cold broth or spicy sauce, half a boiled egg on top is the usual garnish.
Sometimes in it
- Dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken)The corn cheese on corn cheese dakgalbi is made with mayonnaise, which contains egg yolk.
- Jajangmyeon (black bean noodles)Plain jajangmyeon is often topped with cucumber strips, and a fried or boiled egg or thin egg strips may be added as well, especially on the dry-fried version.
- JapchaeEgg is named among the main ingredients of japchae, so ask about it even if you cannot see it on the plate.
- Korean fried chickenSome wet batters are mixed with egg before the chicken goes into the fryer, so the egg is inside the crust.
- Mandu (Korean dumplings)Many cooks crack a raw egg into the filling to bind it, but not every recipe does, so it depends on the shop.
- Sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew)A raw egg is often cracked into the hot pot just before serving — say so if it should stay out.
- TteokbokkiHard-boiled eggs are a common add-in, simmered whole in the same pot as the cakes and sauce.
Based on the 20 dishes this site has researched. Dishes not listed here can contain it too.
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Sources we checked
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How we research and check these sourcesShow the 13 sources behind this page
- 고명 - 한국민족문화대백과사전 (opens in a new tab)
Jidan, thin egg sheets cut into strips, is a classic Korean garnish.
- Tteokguk - Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Rice cake soup is often topped with egg garnish.
- 잡채 - 위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전 (opens in a new tab)
Japchae can be topped with egg garnish.
- 냉면 - 위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전 (opens in a new tab)
An old recipe tops naengmyeon with strips of fried egg.
- Janchi-guksu - Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Janchi guksu is topped with egg garnish.
- Jeon (food) - Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Jeon are pan-fried after a coating of flour and egg wash.
- Yukhoe - Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Yukhoe is often topped with a raw egg yolk.
- 비빔밥 - 위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전 (opens in a new tab)
Bibimbap can be topped with a raw egg yolk.
- Gyeran-jjim - Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Steamed egg is a common side dish.
- Gyeran-mari - Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Rolled omelet is a common side dish.
- 김밥 - 위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전 (opens in a new tab)
Egg is one of the basic gimbap fillings.
- 반찬가게 창업ㆍ운영 > 준수사항 > 영업자의 준수사항 > 식품 등의 표시 기준 (본문) | 찾기쉬운 생활법령정보 (opens in a new tab)
Packaged food must name its allergens in a separate box near the ingredient list.
- 식품 등의 표시ㆍ광고에 관한 법률 시행규칙 - 국가법령정보센터 (opens in a new tab)
The annex to these labeling rules lists the allergens that packaged food must declare.