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Korean sauna eggs are very unique in appearance and taste. From the outside, they look like regular hard-boiled eggs, but when you crack open the shell, the eggs are brown and have a roasted nutty flavor. This is achieved without needing any sauce or marinades. These unique eggs are easy to make and need only 3 ingredients.
a bowl of korean sauna eggs.

It’s not unusual to see hard-boiled eggs that have brown egg whites. Japanese marinated eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago) or Chinese soy sauce eggs are two examples. But what is unique about these eggs is that the shell stays white and only the inside of the egg turns brown from the cooking process and not any marinade. These eggs are like hard-boiled eggs but with a lot more flavor and without needing a lot of ingredients.

Ingredients

Eggs
Water
Salt

Salt is actually not needed for the recipe, but it does add some seasoning to the eggs. But it is not needed to achieve the brown color or the roasted nutty flavor. So if you are on a low-sodium diet you can make them without the salt. The eggs will just be a little plainer in taste but they will still be brown and have a roasted flavor.

What are Korean Sauna Eggs?

Korean sauna eggs are a popular snack served in Korean spas. If you watch Korean dramas, you will sometimes see a plate of them served in a scene involving a sauna.

The eggs are cooked at high pressure, which turns the egg white brown and gives them a roasted, nutty flavor.

How to Make Korean Sauna Eggs

The recipe I’m sharing today uses the Instant Pot pressure cooker to cook the eggs. I’ve come across different cooking times, but the most popular method is the “2-2-2” method. You add 2 cups of water to the Instant Pot and 2 tsp of salt, and cook the eggs at high pressure for 2 hours.

Cooking Tips

You will want to make these eggs when you are at home for a long stretch of time. Once they are done cooking, you need to do a quick release so you can get your eggs out and into an ice bath. This stops the eggs from overcooking and makes them easy to peel.
You do not need to let the eggs come to room temperature. I used eggs straight from the fridge.
The number of eggs doesn’t change the water or salt amount. You can do just a few or several. You just can’t do more than a single layer of eggs.
Some of your eggshells may crack a little during the cooking process and it might just be the pressure in your Instant Pot. I own two Instant Pots. My older Instant Pot cooks the eggs perfectly without any cracks. My newer Instant Pot will result in a few cracked shells each time I have made them in there.

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