Creamy, roughly mashed eggs between soft white bread: this tamago sando gets a fresh, tangy twist from chives and a little mustard. A simple breakfast that also works perfectly well for lunch.
Tamago sando is a Japanese egg sandwich: a soft filling of egg and mayonnaise between tender white bread. In Japanese convenience stores, the sandwich is often made with fluffy shokupan, Japanese milk bread. For this homemade version, soft white sandwich bread works well. You can leave the crusts on or remove them; without the crusts, the filling stands out more clearly, but it’s mostly a matter of preference.
The key is the ratio of egg to mayonnaise. Hard-boiled eggs give the filling enough firmness to stay between the slices of bread, while a modest amount of mayonnaise makes the yolks creamy. Mash the egg roughly with a fork, not into a smooth paste: small pieces of egg give it more bite. Mustard adds a gentle sharpness that balances the creaminess. Use regular mild mustard for a subtle flavor, or Dijon mustard if you want a little more kick.
Chives add a fresh, delicate onion flavor without overpowering the egg salad. Snip or finely chop the stems and mix them into the filling just before assembling the sandwiches. Chives are available all year round; in spring, fresh chives are often easy to find in the garden or at the store. No chives on hand? A small amount of finely sliced green onion works too, but it has a sharper flavor. If so, you may want to use a little less mustard.
Cook the eggs until the yolks are fully set, then let them cool before peeling and mashing them. Rinsing them under cold water helps stop the cooking and makes them easier to peel. Mix the salad only once the eggs are cool, so the mayonnaise doesn’t get warm. Taste it before assembling the sandwiches: bread softens the salt and mustard flavors, so the filling can taste just a little more pronounced on its own.
Generously spread the egg salad over two slices of bread, top with the remaining slices and press the sandwiches lightly. Cut them in half with a sharp knife so the filling stays neatly visible. Serve right away for breakfast, or with a light soup or salad for lunch. Store any leftover sandwich well covered in the refrigerator and preferably eat it the same day. Don’t leave egg salad at room temperature for a long time.
Place the eggs in a saucepan and add cold water until they are covered by about 2 cm. Bring to a boil and cook for 9 minutes.
Drain the hot water and cool the eggs under cold running water. Peel them once they have cooled enough to handle.
Roughly mash the eggs with a fork. Stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, chives and salt. Season with black pepper.
Spread the egg salad over two slices of white bread. Top with the remaining slices and press the sandwiches lightly.
Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
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