Silky, savoury, and incredibly easy! These steamed eggs are the ultimate comfort food. Just eggs, water, and a few expert tips.

When I’m craving something warm, soft, and soothing, I always come back to this: steamed eggs.

Steamed eggs are one of those dishes that look simple — just eggs and liquid — but getting them silky smooth, custardy, and jiggly takes a little bit of know-how. I’m going to tell you all my tips and tricks on how to make silky smooth steamed eggs.

I’ve gone through so many versions and experiments of this, and I wanted to balance out ease and convenience with flavour and texture. And to me, this version is perfect.

That said, I’ve also had my fair share of ‘imperfect’ steamed eggs: overcooked, curdled, bubbly or weird holes. But here’s your gentle reminder: even if your eggs don’t look pretty, they’ll still taste good! So don’t worry too much about perfection. This is comfort food at its core.

Let’s get into it.

What Are Steamed Eggs
Why You’ll Love This Dish
Key Ingredients for Steamed Eggs
Key Steps to Making Steamed Eggs
How to Serve It
Tips and Tricks for Smooth, Custardy Eggs
Storing and Reheating
More Recipes Like This

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What Are Steamed Eggs

Chinese steamed eggs (sometimes called egg custard or 蒸水蛋) are gently cooked over steam until they become soft, jiggly, and smooth like a savoury custard. Think of it like a warm, savoury egg pudding!

You’ll find different variations across Asia, such as Japanese chawanmushi.

This version is known for its soft texture and clean flavour. It’s not generally served as a dish on its own, but rather as part of the larger Asian-style communal meal with other side dishes and rice.

It’s often topped with a simple seasoning of light soy sauce and sesame oil, and garnished with spring onions. For a fuller dish, it may be topped with seasoned minced meat. That said, I’ve also seen (and served!) versions without any seasonings, just pure eggy flavour!

Why You’ll Love This Dish

Only 2 main ingredients: eggs and liquid.
Light and easy on the stomach.
Crowdpleaser! Loved by everyone from toddlers to grandparents.

Key Ingredients for Steamed Eggs

Eggs

Liquid: Water or stock. The golden ratio is 1 part egg to 2 parts liquid by volume. Chicken stock adds a more substantial flavour. To make it taste restaurant-level, use chicken stock powder or crumble in bouillon cube.

Seasonings

Optional Mixed In Seasonings: A dash of sesame oil will add dimension.

Sauce for Topping: A simple light mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, and water (to dilute the saltiness of soy sauce) to drizzle over the eggs. You can also mix this in with the eggs, although I prefer to not whisk too much.

Key Steps to Making Steamed Eggs

1. Preheat your Steamer

Get your steamer going first. I use my dutch oven with a steamer attachment.

Make sure it’s hot and ready by the time the eggs go in. This helps the custard set evenly from the start.

2. Measure your eggs

Crack the eggs into a measuring cup to check the volume. Using a measuring cup also makes pouring it into the steaming bowl easier!

You’ll want about double that amount of liquid. So if your eggs come up to ½ cup (120 ml), you’ll want about 1 cup (240 ml) of water or stock.

There is no need to be super precise about the measurements. If you added a little extra liquid, your eggs will set softer and custardy. If you added a little less, it will be firmer. Either way, delicious!

Gently whisk together the eggs and liquid. Add sesame oil and chicken stock powder now if using. The key is to whisk gently — enough to combine. No need to whisk vigorously, this may make it extra foamy and bubbly.

3. Pour and Skim off bubbles

Pour the mixture into a shallow, heatproof dish or bowl.

Use a spoon to scoop off any surface bubbles. This keeps your custard smooth on top without needing to strain it. You can also strain the mixture if you want an even smoother custard – but I’ll personally avoid washing strainers as much as I can!

4. Steam!

Gently place the bowl into your already-boiling steamer.

Make sure the bottom of the bowl do not touch the water. This will cause uneven cooking and create holes at the bottom of your egg custard.

Wrap your steamer lid with a clean kitchen towel to catch condensation. This prevents water droplets from falling onto the custard and ruining the smooth surface. If you prefer, you can also just cover your egg dish with foil or plate.

NOTE: this is purely for aesthetic purposes. If I’m extra lazy I just let it be. The flavour is still the same!

Cover and steam on low to medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the depth of your bowl.

The top should look firm but still have a wobble. To test its doneness, I use a spoon to touch the surface. It should not be a liquid, and gives a gentle wobble when nudged.

5. Finish and garnish

While the egg is steaming, mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, and water to dilute the saltiness. If using low sodium soy sauce, you may skip the water. Give it a taste test and adjust accordingly.

Once the eggs are set, remove from the steamer.

Drizzle over the sauce, and top with spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately and enjoy!

How to Serve It

This dish is typically served as part of a larger meal, but it can also work beautifully on its own:

With a bowl of warm rice

Alongside stir-fried vegetables or protein

Topped with extras like minced meat, tofu, or even a drizzle of chili crisp

For breakfast, lunch, or a gentle late-night supper

Tips and Tricks for Smooth, Custardy Eggs

Always start with a hot steamer.
Stick to the 1:2 ratio of egg to liquid for that perfect wobble and a soft custard.
Whisk gently to avoid too much froth.
Remove surface bubbles with a spoon before steaming.
Wrap the steamer lid with a towel to catch condensation. No water spots = no rough surfaces on your custard!
Make sure the bowl is not in contact with the boiling water. This will cause uneven cooking. The base of the custard may end up tough and holey.
Keep the heat medium-low. High heat can cause the custard to puff or develop bubbles.

Storing and Reheating

Storing: Let the steamed egg cool completely before storing. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 or 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as it will change the texture of the eggs.

Reheating: To reheat, gently steam again for a few minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave on low power in short 10–15 second bursts, checking frequently. Avoid overheating as it can make the eggs tough and overcooked.

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