Salt Cured Egg Yolks (Soft or Firm)

Name: How to Make Salt Cured Egg Yolks (Soft or Firm)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups sea salt (or kosher salt); 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 7 egg yolks; 1 tablespoon Bonito flakes or miso paste; 1 tablespoon Lemon zest and ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon Dried onion and dried garlic powder; 1 tablespoon Dried thyme, chopped chives or chopped green onions

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Elevate your cooking by learning how to cure egg yolks in salt. It's surprisingly easy and requires just a few ingredients! These cured egg yolks deliver an intense umami flavor with a rich, salty taste. This technique helps you make them either soft and jammy or firm for grating over your favorite dishes.

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📋Ingredient notes
🎥Video
📖 Recipe
👉 Uses for Salt-Cured Egg Yolks
💭 FAQs

What are salt-cured egg yolks?

Cured egg yolks are just egg yolks that have been preserved in a mixture of salt (often combined with sugar) to draw out moisture, intensify their flavor, and transform their texture. The result is a rich, umami-packed ingredient that can be grated or sliced, similar to aged cheese (a great dairy free alternative), and used to enhance a variety of dishes.

👉 If you're searching for the Korean or Japanese recipe with soy sauce instead of salt, then this soy cured egg yolks recipe (external link by jeccachantilly.com) has all the info you need.

📋Ingredient notes

For these salt cured egg yolks you'll need the following simple ingredients:

Labeled ingredients for salt cured egg yolks.

Salt: Sea salt without additives or kosher salt is recommended for this recipe.

White sugar: It intensifies the taste and prevents the yolks from becoming too salty.

Egg yolks: I suggest using pasteurized chicken eggs if you don't plan to further dry the yolks in the oven (more on this below!). Otherwise opt for extra fresh eggs from a trusty source.

This is an interesting article for how to Pasteurize Eggs at Home (external link) using the sous vide method, but though home pasteurization will reduce the risk of salmonella, it doesn't guarantee you 100% success.

Will duck egg yolks work?

Many sources suggest that salted duck egg yolks provide an even more intense umami flavor and creamier texture because duck eggs tend to be richer and slightly larger than chicken eggs.

Because of their size, they may need an extra day or two for a firmer cure. If you're aiming for soft-cured yolks, the same curing time should work, but for firm yolks, extending the cure 1 more day will yield better results.

👨‍🍳 Flavor Tip

For the best salted egg yolks every time you can add some herbs or spices to the curing mixture. This will add more flavor.

Lemon zest, dried onion or dried garlic powder, Ground black pepper, dried thyme and tarragon will add a Mediterranean note.

Bonito flakes, dried shiitake powder, nori or kombu flakes, lemongrass or miso paste will add an Asian note to your dish.

🎥Video

See how easy it is to make salted egg yolks with just 3 ingredients!

📖 Recipe

How to Make Salt Cured Egg Yolks (Soft or Firm)

Makos

Elevate your cooking by learning how to cure egg yolks. It's surprisingly easy and requires just a few ingredients! These cured egg yolks deliver an intense umami flavor with a rich, salty taste. Plus they can be made either soft and jammy or firm for grating over your favorite dishes.

4.50 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Curing time 5

Total Time 10

Course Appetizer, condiment

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings servings

Calories 29 kcal

Ingredients

For the cured Yolks:

▢ 2 ½ cups (750 g) sea salt (or kosher salt)
▢ 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
▢ 7 egg yolks

Optional:

▢ 1 tablespoon Bonito flakes or miso paste
▢ 1 tablespoon Lemon zest and ground black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon Dried onion and dried garlic powder
▢ 1 tablespoon Dried thyme, chopped chives or chopped green onions

Instructions

In a bowl, mix the salt, sugar and the aromatics-if using.
Transfer half of the curing mixture to a food-safe container and create little wells with the bottom of an egg. Make as many wells as the yolks you will be curing.
Brake the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Then, gently place the yolks in the created wells.
Sprinkle the remaining salt-sugar mixture over the yolks until fully buried.
Curing: Close the container with a lid, or wrap it airtight with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator to cure.
✅ For soft, jammy yolks refrigerate for 16-24 hours.
✅ For firm yolks refrigerate for 5-7 days.
Once cured to the desired level, remove the dried egg yolks from the salt mixture and gently rinse off the salt with cold water.
Pat dry with paper towels, and store in the fridge on a piece of parchment paper.
Optional: Preheat oven to 150°F (65°C).
👉 For the firm yolks: Place the cured yolks on a pan lined with baking paper and bake for 80-90 minutes, until the yolks are dry to the touch and firm (flip them once after 50 minutes).
👉 For the soft yolks: Add the yolks to a small baking dish, cover with vegetable oil ( i use olive oil) and make sure they’re completely submerged. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let them sit for 15 more minutes inside the oven. This method will keep them more soft than baking them on a pan.

Notes

Nutrition: Serving size is estimated as half a yolk. Salt and sugar are not included in nutrition facts since there's no way to know how much of each is absorbed by the yolks.

Salted duck egg yolks provide an even more intense umami flavor and creamier texture because duck eggs tend to be richer and slightly larger than chicken eggs. Because of their size, they may need an extra day or two for a firmer cure. If you're aiming for soft-cured yolks, the same curing time should work (18-24 hours), but for firm yolks, extending the cure 1 more day will yield better results.

Pasteurization in the oven will remove some of the umami flavor of the yolks and is not necessary if you already used pasteurized eggs.

I have found that 150°F (65°C) is the "sweet spot" for baking the yolks because, at this temperature, holding them for more than 30 minutes ensures pasteurization while keeping the yolk's consistency unchanged. This works because egg yolks begin to coagulate at temperatures above 150°F (65°C), so staying at or below this threshold preserves their texture.

Food Safety Instructions:

Here are some food safety instructions to keep in mind when making salt-cured egg yolks:

Use fresh eggs from a trusted source – This reduces the risk of contamination with pathogens like salmonella, but it does not eliminate it entirely.
Use pasteurized eggs – If you don’t plan to dehydrate the yolks in the oven, I highly recommend using pasteurized eggs, especially for soft-cured yolks or shorter curing times. Pathogens can survive the curing process if not properly handled.
Consider dehydrating the yolks in the oven – While salt curing preserves yolks, baking them at low heat (around 175°F/80°C) for 30 minutes further reduces bacterial risk.
Be cautious with high-risk individuals – If you use unpasteurized eggs and don’t bake or dehydrate the yolks, avoid serving them to children, pregnant women, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems due to the small but present risk of foodborne illness.
Practice good hygiene – Always wash your hands, clean utensils, and work surfaces before and after handling raw eggs.

More umami recipes:

*This recipe was originally published on Nov 22, 2019 but has been updated with new quantities and more information about preserving egg yolks.

Nutrition

Calories: 29kcalCarbohydrates: 0.3gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 97mgVitamin A: 130IUCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

👉 Uses for Salt-Cured Egg Yolks

Two hands grating an firm yolk over a plate with risotto.

So now you’ve got these gorgeous salty egg yolks, but what next? Thinly slice them or grate them and use them in recipes such as:

Also, here are some mouthwatering cured egg yolk uses as mentioned by Reddit users in the article: What do you use salt cured egg yolks for?

Grated over pasta (especially carbonara), risotto, or soups for an umami boost.
Shaved over toast, avocado toast, salads (Caesar salad is apparently a favorite).
Grated over asparagus or roasted vegetables.
Used in ramen or rice bowls for extra depth.
Blended into creamy sauces for richness.
Shaved (firm or jammy) onto steak.
Micro planed on tartare or thinly sliced over carpaccio.
Also some people say that salted egg popcorn is amazing!

💭 FAQs

What Do Salt-Cured Egg Yolks Taste Like?

They’re rich, slightly creamy, and deeply savory—think of them as a cross between cheese and soy sauce, with a touch of buttery smoothness. That's why they're great as a dairy-free cheese substitute. Once you learn how to cure egg yolks, you’ll always want a batch in your fridge!

How Long Do Cured Egg Yolks Last?

Properly stored in an airtight container, firm salt cured eggs can last up to a month in the fridge.
Soft cured egg yolks will last for 2-3 days.
For even longer preservation, you can dehydrate them and keep them in the freezer. Dried egg yolks can be stored even longer, making them a versatile pantry staple.
In any case, if you have any doubts about whether they’re still good or not, check for any discoloration or weird smell and if something doesn’t feel right then it’s best to discard them.

Are cured egg yolks safe to eat?

Yes, cured egg yolks are generally safe to eat when made and stored properly. However, food safety precautions are important:
If using unpasteurized eggs bake at 150°F (65°C) for 45 minutes to further reduce bacterial risk. According to these Safe Cooking Temperatures (external link) salmonella is killed at 131 F for one hour, 140 F for a half-hour, or at 167 F for 10 minutes.

Can you cure egg whites?

Egg whites don’t cure the same way yolks do because they lack the high fat content that makes yolks firm up and develop their signature umami flavor.
Use the leftover egg whites in these recipes:
Best white chocolate cake with white ganache
Italian almond cookies (soft amaretti)
Make meringues – Light, crispy, and sweet treats perfect for desserts.
Cook an egg white omelet – A high-protein, low-fat breakfast option
Make macarons

✏️ Egg whites freeze exceptionally well. If you don't use them right away, portion them and transfer them into zip loc bags. Remove the air and close the bags firmly, then label with the date and freeze. They can last up to 12 months in the freezer.

To thaw egg whites: Transfer them to the refrigerator and let them defrost overnight. For quicker thawing, place the bag in a bowl of room temperature water. Once thawed, use them immediately in your recipe.

🍳 Similar Recipes

Learning how to preserve egg yolks with salt isn’t just easy—it’s a revelation. Whether you’re into salting egg yolks for that velvety, creamy bite or want something firm to grate like a fine cheese, this technique will change how you cook. If you tried this cured egg yolks recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

Salt Cured Egg Yolks (Soft or Firm)