5-Min Eggs with Soy Sauce & Scallions

Eggs over easy with soy sauce is one of those rare meals that takes five minutes to put on the table that’s not instant ramen. Translation: it’s the perfect meal to whip together when you’re hungry but don’t feel like cooking. After the holiday cooking marathons we’ve all been running, I think it might be time for something a little more no-fuss! Note: This post was first published in January 2014. We have since updated it with new photos and clearer instructions. Enjoy!

A Cheap, Time-saving Meal

Whether it’s a busy weeknight, or you don’t have anything else in the fridge and no time to go grocery shopping, this meal will always come to the rescue. It has saved me in many a hangry moment…

• In my senior year of college, when I was off the meal plan with a papers to write and nothing in the fridge but condiments and a few eggs.
• In my first apartment, after a long day at work and no energy to cook.
• Last week! When I needed a quick lunch between answering emails and editing recipe videos.

All you do is fry a couple of eggs, and put them over some re-heated leftover rice (or fresh, if you have a magical rice cooker like mine that makes rice in under 10 minutes flat. Note, several people have asked; it’s a Tiger JNP-1500, though it comes in different sizes). The beauty of this recipe comes when you julienne some scallions, and create a tasty sauce with soy sauce, sugar, and water. That’s it. It may sound simple, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this quick and simple meal if you decide to try it. Our recipe serves 1, but you can multiply as needed!

Recipe Instructions

Start by quickly cutting some scallions into 2-inch lengths. If the white parts are a little thick, you can halve or quarter them lengthwise. Fry the eggs over easy or sunny-side-up in the oil, making sure to keep the yolk runny. (Well, I guess my mom likes her yolks broken and cooked—if that floats your boat, that’s what you should do!) I prefer mine over-easy, mostly because I’m too impatient to wait for the white to finish cooking, and flipping the eggs cooks them faster. Place over a bed of hot cooked white rice. Then add the scallions to the pan the eggs just vacated, and fry just until they’re beginning to wilt. Stir in the soy sauce, water, a pinch of sugar, and the optional Shaoxing wine, if using. Simmer for 30 seconds. Pour the scallions and sauce over the eggs and rice. And that’s it! This eggs over easy with soy sauce and scallions dinner has saved me on many occasions. Enjoy!