The egg yolk needs a new publicist. It has long lived in the shadows of the egg white’s health halo—earned thanks to its lower calorie content. The yolk, on the other hand, has garnered an unfortunate reputation as the cholesterol-laden, inferior part of an egg.
But are egg yolks really all that unhealthy? Studies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have found that while the whites provide more protein per gram, the yolk contains nearly all of the fat and water-soluble vitamins and minerals that eggs are valued for. And the list of essential nutrients found in egg yolks is a long one—you can count calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc and vitamins B12, A and E among them. Egg yolks are also a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin—which promote eye health by guarding against macular degeneration—and sulfated glycopeptides—which have been shown to boost the immune system by producing compounds that protect the body against disease and infection.
Nutrition aside, taste is where the egg yolk really wins big. The buttery, umami flavour a runny yolk bursts with is hard to describe, and coupled with the velvety, creamy texture it holds, it is a one-of-a-kind food that many truly love, whether eaten on its own or as a condiment to enhance other dishes with. If you are a real egg yolk connoisseur, you already know just how delicious a simple sunny side up can be—but what if you wanted to take your eggy snack further with yolk-centric recipes that elevate the humble ingredient to restaurant levels?
Here, find a selection of the best recipes for enjoying egg yolk shared across TikTok by budding chefs and experienced home cooks. Some are deceptively simple while others require a bit more prep time, but they all have one thing in common—they feature a delicious egg yolk, front and centre.
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Salt-Cured Egg Yolks
As far as chef-y techniques go, salt-cured egg yolks are one of the simplest but most impressive. If you have ever wanted the savoury flavour of an egg yolk without its runny texture, consider this inventive recipe by recipe developer Justine. You only need a few ingredients (if you want to keep it really simple, then just two: salt and egg yolks) and the everyday kitchen appliances you already have. Batch prep the cured egg yolks, and grate them over avocado toast, pasta or any dish you can imagine.
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Egg Yolk Jam
Don’t call this a hollandaise. In this recipe, food blogger Nadia Aidi cooks raw egg yolks using the bain-marie method, where a heated bath is used to prevent the yolks from over-cooking. Off the heat, she whips in butter, resulting in a deliciously creamy egg yolk jam perfect for smearing onto warm, toasted bread. End off with a crack of fresh black pepper, sea salt and some chives—and you have yourself some seriously elevated eggs on toast.
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Egg Yolk Ravioli
If you have a date night coming up, this is the recipe to whip out. As food blogger and pasta specialist Johnny Moroney shows, the end result is as visually striking as it is delicious. Each ravioli is stuffed with spinach, ricotta, lemon zest and nutmeg, and delicately filled with an egg yolk. If cooked right, the runny yolk should ooze out once you cut into the ravioli. This one might take a few tries to perfect—but it will worth it once you nail it.
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Miso Egg Yolks
Once you’ve mastered salt-curing, take the flavour of cured egg yolks to the next level with this miso version by chef Brandon Skier. In his take on the recipe, he places the raw yolks in salt for only a few days, transferring them to a bath of miso paste while they are still jammy. By the time they are fully dry, what you get is a darker, more robustly-seasoned yolk that can be devoured in a few bites, or shaved over other items as a condiment.
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Turkish Eggs
This simple take on Turkish eggs is easy to follow along and presents a tangy yet balanced flavour profile to enjoy your egg yolks with. Start off by poaching eggs in boiling water, and placing them atop greek yoghurt seasoned with salt and garlic powder. Then, make a spicy sauce with butter and paprika and ladle on generously. In terms of taste, it isn’t far off from shakshouka—but can be made in a fraction of the time with fewer ingredients.
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Egg Yolk Omu Rice
If you are fan of Japanese omu rice, this egg-yolk filled version is just about the most indulgent version you’ll find. While the original fluffy, oozy omelette is already notoriously difficult to nail, up the ante by filling it with raw egg yolks that burst open once the dish is served and sliced. Self proclaimed “egg-toker” Omuraisupuro shows us how to do it best in this step-by-step instructional video.
