Tea Eggs

Rich tea aroma, savory and delicious high-protein quick nutritious breakfast, about 30 minutes. Cooking is slightly time-consuming, can try on the weekend, one batch is enough for about 2-3 people.

Difficulty ★★★Updated 1/25/2026

Ingredients and Tools

  • Eggs
  • Star anise
  • Bay leaves
  • Cinnamon
  • Fennel
  • Rock sugar
  • Black tea
  • Light soy sauce
  • Dark soy sauce
  • Salt

Measurements

  • Eggs 400g (about 8)
  • Star anise 4g (about 2)
  • Bay leaves 0.5-1g (about 2 pieces)
  • Cinnamon 3g (1 small piece)
  • Fennel 5g
  • Rock sugar 15g
  • Black tea 20g
  • Light soy sauce 15g
  • Dark soy sauce 25g
  • Salt 3g Use the above conditions to calculate the planned ingredient ratios.

Steps

  • Boil the eggs in cold water, high heat about 8 minutes (depending on your cookware)
  • Remove the eggs and rinse in cold water
  • Tap the eggs against each other so each egg gets cracks
  • Put the eggs back in the pot, add star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, fennel, rock sugar, black tea, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt
  • Add water until it covers the eggs
  • Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes > After simmering over medium heat for 15 minutes, remove the spice solids, and let the eggs soak a bit longer for better texture

Notes

  • Rinsing the eggs in cold water creates a gap between the egg and shell
  • Salt can be omitted based on personal taste
  • If you don't have so many ingredients like star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, fennel, rock sugar, you can buy a ready-made braising spice packet. If you follow this guide and find issues or improvements to the process, please submit an Issue or Pull request.