A delicious toasted egg omelet sandwich made of fluffy toast, cabbage, carrots, green onions, cheese, ham, ketchup and sugar! This easy 10-minute Korean street toast is made with simple ingredients and great for breakfast or as a meal!
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Korean Street Toast (also known as 'Gilgeori Toast' in Korean translation) is a popular Korean sandwich sold on the streets of South Korea!
The sandwich features toasted white bread with eggs, cabbage, carrots, green onions, ham, cheese topped with ketchup and sugar to balance the flavors!
Many street-food vendors sell this sandwich as a quick and affordable meal for on-the-go making it perfect for commuters or hungry students.
This Korean street sandwich has become a worldwide sensation for its combination of flavors! It's a good breakfast sandwich that is filling and simple.
This sandwich was the very first time I was introduced to popular Korean street food! That buttery toast with ham and lot of veggies in between made a mark in my food memories.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements
- Milk Bread: or substitute with white bread or whole wheat bread if you prefer that. It's best to use square shaped white bread so it can fit the entire omelette. Many Asian bakeries will sell this kind of bread and it's called Japanese Shokupan bread.
- Large Eggs
- Cabbage: It's recommended to use regular green cabbage and not napa cabbage as that releases too much liquid.
- Carrots: to give the the omelette color, flavor and crunch! For an easier preparation, get store-bought carrot matchsticks.
- Green onion: for aromatics and color!
- Cheddar cheese: I recommend cheddar but you can use Swiss, mozzarella, or havarti.
- Ham: I recommend thinly sliced ham for ease or substitute with deli slices of turkey, roasted beef or roasted chicken.
- Unsalted butter: or substitute with salted butter.
- Ketchup: or substitute with regular mayonnaise or Kewpie mayo.
- Sugar: a key ingredient to balancing out the salty flavors in this sandwich. Many Korean Street vendors will add some sugar for that sweet taste
- Salt
Expert Tips
- Use eggs with omega 3s if you want bright yellow yolks.
- Thinly cut the cabbage into very thin strips that are 0.5 millimetres wide x 1 inch long. Avoid cutting them any larger or it won't cook through in the omelette.
- Get carrot matchsticks to make the preparation easier and faster!
- Pre-mix the egg mixture in a large glass measuring cup with a lip. This will make things easier as you pour the egg vegetable mixture into the pan.
- Mix the egg mixture again just before cooking for an even distribution of ingredients.
- Don't burn the bread! Just toast it until golden brown on low-medium heat!
- To prevent the bread from becoming soggy, transfer it to a paper-towel lined plate or a wire rack.
- Shape the omelette into a square-shape with a spatula as soon as the egg mixture hits the pan.
- Only heat your ham slices – do not cook it, about 30-60 seconds. Or it will dry out.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Korean street toast:
- First in small bowl or a measuring cup with a lip, combine eggs, salt, cabbage, carrots and green onions and mix well. Set aside.
- Then in a large pan on low-medium heat, melt 2 tablespoon butter and swirl it around the pan. Toast the bread on both sides until golden brown. Remove and set aside on a paper-towel lined plate or a wire rack to prevent it from becoming soggy.
- Next melt the remaining butter and swirl it around the pan. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and shape it with a spatula into a square to fit the bread. Keep shaping it until the bottom is golden brown and flip over.
- Then fry the omelette on the other side until golden. Remove and place omelette on top of a slice of toast. Sprinkle sugar on top of the omelette.
- Next warm up the ham slices in the pan for 10 seconds on each side and place ham on top of omelette followed by cheddar cheese slices. Drizzle ketchup on top of the cheese.
- Close the sandwich with the remaining slice of toast. Lastly, slice into half with a sharp serrated knife and enjoy hot!
Storage
- Korean street toast is best consumed fresh or the toast will go soggy overtime.
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator but I recommend storing the components into separate contains as the bread will go soggy. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this Korean street toast because the eggs will turn rubbery.
Pairing Suggestions
This Korean street toast serves well on its own but you can pair it with:
- coffee, tea or lattes
- sausage, bacon, ham, or spam
- breakfast taters, potatoes or hash browns
- salad or fresh vegetables
- fresh fruit
FAQ
Korean street toast up can be made up to 4 days in advance but keep in mind, the toast will become soggy so I suggest making and storing the different filling components in separate airtight containers. Then toast the bread and assemble the sandwich closer serving time.
There are a few reasons for soggy toast and these include not using enough heat or butter, not enjoying the toast immediately and letting the toast sit with the filling components for prolonged periods of time.
📖 Recipe
Easy 10-min. Korean Street Toast
Ingredients
- 2 slices milk bread or white Texas toast bread or regular white bread
- 1-3 slices ham (if it's thick sliced ham, use 1 slice)
- 1-2 slices cheddar cheese or Swiss/Mozzarella cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2.5 tablespoon butter unsalted
- ⅓ cup cabbage very thinly sliced
- ¼ cup carrots julienned
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ketchup or mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon white granulated sugar
Instructions
- In small bowl or a measuring cup with a lip, combine eggs, salt, cabbage, carrots and green onions and mix well. Set aside.
- In a large pan on low-medium heat, melt 2 tablespoon butter and swirl it around the pan. Toast the bread on both sides until golden brown. Remove and set aside on a paper-towel lined plate or a wire rack to prevent it from becoming soggy.
- Reduce to medium-low heat, melt remaining butter and swirl it around the pan. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and shape it with a spatula into a square to fit the bread. Keep shaping it until the bottom is golden brown and flip over.
- Fry the omelette on the other side until golden. Remove and place omelette on top of a slice of toast. Sprinkle sugar on top of the omelette.
- Next warm up the ham slices in the pan for 10 seconds on each side and place ham on top of omelette followed by cheddar cheese slices. Drizzle ketchup on top of the cheese.
- Close the sandwich with remaining slice of toast. Slice into half with a sharp serrated knife and enjoy hot!
Texas Lady
Made this for my family (husband, 4 young adult kids) and myself. We all loved it! Something different from just a ham, egg and cheese melt. The flavors were very good, complimentary; bread buttery and toasted just right, melty cheese, the egg, finely shredded cabbage and green onion just so good, and the sweet/tart catsup and sugar topping the ham made it all come together with so much flavor. Thanks for putting this on the internet.
christieathome
I am so very happy to read this kind and mouthwatering review! Thank you very much for it and for making my recipe. Glad the family enjoyed it 🙂
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
How fun! Nothing beats tasty street food creations, and this ham, egg and cheese on toast looks just scrumptious! I can't wait to give this a try!