Korean Street Toast (Korean Breakfast)

Name: Korean Street Toast (Korean Breakfast)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cabbage (thinly shredded); 1/2 carrot (thinly shredded); 1 green onion (chopped); 4 eggs; a pinch salt; 4 tbsp butter; 3 tbsp sugar; 4 tbsp ketchup; 4 slices deli ham; 8 slices sandwich bread

posted by Holly Ford on Mar 5, 2022 (updated Jun 13, 2022) 2 comments »

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Korean street toast is a popular Korean street food breakfast. This Korean sandwich is packed with egg, cabbage, carrot, ham, and cheese between slices of buttery toasted bread. It’s the salty and sweet taste from the unusual condiment combination that will make you swoon.

Wrapped Korean street toasts are cut in half and served in a small basket

What is Korean Street Toast?

Known as Gilgeori toast (길거리 토스트) in Korean, it is an unusual toasted egg sandwich packed with shredded cabbage, carrot, and green onion cooked together in an egg batter, then layered with ham and cheese in between slices of buttered toasted bread.

It is a popular breakfast-on-the-go Korean street food that is often sold from a street kiosk or a franchise toast shop (Issac Toast). You will see many local Koreans eating this as they are walking to their office or waiting at the bus stop – a common weekday morning scene of a Korean street.

What makes this Korean toast recipe so unusual is the combination of condiments to flavor the sandwich – sugar (or jam) and ketchup! I know it sounds weird to use them together in a sandwich, especially accompanied by an egg omelette, but it tastes amazing with crunchy vegetables, ham, and cheese on the buttery toasted breads. Salty and sweet!

Who would have thought this odd Korean sandwich would become a worldwide sensation that everyone wants to make at home? This Korean street toast recipe is something you should try yourself to believe that it is not as bad as it sounds.

In fact, it is actually pretty darn good for a breakfast with all the nutrition included! Besides, it is very easy and fairly quick to make.

Korean street toast sandwich is wrapped and placed in a basket

Ingredients you’ll need

butter – Korean street vendors use margarine, but I like butter better.
eggs – 1 egg per sandwich
cabbage – finely shredded
carrot – finely shredded
green onion – optional but recommend
deli ham slices – any deli slices would work
cheddar cheese slices – or other meltable cheese of your choice
granulated sugar – or any fruit jam
ketchup – must included condiment for this recipe for Korean street toast
sandwich bread – white bread preferred.

How to make Korean street toast

Green cabbage is finely shredded with a vegetable peeler.

Shred cabbage and carrot very thinly using a vegetable peeler.

Shredded vegetables are mixed with beaten eggs in a bowl.

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl and add the shredded cabbage, carrot, green onion, and a pinch of salt; mix well.

Using a stick of butter to melt and coat the pan.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter on a skillet over medium low heat. (I use a stick of butter to touch the skillet directly).

Two portions of egg omelette mixture is cooking in a pan.

Spoon in a portion of egg and vegetable mixture, and spread it around to about the size of your sandwich bread. (You can make two egg pieces at a time)

Egg omelettes are cooked to golden brown in a pan

Cook the egg omelettes 2-3 minutes on one side and flip. Cook until golden brown. Transfer the omelette to a plate and repeat the next batch.

Two slices of deli ham is heating in a skillet.

Heat ham slices briefly, about 30-60 seconds; set aside.

Bread slices are toasting in a skillet with butter in a skillet.

Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and toast the sandwich bread until golden and crisp.

To assemble Korean Egg Sandwich

A spoonful of sugar is coating the egg omelette on top of bread.

Ketchup is squirted on top of sugar with egg omelette for Korean street toast.

Put a piece of egg omelet on the toast. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoon of sugar (or however much you desire).
Squirt some ketchup on top.
Place a slice of ham and a cheese on top and top with the another toasted bread.
If you like your toast crunchier, add shredded cabbage between the layers of the condiments and ham.

Korean street toast is served in a small plastic cup.

How to eat Korean street toast

Typically, Korean street vendors wrap their toast in foil and stick it in a paper cup to hold in shape. You can eat it as a regular sandwich without any wrapping. Or use a piece of parchment paper to wrap as you would pack your sandwich to go.

You will want to eat this buttery Korean toast right away while they are hot to enjoy all the goodness.

More Korean Street Food Recipes

Here are some of the most popular and easy Korean street food recipes that you can make at home.