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This Korean street toast is filled with crunchy vegetables, eggs, and cheese. The combination of flavors make this sandwich unique and super delicious- it is buttery, crispy, savory, and sweet!
The first time I had gilgeori toast from a street vendor, it looked and tasted strangely familiar, then I realized I had been eating it my whole life, not knowing it was an actual thing in Korea! I thought it was just a sandwich my mom made up using gyeran mari (Korean rolled omelettes).
What is Gilgeori Toast?
Gilgeori toast is a popular Korean street food- it’s a sweet & savory breakfast sandwich. It is prepared using milk bread slices that are toasted in butter to crispy perfection, then filled with cheese, a crunchy vegetable omelette, and topped with sugar, ketchup, and mayo.
Traditionally, sugar is sprinkled all over the omelette for added sweetness. Many vendors and brick & mortar shops have their own sweet sauce recipe, sometimes using ingredients like kiwi or honey.
I prefer my street toast with some breakfast meats like ham, sausage, or spam. And for personal taste, I also add some Tabasco which is my favorite hot sauce- especially for breakfast!
Ingredients:
- Bread- you can use regular white or wheat bread slices, but I think Korean street toast tastes best when made with either milk bread or brioche. I get my milk bread from a Korean bakery called Paris Baguette.
- Butter– you’ll need butter to toast the bread slices and to cook the egg/veggie filling.
- Veggies- this sandwich is made mostly of vegetables. It has sliced cabbage, onions, carrots, and green onion.
- Eggs- the eggs are what hold the veggies together, kinda like a pancake. Who doesn’t love an egg sandwich?
- Meat- this is optional, you can add ham, sausage, spam, bacon, or whatever protein you want. You can also omit this all together.
- American cheese- this is another optional ingredient. If you don’t like cheese, just leave it out. You can also use a different kind of cheese if you prefer.
- Condiments- it is very common in Korea to add some sweetness to savory street foods. Gilgeori toast is characterized by it’s savory & sweet flavor from sugar sprinkled all over, plus ketchup and mayo. I add Tabasco to mine for personal taste. Try it, it’s really good!
Tips for making the best Korean street toast:
- Sugar– do not skip the sugar! I believe this is one of the most important ingredients in Korean street toast. My recipe calls for 1 tsp of sugar but you may want to add more. 1 tsp is enough for me but my husband likes it even sweeter- 2 tsp for him.
- Tabasco– this is not a traditional ingredient for Korean street toast but I have to have my spice. I absolutely LOVE Tabasco in this. Please try it! Tabasco is already a match made in heaven with breakfast sandwiches- and mixed with ketchup, sugar, and mayo? SO GOOD. This sauce combo is dangerous.
- Bread- if you’re the type of person who judges a sandwich by the bread, here’s how to make the best buttery toasted bread- make sure you are using milk bread or brioche. These types of breads absorb and cook in butter beautifully, leaving a nicely toasted color and texture.
Korean Street Toast- 길거리토스트 (Gilgeori Toast)
Ingredients
- 2 slices Milk bread, brioche, or white bread
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 slice American cheese
Omelette
- 2 small eggs
- 1 1/2 oz cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 oz carrots, thinly sliced
- 1/2 oz onion, thinly sliced
- 1 green onion, chopped
- pinch of salt & pepper
Condiments
- 1 tsp sugar
- ketchup
- Kewpie mayo
- Tabasco
Optional
- 2 oz spam, ham, turkey, or bacon
Instructions
- In a bowl combine the cabbage, onion, green onion, carrot, eggs, salt, and pepper. Mix it with your hands and gently massage the ingredients together. Set aside.If using additional protein, you can either chop it up and add it now or add it to the sandwich separately.
- Spread ½ tbsp butter on one side of both bread slices and put them in the toaster for a few minutes. If you don’t have a toaster, you can use a pan on medium low heat. Butter side down first, then flip over when both sides are browned.
- Put the American cheese slice on the bread as soon as it’s done so it can melt a little. Set aside.
- Add 1 tbsp butter to a pan on medium low heat, then add the egg mixture. Form a square shape, the same size as the bread. Pull in any egg mixture that bleeds out.
- Flip over when the bottom is lightly browned and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes or until cooked through.
- Place on top of the toasted bread and cheese.
- Add ketchup, kewpie mayo, and tabasco. Then sprinkle the sugar all over.
- Add your additional protein if using.
- Layer the second slice of bread on top, cut in half, and enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is one of my favorite breakfast items!! The combination of savory and sweet elements is perfect for a compact yet delicious meal. I made it with brioche bread which was crispy while still being light and fluffy, it’s definitely a staple in my kitchen!
I recently went to Korea and Im not sure if I was in the wrong areas but I couldn’t find Toast on the road!! it was one of my top things to try and it just wasnt anywhere!! I needed to try this so I ordered it on a delivery site and lets just say I was a lil disappointed it was just WAYYY TOO SWEET. I PROBABLY got it from a not good place. Anyhow I used Stellas recipe when I got back and I skipped the sugar part and it was comforting and delicious.
I’ve been making this exact recipe for like 2 years every time I crave it. It’s so good!! I didn’t even know about this type of food until I saw Stella make it and i instantly fell in love.
Such a quick and tasty snack to make for myself and the kids love it just as much. Perfect excuse to make my own milk bread! 😍