Egg Drop Soup. A delicious soup made of hot broth with wispy eggs seasoned with sesame oil and green onions. Ready in 10 minutes!
What is Egg Drop Soup?
Egg Drop Soup is a delicious hot soup consisting of chicken broth, sesame oil, chicken stock powder, salt, white pepper, cornstarch and water. The yellow color comes from the very thin stream of beaten eggs poured into the simmering broth.
One of the most popular Chinese soups served at your favorite Chinese restaurant. It's a great recipe that serves as a starter or first course, side dish, or with your favorite main course for the entire family to enjoy if you enjoy Chinese food. Also, my husband's favorite Asian recipes to date!
Where did Egg Drop Soup come from?
This Chinese authentic egg drop soup is served at many Chinese restaurants and originates from China. There is also a Japanese and French version of the classic egg drop soup recipe but I will be teaching the Chinese version.
Easy Egg Drop Soup
Comes together in less than 10 minutes with minimal ingredients - the easiest soup ever made! Don't be intimated by the beautiful egg ribbons! Egg flower soup is simple to recreate at home by pouring beaten egg into a broth as you stir in a circular motion!
Watching the egg flower petals bloom is pure magic! Follow my simple steps and you can make this restaurant style egg drop soup.
Ingredients
The below egg drop soup ingredients are required. ***Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements***
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find them at your select local grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
- Chicken stock: Unsalted Chicken broth is my go-to for a good egg drop soup. Or use store bought or homemade chicken broth, beef bone broth, vegetable stock or vegetable broth for a vegetarian egg drop soup.
- Eggs: For a golden yellow soup, use free range eggs with Omega 3s. We'll be pouring these raw eggs into the soup in a thin stream to make ribbons.
- Green onion: Ensure to separate the green part from the white parts of the onions. The greens will be used as a garnish for your bowl of egg drop soup.
Seasoning
- Chicken stock powder aka Chicken bouillon powder or chicken stock base. This adds more depth to the soup because it contains a little bit of MSG.
- Salt: to season the bowl of soup or use soy sauce
- Sesame oil: This adds a nutty aroma to our homemade egg drop soup. If allergic, you may omit.
- White pepper: white pepper has a floral scent. If you don't have this ingredient, use black pepper.
Thickener
- Cornstarch: You can also sub with potato starch or tapioca starch if you don't have corn starch.
- Cold water
How to Make Egg Drop Soup
Here's how to make a simple egg drop soup recipe. Please scroll down to the recipe card below to find full instructions
- First in a bowl, beat your eggs until smooth.
- Then in a separate small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until starch has dissolved.
- In a medium size pot, add chicken stock and scallion whites only (reserve the green parts as a garnish for later). Cover and bring to boil over medium high heat.
- Uncover and lower heat to medium heat. While stirring, pour in cornstarch water mixture. Do not pour in without stirring or it’ll become clumpy. Let this boil uncovered, over medium heat, for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- Season stock with chicken stock powder, sesame oil, salt and white pepper. Mix well.
- For a small egg flowers, pour in whisked eggs in a thin stream while stirring in a circular motion. Or for a large egg flower, pour eggs in a circular motion without stirring and let it set for 20 seconds. Then gently stir. Allow your soup to bubble for 1 minute. Remove off heat.
- Garnish with scallion greens. Enjoy!
Great Additions
To enhance your own egg drop soup, here is a list of ingredients that would make a great addition:
- wonton strips
- diced tomatoes
- peas
- diced carrots
- fresh ginger
- silken tofu
- cooked crab meat
- shredded cooked chicken
Cooking Tips
Before pouring cornstarch slurry...
Lower to medium heat while stirring, pour in the cornstarch slurry. By lowering the heat and stirring with a large spoon, this prevents cornstarch clumps
Allow soup to boil after adding cornstarch mixture
The boiling action activates the cornstarch slurry. If you don't allow the soup to reach boiling point, it won't activate and thicken. In Chinese cuisine, cornstarch is commonly used to thicken stir fry sauces.
Beat eggs in a measuring cup with a lip
I like using a measuring cup with a lip as it makes pouring the eggs into a thin stream very easy and mess free!
Small vs. Large Egg Flowers
For small egg flowers, make sure to pour a thin stream of the whisked eggs and stir in a circulation motion with enough movement. This creates small egg ribbons.
For larger egg ribbons, do not stir and pour a thicker stream of the egg mixture in a circulation motion. Then let it set for 20-30 seconds and gently stir.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about this easy soup:
How long will this soup last?
It'll last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat this simple soup, re-boil over the stove top or microwave with a cover until warm.
Can I make it vegetarian?
This soup can become vegetarian by replacing with veggie broth.
Other recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed this Chinese Egg Drop Soup, you may like these other soup recipes:
- Wonton Noodle Soup
- Miso Soup
- Hong Kong Tomato Macaroni Soup or plain Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup
- Fish Ball Udon Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Chinese Watercress Soup
- Satay Beef Noodle Soup
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Easy 10-min. Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock unsalted (or sub with vegetable or beef broth)
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 green onion finely chopped with scallion whites and greens separated
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (aka chicken stock powder)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (or sub with black pepper)
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch (or sub with potato starch or tapioca starch)
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- First in a bowl or measuring cup with a lip, crack and beat your eggs until smooth. Set aside. (Tip: the measuring cup with a lip makes pouring your eggs into a stream more easier)
- In a separate small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until starch has dissolved. Set aside.
- In a medium size pot, add chicken stock and scallion whites only (reserve the green parts as a garnish for later). Cover and bring to boil.
- Once boiled, uncover and lower heat to medium heat. While stirring, pour in cornstarch water mixture. (Do not pour in without stirring or it’ll become clumpy). Let this boil uncovered, over medium heat, for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- Season stock with chicken stock powder, sesame oil, salt and white pepper. Mix well.
- Slowly pour beaten eggs in a thin stream while stirring for small egg flowers. Alternatively, for large egg flowers, without stirring pour eggs in a thin stream in a circulation motion, let it set for 20 seconds and gently stir. Allow your soup to bubble for 1 minute. Remove off heat.
- Serve & garnish with scallion greens. Enjoy!
Mary
This was so comforting and delicious! I appreciated how easy it was as well. The whole family really enjoyed it.
christieathome
Thank you Mary! I'm so glad you and the whole family enjoyed it!
Pilar Williams
Just curios why add sesame oil?
christieathome
For that nutty flavor!
Carol
My husband and I love Egg Drop Soup! This recipe is the closest I’ve come to restaurant quality! Delicious 😋
christieathome
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this kind review with me, Carol! So happy it's close to restaurant quality 🙂