15-Minute Easy Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelet)

Name: 15-Minute Easy Egg Foo Young
Prep time: 9 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 1/2 green onion (finely chopped); 3 large eggs; 4 oz jumbo shrimp (peeled, deveined, rinsed, and patted dry); 1 cup bean sprouts (rinsed, drained, and patted dry); 2 small shallots (finely diced); 1/2 tsp sesame oil (toasted kind); 1/8 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce; 1/2 tbsp cornstarch; 1/2 tsp regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce); 1/2 tsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine; 1/2 tsp sesame oil (toasted kind); 1/2 cup chicken stock (low-sodium)

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Fluffy fried eggs packed with succulent shrimp and crunchy bean sprouts are smothered in a rich brown gravy. This easy egg foo young recipe is ready in just 15 minutes. The omelet cooks up golden and crisp around the edges while staying light and fluffy inside.

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Why It Works
Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage & Reheating
Variations
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
More Like This
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Egg foo young (芙蓉蛋) is a Chinese-style omelet filled with eggs, vegetables, and meat or seafood, then served with a savory brown gravy. Growing up, my parents often made it for our family of five in their trusty wok as an easy way to add more vegetables and seafood to our meals.

My version is similar to theirs, using less oil to shallow-fry the omelet so it stays light instead of heavy. After making this often, I've found that leaving the omelet completely untouched until the bottom turns deep golden brown gives it better flavor and enough structure to flip without breaking.

Why It Works

Frothy eggs: Thoroughly whisked eggs create a lighter, fluffier omelet instead of a dense egg base.
Dry fillings: Removing excess moisture from the shrimp and bean sprouts prevents the omelet from becoming watery.
Cornstarch slurry: Cornstarch thickens the brown gravy until smooth and glossy so it clings to the omelet.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Main egg foo young ingredients including eggs, raw shrimp, soybean sprouts, shallots, green onions, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper.

Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral, high-smoke-point oil. Peanut oil, refined avocado oil, or canola oil also works.
Green Onions

Omelet Mixture

Large Eggs
Jumbo Shrimp: Use raw, peeled and deveined shrimp (16/20 count). Fresh or frozen both work; thaw before using if frozen. Rinse under cold running water to remove any small shell fragments, then pat dry before adding to the eggs. Avoid using cooked shrimp.
Soybean Sprouts: Choose fresh, crisp sprouts. Rinse under cold running water a few times and dry well before using. Mung bean sprouts also work.
Shallots: White or yellow onion also works.
Toasted Sesame Oil
Salt
Black Pepper: White pepper also works for a slightly different flavor.

Gravy

Oyster Sauce: Vegetarian stir-fry sauce also works.
Cornstarch: Potato starch also works.
Regular Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce also works, or use low-sodium soy sauce for a less salty gravy.
Shaoxing Wine: Dry sherry also works.
Toasted Sesame Oil
Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or online.

Expert Tips

Preheat the pan well before adding the egg mixture for crisp, golden edges.
Use a 7-inch pan or 12-inch wok so the omelet stays thick and fluffy.
Use the plate-flip method if the omelet feels too delicate to flip with a spatula.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make egg foo young:

Oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth, and cornstarch combined into a brown gravy mixture.

Whisk Gravy: Combine all the gravy ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.

Beaten eggs mixed with raw shrimp, bean sprouts, and shallots.

Beat Omelet Mixture: Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat vigorously for about 60 seconds until frothy and no streaks of egg white remain. Stir in the jumbo shrimp, bean sprouts, shallots, toasted sesame oil, salt, and black pepper.

Egg mixture with shrimp, bean sprouts, and shallots spread evenly for frying.

Fry Omelet: Heat vegetable oil in a wok or small 7-inch pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the egg mixture and evenly spread the jumbo shrimp, bean sprouts, and shallots across the pan with chopsticks, being careful not to break the base of the omelet. Cook the omelet completely untouched until the bottom is golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes.

Egg foo young omelet fried until deeply golden brown and crispy on the bottom.

Flip Omelet: Carefully flip with a large spatula, or slide the omelet onto a large plate and invert it back into the pan. Cook the other side until golden brown and the shrimp are pink and opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate.

Brown gravy simmered until thickened and glossy.

Simmer Gravy: Reduce the heat to medium. Mix the gravy again, then pour it into the pan and simmer for 1 minute until thickened and glossy.

Egg foo young covered in glossy brown gravy and garnished with chopped green onions.

Finish and Serve: Pour the gravy over the omelet and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Store the omelet and gravy separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days to prevent the omelet from becoming soggy.
Freezer: I don't recommend freezing egg foo young because the bean sprouts become mushy after thawing.
Reheating: Reheat the omelet in a dry pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes until hot. Warm the gravy separately over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen it.

Variations

Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten-free oyster sauce, and replace the Shaoxing wine with gluten-free dry sherry.
Pork: Replace the shrimp with diced cooked char siu.
Vegetarian: Omit the shrimp, use low-sodium vegetable broth, and replace the oyster sauce with vegetarian stir-fry sauce.

Pairing Suggestions

Serve this Chinese egg foo young with:

Steamed Jasmine Rice: Soaks up the rich brown gravy.
Chinese Garlic Green Beans: Adds a crisp vegetable side to balance the soft omelet.
Crispy Egg Rolls: Adds a crunchy starter alongside the fluffy eggs.

FAQ

Why is my egg foo young soggy?

Excess moisture from the shrimp or bean sprouts can make the omelet watery and prevent it from browning properly. Dry both well before adding them to the eggs, and make sure the pan is hot before frying.

How do I prevent egg foo young from breaking when I flip it?

Leave the omelet completely untouched until the bottom is deeply golden and firm enough to hold together. If it still feels delicate, slide it onto a large flat plate and invert it back into the pan instead of flipping it with a spatula.

More Like This

Check out my other egg recipes:

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