Description
Egg drop soup (aka Egg Flower Soup) is pure piping hot comfort in every bowl! Silky ribbons of whispy eggs swirled into a slightly thickened homemade chicken stock make an excellent main meal or starter for any Chinese-inspired meal. Get creative with add-ins and top it off with crispy fried wonton strips for a really quick and delicious meal anytime.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 cups homemade chicken stock (sub unsalted storebought) (1 liter)
- 5 large eggs, beaten
- 1 slice of fresh ginger
- 3 green onions (whites and greens separated and sliced thinly)
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons cornstarch (or bean starch)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
- up to 1/8 teaspoon turmeric (optional, but helps intensify the color)
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil or more to taste
garnish options
- scallions
- homemade crispy wonton strips
- a drop or drizzle of sesame oil
- cilantro
- sautéed corn
- crispy fried shallots
- green peas
Instructions
- Make the cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch, pepper, salt, and turmeric (if using) and add in 2 tablespoons cold chicken stock (or water) and mix until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside.
- Prepare the broth. Heat chicken broth, ginger slice, and scallions (white part only) to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
- Add the slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering broth and mix well to combine. Allow the mixture to slightly thicken.
- Add the eggs. Using a fork placed at the tip of the container, slowly pour the eggs into the simmering soup through the tines of the fork (which slows them down and creates better ribbons). Allow the eggs to cook for about 30 seconds without disturbing them. Then using chopsticks or a fork, gently stir the soup until the egg ribbons are the size you want. Garnish the soup with sliced scallions, crispy wonton strips, a drop or two of sesame oil, and cilantro, and Enjoy!
Notes
- If you want wispier, shorter strands of egg, whisk the chicken stock/broth as you pour a steady slow stream of eggs into the simmering broth.
- If you want a thicker egg drop soup, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- If you want a lighter egg drop soup, use lighter chicken stock and less turmeric. The color of my homemade chicken stock varies depending on whether I use yellow onion peels or not (as you can see by the two different egg drop soups photographed in this post). For a darker egg drop soup, use a darker chicken stock and up to 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric.
- Make a tomato egg drop soup by sautéing sliced tomatoes in 1/2 teaspoon olive oil in the pot before adding the chicken stock/broth. Cook the tomatoes for about 5 minutes over medium heat and then add the broth and continue with the recipe.
- Make Keto egg drop soup by omitting the cornstarch slurry and adding ¼ tsp of xanthan gum to thicken the soup instead. And of course, you will need to add white pepper, salt, and turmeric for flavor directly to the chicken stock.
- Make a Paleo/Whole30 egg drop soup by substituting arrowroot or tapioca starch for the cornstarch.
- Make a low-sodium healthy egg drop soup, by using any of the suggestions and substitutions in the post.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Soups + Stews
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
