Egg Drop Soup {easy 10-minute recipe!}

I wasn’t planning on making a recipe for egg drop soup, because I thought this dish was so easy that everyone might already know how to make it at home.

However, my orthodontist told me that he had been spending 30 minutes driving to his favorite Chinese restaurant to order their egg drop soup takeout every single week.😂

After I told him that I was a food blogger, he strongly requested that I make an egg drop soup recipe and a Tiktok video so he could follow along.

So, that is exactly what we will be doing today, and you can thank my orthodontist, as this is basically for him.

My favorite comfort food😌

This Egg Drop Soup recipe is easy and healthy making it perfect for everyone who needs quick comfort food.

It is also perfect for patients who have just had their braces tightened (like I did last week😣) and who are finding it difficult to chew due to the soreness in their mouth.

Large vs Small Egg flowers

I personally prefer larger egg flowers, so I won’t stir the soup until I finish adding all the egg and seasonings.

If you prefer smaller “fur like” egg flowers, you can “use a ladle to stir the soup in a circular motion” before you drizzle the egg – the faster you stir the soup, the smaller the egg flowers will be.

What is Egg Drop Soup?

According to Wikipedia, Egg Drop Soup is a Chinese-based soup made with wispy eggs dropped in broth (often chicken broth).

Common additions to the soup are tofu (not really that common according to my observation😅),  pepper, and finely chopped scallions.

During the final moments of cooking, thin, silky strands of cooked egg are created by adding thin streams of beaten eggs to the boiling broth.

Is Egg Drop Soup Healthy?

According to Livestrong, this soup is quite healthy.

People watching their weight will appreciate the low calorie and carb content of egg drop soup.

Take note, that this is referring only to the homemade version of the soup. As while we use chicken/vegetable stock not only for its flavor and yellowish color (from chicken, carrots, turmeric …).

Many restaurants may use other broths that are higher in sodium or MSG.

Top 3 Tips To Remember When Making Egg Drop Soup

1.   Don’t Forget the Cornstarch

To accomplish a rich Egg Drop Soup, cornstarch is essential. Besides thickening up the soup just enough to give it body, it also helps keep the eggs silky and tender. 

Instead of dissolving the cornstarch with some cold water, I’ve seen some people adding cornstarch directly into the boiling broth.

This method might save you 30 seconds, but it’s going to cause some unpleasant cornstarch clumps in the soup. 🧐

Do not leave the cornstarch water out!

(If you’d like a thicker soup, you can add a little more cornstarch than used in my recipe.)

2.   Stir Your Pot Slowly!

Stirring the pot slowly — not rapidly — while adding the eggs is also important.

Ideally, you want just enough movement to make ribbons, but not so much that the egg just dissolves into barely discernible wisps.

3.   Serve While Still Hot!

It’s best to serve egg drop soup as soon as it’s ready, so tell your guests to bring their spoons to the table!🤭

So make only what you will eat right away as this soup does not keep or reheat well.

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Top Six Popular Ingredients Used In Egg Drop Soup

1.   Ginger

When I am sick with a cold, I generally crave egg drop soup because of its clear broth and light flavors.

The soup gets just enough kick from a tablespoon of ground ginger or a 1″ length of grated or sliced ginger. Plus, ginger aids nutrient absorption, digestion, and nausea, helping your body function better.

2.   Purple Seaweed 紫菜

There are four main types of seaweed used in Chinese cooking. The Purple seaweed often used comes from Pyrphora which translates to “purple vegetable.”

In general, it appears black or dark green, with just a slight hint of purple. Purple seaweed contains carotenes and vitamins B12 and C, and it goes great with egg drop soup.

3.   Tomatoes

It’s likely that if you enjoy egg and tomato stir-fry or egg and tomato noodles, you’ll enjoy tomato in your Egg Drop Soup as well.

Before adding the tomatoes to the pot, lightly fry one tomato in oil. The tomatoes can also be cooked directly in the pot before adding the broth, making this an all-in-one meal.

Check out my tomato egg drop soup made with frozen tomatoes!

4.   White Pepper

White pepper comes from the same plant as black pepper, however, rather than picking the unripe fruit and drying it, white pepper is ground from the mature seeds within the fruit.

As a result, white pepper produces a distinct smell and taste that can be described as “harsh” and “burnt”. I love its acid-like smell and subtle flavor.

If you prefer adding extra amount of white pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and rice vinegar to your egg drop soup, you are actually making another similar and popular Chinese soup called “hot and sour soup 胡辣汤”.

5.   Corn, Spinach, Peas, etc.

It’s never a bad thing to have extra vegetables. If you are adding all of these, add a cup to the broth first before adding the eggs.

Tofu cubes can also be prepared in the same way. Mushrooms, bamboo slices, and carrots can also be prepared in the same way.

You can even prepare crabmeat slices this way.

6.   Dried Shrimp

If you like bold flavors, then this is the one for you.

Some people cannot resist adding dried shrimp to soup despite their beady black eyes and strong fishy flavor.

It may be necessary to soak the shrimp beforehand. The shrimp will also taste best if you add them right at the beginning, while the broth is still warming up.

Now that we know a bit more about Egg Drop Soup, let’s explore how you can easily whip up a delicious batch.😁

Equipment You Will Need:

• 1 Medium cooking pot

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups chicken/vegetable stock
• 1 green onion
• 2 tbsps cornstarch
• 3 tbsps cold water
• ¾ tsps salt (gradually add to your taste)
• ½ tsp white pepper (gradually add to your taste)
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Step by Step INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wash and chop a green onion. Divide the white part and the green part into 2 piles. Set aside.

2. Crack 2 large eggs in a bowl, beat until smooth. Set aside.

3. Add 2 tbsps of cornstarch and 3 tbsps of cold water to a small bowl, stir until smooth. Set aside.

4. Pour 3 cups of vegetable/chicken stock to a pot. Add the white part of the green onion to the pot. Cook over high heat until simmering.

5. Once simmering, turn heat to medium low, gradually stir in the cornstarch water. Gently but continuously stir the soup until it turns glossy and thicken.

6. Use a ladle to drizzle the egg to the soup by drawing clockwise circles above the pot. Repeat until you use all the beaten egg.

7. Add salt, white pepper, and sesame oil to the soup. Gently stir until dissolved.

8. Transfer to a soup bowl. Garnish with green part of the green onion.

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