Egg Drop Soup is quick and easy to make at home with simple ingredients including chicken broth, eggs, soy sauce, and scallions. Just like at your favorite Chinese restaurant, enjoy this cozy and comforting egg drop soup recipe in less than 20 minutes.
Easy Egg Drop Soup Recipe
Delicious, comforting, and so easy to make, this egg drop soup recipe is guaranteed to be a year-round dinnertime staple. Ready in nearly no time at all (15-20 minutes – tops!), egg drop soup cooks really fast. While the ingredients are super basic and require very little preparation, its flavor is bold, smooth, and perfectly balanced. Serve as a side or as the main course – you can even add some shredded chicken or tofu for added protein and serve with rice to really fill you up.
What is Egg Drop Soup?
Egg drop soup (蛋花湯) is a Chinese soup made by adding well-beaten eggs into boiling chicken broth to create long wispy strands of egg. Literally translated to Egg Flower Soup, this is one of the most well-known and popular soups offered at Chinese American restaurants.
Unlike in Chinese cuisine, Westernized egg drop soup is often thickened with cornstarch whereas those versions found in China are (usually) of a thinner consistency.
Ingredients in Egg Drop Soup
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Broth (low-sodium) – Use your favorite store-bought broth or try adding homemade chicken stock, bone broth, or vegetable stock.
- Ground ginger + Garlic powder – Now, I usually recommend that you always add fresh aromatics (ginger and garlic), but in this soup, I think the powdered stuff is better. Of course, either will do. Just remember that powdered seasonings are always more potent than fresh, so should you plan to add fresh garlic or fresh ginger, add two to three times the amount called for in the recipe.
- Soy sauce – Start with 1 tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce and add more as needed. If you’re avoiding soy products, substitute with an equal amount of coconut aminos or liquid aminos.
- Cornstarch – Visit any Chinese restaurant in the US and you’ll find that their egg drop soup is (almost) always thickened with a little cornstarch. That said it’s completely optional and adds little in terms of flavor. Always remember to mix your cornstarch in a little cold water before adding it to your hot soup to prevent the cornstarch from clumping.
- Eggs – Aside from the broth, eggs are the most important ingredient in this soup! Whisk well before drizzling it into your soup.
- Sesame oil (optional) – You really only need a drop or two of sesame oil as it has a pretty strong flavor. If this is something you don’t have or you can’t find it available, simply skip it.
- Green onions – Thinly sliced green onions are my favorite garnish for this soup. Add them just before serving.
Variations:
- Top your bowl with a little drizzle of Sriracha or red chili flakes.
- Sweeten it up with corn. A can of drained sweet corn is all you need.
- Add some mushrooms. I do recommend sauteeing them in a little olive oil before adding them to the soup.
- Add more protein like tofu or shredded chicken.
How to Make Egg Drop Soup
1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium pot.
2. While the broth comes to a simmer, mix together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs.
3. Once the broth reaches a low boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and season the hot broth with ground ginger, garlic powder, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil (if using). Stir in the cornstarch slurry until combined.
4. Reduce the heat to low and use a fork or whisk to stir the broth in a circular, whirlpool motion. Stirring continuously (don’t stop) slowly pour the whisked eggs into the soup creating long egg ribbons. Remove from heat and season to taste. Serve with sliced green onions, if desired.
Egg Drop Soup FAQs
Yes. Most people would consider it to be very healthy. Packed with protein (thank you eggs) and low in calories (just 54 calories per serving!), it is also low in carbs.
No. To make egg drop soup gluten-free, substitute the soy sauce for an alternative like tamari or coconut aminos.
No. Although it is very high in protein, it contains cornstarch and soy sauce which are both off-limits to those following a strict keto lifestyle. Omit the cornstarch and replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or liquid aminos to get the keto stamp of approval.
How to Serve
Light and healthy, there are several ways to serve egg drop soup. Sometimes I’ll add shredded chicken and serve it with a side of white or brown rice. Other times, when I’m feeling a little more ambitious, I’ll serve it with a few egg rolls or alongside my Chinese chicken salad, fried rice, or this easy chicken stir fry with bok choy.
Storage and Leftovers
Egg drop soup is best enjoyed immediately. I do not recommend making a large batch to enjoy all week long, nor do I recommend freezing leftovers.
More Homemade Takeout Recipes
- 10-Minute Garlic Bok Choy Recipe
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
- Moo Goo Gai Pan Recipe
- Chinese Broccoli Recipe with Garlic (Stir-Fried Gai Lan)
- Pad Woon Sen
- Dan Dan Noodles
If you try making this Egg Drop Soup Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
RECIPE CARD
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth - (good-quality )
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce - (low-sodium)
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 3 large eggs - beaten
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil - optional
- ¼ cup sliced green onions - to garnish
Instructions
- Add chicken broth, ground ginger, garlic powder, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to a medium saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, as the broth comes to a boil, whisk together the cornstarch and water until combined. Stir into the boiling broth and mix well until thickened.
- Reduce heat to low and use a fork or whisk to stir the broth in a circular, whirlpool motion. Stirring continuously (don't stop) slowly pour the whisked eggs into the soup creating long egg ribbons.
- Immediately remove from heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil (if using) and sliced green onions. Season with additional soy sauce or salt and pepper, if desired.
- Best served immediately.
Jessica’s Notes
- Try to use a good-quality low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock. Or, make this vegetarian and swap the chicken broth for your favorite low-sodium veggie broth.
- This soup is best enjoyed right away as it does not reheat well.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
This was delicious! I made it exactly like the recipe. I wasn’t sure when to add the sesame oil so I added it in at the beginning. Later, the instructions say to add it at the end. It worked out well. My family wants me to keep this on the rotation. Thank you!
Do you have a recipe for crispy fried noodles. I love to pour my egg drop soup over crispy fried noodles. I usually have to order extra noodles from the Chinese Restaurant. I can’t find them in the grocery stores or found a company that will sell them to me on line. Please help..
I do not have a crispy fried noodle recipe, yet, Monique 🙂