Egg Drop Soup
September 3, 2023
1M+ Views Chinese Main Dishes Recipes Soups Tastier Than Takeout
Egg Drop Soup is a common dish you can find just about any Chinese restaurant. It’s an extremely flavorful soup filled silky ribbons of egg floating in a flavorful chicken broth with tender pieces of chicken and sweet corn!
If you’re a fan of Egg Drop Soup or any of the varieties of them, you’ll never need to order takeout again after trying this recipe!
Watch the Egg Drop Soup Recipe Video Below!
Ingredients for Egg Drop Soup
This Egg Drop Soup recipe is comfort in a bowl! Here is what you’ll need for the recipe:
Chicken Stock or Bone Broth
8 cups chicken broth – I always recommend Kettle & Fire – use code CJPINS for 20% off your order here!
Eggs
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp water
Cornstarch Slurry
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
Seasonings and Garnishes
- 2 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 1 tsp kosher salt to taste
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp MSG optional
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 tsp sesame oil optional
- 1/4 tsp turmeric optional, for color
INGREDIENTS TIPS
CHICKEN
You can absolutely substitute chicken thighs or pork loin for this recipe, just make sure they are cut into similar thin strips to ensure they cook evenly.
CORNSTARCH SLURRY
This is the KEY ingredient to thickening the soup base. The cornstarch slurry will help thicken the stock to the consistency you like! If you like the soup thinner, add less, but if you like an extra thick soup add a little more! You can always adjust with more chicken broth if the ratio is off.
Tips for Perfect Egg Drop Soup:
- For a more flavorful broth, you can add a pinch of ginger or garlic powder while preparing the soup.
- To make the soup heartier, you can add some diced cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
- Be sure to pour the beaten eggs into the soup in a slow and steady stream to achieve those beautiful egg ribbons.
- Feel free to adjust the seasoning with additional soy sauce or sesame oil to suit your taste preferences.
- Serve the Egg Drop Soup immediately after cooking to enjoy its silky texture and delicate flavors to the fullest.
Egg Drop Soup: Recipe Instructions
Prep your ingredients
For the eggs, crack 4 eggs into a small bowl and add 2 tbsp of water. The water will help lighten the eggs and help them “flower” into the soup when we add it to the hot broth.
Thicken the soup with the cornstarch slurry
Next, remix the cornstarch slurry (as the cornstarch will naturally sink to the bottom), and slowly drizzle the cornstarch slurry into the soup. The broth will thicken slightly after doing this over low heat. Now we’re able to add our egg!
Create the Egg Ribbons
The key tip to adding the egg properly is the following:
- Make sure the broth is on a low flame – if it is too hot the egg will firm up too quickly when hitting the soup
- Ensure the egg is being poured in a THIN, EVEN stream into the soup! This will also ensure the egg does not form into clumps and turn into scrambled eggs in the soup.
- Use a ladle or spoon to stir the soup while you add the eggs. This will ensure the eggs are evenly dispersed throughout the soup!
Season to taste
Once the soup is thickened and the eggs are nicely flowered, now it is time to add the final seasonings. Add the white pepper, MSG, and salt to taste. Add the chopped scallions and if desired, a teaspoon of sesame oil to taste for the final garnish. Serve and enjoy!
If you liked this Egg Drop Soup recipe, check out some of the most popular Chinese Take-Out recipes on the blog! Please consider leaving a review and letting me know your thoughts about the recipe. It really helps out the blog!
RECIPE TIPS
SUCCESS IS IN THE PREP
For a recipe that comes together extremely quickly, the key to pulling this recipe off successfully is having your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your pot!
SILKY EGG TECHNIQUE
When adding the egg into the soup, make sure the egg is being poured in a steady stream from the bowl, ideally using a ladle in the other hand to stir the soup as the egg is being poured. This will help create those restaurant style silky ribbons rather than clumped up scrambled eggs!
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock or bone broth
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp water
Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Seasonings & Garnish
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp white pepepr
- 1/2 tsp MSG
- 2 scallions for garnish
- 1 tsp sesame oil optional
- 1/4 tsp tumeric or yellow food coloring optional, for color
Instructions
- Crack eggs in a bowl and add 2 tbsp of water and mix well until beaten.
- In a pot add the chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and reduce heat to low.
- Remix the cornstarch slurry and pour into the broth until slightly thickened.
- Slowly pour in the eggs while using a ladle to stir the soup in one direction to create the ribbons of egg or "egg flowers in the soup.
- Season to taste with salt, white pepper, and msg. Add turmeric if desired for the additional yellow color.
- Finish with sesame oil and garnish with scallions. Enjoy!