Love Egg Drop Soup? Here's a Super Easy Recipe to Try at Home (2024)

Liv Wan is a former professional chef who has published three cookbooks about Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.

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Updated on 05/21/21

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A fervid lover of the culinary arts and all things Instant Pot, Laurel has been writing about food for 10 years. One of her cookbooks was the #2 cookbook of 2017.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 15 mins

Servings: 3to 4 servings

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Egg drop soup, alongside wonton soup and hot and sour soup, are the classic comfort soups offered on all Chinese restaurant menus. Egg drop soup, or egg flower soup, is a really basic boiled chicken broth soup, and in its simplest form, the only ingredients needed are the broth itself, eggs, and spring onions. Other ingredients are added to taste—like tofu, corn, or bean sprouts—and each cook has a take on the classic.

Some variations call for water instead of broth to allow the egg flavor to stand out. But using chicken or vegetable stockmakes a big difference in the final flavor—the soup will have a more comforting and filling quality to it. Many restaurants serve thickened egg drop soup using cornstarch (aka corn flour) or potato starch, but our recipe goes for the equally delicious classic thinner version.

Tradition says that adding fresh ginger or turmeric to oureasy egg drop soup makes a perfect home remedy for cold and flu. What's true is that a bowl of this comforting preparation is the best way to start a meal, and to soothe and prepare your stomach for spicier and fattier dishes that are yet to come to the table. For a vegetarian version, simply swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Love Egg Drop Soup? Here's a Super Easy Recipe to Try at Home (2)

"Recipes don't get much simpler than this, with just a few simple ingredients. The quality of each really counts—use great broth and fresh eggs. Serve as-is for an appetizer or add veggies, tofu, mushrooms, and more for a filling dish." —Laurel Randolph

Love Egg Drop Soup? Here's a Super Easy Recipe to Try at Home (3)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth or stock (or vegetable broth)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Salt, to taste
A few drops sesame oil, optional
1 to 2 spring onions, finely chopped, garnish

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
In a wok or saucepan, bring the 4 cups of chicken broth or stock to a boil. Very slowly, pour in the lightly beaten eggs in a steady stream.
To make shreds, stir the egg rapidly in a clockwise direction as you pour for 1 minute. To make thin streams or ribbons, gently stir the eggs in a clockwise direction until they form.
Add the pepper, salt, and sesame oil if using. Pour into bowls and garnish with spring onion.

Tip

If you'd prefer a thicker version of egg drop soup, simply follow these easy steps:

In a small bowl, mix together 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or potato starch with 1/2 cup of water until smooth.
Slowly stir the cornstarch paste into the chicken stock before adding the eggs. Proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions.

Recipe Variations

Although they're not entirely traditional ingredients, many egg drop soup enthusiasts find that adding one or more of the following makes for a really tasty soup:

Cubed tofu adds texture, volume, and protein. Simply cube 1/2 pack of pressed extra-firm tofu and add it before stirring in the egg so it has enough time to warm up.
Add 1 can of corn before adding the egg. This adds texture and another flavor profile. It makes the soup heartier so it can be, if needed, a light lunch or dinner, not just an appetizer.
Adding fresh bean sprouts on top provides a nice crunch to the otherwise very soft texture. Use a small handful of bean sprouts per bowl of soup.
Add your favorite hot sauce to spice up the soup. A dash of Sriracha or a pinch of cayenne makes a great variation.
Cook 1 cup of shiitake mushrooms with the broth. Once they have browned a little, proceed with the rest of the recipe. For this variation, we recommend adding 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free diets) instead of salt.

Can I Reheat Egg Drop Soup?

Yes, but that doesn't mean you should. Egg drop soup is best eaten right away because the egg is still soft and creamy. Once it's been in the hot soup for a while it firms up some, and once the soup is cold, the texture goes from airy to foamy. If you were to reheat egg drop soup, the egg would be even harder, with a rubbery mouthfeel.

Delicious Chinese Restaurant-Style Soups

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
54	Calories
3g	Fat
2g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3to 4
Amount per serving
Calories	54
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g	4%
Saturated Fat 1g	4%
Cholesterol 98mg	33%
Sodium 1106mg	48%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg	7%
Calcium 30mg	2%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 100mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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