Egg Drop Soup
on Nov 22, 2023, Updated Mar 19, 2024
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This simple Egg Drop Soup is made with common ingredients and is an easy and tasty 25-minute meal! The thickened chicken broth pairs perfectly with delicate ribbons of cooked egg to make a salty, savory, and cozy dish.
I always love getting egg drop soup when we go out to eat at Chinese restaurants! It’s warm, comforting, and delightfully thick and chewy. My homemade version is just as tasty and authentic as the best take out versions! This recipe is so simple that it’s hard to believe it has so much flavor and depth.
There are no complicated ingredients in this soup, so it’s a good last-minute dish if you need to whip up something different and delicious. This Asian-inspired-soup can be served with anything from honey chicken to fried rice or easy shrimp sushi.
This soup is a dish that I love to cook on a busy night because it doesn’t take much effort and even my pickiest eaters enjoy it. This thick and savory egg drop soup is so rich and comforting that it has become my go-to remedy for the common cold. When someone in my family gets sick, I will quickly throw together a batch of egg drop soup—it’s always so comforting and soothing to the stomach as well as the soul.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to make and is packed with a ton of eggy, savory flavor.
- Warm and comforting—the perfect dish for a rainy or sick day.
- A quick and filling dinner! The whole dish can be prepped, cooked, and ready to eat in under 30 minutes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs—The fresher, the better! Eggs are the main protein and flavor in this soup, so you want to make sure that you’re using the best of the best.
- Chicken Broth—For a light and savory soup base!
- Spices—A simple blend of garlic powder and ginger will add tons of extra flavor to your soup.
- Cornstarch—Acts as a thickening agent.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make the Best Egg Drop Soup
Step #1. In a pot, whisk together the chicken broth, cornstarch, garlic, and ginger. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer.
Step #2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs until thoroughly beaten.
Step #3. Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the broth and use a whisk to stir the mixture vigorously.
Step #4. Once all the eggs are whisked in, remove the pot from the burner. Serve warm and enjoy!
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- I like to top my soup with freshly chopped chives. You can also top your soup with green onions or sesame oil.
- Add seafood such as shrimp, crab, or scallops to create a seafood-inspired egg drop soup. Make sure to cook the seafood until it’s fully cooked before adding the beaten eggs.
- Include diced or cubed tofu for added texture and protein. Firm or extra-firm tofu works best in this variation.
Recipe FAQs
Egg drop soup originates in China and is made by taking wispy, beaten eggs and pouring them into seasoned chicken or vegetable broth. Our recipe is extremely simple and is very true to a traditional Chinese egg drop soup! The only difference is that traditional egg drop soup will use sesame oil for added flavor, but you will not need it for this recipe.
Surprisingly enough, egg drop soup is supposed to be slightly gelatinous! The reason we add cornstarch is to act as a thickener when mixed with the chicken broth. Stirring the egg into the broth will also add a thick texture. You will know that you have made your soup correctly if it has a thick texture, clear creamy color, and has white ribbon-like strands of egg floating throughout the broth
Expert Tips
- You can salt your soup to taste after it is prepared; however, there is quite a bit of salt in the chicken broth, so you may not need to add any extra.
- Vigorously beating the eggs into the simmering broth helps give the eggs a light, ribbon-like look and texture!
- Be sure not to overuse the cornstarch in this recipe. If you add too much, the soup may start to look slimy and too thick.
How to Serve and Store Authentic Egg Drop Soup
You will typically see authentic egg drop soup served with a garnish of scallions, green onions, or chives. Feel free to add a sprinkling of your favorite herb to the top of this soup for a pop of color and extra flavor! I also like to top my soup with toasted sesame oil to give it an authentic taste.
Some dishes that pair well with egg drop soup are Kung Pao chicken, egg rolls, fried rice, chow mein, and chicken teriyaki. All of these dishes have flavors that are cohesive with egg drop soup and will combine to create a delicious and authentic Chinese-cuisine-inspired meal!
I find that this thick and hearty authentic egg drop soup is best served fresh! However, if you do want to save leftovers, you can store the soup for up to 3 days in the fridge. To reheat your soup, simply add it into a pot over low heat, and stir until warm all the way through. I would not recommend freezing the leftovers, as the eggs in the broth do not typically hold up well in the freezer.
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Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot, whisk together the chicken broth, cornstarch, garlic, and ginger. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs until thoroughly beaten.
- Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the broth and use a whisk to stir the mixture vigorously until all of the eggs have been poured into the pot. Once all the eggs have been whisked in, remove the pot from the burner.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I like to top my soup with freshly chopped chives. You can also top your soup with green onions or sesame oil.
- Vigorously beating the eggs into the simmering broth helps give the eggs a light, ribbon-like look.
- You can salt your soup to taste after it is prepared; however there is quite a bit of salt in the chicken broth.
- This soup is best served fresh. However, you can store the leftover soup for 3 days in the fridge and reheat the soup on the stove. Simply add your soup to a pot over low heat and stir until warm all the way through.
