Egg Drop Soup is the quickest and easiest soup you’ll ever make- on your table in less than 15 minutes!
Egg Drop Soup is a healthy Chinese soup that is easy to make at home with minimal ingredients and prep. It is made with a savory, salty chicken stock base seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, pepper and green onions. Raw eggs are streamed into the hot seasoned broth to instantaneously create tender, wispy egg “noodles” – magic before your eyes! This Egg Drop Soup recipe is warm and comforting, flavorful but not overpowering, creamy yet light and soothing all at the same time. It’s also customizable by adding protein or veggies. I’ve included a recipe video on How to Make Egg Drop Soup as well as tips and tricks for the Best Egg Drop Soup recipe. Now, let’s hear it for restaurant-style Egg Drop Soup bursting with flavor, all cooked in one pot for an easy meal any day of the week!
how to make egg drop soup video
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EGG DROP SOUP RECIPE
This Egg Drop Soup is about to become your easy go-to easy appetizer, lunch or light dinner recipe. Here’s why:
- Quick. From start to finish, this Egg Drop Soup will be done in 15 minutes – probably closer to 10! This means you can whip up some soup minutes before lunch or dinner but everyone will be blown away at your deceptively simple recipe.
- Minimal ingredients. The chicken stock and the eggs are the stars in this Egg Drop Soup recipe. All we need are a few seasonings, a splash of soy sauce, and sesame oil to really make it sing.
- Pantry friendly. All the ingredients are pantry friendly except the green onions which means once you pick those up, you can make this Egg Drop Soup recipe any time. If you’re in a bind, you can also swap the green onions for some dried minced onions.
- Budget friendly. With just minimal, simple ingredients, this Egg Drop Soup recipe is a win for the pocket book!
- Minimal Prep. Whisk your eggs and chop your green onions -that’s it!
- Versatile. There are many variations of Egg Drop Soup but this recipe is fantastic in its simplicity. As written, it is more commonly an appetizer, even though I eat it as an entrée all the time. If you want to mix things up or bulk it up to a satisfying meal-in-one, add anything your heart desires to suit your taste buds: protein, mushrooms, corn or other veggies.
- Less expensive: make a pot of Egg Drop Soup for the same price of a bowl at a restaurant!
- Easy to Double: you can easily scale this Egg Drop Soup recipe up if serving a larger crowd.
WHAT IS EGG DROP SOUP?
Most of you have probably heard of Egg Drop Soup but if you haven’t had the pleasure of trying it, prepare to meet chicken noodle soup’s Chinese cousin.
Egg Drop Soup is a staple at Chinese restaurants in the United States. It’s made with warm, comforting chicken stock or broth often spiked with pepper and green onions, loaded with silky egg “noodles.”
The name “Egg Drop” literally describes how the soup is made – whisked eggs are dropped into hot broth which is being stirred continuously in one direction. The eggs enter the whirlpool raw and cook almost instantaneously as they swirl around.
While the American name describes Egg Drop Soups cooking method, the direct translation in Chinese describes its appearance. In Chinese, Egg Drop Soup (Danhuatang; traditional: 蛋花湯; pinyin: dànhuātāng), literally means Egg Flower Soup. This refers to the flower-like appearance the wispy eggs create.
But no matter what you call Egg Drop Soup, I think you’ll fall in love!
EGG DROP SOUP RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
This Egg Drop Soup recipe uses simple, pantry friendly ingredients to create layers of flavor. You will need:
- Chicken broth or stock: I recommend chicken stock but good quality chicken broth will also work.
- Eggs: any large eggs will do the trick. We will use both the egg yolks and egg whites.
- Cornstarch: thickens the soup and creates beautiful silky body; it also helps separate the eggs.
- Soy Sauce: use reduced sodium so the Egg Drop Soup isn’t too salty.
- Sesame oil: toasted is preferable, but either will work fine – but please don’t skip! With so few ingredients, it is important to use each one as specified as they all add a layer of flavor.
- Seasonings: ground ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and red pepper flakes. We use ground seasonings because it is more convenient for such a small amount. It also allows you to just whisk everything together instead of sautéing the garlic and ginger and using a cornstarch slurry. I also like a pinch of red pepper flakes to enliven the soup but it is optional.
- Green onions: are used both in the soup and as a garnish. You can even use frozen green onions for the soup and skip the garnish – that way you always have all the ingredients to make this Egg Drop Soup recipe!
Do I have to add Cornstarch?
Adding cornstarch to Egg Drop Soup is an American addition. So technically – yes, you can make it without cornstarch, but I don’t recommend it. There are substantial benefits to adding cornstarch to Egg Drop Soup:
- Thickens the soup. Cornstarch doesn’t make the Egg Drop Soup too thick, but adds body and a creamy richness that can’t be achieved without it.
- Creates silky egg flowers. Cornstarch inhibits protein bonds from forming in the eggs which would result in rubbery eggs instead of silky, tender eggs.
Vegetarian Egg Drop Soup
I prefer chicken stock or chicken broth as the base of the soup but you can use vegetarian stock to make Vegetarian Egg Drop Soup, just be aware you may need to season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Gluten Free Egg Drop Soup
Egg Drop Soup is almost gluten free! The only ingredient that contains gluten is the soy sauce but that’s an easy swap. To make Gluten Free Egg Drop Soup, substitute the soy sauce for tamari or gluten free soy sauce.
Homemade Egg Drop Soup Variations
This Egg Drop Soup can be a springboard for a number of variations. Here are a just a few ideas:
- Add protein: tofu, shrimp, chicken and ground pork would all be delicious additions.
- Add vegetables: corn kernels and mushrooms are often added to Egg Drop Soup. It would also be delicious with peas, zucchini, broccoli, edamame, bok choy, spinach, bell peppers, etc.
- Tomatoes: stir into the Egg Drop Soup after the cornstarch dissolves but before you bring it to a boil.
- Garnish: get creative in the garnish by adding crispy wontons, crushed peanuts, etc.
Keep in mind you will want to use additional broth/stock if you add either veggies or protein and the correct ratio of additional cornstarch.
IS EGG DROP SOUP HEALTHY?
Egg Drop Soup is very low in calories and carbohydrates with a nice boost of protein. If you want to add more nutrients, simmer some vegetables in the broth before adding the eggs.
- Egg Drop Soup Calories: One cup of Egg Drop Soup contains approximately 57 calories.
- Egg Drop Soup Carbs: One cup of Egg Drop Soup contains approximately 4.5 grams carbohydrates.
- Egg Drop Soup Fat: One cup of Egg Drop Soup contains approximately 2.4 grams of fat.
- Egg Drop Soup Protein: One cup of Egg Drop Soup contains approximately 4.3 grams protein.
HOW TO MAKE EGG DROP SOUP:
You are going to LOVE how easy this Egg Drop Soup recipe is! To make egg drop soup:
- Prepare eggs: whisk the eggs together in a pourable measuring cup.
- Prepare the base: Whisk the chicken stock, ground ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, cornstarch together OFF HEAT in a medium saucepan until smooth.
- Bring to a boil. Stir occasionally while the stock comes to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
- Create a whirlpool. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir the stock in one direction with a fork.
- Add eggs. Slowly pour the whisked eggs into the stock while continuing to stir the soup in the same direction. The eggs will spread and feather into ribbons.
- Add green onions. Remove from heat and stir in green onions.
- Adjust seasonings. Taste (careful it will be hot!) and season with additional salt and pepper to taste desired. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Egg Drop Soup
- Use high quality ingredients. With so few ingredients, it is important to use quality ingredients, especially quality chicken stock. It will give you the maximum flavor.
- Use pourable measuring cup. The spout will make the eggs easy to pour in a thin stream. If you don’t have a measuring cup, you can add them to a anything with a spout like a pitcher or transfer to a plastic bag and snip a tiny corner off.
- Fully dissolve cornstarch off heat. Do not turn the heat on until the cornstarch is fully dissolved otherwise it will stay clumpy and never dissolve.
- Stir stock. Stir the stock/broth occasionally while it comes to a boil so the cornstarch doesn’t settle at the bottom.
- Stir stock slowly when adding eggs. You can stir the stock as rapidly as you like to create the whirlpool, but you’ll want to slow down once you start adding the eggs, otherwise they can dissolve into almost unrecognizable wisps.
- Speed of stirring = thickness of egg flowers. The speed at which you stir the stock when adding the eggs will determine how thin or thick your egg ribbons “egg flowers” are. For small, thin egg flowers, stir more quickly (but remember, not too rapidly), for thicker, even chunkier egg ribbons, stir more slowly. You can also vary your stirring speed to create a variety of thin and thick egg flowers.
- Slowly add eggs. You don’t want to add the eggs too quickly or it will lower the temperature of the broth. We want the broth to stay nice and hot so the eggs almost instantaneously cook which helps them feather into long ribbons and not clump.
- Serve immediately. Part of the charm of Egg Drop Soup is the sensation of hot broth paired with the silky egg flowers AKA it is best served right away.
HOW DO I THICKEN EGG DROP SOUP?
This Egg Drop Soup has a nice silky richness due to the cornstarch. For an even thicker soup, create a slurry by dissolving desired amount of cornstarch in a couple tablespoons of water and whisk into simmering soup.
HOW DO I THIN EGG DROP SOUP?
It is easy to thin Egg Drop Soup if you would like more of a brothy texture. Simply whisk in additional stock to reach desired consistency.
How much does this egg drop soup recipe make?
This Egg Drop Soup makes about 6 cups, which is about 4 small bowls of soup, perfect for a small family. But never fear, it is easy to scale this Egg Drop Soup up or down. Just use the handy “servings” button on the recipe card and it will change the ingredient amounts for you.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH EASY EGG DROP SOUP:
This easy Egg Drop Soup is typically served as an appetizer. It would be delicious alongside any of these Asian appetizers:
- Potstickers
- Sweet and Sour Chicken Egg rolls
- Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Korean Meatballs
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Or paired with a main Chinese entrée such as:
- Beef and Broccoli
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken
- Mongolian Beef or Mongolian Chicken
- Sesame Chicken
- Cashew Chicken
- Kung Pao Shrimp
Can I make Egg Drop Soup Ahead of Time?
Egg Drop Soup is best served immediately so it is not recommended to prepare the soup in its entirety ahead of time. Instead, you can:
- whisk together all of the stock ingredients, cover and refrigerate
- whisk together all of the eggs, cover and refrigerate
- chop green onions and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator
When it’s time to make Egg Drop Soup, give the broth a good whisk to make sure you don’t have any clumps of cornstarch then proceed to simmer and add the eggs.
Can you reheat egg drop soup?
Egg Drop Soup is best eaten right away as the eggs don’t maintain the same texture when reheated. That being said, you can still reheat Egg Drop Soup, just be aware it’s not like most soups that get better with time.
Take care when reheating to not heat at too high of heat – you don’t want to scramble the eggs or they can get rubbery. Low and slow is the name of the game.
- Stove: heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- Microwave: transfer individual servings of Egg Drop Soup to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then warm at 15-second intervals, as needed, taking care not to over-heat.
How Do I Store Egg Drop Soup?
Egg Drop Soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When stored correctly, it will last about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze Egg Drop Soup?
No, I don’t recommend freezing Egg Drop Soup as the egg flowers become an unpleasant texture when frozen and reheated.
Looking for more Asian Soup recipes?
- Wonton Soup
- Tom Kha Gai
- Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
- Miso Soup with Chicken and Noodles
- Laksa (Thai Coconut Soup)
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Thai Soup with Chicken and Wild Rice
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Egg Drop Soup
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Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions plus more for garnish
- Additional Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk eggs together in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
- Whisk together all the ingredients except eggs and green onions in a medium saucepan until smooth (OFF HEAT).
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and stir the stock in one direction with a fork to create a “whirlpool” effect.
- Slowly drizzle the whisked eggs into the stock while continuing to stir the soup in the same direction. The eggs will spread and feather into ribbons.
- Remove from heat and stir in green onions. Taste (careful it will be hot!) and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish individual servings with additional sesame oil if desired (careful, a little goes a long way!). Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks for the Best Egg Drop Soup
- Use high quality ingredients. With so few ingredients, it is important to use quality ingredients, especially quality chicken stock. It will give you the maximum flavor.
- Use a liquid measuring cup. The spout will make the eggs easy to pour in a thin stream. If you don’t have a liquid measuring cup, you can add them to a anything with a spout like a pitcher or transfer to a plastic bag and snip a tiny corner off.
- Fully dissolve cornstarch off heat. Do not turn the heat on until the cornstarch is fully dissolved otherwise it will stay clumpy and never dissolve.
- Stir stock. Stir the stock/broth occasionally while it comes to a boil so the cornstarch doesn’t settle at the bottom.
- Stir stock slowly when adding eggs. You can stir the stock as rapidly as you like to create the whirlpool, but you’ll want to slow down once you start adding the eggs, otherwise they can dissolve into almost unrecognizable wisps.
- Speed of stirring = thickness of egg flowers. The speed at which you stir the stock when adding the eggs will determine how thin or thick your egg ribbons “egg flowers” are. For small, thin egg flowers, stir more quickly (but remember, not too rapidly), for thicker, even chunkier egg ribbons, stir more slowly. You can also vary your stirring speed to create a variety of thin and thick egg flowers.
- Slowly add eggs. You don’t want to add the eggs too quickly or it will lower the temperature of the broth. We want the broth to stay nice and hot so the eggs almost instantaneously cook which helps them feather into long ribbons and not clump.
- Serve immediately. Part of the charm of Egg Drop Soup is the sensation of hot broth paired with the silky egg flowers AKA it is best served right away.
Egg Drop Soup Recipe Variations
This Egg Drop Soup can be a springboard for a number of variations. Keep in mind you will want to use additional broth/stock if you add either veggies or protein and the correct ratio of additional cornstarch. Here are a just a few ideas:- Add protein: tofu, shrimp, chicken and ground pork would all be delicious additions.
- Add vegetables: corn kernels and mushrooms are often added to Egg Drop Soup. It would also be delicious with peas, zucchini, broccoli, edamame, bok choy, spinach, bell peppers, etc.
- Tomatoes: stir into the Egg Drop Soup after the cornstarch dissolves but before you bring it to a boil.
- Garnish: get creative in the garnish by adding crispy wontons, crushed peanuts, etc.
- Gluten Free Egg Drop Soup: The only ingredient that contains gluten is the soy sauce but that’s an easy swap. To make Gluten Free Egg Drop Soup, substitute the soy sauce for tamari or gluten free soy sauce.
Prep Ahead Egg Drop Soup
Egg Drop Soup is best served immediately so it is not recommended to prepare the soup in its entirety ahead of time. Instead, you can:- whisk together all of the stock ingredients, cover and refrigerate
- whisk together all of the eggs, cover and refrigerate
- chop green onions and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator
Can you reheat egg drop soup?
Egg Drop Soup is best eaten right away as the eggs don’t maintain the same texture when reheated. That being said, you can still reheat Egg Drop Soup, just be aware it’s not like most soups that get better with time. Take care when reheating to not heat at too high of heat – you don’t want to scramble the eggs or they can get rubbery. Low and slow is the name of the game.- Stove: heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- Microwave: transfer individual servings of Egg Drop Soup to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then warm at 15-second intervals, as needed, taking care not to over-heat.
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Linda Manning says
Hi Jen,
I don’t see the video for Egg Drop Soup?
Thanks, Linda
Jen says
Hi Linda, it is at the top of post, just under the italicized intro paragraph – before the first photo. Enjoy!
Suncatcher says
Hi, the video isn’t available from my email post either.
Jen says
I’m wondering if the video isn’t playing through the email link because I have to add the video after I publish the post. Try going to my home page i your browser and clicking on the recipe from there. Hopefully that will do the trick.
Susan says
Thank you Jen!
Made this last night exactly as written and it came out perfect. It was so easy, this is going into the repeat recipe list!
Yummmmm . . .
Jen says
YAY! I’m so happy you loved it and it’s going on repeat! Thanks Susan!
Suncatcher says
Yes, the video link is there now. Thank you. I made your recipe, the video is helpful and the soup was delicious!
Jen says
Oh good, I’m so glad it showed up and you found it helpful!
Pia says
I love egg drop soup! When do you suggest we add the veggies and protein?
Jen says
Hi Pia, it depends on what it is. If it’s something like sausage and carrots, I would cook them first. You would then want to mix the cornstarch with some chicken stock before adding to the pot with the rest of the ingredients (so it doesn’t clump). If it’s shredded chicken or a quick cooking veggie like spinach, I would stir it in at the very end. Enjoy!
Debbie says
Can you use flour instead of cornstarch?
Jen says
Sorry, it has to be cornstarch.
Tammy says
Hi, can you use tapioca instead of cornstarch?
Jen says
Hi Tammy, I haven’t personally tried it but I think it should work. You will need double the amount of tapioca, good luck!
Brianna says
Just made this tonight and it was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly – just added mushrooms to the soup. Came out really great and flavorful, and it was really easy to make. Thank you!
Jen says
You’re so welcome Brianna! I ‘m so pleased it was a winner! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Jen says
You’re so welcome Brianna! I ‘m so pleased it was a winner! Thanks for taking the time to comment!