With a flavorful chicken broth base and light wisps of egg throughout, Egg Drop Soup is a wonderful, light and simple soup your whole family will request again and again.
The first time I made this soup, my kids went crazy over it and devoured every single sip. They requested it again the very next day for lunch.
Thankfully, this soup comes together in just a few minutes making it one of my go-to lunches for the kids.
Did you know that you can make egg drop soup with little more than a couple of eggs and some chicken stock or broth?
I’ve made this soup for a few years now and the recipe is quite versatile. It doubles nicely and the addition of an extra egg makes it a bit heartier and filling as well.
I absolutely love that I can serve a cup of this soup as a first course or a bowl of egg drop soup (with an extra egg) as a meal all on its own.
No wonder it’s such a staple in my house. Truth be told, my middle son would probably be happy to eat Egg Drop Soup every single day.
You just might want to eat it every day, too. And I wouldn’t stop you. There are so many ways to enjoy this Chinese soup that you’ll want to try them all.
You can serve Egg Drop Soup as an appetizer or side dish with an Asian-inspired entree like Chinese Vegetable Stir-Fry , Chinese Lemon Chicken or Ginger Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry. Or pair the soup with Chinese Chicken Salad for an easy and nourishing lunch.
My kids and I also just love to eat this all on its own. This is one of those soups that results in complete silence at the kitchen table as everyone focuses on enjoying every last spoonful. Magic.
What is Egg Flower Soup?
Often called Egg Flower Soup or Egg Drop Soup, this is an Asian dish that’s become especially popular in American Chinese cuisine.
If you’ve never tried it before, you’re in for a treat. And if you’ve only had takeout versions, I think you’ll be surprised by how good and how easy homemade this soup can be.
How to Make Egg Drop Soup
We begin with boiling chicken stock or vegetable stock flavored by fresh, aromatic ginger, soy sauce, (occasionally garlic, If I feel like it) and a touch of pepper. A mixture of cornstarch and water helps thicken this brothy base.
A beaten egg added at the end of cooking results in feathery whisps of cooked egged swirling through the soup. Stir the soup in one direction to evenly distribute the egg and allow it to finish cooking. This process keeps the eggy flavor and texture from overwhelming the rest of the dish.
I like to garnish my egg drop soup with finely chopped green onion for a little color and extra flavor but it’s also plenty tasty without!
Chinese Egg Drop Soup
Many restaurant soups are made with a chicken broth or chicken stock base. You can make a meat-free version at home by substituting vegetable stock for chicken stock. Either one will yield a delicious result!
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but it’s incredibly easy to make it safe for those avoiding all forms of gluten. Simply substitute regular soy sauce with your favorite gluten free soy sauce or Tamari and you’re good to go!
However you serve it, this is guaranteed to be:
- Warm and comforting
- Full of savory, salty, creamy rich flavor
- Totally kid approved
- Quick and easy to make for lunch or dinner any day of the week
Egg Drop Soup Recipe
- Combine the stock, ginger and soy sauce in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and pour into the simmering soup.
- Stir to combine and slightly thicken the soup.
- Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, while stirring the soup in one direction. The egg will spread out and feather through the soup.
- Remove from the heat and add the green onions. Taste once more and adjust seasonings as needed.
Here are a few more easy soups you might like:
- Chinese Beef and Broccoli Soup by Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Italian Wedding Soup by Good In The Simple
- Dill Pickle Soup by Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Slow-Cooker Rosemary and Thyme Potato Soup by Barefeet In The Kitchen
- Best Ever Beef Stew by Mrs. Happy Homemaker
- Broccoli Cheese Soup by Averie Cooks
- Chicken Tortilla Soup by Barefeet In The Kitchen
Chinese Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ – 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper freshly ground black pepper will work as well, adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot plus 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs beaten
- Optional: 2 green onions sliced thin
Instructions
- Combine the stock, ginger and soy sauce in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and pour into the simmering soup. Stir to combine and slightly thicken the soup.
- Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, while stirring the soup in one direction. The egg will spread out and feather through the soup. Remove from the heat and add the green onions. Taste once more and adjust seasonings as needed. Enjoy!
Nutrition
{originally published 1/17/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/9/22}
recipe gently adapted from and with thanks to Tyler Florence and For the Love of Cooking
Jude says
Your Egg Drop Soup sounds delicious! Do you know where I can find the noodles (crunchy, but fluffy) that usually go with it when you order from a restaurant?
Thank you and can’t wait to try this recipe :O)
Jude
Elizabeth says
Get wonton wraps from the produce section of the grocery store, cut into strips, and fry–done!
Cathy Landsteiner says
I have never used ginger. It is only a half a teaspoon, I imagine you chop it really fine? But won’t you run into a piece when eating it? Does it soften or what? Just curious.
Mary says
The bits of ginger don’t bother me a bit, but if you’re leery of them, you could grind the ginger finely instead.
Melanie says
How many servings dose this recipe make?
Mary says
4-5 servings.
E says
Cannot hear presentation of recipe . Why not?
Cheryl says
Very good egg drop soup.!!!
I minced the ginger with a very fine grater and doubled the amount to 1 teaspoon. It was very tasty. I felt 2 tablespoons was way too much soy sauce so I used 1 tablespoon.
I really like soy sauce so I was surprised that 1 tablespoon was enough. Loved this soup!!!!
Adding finely chopped veggies such as carrots, spinach, or corn also is good. I just don’t add too much so it won’t disguise the wonderful flavor,
I think this soup tastes better than what you get at most restaurants.
Thank you so much for this recipe.
Mary says
I’m so happy you like the soup! Your variations sound delicious.
Vernon E Patrick says
This appears to be a good recipe for Egg Drop Soup. However, without knowing what a serving size is, and without more complete nutrition information, this recipe is virtually worthless. You tell us how many calories are in a serving, but that is totally usless!
Mary says
Hey Vernon, thanks for pointing out that the servings weren’t listed. We usually get about 6 small (appetizer sized) bowls from this recipe. However, my boys often eat the whole recipe themselves for lunch along with sandwiches. I hope that helps!
Gail Oda says
Thank you for sharing your great recipe. I am going to try it it is cold out. It look so yummy and ono. Since it’s cold and can warm up.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you like it, Gail!
tom masterson says
don’t know what I did wrong but the soup looked like a bowl of slop.
egg was like scrambled not cooked. I love eye drop soup but this was not like anything
I have had. do u have a video on how to make this? I followed the recipe listed and when I added the eggs it looked curtailed and very unappetizing.
Mary Younkin says
Hi Tom, there is a video at the top of this post. It sounds like you poured the eggs in all at once or without stirring. They should be very slowly drizzled into the hot soup while stirring the whole time. That is what creates the thin ribbons of egg in the soup.
Bhavesh says
A delicious and easy to make egg drop soup recipe, best I have ever tried so far. Thanks for sharing this soup recipe with all of us.
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the soup so much, Bhavesh!
Kristen says
I’m always researching how to make my restaurant favorites at home. It is like Christmas morning to me when I stumble on a recipe that uses 1 specific ingredient, that I never tried in a particular recipe when trying to recreate it, that hits the nail on the head. Before that it’s just missing that certain something. Once it was Italian seasoning in a chicken and vegetable soup (I love soups lol) . This time..ginger!! That’s it. That’s what my egg drop soup has been missing. I have been making variations since I started cooking 20+ years ago. I made this tonight with everything except the fresh ginger. I only had ground. I give this 5 stars because it was delicious with the ground ginger. I’m sure it will be even better with the fresh. YUM! Thank you for this recipe!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you liked it, Kristen!
Lucy says
Best recipe I’ve had for egg drop soup!
Thank you
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like it, Lucy!
Robin says
Greetings! I am proud and happy to provide this notification to you regarding the recipe entitled Chinese Egg Drop Soup.
The Society has rated this recipe with the OUTSTANDING rating, which means that you and your team have posted a recipe that includes a thorough and perfectly conceived set of directions/instructions, and a list of ingredients that the home cook could reasonably be expected to obtain, in order to duplicate the recipe successfully.
Congratulations! (Extra credit is also given (and much appreciated) for including any tips! For example, this recipe included a great tip for thickening the soup with corn starch slurry prior to serving, although you failed to mention how important it is to strain the slurry into the soup, to avoid lumps. We also suggest that the slurry be added while the soup is boiling, not simmering, for faster action)
PS- Speaking for home cooks everywhere, please keep up the great work, and do not post recipes in the future that SUCK, with incomplete or poorly specified instructions and/or with a list of ingredients that is missing key items or fails to suggest substitutes for key items.
Robin D Hoode, President and CEO, Society For The Success of Home Cooking, (SSHC), Trump Tower Suite 1101, Washington DC, USA, where all recipes are too good to shred)
If this recipe had sucked, you would have been notified. Deficiencies that could result in your recipe having a SUCK rating could include: 1. not specifying how lean the ground beef should be; 2. not specifying how long the saute should be to achieve tenderness; 3. not including a reasonable list of seasonings; 4. failing to emphasize the need to measure the internal temperature of the key ingredient (meats, poultry, or fish, including shellfish) prior to serving; 5. failing to suggest a wonderful wine to compliment your meal (or cover up the terrible taste of this meal). (we deducted 1 star from your rating because of this failure. A California or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc would be great with your soup!)
If you have questions or disagreement with this evaluation, please do not hesitate to contact us at the above address. Thank you.
Sharon says
Made this soup today. Followed recipe exactly as is.It is amazing!!! Easy! Delicious!!! Will definitely be making again and again!
Mary Younkin says
Thank you so much, Sharon. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Judy Whitford says
I have been suffering from the flu for two weeks now and have had virtually no appetite. When I ran across this recipe yesterday it sounded exactly what I needed and because I’m still in a weakened condition I knew I had enough strength to make this. Easy and very delicious. It must have done the trick because I slept for 9 hours and woke up feeling much stronger today. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Mary Younkin says
A good broth soup does wonders when you are under the weather. So glad you hear you are feeling better, Judy.