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Ready in just 15 minutes, this Egg Drop Soup is loaded with feathery wisps of egg in a classic, savory broth. The first time I made it, my kids devoured every single sip. And, they requested it again the very next day for lunch. Now, it’s one of my favorite low effort, high reward recipes for a midday meal or last-minute craving.
I love finding new ways to recreate my family’s favorite restaurant dishes. My goal is always to honor the traditional elements, while making it more approachable to the average home cook. I do the same with my other takeout-inspired recipes, like easy kung pao chicken and Chinese beef and broccoli soup. It’s a cooking style that feels true to how we actually eat at home. And, I’ve grown more confident embracing that authenticity.
Egg Drop Soup
I’ve made this soup for quite a few years now and the recipe is remains a favorite with our boys. It doubles nicely, and when I want it to be a bit heartier, adding an extra egg does just the trick. I like to add some fresh green onions to mine. Fried wontons are also a common addition at our house for texture.
This recipe taps into something that I’ve learned over and over, these past 15 years. I enjoy dishes that are reliable, comforting, and easy. Not flashy. This recipe checks all of the boxes for me. And, I hope it makes your next meal feel extra special, too
Absolutely perfect! Way better than any Chinese takeout I’ve had! I topped it with green onions and wonton strips and served it along side the egg roll stir fry. It made a delicious meal!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Eggs – I use two eggs as the heart of this soup.
Stock – I prefer to use chicken stock in this recipe, as I find it a bit more flavorful. But, vegetable stock also works.
Soy Sauce – I use soy sauce to deepen the savory flavors in the broth. Low-sodium soy sauce works, too.
Seasonings – I include fresh ginger, or ginger paste, garlic, and pepper to add gentle warmth. I only add kosher salt as needed at the end.
Thickener – Cornstarch is my preferred thickening agent for this soup.
Optional Toppings – I serve this soup with fresh green onions.
Notes on Equipment
- Large pot – I use this 6 QT Enameled Dutch Oven more than any other pot when making soup.
- Microplane – I really like to use my microplane zester when working with fresh ginger.
- Ladle – I swear by this flat front Chef Craft ladle. Why isn’t every ladle designed this way?
How to Make Egg Drop Soup
Building the Broth: I add 5 cups of chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to a large pot, then set it over high heat on the stove.
Grating the Ginger: I cut off a small knob of ginger, then trim and peel it. Using a microplane, I grate ½ teaspoon into the pot. Then, I whisk the ingredients together.
Bringing to a Boil: I bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat for a gentle simmer.
Seasoning the Soup: When the broth is simmering, I whisk in ¼ teaspoon white pepper and salt only if needed, after tasting the broth.
Making the Slurry: In a small bowl, I whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until completely smooth.
Thickening the Broth: I pour the slurry into the simmering soup and stir.
Preparing the Eggs: I beat the eggs thoroughly, until they are completely smooth.
Pouring the Eggs: I slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs while slowly stirring in one direction.
Finishing the Soup: Once the eggs are set, I remove the pot from the heat. It is ready to serve immediately.
Expert Tip
The trickiest part of egg drop soup is undoubtedly the egg pour. Gentle heat and plenty of patience are the key. When it is steadily simmering, I stir to get it moving in a slow whirlpool. And, then I very slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs. That is the only way to get those delicate wisps of egg throughout the soup.
Beat Eggs Thoroughly – I whisk the eggs until they are one smooth consistency. Otherwise, it results in the whites and yolks separating and clumping.
Turn Off the Heat – As soon as the eggs have set, I turn off the stove. The residual heat will finish cooking the eggs without making them too firm or rubbery.
Wait to Salt – It’s a well-known fact that I love salt. However, the soy sauce and the stock used in this recipe will contribute a fair amount of salt to this recipe and depending on the brands used, I may not need to add more salt at all.
Serving Suggestions
Because egg drop soup is so light and smooth, I find that it pairs best with dishes that bring a little texture and variety. I often include this soup with a larger, Asian takeout-inspired spread. All I have to do is add in my favorite Chinese vegetable stir-fry and a side dish like this simple Asian rice for a complete dinner.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use an alternative thickener, if desired. But, I strongly recommend using a thickening agent with this soup. A thicker broth helps to keep the eggs from sinking.
If there are significant white and yellow variations, it means I didn’t whisk the eggs well enough. But, if they are a uniform color but still clumped, then it probably is a result of pouring too fast or too much agitation of the broth (not stirring smoothly in one direction, or pouring while at a boil).
White pepper is more traditional, and I enjoy the flavor it lends to the soup. But, black pepper will work as well and I often substitute it. However, it will be more noticeable with black specks in the broth.
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger or ginger paste
- 1 clove garlic finely minced OPTIONAL
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ – ¾ teaspoon kosher salt only as needed, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper, or black pepper, adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 green onions sliced very thin OPTIONAL, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the stock, ginger, garlic if desired, 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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 1/17/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 1/13/26}
recipe gently adapted from and with thanks to Tyler Florence via For the Love of Cooking
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
Get wonton wraps from the produce section of the grocery store, cut into strips, and fry–done!
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.
The bits of ginger don’t bother me a bit, but if you’re leery of them, you could grind the ginger finely instead.
How many servings dose this recipe make?
4-5 servings.
Cannot hear presentation of recipe . Why not?
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.
I’m so happy you like the soup! Your variations sound delicious.
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!
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!
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.
I’m glad you like it, Gail!
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.
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.
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.
I’m thrilled that you like the soup so much, Bhavesh!
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!!
I’m so glad that you liked it, Kristen!
Best recipe I’ve had for egg drop soup!
Thank you
I’m thrilled that you like it, Lucy!
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.
Made this soup today. Followed recipe exactly as is.It is amazing!!! Easy! Delicious!!! Will definitely be making again and again!
Thank you so much, Sharon. I am glad you enjoyed it.
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.
A good broth soup does wonders when you are under the weather. So glad you hear you are feeling better, Judy.
Your egg drop soup is excellent, I enjoyed it a lot and thank you for creating such content.
I’m glad the soup was a hit!
I’m a big fan of egg drop soup and when I saw this recipe, I figured, why not give it a try. I’m glad I did! Following the recipe produced a rich broth and the finished soup was delicious.
I’ll make this again, but I’ll up the slurry to suit my soup fancy for a thicker broth.
Sounds like a plan, Donna. Enjoy, and happy cooking!
Absolutely perfect! Way better than any Chinese takeout I’ve had! I topped it with green onions and wonton strips and served it along side the egg roll stir fry. It made a delicious meal!
YAY! I’m glad the soup was a hit.
Thank you so much. Thank you so much for this recipe.
I’m thrilled that you like the soup, Mikki.
I ate your egg drop soup 🍲 and it is very good.
I’m so glad you like it, Tommy!