This delicious Egg Drop Soup Recipe is easily made in your kitchen with only all-natural ingredients at a fraction of the cost of eating out. It combines green onions, ginger, chicken broth, and eggs in perfect harmony for an ultra-tasty yet simple soup.
I love serving this soup with stir-fry or Asian appetizers, such as homemade egg rolls, Hunan chicken, beef and broccoli, and sesame chicken. It also makes a tasty addition to a small dinner party or Saturday night wok stir fry.
What is Egg Drop Soup
Egg drop soup is a Chinese chicken broth-based soup with silky streams of cooked eggs, ginger, and green onions. It is a staple of Chinese cuisine and a favorite of many other Asian cuisines, such as Japanese and Korean.
Why You’ll Love This Soup
- This soup is easy to make and comes together in less than 15 minutes.
- It tastes better than any restaurant egg drop soup.
- It is made with all-natural ingredients and without artificial flavors or colors.
- Kids love this delicious protein-packed soup. For added fun, serve with crispy fried noodles.
- This recipe has only eight ingredients and is so incredibly easy to make that even the novice cook can master it.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch thickens the soup a bit and aids in adequately cooking and forming the egg ribbons.
- Chicken broth: For best results, use low-sodium chicken broth so the taste of salt does not overwhelm your recipe.
- Green onion: also known as scallions
- Seasonings: ground ginger, ground turmeric, and ground white pepper. Turmeric is added because of its lovely, all-natural yellow color and earthy pepper flavor. It is not an absolute must, but I highly recommend it.
- Soy sauce: preferably low-sodium
- Eggs: large, four of them
How to make Egg Drop Soup
First, whisk the cornstarch with 1 cup of the chicken broth and set it aside for a few minutes. Heat a little sesame oil in a Dutch oven or a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the white parts of the green onion while stirring and cooking for about 1 minute.
Add the ginger, turmeric, and white pepper while stirring, cooking for about 45 seconds. Pour in the remaining 5 cups of chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Whisk in the chicken broth mixed with the cornstarch (cornstarch slurry). It might be necessary to re-whisk it before adding. Then, bring the pot to a low simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
Beat the eggs just enough to break the yolks and slightly combine. Pour them into a pastry or zipper storage bag and snip the corner, creating a very small hole. Move the bag over the pot, gently pushing the eggs out of the bag while very slowly stirring the pot with a spoon in your other hand. The key here is very slowly. Finally, spoon the soup into bowls and garnish it with the green parts of the scallions.
Preparation Tips
- Sometimes, I use fresh grated ginger if available or purchase ginger paste in the refrigerator section of my local grocery store. Both are equally delicious and add more flavor to the soup.
- I like to use white pepper because it looks nice in a broth soup like this, but you could also use black pepper.
- Though not traditional, you can add mushrooms, peas, carrots, corn, or even finely chopped broccoli.
- To make the eggs, snip just a very small amount off the tip of a plastic pastry bag. It should be just big enough for the eggs to drizzle through slowly. Then, move the bag around over the simmering pot. I usually stir the pot very slowly with a large wooden spoon, using my other hand to create those beautiful, thin egg ribbons.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over very low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Soups Recipes
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth vegetable broth, or chicken stock
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 green onions chopped white and green parts separated
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and 1 cup chicken broth; set it aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the white parts of the green onion; cooking and stirring for 1 minute. Add the ginger, turmeric, and white pepper; cooking and stirring for about 45 seconds. Pour in the remaining 5 cups of chicken broth and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture that you set aside. Bring the pot to a low simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the beaten eggs into a pastry bag or zipper lock storage bag and snip the corner creating just a very small hole. Move the bag over the pot gently pushing the eggs out of the bag while very slowly stirring the pot with a spoon using your other hand. The key here is very slowly.
- Finally spoon the soup into bowls and garnish with the green parts of the scallions.
Notes
- Sometimes, I use fresh grated ginger if available or purchase ginger paste in the refrigerator section of my local grocery store. Both are equally delicious and add more flavor to the soup.
- I like to use white pepper because it looks nice in a broth soup like this, but you could also use black pepper.
- Though not traditional, you can add mushrooms, peas, carrots, corn, or even finely chopped broccoli.
- To make the eggs, snip just a very small amount off the tip. It should be just big enough for the eggs to drizzle through slowly. Then, move the bag around over the simmering pot. I usually stir the pot very slowly with a large wooden spoon, using my other hand to create those beautiful, thin egg ribbons.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Sharon
Can this be frozen?
Beth Pierce
I do not recommend it.
Christie
I wonder if you put it all together except the eggs, would you be able to freeze that. Then just add eggs when you are ready to make?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can and it is best to add the eggs when are ready to reheat as you said.
Emily Flint
I had no idea egg drop soup was so simple to pull together. I’m never ordering take-out again!
Biana
Love how easy it is to make this delicious soup! I always get it at a restaurant, and it’s even better to make it yourself.
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats
One of my favorite soups. Especially when we’re feeling like something soothing and simple. Such an easy recipe too!
Adrianne
This does sound better than eating out! Even the simple combination of ingredients sound delicious!! I love the other soups you have suggested here also! I can’t wait to try them all!
maryanne
This egg drop soup was so flavorful and much healthier than if I had ordered it at a restaurant! Will definitely make this again!
Toni
This is really good!! Everyone at my house loved this soup!
Lizzy
Fantastic! Imma have to make this over & over! So awesomely easy! I have everything I need to make this always. My oldest son especially loves this soup! He’ll soon be making it on his own, I think. Great, easy instructions.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Lizzy! So glad that you like the soup.
Natasha
I had all the ingredients on hand so I made this recipe right away, it was so easy and quick to make. My kids loved it and almost finished everything. It is so much better than most soups in restaurants.
Katie
Looks unique and yummy! Can’t wait to try this one.
Betsy
Delcious soup! One of my favorites from the Asian restaurants! Wonderfully easy, this is so perfect to serve alongside my favorite one pot fried rice!
Victoria
I am confused on the amount of chicken broth. Reading it says cornstarch and 1 cup broth set aside and then it days add other 5 cups of broth. That is 6 cups not 18??
Beth Pierce
It is a total of 6 cups of chicken broth. One of the cups gets mixed with the cornstarch.
Liz
Soup season is one of my favorite seasons! Can’t wait to try this soup out!
Kechi
Your tips and notes are so helpful. I will make this soup this weekend; it looks like such a delight!
Jamie
Yum! I love how it all comes together and makes for a great family meal! Look so good!
Priya Lakshminarayan
My husband enjoyed this soup to the fullest! Thanks for this recipe