This Egg foo Young Recipe, also known as egg fu yung, is a delicious, light, airy Chinese omelet filled with red pepper, celery, mushrooms, onions, bean sprouts, scallions, and chicken. It is smothered in a flavorful, tangy, savory brown gravy that will leave you licking your plate.
It is one of our favorite breakfast recipes. It is always a hit with friends and family, and it tastes even better than the food at your local Chinese restaurant. If you have never tried Egg Foo Young, you really must. It is fabulous.
What is not to love about fluffy eggs filled with onions, mushrooms, celery, bean sprouts, and chicken and topped with the most incredible gravy? This wonderful recipe works well for breakfast or dinner! If you like this recipe, try steak and eggs, baked eggs, and hashbrowns casserole.
What is Egg Foo Young?
It is a fluffy Chinese omelet shaped like a pancake filled with finely chopped vegetables, meat, or seafood. Traditionally, it is served smothered with a tangy soy-based gravy.
You can skip the gravy and make a St. Paul Sandwich. Serve the omelet between two slices of white bread with mayonnaise, onion, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Either way, you can’t go wrong, as both are delicious.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Eggs: large ones, please
- Seasonings: kosher salt and white pepper (or black pepper)
- Chicken: any cooked diced chicken will work. Leftover rotisserie chicken works well.
- Oil: vegetable or canola, and sesame oil
- Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
- Soy sauce: low sodium is best
- Brown sugar: Just a touch; you can substitute mirin, which is sweetened sake. You can also substitute sake or dry sherry mixed with 1-2 teaspoons of sugar.
How To Make Egg Foo Young
This is just the summary version of the recipe. See the recipe card below for ingredients and complete instructions.
Combine the beaten eggs, red pepper, celery, mushrooms, onions, bean sprouts, half of the scallions, salt, white pepper, and chicken in a large bowl. Mix gently to combine. Set that bowl aside for a few minutes while making the gravy.
In a small saucepan or frying pan over low heat, stir together the chicken broth, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet with 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of the egg mixture into the hot skillet and fry until golden brown. Carefully flip and brown the other side. Move to a plate, cover, and keep warm. Repeat until all the egg mixture is gone. Serve warm with the chicken soy sauce gravy and sprinkle with the rest of the scallions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Egg foo young is traditionally served with gravy. However, there is an equally delicious recipe for this Chinese omelet that does not include gravy. The Chicken St. Paul is a cooked Egg Foo Young omelet served between two slices of bread with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions. It is equally delicious, and the kids love them.
Oh yes, you most certainly can! This is the super fun part of the recipe! You can adjust the flavors to your liking or to what vegetables or meat you have in your fridge.
Veggies: red or green bell peppers, onions, celery, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, water chestnuts, peas, bean sprouts, cabbage
Meats: chicken, ham, crispy cooked bacon, roast pork, beef
Seafood: shrimp, crab meat, smoked salmon
Storage
Store leftover egg foo young in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best results, store the gravy separately.
Reheat the egg foo young and gravy in the microwave at reduced power for 30-second increments until warm. Pour the warm gravy over the omelet.
More Egg Recipes
Egg Foo Young
Ingredients
Egg Foo Young
- 8 large eggs lightly beaten
- ½ red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery sliced thin
- ½ cup mushrooms finely chopped
- ½ onion finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh bean sprouts
- 4 green onions chopped green & white parts
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 cup cooked chicken finely diced I use rotisserie chicken
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
Egg Foo Young Gravy
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- In a large bowl with the beaten eggs, add the red pepper, celery, mushrooms, onions, bean sprouts, half the green onions, salt, white pepper, and chicken.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. In a bowl, blend cornstarch and water. Slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
- Heat a nonstick skillet with 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. Add approximately 1/2 cup of the egg mixture and cook until lightly browned on the bottom. Flip and brown the other side. Plate and keep warm. Repeat until all the batter is gone.
- Serve warm with the gravy and sprinkle with the rest of the green onions.
Video
Notes
- Bean sprouts are getting more difficult to find. The recipe is delicious, with or without them.
- Other vegetables to use are zucchini and snow peas, but saute them in a little olive oil before adding them to the egg mixture.
- Store leftover egg foo young in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best results, store the gravy separately. Reheat the egg foo young and gravy in the microwave at reduced power for 30-second increments until warm. Pour the warm gravy over the omelet.
Nutrition
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Sydnie
Awesome! I never thought to use rotisserie chicken, that makes this a very simple meal! Thanks for sharing!
Sue
Delish! I never thought to use rotisserie chicken, that makes this a very complete meal!
Emmeline
My parents love egg foo young – I’m gonna direct them to this recipe, I think they will love it!
Traci
Why have I not been making egg foo young my entire adult life? It’s so easy and EVERYONE loves it! Thanks for another winner!
stephanie
This egg foo young was better than the chinese restaurant I ordered from a couple of weeks ago.
Tania
I’ve never tried a Chinese omelette Beth and I think I’ve really been missing out! Love how fluffy and light it looks! Have to try it for sure!
Julia
These Chinese style omelettes are full of flavour! And that sweet – tangy gravy was such a perfect combination! Very lovely recipe, thank you for sharing!
Chris Collins
I’ve never actually had egg foo yung before, but after reading through this I’ll definitely be giving it a go!!
Anita
This is delicious. The foo yung is nice and that sauce is super lovely. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Sandra Shaffer
Why did I wait so long to try making this at home? So good and yes, you definitely need the gravy for over the top deliciousness.
Cathleen
Egg foo yung was LITERALLY the first thing I learned to cook!! I even learned how to make it in my high school!
This is such a blast from the past, thank you for the reminder!! I’m going to have to make it again soon 🙂
Luci Petlack
Ooh. I love that this will help me use up whatever veggies I have in the fridge!! And my husband is going to love it! Thank you!!!
Biana
I never realized that it is so simple to make egg foo yung! Will be definitely making it soon.
Alice E Laribee
I am definitely going to try this week! Thank you for sharing.
Beth Pierce
Thank you! The pleasure is all mine!
Cris
This receipt looks delicious, it is nice to see another delicious way to cook eggs. For sure I’m going to try it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Cris! It is easy and delicious. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Ana
This looks incredibly delicious! Thanks for sharing this new egg recipe. Can’t wait to try this weekend!