Egg Drop Soup
intro
Light, silky, umami-rich egg drop soup features delicate wispy egg ribbons in savory clear broth, ready in 15 minutes for quick, cozy comfort.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep base ingredients
First, lightly beat 4 large eggs in a small bowl with 1/4 teaspoon of the toasted sesame oil until just combined (do not overbeat to avoid froth). Thinly slice scallions, separating white and green parts. Mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water in a separate small bowl, stirring until completely smooth with no lumps to make a slurry.
Heat and season broth
Pour 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth into a 3-quart saucepan, add the sliced scallion whites, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle rolling boil over medium-high heat, which takes about 4-5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a steady, gentle simmer with no violent bubbling.
Thicken broth with slurry
Stir the pre-made cornstarch slurry again to re-mix (cornstarch settles quickly), then slowly pour it into the simmering broth while stirring the broth constantly in a slow circular motion with a wooden spoon. Let the broth simmer for 1 minute, until it thickens slightly to a light, velvety consistency that thinly coats the back of a spoon.
Pour in egg ribbons
Turn heat to the lowest setting. Hold the bowl of beaten eggs 4-6 inches above the pot, and pour the eggs in a very thin, slow steady stream while stirring the broth gently in one continuous clockwise direction at a slow speed. This takes about 30 seconds total to pour all the egg in. Do not stir rapidly, as this will break eggs into tiny crumbs instead of soft ribbons.
Finish and season soup
Once all egg is added, turn off the heat immediately (residual heat will fully cook the eggs in 30 seconds). Gently stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, taste and adjust salt if needed. Do not boil the soup after adding eggs, as this will make egg ribbons tough.
Serve hot immediately
Ladle the soup into 4 warm serving bowls, top each bowl with a sprinkle of the reserved sliced green scallion tops. Serve right away while hot, as the soup will lose its silky, delicate texture if left to sit for longer than 10 minutes.
Tips
2.Always re-stir your cornstarch slurry immediately before pouring it into the broth, as cornstarch sinks quickly to the bottom of the bowl and will cause lumpy, uneven thickening if not remixed.
3.For a vegetarian or gluten-free version, swap chicken broth for low-sodium vegetable broth and replace light soy sauce with gluten-free tamari, keeping all other measurements and steps identical.
OMG this was SO good! I’ve been trying to nail egg drop soup for years and it always came out lumpy or the eggs got weirdly rubbery. The trick of pouring the eggs in slowly while stirring the broth in a circle? Total game changer! My kids devoured two bowls each with their fried rice last night. 10/10 will be making this on repeat all soup season.
Tastes exactly like the egg drop soup from my local Chinese takeout spot but way less salty! I added a tiny pinch of white pepper like my go-to spot does and it was perfect. Took me literally 12 minutes total from grabbing ingredients out of the fridge to serving. No fancy ingredients required, which is a win for my tiny apartment kitchen.
Super solid easy soup for meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday and it held up really well in the fridge for 4 days, just gave it a quick stir when I reheated it in the microwave. The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish it had a little more depth of flavor — I’ll probably add a splash of low-sodium soy sauce and a pinch of garlic powder next time to make it pop a bit more.
Made this for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were asking me for the recipe left and right! I kept it warm in my slow cooker on the low setting and it stayed perfectly silky the whole time, no weird curdled eggs at all. Even the picky eaters went back for seconds.
As someone who can barely boil water without burning it, this recipe was foolproof! 15 minutes, super cheap ingredients, no fancy skills needed. I ate the whole pot while cramming for my midterm last night, it was the perfect cozy study snack. 10/10 for broke college students everywhere.
I’ve made so many egg drop soup recipes over the years that turned out gloopy or bland, but this one is perfect! The texture is exactly that silky, light soup I remember getting as a kid at family dinners. I added a handful of frozen corn and a little diced tofu for extra substance and it was chef’s kiss.
Finally, a takeout-style soup that’s 100% gluten free when you use tamari instead of regular soy sauce! I have celiac so I’m always paranoid about cross contamination or hidden gluten at restaurants, so making this at home means I can enjoy my favorite soup without the worry. So creamy, so flavorful, zero stomach issues after. Win!
This was fine, but mine came out a little watery? I followed the recipe exactly, used low sodium chicken broth, let it come to a gentle simmer before adding eggs, but it just didn’t have that rich mouthfeel I was expecting. Maybe I need to add a little more cornstarch slurry next time? Not bad for 15 minutes, just not quite what I hoped for.
I’ve been making egg drop soup for my grandkids for 40 years, and I tried this recipe on a lark when my old recipe card got smudged. Let me tell you, this is even better than my old version! The egg strands are so light and silky, none of that tough, rubbery egg I sometimes got when I poured too fast. My oldest grandson said it tastes “like a warm hug” — high praise from a 16 year old!
Made this for my sick roommate last week when she had a cold and she said it was better than any soup the pharmacy was recommending! It’s light but satisfying, super gentle on a sore throat, and the warm broth helped clear her sinuses. I added a little extra ginger for that immune boost and it was perfect. Will be keeping this recipe saved for cold and flu season for sure.
Really solid base recipe! I’m used to heartier, more savory soups so I added a little crumbled bacon and a dash of hot sauce on top for some Texas flair, and it slapped. The egg texture was perfect, no lumps at all, which I’ve struggled with on other egg drop soup attempts. Easy enough for a weeknight, which is a big plus for me since I work long shifts.
Perfect lazy Sunday soup! I didn’t even feel like getting dressed to go get takeout, so I threw this together with stuff I already had in my pantry and fridge — chicken broth, eggs, a little cornstarch, green onions from the windowsill. It tasted better than takeout, and I didn’t have to wait for delivery or tip a driver. Absolute win.
Perfect keto-friendly soup! I skipped the cornstarch and used a tiny bit of xanthan gum to thicken it instead, and it came out so silky and smooth, zero weird aftertaste. Only 2 net carbs per serving, which fits perfectly into my macros. I added a handful of spinach and some sliced mushrooms for extra veggies and it was so filling, I didn’t even need a side. Will be making this weekly!
First time making any kind of Chinese soup at home and I was so nervous I’d mess it up, but this recipe was so easy to follow! The step-by-step note about not boiling the broth too hard before adding eggs saved me, I almost turned the heat up too high. My partner said it was better than the soup we got on our first date at our favorite restaurant, which is the biggest compliment I could get.
Pretty solid replica of restaurant egg drop soup! I work in a restaurant so I’m super picky about texture, and the egg strands here are spot on. My only note is I wish the recipe mentioned how long to let the cornstarch cook — I only let it go for 30 seconds and I could still taste a little starchy bite, so next time I’ll let it simmer a minute or two longer before adding eggs. Otherwise great recipe, super fast.
Made this with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a vegetarian version and it was absolutely delicious! I was worried it would lack depth, but I added a tiny splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of five spice and it was so flavorful, even my meat-loving brother asked for seconds. Perfect light lunch paired with some edamame.
Perfect quick weeknight meal for busy sports parents! I got home late from my son’s soccer practice, threw this together in 15 minutes, and served it with some leftover potstickers from the weekend. The whole family was fed and happy in under 20 minutes, no drive-thru run needed. This is going into our regular weeknight rotation for sure, especially on nights we have back to back practices and games.