Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup is a Chinese restaurant favorite, but did you know that it’s super simple to make at home?

With kitchen staple ingredients and in less than 20 minutes, you can have a hot, comforting pot of soup with savory egg ribbons ready to eat!

This easy soup recipe is classic Chinese comfort food! This recipe for egg drop soup is a traditional one, with no fancy ingredients or variations. You’ll learn exactly how to make a savory, aromatic, delicious egg drop soup in no time at all.

This soup, also known as egg “flower” soup, starts with a base of chicken broth, flavored with aromatic ginger and green onions. It’s thickened with cornstarch and then beaten egg is stirred into the hot broth to create delicate noodle-like threads.

This soup is gluten-free, and lower in carbs than chicken noodle soup or chicken and rice soup, so it can be keto-friendly too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. Super Quick – A whole pot of egg drop soup can be made in under 20 minutes! That’s way less time than you’ll wait for Chinese takeout and means that you can fill hungry bellies right now.
2. Control the Ingredients – No MSG, chemicals, or questionable ingredients here. Your egg drop soup will be homemade and healthy. This recipe is also low-carb and low-calorie.
3. Amazing for Sick Days – This soup is so comforting, and especially good if you’re not feeling well, or you’re taking care of a family member with a cold.

Key Ingredients for Egg Drop Soup

Here’s what you need to make this classic recipe:

• Chicken Broth: You can use packaged broth or stock, or use stock that you’ve made yourself. Make this recipe vegetarian by using my recipe for Instant Pot Vegetable Stock, or use homemade Turkey stock instead.
• Eggs: It won’t be egg drop soup without the eggs! Just two beaten eggs are needed for this recipe.
• Cornstarch: As in many Chinese recipes, cornstarch is used as a thickener.
• Ginger and Green Onion: These are the fresh aromatics that make egg drop soup smell amazing! Use freshly minced ginger rather than powdered ginger for best results.
• Other Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sesame oil are stirred into the soup, and an optional pinch of crushed red pepper flakes can be added before serving.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Egg Drop Soup

1. Sauté Aromatics: Add olive oil to a stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced green onions and minced ginger, and cook for one minute until fragrant.
2. Add Broth and Sesame Oil, and stir to combine Continue cooking while you prepare the thickener.

1. Make a Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl or jar, combine 1 cup of chicken broth with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Whisk until combined, and stir into the stoup. Bring the soup to a simmer, and cook at a simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The broth should be slightly thickened from the cornstarch.

4. Add the Eggs: Beat the eggs vigorously with a fork in a small bowl. Reduce the heat on the soup to low, and place a fine mesh sieve over the pot. Pour eggs into the sieve and gently push them through with a spoon to create thin strings. Stir gently, and cook the eggs for 1 minute. Finish the soup by seasoning it with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t overcomplicate things! This recipe is meant to be simple.
• If you want to add other flavors, you can, but be careful not to add too much. You can infuse lemongrass, peppercorns, closes, or star anise into the broth for extra depth.
• Prepare the ingredients ahead of time. The French term mise en place is particularly important in Asian cooking too. This recipe moves quickly, so be sure to have everything prepped and ready before you start cooking.
• To Add More Protein, try stirring in small pieces of extra firm tofu, shredded chicken, or small shrimp.
• Veggies such as cooked mushrooms, sliced baby bok choi, leafy greens, or corn kernels could make a nice addition to egg drop soup as well.

Storing Tips

You can refrigerate egg drop soup for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Feel free to make this recipe ahead of time, and reheat it when you’re ready to serve it. I like to do this gently over the stove, but the microwave works too!

When refrigerated, the soup might seem very thick because of the cornstarch, but it will relax when you heat it up again.

What To Serve With Egg Drop Soup

Egg drop soup is traditionally served as an appetizer to other Chinese Takeout dishes, and we have plenty of those here that you can also make at home!

Crispy Cream Cheese Rangoons and Instant Pot Fried Rice are two favorite Chinese copycat recipes that I know your family will enjoy.

You should also try my recipes for Sweet and Sour Chicken, Kung Pao Shrimp, General Tso’s Chicken, Moo Goo Gai Pan, and Chinese Scallion Pancakes!

Recipe FAQs

You won’t believe how easy it is to make this egg drop soup recipe at home! Save this recipe so that you can make it the next time you have a Chinese food craving, or you’re feeling a bit under the weather. It will certainly do the trick!