Easy Egg Drop Soup Recipe (and 3 ways to make egg ribbons)

What makes this soup so unique is that it manages to be "creamy" in texture without any dairy.  Make the classic Chinese egg drop soup with this very easy recipe and only 5 ingredients.

This soup only has 5 ingredients and could be easily made next to these 4 ingredient Asian Lemon Chicken Wings, Sriracha Chicken Wings, and Easy Baked Ling Cod.

5 Simple Ingredients

1. Clear stock such as chicken or vegetable stock. A fish stock could work too if you have that on hand.
2. Fresh eggs
3. Thickener such as corn starch.  Potato starch or arrowroot starch or good alternatives.
4. Salt (or it won't taste like anything)
5. Umami - I like mushroom seasoning but soy sauce would work too

The Secret

Silky ribbons of farm fresh eggs swirling inside your homemade chicken (or vegetable) stock is just the sort of warm, comforting soup you'd like to sip on at home.

The secret to this soup?  According to author Yan Kit-So, "the soup's success depends on the technique of adding the egg to the soup."

Egg Drop Techniques

There are several ways to go about making those silky ribbons that are the hallmark of this non-dairy but very creamy soup.

#1 The Classic Technique with a Fork

According to author Yan-Kit So, one should pour the eggs into the hot soup through the tines of a fork or the gap between 2 chopsticks, 8-10 inches above the liquid.  You would then move 1 hand holding the eggs and your fork/chopsticks in the other hand in a circular motion around the pot.

She doesn't tell you why this has to be done (as many cookbooks don't say why for a lot of things).  I suppose though, this ensures a steady, thin stream of egg resulting in thin ribbons of cooked egg.

#2  The Fine Dining Technique

This technique comes from Chef Patricia Yeo's recipe for Crab and Asparagus soup recipe in her cookbook.

"To help the egg form nice long ribbons, whisk a tablespoon of the stock with the egg before adding it.  This breaks down the proteins of the egg and keeps it from stiffening in the hot soup."

#3 The Easiest Technique (used here!)

I learned to make egg drop soup at the Culinary Institute of America, and this must be the easiest, most efficient, and commonly used technique.

Pour the eggs in a thin stream with one hand, while stirring the hot soup in a circle with the other hand.  A spouted liquid container would be helpful, but not mandatory.

Now let's make this soup!

How to make Easy Egg Drop Soup

Step 1: Bring clear stock to a boil

Use your choice of chicken, vegetable, or other light colored stock.  I might avoid a dark mushroom one.

While the stock heats up, whisk your eggs and prepare the cornstarch (or potato starch).

Step 2: Add cornstarch

Do you have to add cornstarch?  No, but I think it does change the texture of the egg flowers from stringy to more ribbony.  Other classic egg soups such as Italian stracciatella and Greek Avgolemono have just as much egg but no cornstarch.

However, cornstarch has the effect of inhibiting protein formation of the eggs when cooked.  Cornstarch is sometimes added to scrambled eggs to make them more creamy.

Whenever you use cornstarch, you have to mix it up with some water first.  Whisk the slurry into the pot when it is boiling, otherwise, it will sink to the bottom of the pot and make cornstarch curds.

Step 3: Add eggs

Add the whisked eggs in a thin stream with one hand.

Ideally, stir the liquid in a circular motion with the other hand, so you keep the eggs moving and making those long ribbons.

Use a spouted cup if you have one.  (Clearly, I don't have one, so I pour straight from the bowl.)

Ratio of Eggs

I use a ratio of 1 egg for 2 cups of liquid. However, I have seen other recipes use more or fewer eggs. You can't really tell too much in the finished product, so use however many eggs you feel like giving.

Step 4: Season to taste

This soup needs salt, or it's not going to taste like anything.  I add some umami too with mushroom seasoning.

Soy sauce is also commonly added along with sesame oil if you please.

Of course, this is the most basic recipe for egg drop soup.  You may want to add a handful of any of the following after you've added the eggs:

• crabmeat
• chopped asparagus
• corn kernels - to make velvet corn soup
• peas
• sliced mushrooms

Add a ½ teaspoon of turmeric too if you want this soup a little more yellow and some health benefits.

These should just take a couple minutes to cook, and then you can serve.

Step 5: Garnish and serve hot

This soup needs some garnishes such as:

• white pepper (or black pepper works too)
• sliced green onion or chives
• a few drops of sesame oil

Serve hot, or cool down and store for up to a week in the fridge.

You could probably freeze it, but the texture of eggs changes with freezing.  They will likely be less silky.

Helpful Tips

1. Add ½ teaspoon of turmeric if you'd like additional yellow color and additional turmeric health benefits.
2. You can adjust the eggs to use as little as 1 or as many as 4, depending on how thick you want the soup.
3. Make sure the water is boiling when you add the cornstarch slurry, otherwise the cornstarch will harden into curds rather than distribute throughout the soup.
4. Add crabmeat, chopped asparagus, corn kernels, peas, sliced mushrooms, or other vegetables after the eggs if desired. Just simmer the soup a little longer until the vegetables are cooked.
5. Consume within a week, and avoid freezing.

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Very Easy 6-Ingredient Shanghai Chicken

Vegan Korean Tofu Soup Recipe

Recipe

Do you love eggs?  Please spread the ♥ and share!