In my parents’ Chinese restaurant, we used to make three soups every day without fail, and it was always the first thing we would do when we opened the restaurant. Wonton soup, hot and sour soup, and egg drop soup––the classic trio offered on every Chinese menu.
Making these soups during the winter months would help warm up the kitchen as we started our day, and, oftentimes, I would have a small cup of wonton soup broth or egg drop soup to start the day.
Of the three classics, everyone has their favorite, and a nice cup of soup before your favorite Chinese lunch special is always a welcome starter. My personal favorite is classic wonton soup, but I do like a good egg drop soup when it’s done right! We also added the newly popular Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup to the takeout menu, which is also another favorite of mine.
Note: This recipe was originally published in November 2015. We’ve taken new photos, re-tested and improved the recipe (reduced the amount of cornstarch slightly and added an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt), and added nutrition info and a recipe video!
What Is Egg Drop Soup?
The name “Egg Drop” comes from how the soup is made—dropping raw egg into hot soup. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.
But actually, the direct translation in Chinese is egg flower soup, because the egg creates large and small swirls in the soup in a flower-like pattern (scroll down to the recipe video below to see that in action).
There are many variations of egg drop soup, but this recipe is a classic restaurant-style egg drop soup that you can make at home.
Why Make Egg Drop At Home?
So the 300-pound gorilla in the room is why make it at home when you can buy a small order for a buck fifty?
Three reasons: M, S, and G.
Yep, monosodium glutamate is used liberally to make these soups in most restaurants (though some restaurants these days do limit their use of MSG).
We don’t necessarily have a problem with MSG, but if you want to be sure to skip out on the MSG in your soup, you’re safest bet is to make your own, and use homemade chicken broth, store-bought organic chicken broth, or even vegetable broth. You can season your egg drop soup to taste and even use organic eggs!
This restaurant-style egg drop soup recipe is so quick and easy to make that you probably could have made a bowl for yourself in the time it took me to write this post! (Although I have to admit, I am a very slow typist.)
Hope you enjoy this one!
Egg Drop Soup Recipe Instructions
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium-sized soup pot.
Stir in the sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper.
Add in the turmeric or yellow food coloring, if using. Using turmeric or yellow food coloring gives the soup that rich restaurant-style yellow color but this is optional.
Taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Next add the cornstarch slurry.
Make sure the cornstarch and water is mixed well, as the cornstarch settles very quickly. Stir the soup continuously as you drizzle in the slurry, or you’ll get unpleasant clumps of cooked starch in your soup.
Use more or less starch if you like a thicker or thinner soup. You can also add the starch in a couple small batches, let the soup simmer for a couple of minutes, then check to see if the consistency is to your liking.
For more detailed information on the many ways to use cornstarch to get authentic results at home with our recipes, see our post on How to Use Cornstarch in Chinese Cooking.
Now we’re ready for the most exciting part: the egg.
This recipe calls for the egg to be slightly beaten, which results in both white and yellow egg swirls. The speed at which you stir the soup when adding the egg also determines whether you get large “egg flowers” or small egg flowers (i.e. swirly bits of egg).
This is more a matter of personal preference than correctness. If you vary the speed at which you stir the soup, you’ll get both.
Some people even prefer chunks of egg in their soup, so do whatever suits your preferences!
Once the soup’s consistency is to your liking, use a ladle to stir the soup in a circular motion, and slowly drizzle in the egg until you have added it all.
Ladle the soup in a bowl, top with scallions, and serve!
We served ours with a few fried wonton noodles:
VIDEO: How to Make Egg Drop Soup
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock (about 1 liter, organic or homemade preferred!)
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (Or 5 drops yellow food coloring. Optional, but if you want "the look...")
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with 1/3 cup water)
- 3 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 scallion (chopped)
Instructions
- Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium soup pot. Stir in the sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Add in the turmeric or 5 drops of yellow food coloring, if using. This will give the soup that rich restaurant-style yellow color, but it is optional. Taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Next add the cornstarch and water mixture. Make sure the cornstarch and water is mixed well, as the cornstarch settles very quickly. Stir the soup continuously as you drizzle in the slurry, or you'll get clumps of cooked starch in your soup. Use more or less starch if you like a thicker or thinner soup. You can also add the starch in a couple small batches, let the soup simmer for a couple of minutes, then check to see if the consistency is to your liking.
- Now we're ready for the most exciting part: the egg. This recipe calls for the egg to be lightly beaten, which results in both white and yellow egg swirls. The speed at which you stir the soup when adding the egg also determines whether you get large “egg flowers” or small egg flowers (i.e. swirly bits of egg). Use a ladle to stir the soup in a circular motion, and slowly drizzle in the egg until you have added it all.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, top with scallions, and serve!
Nutrition
William L. says
I was just curious and forgive any cultural stereotypes, but how do you make your stock, is there some difference in how it is done where you are from (Don’t actually know) I grew up in the states and I know 2 ways, a long way of simmering roasted bone with onion, tomato and carrot bits with thyme on very low heat using cold water over night or the fast way of just simmering chunks of meat for an hour or two, this is my favorite soup and I want to be culturally accurate or atleast so I can get the taste and flavor right
William L. says
What is your opinion on adding some vegetable like ginger, garlic and shallots?
Bill says
Hi William, adding aromatics or any vegetable is fine and mostly depends upon your own personal taste. Happy cooking!
Bill says
Hi William, we have two stock recipes we use over and over for soup and for other dishes. Take a look at Judy’s chicken stock and Judy’s Pork and chicken stock. Both are excellent choices but I think the chicken stock is better suited for this egg drop soup.
Suzy says
This is an excellent easy recipe. The flavor is fantastic!
Bill says
Thanks Suzy, glad you enjoyed it!
Ruth says
This soup was truly the best Egg Drop Soup I have ever had! This beats even my favorite restaurant’s! Thank you for sharing!
Bill says
Hi Ruth, you’re welcome and glad you can now enjoy it homemade :)
Amie says
My boyfriend always wants egg drop soup when he is sick, so when a summer respiratory infection hit, I remembered this recipe and got the ingredients ready. It was a hit and will definitely remain in our “sick day” recipe book. So silky and rich, and he couldn’t figure out how I made it so yellow! I made the mistake of adding all the cornstarch slurry at once instead of in batches to see how much the soup thickened, so as the soup cooled it got very thick. Next time I will take the recipe’s suggestion and add the slurry in batches.
Bill says
Hi Amie, your boyfriend is a lucky guy indeed and thanks for sharing your experience making our egg drop soup recipe for the benefit of others! Cornstarch thickened soups always get thicker when cooled. Happy cooking!
Berti says
I’m just starting a Keto WOE and am wondering what to substitute the corn starch with. I love this soup and your recipes look amazing. Please, identify any that are Keto, or can be adjusted, for us. Thank you!!
April Mann says
I make egg drop soup on Keto and just leave out the cornstarch. It’s not as thick as the one in this picture, but it still tastes like delicious egg drop soup.
Bill says
Hi Berti, gotta leave out the cornstarch thickener for a keto diet. Soup will be thinner and light but still quite enjoyable which is actually the way I prefer it ;-)
sassygirl says
i use arrowroot. same quantity.
works just as well and is fantastic!
:)
Leong says
I always add some grated ginger to this soup. Make the soup a little pungent and spicy. For variation, sometime I add cooked shredded chicken or corn kernel.
Bill says
Hi Leong, those are good additions to this soup!
Toni Jean says
I have commented before on this one — but here i go heaping the recipe with praise again! I wanted to add that I am four months vegetarian and this is my go to comfort food / protein punch. I use store bought organic vegetable broth, and i love a thick gloopy soup so lots of extra cornstarch slurry. I ALWAYS have the ingredients on hand. This one is just wonderful. thank you thank you!!
Sarah says
Love that, Toni Jean! You’re very welcome! It is a comforting thought to know that you can make egg drop anytime. :)
Joshua says
Bill, once again the recipe is great, I am very grateful. Tell me, please, how much does the high temperature affect? I’ve made soup three times and I’ve only made it once. Maybe I’m setting the temperature too high.
Bill says
Hi Joshua, I’m not sure what you mean by the high temperature, but it is important to keep this soup at a simmer when you’re pouring in the egg to create the egg flowers. Happy cooking!
Dave says
Hey if you want to be naughty, buy some Totole brand granulated chicken bouillon off amazon. I’m pretty sure its the real deal stuff they use in restaurants to nail that fake authentic addiction you are looking for. Its full of sin but it tastes great and worked perfectly with this recipe.
Bill says
HI Dave, We have never tried that brand but we’ll have to check it out!