This classic Egg Drop Soup recipe is quick and easy to make in just 15 minutes and always tastes so cozy and comforting.
Growing up, my family had a tradition of eating lunch at our local little Chinese restaurant every single Saturday. And every single Saturday — like, we’re talking nearly two decades of Saturdays here — I would order “the usual.”
Egg drop soup. ♡
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I absolutely adore a good bowl of egg drop soup. It was my favorite food in the whole entire world as a kid. And today, it’s still one of the most comforting, nostalgic, delicious soups I know.
It’s also one of the easiest soups I know. All you need to make this egg drop soup recipe is about 15 minutes (tops) in the kitchen, a handful of easy ingredients, and a quick tip for how to drizzle those beautiful egg ribbons. Then a delicious batch of egg drop soup can simmering on the stove and ready to be served in no time.
Let’s make some soup!
Egg Drop Soup Recipe | 1-Minute Video
So What Is Egg Drop Soup?
In case this recipe is new to you, egg drop soup is a staple at Chinese restaurants across the United States. It’s typically made with lightly-seasoned chicken or veggie broth, and filled with delicious egg “ribbons”, which are created by whisking raw eggs into the simmering broth.
Egg Drop Soup Ingredients:
To make this homemade egg drop soup recipe, you will need:
- Good-quality chicken or vegetable stock: Either will do.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the broth a bit.
- Seasonings: Just a pinch of ground ginger, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Eggs: Which we will whisk and then drizzle into the soup.
- Sesame oil: Absolutely essential in this recipe, and also one of my favorite ingredients!
- Green onions: Thinly sliced, to mix into the soup and also use as a garnish.
How To Make Egg Drop Soup:
To make egg drop soup, simply:
- Prepare your stock: Whisk the stock, cornstarch, ginger and garlic powder together until combined before turning on the heat. It’s essential that the broth is room temperature or cooler, otherwise the cornstarch will clump up and not dissolve.
- Bring the stock to a simmer: Stirring occasionally. While this is heating, go ahead and whisk together your eggs in a separate measuring cup or bowl.
- Slowly stir in the eggs: Once your stock has come to a simmer, use a whisk or a fork to begin stirring the stock round and round to create a slow “whirlpool”. Then gradually drizzle in the eggs as you continue to stir the stock, and they will turn into those magical little ribbons. Remove pan from heat.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the sesame oil and green onions until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve warm. Garnished with extra green onions, if you’d like.
What To Serve With Egg Drop Soup:
This soup would be delicious when served with:
- My favorite Fried Rice (or Quinoa Fried Rice)
- 12-Minute Chicken & Broccoli
- 20-Minute Moo Shu Pork (or Chicken)
- Beef & Broccoli
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Sesame Noodles with Broccoli and Almonds
- Black Pepper Chicken
More Favorite Soup Recipes:
If you love egg drop soup, feel free to check out these other faves:
- Cabbage Egg Drop Soup (my other favorite version of this soup!)
- Hot and Sour Soup
- Miso Soup
- Tom Kha Gai
- Egg Roll Soup
- Everyday Green Curry
- Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- thinly-sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the broth. Whisk together stock (chilled or room-temperature), cornstarch, ginger, garlic powder and white pepper in a medium sauce pan until smooth. Heat over high heat until the stock comes to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk the eggs. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and egg whites in a small measuring cup or bowl. (I find the measuring cup easier for pouring.)
- Stir in the egg ribbons. Once the broth reaches a simmer, use a whisk or two chopsticks to stir the broth in a circular motion, creating a whirlpool. Then slowly pour the whisked eggs in a very thin stream into the soup as you continue stirring, in order to create egg ribbons.
- Season. Remove pan from heat. Stir in the sesame oil until combined. Season with salt and additional white pepper to taste, also adding a dash or two of extra sesame oil if needed. (Saltiness will depend on your brand of chicken stock, but I generally find this soup needs an extra ½ to 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt.)
- Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with lots of green onions and a twist of black pepper.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I have tried to make egg drop soup a few different times and this has by far been best! Yummy yummy!
Great recipe! I omitted the corn, green onions, garlic powder, and ginger (I didn’t have them on hand and I’m definitely not going to the store right now) and it still tastes awesome. The egg ribbons are difficult, but it can be done. even if you don’t get it exactly right, it still tastes good. I turned my heat down to medium before adding the eggs to avoid the pieces getting too small. I made that mistake on another recipe and it was terrible haha. Definitely will make again!!
This soup is good! I love the ginger and garlic powder. I did use an additional Tbsp of cornstarch and more ginger and garlic powder. What confused me is that there is no mention of sesame oil in the ingredients but the instructions say to stir it in. How much?? I added about 3 Tbsp for the flavor. I still havent mastered the “ribbons”.
Hi Rebecca, Sesame oil varies. Did it taste ok? Some is denatured, while others (usually in small bottles) are dark and strong in taste and aroma. I suggest to start with much less IF you are using the toasted oil which is indeed strong and can ruin a dish. Many times I use a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon in a dish. It should not overpower. ….. Into hot liquids, add cornstarch in a slurry of cold broth or water to avoid lumps. ….. Some people like more or less egg and some like thicker or thinner ribbons. I suggest a fast stir and a thin stream for more delicate ribbons, and slow it down for thicker ones. It is personal preference. I like some of each. ….. The corn is good in it! In the summer I boil cut corn cobs in the broth before making soup. Then add the corn kernels in. It adds so much! I hope that was helpful!
Followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing ? might add more of all of the seasonings next time since I like it a little more spicy but as is this recipe is lovely.
This was so fantastic! I never knew that sesame oil was the secret ingredient that I was missing! I also added just a touch of hot pepper oil at the end, as well. I used garlic broth, by the way, instead of chicken. I also added fresh ginger in addition to the powdered ginger.
PERFECT. I’m a saltaholic, so I added quite a bit of salt and pepper, but the flavor it amazing. Absolutely perfect.
beautiful.
Eating this right now! LOVE IT! I doubled it and added a couple more eggs. Also cooked some dumplins and put those in there , THANK YOU !!!
Absolutely delicious! Adding corn is a must in my opinion :) My 19m old daughter loved it too!
Loved the recipe! First time I made this, I accidentally bought pure sesame oil instead of roasted and I accidentally put it in before the eggs so it didn’t taste right, but the second time I made it, I left out the sesame oil since I didn’t have it and it was amazing! Once I actually get the right oil I will try it then, but it doesn’t actually taste bad without it! I only give it a four because I haven’t been able to make it to a T yet.
My son and I both love egg drop soup so I doubled the recipe and I’m SO glad I did! We love it! and now we have leftovers. Thanks for sharing this wonderful and easy recipe!