Egg Drop Soup: Authentic 15-Minute Recipe | The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

Why is my egg drop soup so yellow? ›

Egg Drop Soup Recipe Instructions

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.

It's okay if you have to adjust while cooking – if it's too thin, add more cornstarch. If it's too thick, add more water, stock, or broth.

In order to get those signature ribbons, you have to pour your whisked eggs very, very slowly (but consistently) into the soup in a thin stream while whisking continuously. Use a whisk, or get authentic and stir continuously and fairly speedily with chopsticks.

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.

Beating the eggs with cornstarch before adding to the broth thickens them so they will be evenly distributed throughout the broth.

Store your leftover egg drop soup for up to four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Egg drop soup is quite healthy. Egg drop soup calories and carbohydrates are low, which makes the dish good for people watching their weight. While the chicken broth and eggs are nutritious, this soup has the drawback of being high in sodium. However, you can reduce the saltiness by making the dish at home.

Stock is generally made from bones, and broth is generally made from flesh. In both cases, they are often supported with aromatic vegetables, but in the case of stock, left unseasoned for maximum flexibility in recipes, whereas broth will usually contain at least salt and pepper.

The main uses for cornstarch in Chinese cooking are: Marinating meats to create a velvety texture after stir-frying. Dredging foods prior to deep-frying to achieve a perfectly crispy result. Magically thickening soups, gravies, and stir-fry sauces.

Another option for thickening soup is by using dairy like sour cream or yogurt. Start with a small dollop and stir before checking the consistency and adding more. We recommend using plain yogurt so you don't alter the taste of the soup. You can also use cream if you prefer.

Why is my egg drop soup gelatinous? ›

Why is my egg drop soup so thick? If prepared properly, egg drop soup should be thick with a rich and creamy mouthfeel. It shouldn't, however, be so thick that it's practically gelatinous. A soup that's too thick likely means you used too much cornstarch or the swirl-and-pour technique was done incorrectly.

If your egg drop soup is coming out clumpy, it means the slurry was added too quickly. According to my dad, it's important to lower or turn off the heat completely and stir in the slurry a bit at a time so it slowly incorporates. This will give you a nice smooth soup!

Whether egg drop or wonton soup is better comes down to personal taste. Egg drop shines brighter in delicateness while wonton soup satisfies more as a hearty, filling comfort meal.

Surround the egg with cotton balls and then place it inside a small cardboard box. The cotton balls will absorb the shock of the impact, protecting the egg from breaking. This works because the cotton balls are made of fibers that have tiny pockets of air.

It is: Rich in Protein: Eggs, the main ingredient in egg drop soup, are an excellent source of high-quality protein, as is bone broth (homemade or store-bought), which usually contains 8-10 g protein per cup. You can further boost the soup's protein content by adding shredded, cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu.

The best egg drop soup, on the other hand, should have a clear, ever-so-slightly thickened broth with the intense flavor of chicken, supported by a hint of the sweet depth of Chinese ham. You should taste ginger or scallion from the broth itself, but their aroma should waft up along with the steam from the bowl.

The name “egg drop” comes from the process of gently drizzling beaten eggs into simmering broth, resulting in thin, delicate strands which I think makes the soup so mesmerizing! Egg drop soup can be found on the menu at almost every Chinese restaurant and unsurprisingly, a popular staple for takeout.