This quick and simple homemade Egg Drop Soup is comforting and satisfying, with delicate wisps of egg suspended in a luxurious velvety broth. The addition of dried and fresh shiitake mushrooms creates a flavourful umami-rich broth in a very short amount of time. Make it today in under 40 minutes.
With the approach of Lunar New Year, I’m thinking of hosting another dumpling party with friends to make some Cabbage and Pork Dumplings. We eat them year round along with these delicious Szechuan Ground Pork Stir Fry Noodles which symbolize longevity and good health for the new year.

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Egg Drop Soup
Who doesn’t love takeout? Our local Chinese restaurant makes delicious wonton soup, moo shu pork, and chow mein but when I’m in a hurry, this Chinese style Egg Drop Soup recipe is my go-to. It’s made with ingredients I always have on hand and is ready in less time than it takes to order delivery!
This soup is incredibly comforting and satisfying, the broth is extra velvety and luxurious. Additionally, with quality ingredients like homemade chicken stock and fresh eggs, the flavour is second to none. It makes a great starter for eight people and is hearty enough to feed four people as a main dish.

What is Egg Drop Soup?
Egg Drop Soup is a popular Chinese American dish featuring delicate wisps of egg suspended in a clear velvety stock. Most recipes contain very few ingredients (eggs, chicken broth, scallions, black or white pepper, tofu, soy sauce and/or sesame oil).
North American Egg Drop Soup is slightly different than the original Cantonese (Guangzhou) egg flower soup. While both versions contain clear flavourful chicken broth and egg ribbons, the broth of the Cantonese version is usually not thickened. Furthermore, the Cantonese version is highly versatile and more likely to contain additional ingredients like fresh or dried shrimp, tofu cubes, etc.
My version includes both dried and fresh mushrooms for extra umami. I love how rich and flavourful they make the broth! Aromatics like garlic and ginger also bring a lovely flavour in the broth.

During Lunar New Year celebrations, certain foods are eaten to encourage health and prosperity in the new year. Eggs symbolize new beginnings, fertility, and growth making egg drop soup a popular lunar feast addition.
It’s interesting to note how similar this soup is to hot and sour soup, another regional Chinese and restaurant classic. I consider hot and sour soup an amped up version of egg drop soup and it’s almost as easy to prepare.
The intriguing combination of savoury, spicy, and sour flavours, along with extra ingredients makes hot and sour soup an incredible alternative if you are looking to spice up your dinner table.

Recipe Ingredients
This recipe goes slightly beyond a simple Egg Drop soup but it is still incredibly easy to prepare. If you prefer, you can leave out the mushrooms and still make a hearty soup.
- Cooking Oil
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Carrot
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Chicken Stock
- Dried Mushrooms
- Enoki Mushrooms
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Eggs
- Sesame Oil
- Green Onions
- Soy Sauce (optional)
- White Pepper (optional)
To preserve and enhance the delicate flavour of the chicken stock, sauté the garlic, ginger, and diced carrot in a neutral cooking oil like safflower oil, peanut oil, or grapeseed oil.

Note: Potato starch can be used to thicken the soup in place of cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio.
It is imperative that you use the best chicken stock you can find, preferably homemade. Taste and season the soup accordingly as preferences vary between palates. Add a splash of soy sauce instead of salt for seasoning and if adding white pepper, start with 1 teaspoon and increase as needed.
Egg Drop Soup Techniques
I remember how nervous I was the first time I made Egg Drop Soup. I was worried that the eggs would be all clumpy and sink to the bottom. Luckily, all it takes is a little technique. And by ‘little’, I mean anyone can make this soup and I am here to guide every step of the way.

Firstly, this Egg Drop Soup recipe is a great place to practice your knife skills. Sharpen your favourite chef’s knife and get out your cutting board! As you can see from the photo above, you’ll slice the shiitake mushrooms, shred or slice the green onions, and finely dice the garlic, ginger and carrots.
Next, you’ll learn how to thicken the soup with a cornstarch slurry. The trick is to add a little at a time, let it thicken and then decide if you want more. I added cornstarch in a few stages because I like the soup viscous enough for the egg ribbons to remain suspended in the soup but not thick and stodgy.
Finally, adding the eggs in a thin stream while stirring is a technique of its own. You’ll need to stir steadily to ensure the egg ribbons remain similar in size. Pro tip: for larger egg ribbons, stir slower.

How to Make Egg Drop Soup
To begin, swirl 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil in a soup pot then add the finely diced garlic, ginger, and carrots. Sauté for a few minutes, until vegetables have softened slightly. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook until slightly softened.
Next, add 8 cups of quality chicken stock (or 6 cups stock plus 2 cups water), then add the chopped dried mushrooms. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat then turn heat to low and cover. Simmer soup for 20 minutes then add the enoki mushrooms.
Thicken the Soup
Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, mix 3 tablespoons with 5 tablespoons of cold water. Pour a constant thin stream of cornstarch slurry into the soup, while stirring continuously.

Allow soup to thicken, then add more slurry as needed (use 1 tablespoon cornstarch to 1 1/2 tablespoons water increments). The soup should have a luxurious sheen and slight body but not be thick and gloppy.
Add the Eggs
In a large measuring cup (or small bowl with a spout) whisk 4 eggs with 1 teaspoon of water until they are completely mixed. There should be no visible yolks or whites.
Use a wooden spoon to stir the soup in a steady circular motion while drizzling the beaten eggs in a thin stream into the soup. If you want smaller, finer egg ribbons stir quick, going slower for larger egg ribbons.

Finishing Touches
Remove soup from heat and stir in sesame oil* and season with soy sauce and white pepper, as needed. Divide soup into 8 small bowls as a starter or 4 larger bowls for a main dish. Garnish each bowl restaurant style with sliced or shredded green onions.
*To convert this egg drop soup into hot and sour soup, simply combine 2 – 4 tablespoons sweet black vinegar (or rice wine vinegar) with 1 – 2 teaspoons white pepper and add to the soup a little at a time, tasting and adjusting according to taste. Feel free to add other ingredients like tofu cubes or skins, day lily buds, wood ear fungus, and bamboo shoots.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to two days and reheat gently. Do not freeze Egg Drop Soup.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and I am the recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.
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Easy Egg Drop Soup

This quick and simple homemade Egg Drop Soup is comforting and satisfying, with delicate wisps of egg suspended in a luxurious velvety broth. The addition of dried and fresh shiitake mushrooms creates a flavourful umami rich broth in a very short amount of time. Make it today in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 2 cloves Garlic; finely minced
- 1 inch piece Ginger; peeled and finely minced
- 1/2 Carrot; peeled, cut into matchsticks or finely diced
- 4 oz fresh Shiitake Mushrooms; sliced
- 8 cups Chicken Stock
- 1/2 cup dried mixed Mushrooms; chopped
- 1/2 bunch Enoki Mushrooms; divided
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 5 Tablespoons Water
- 4 Eggs (plus one teaspoon water)
- 2 Tablespoons Sesame oil
- 2 Scallions; shredded and curled or sliced on a bias
- Soy Sauce (as needed)
- White Pepper (as needed)
Instructions
- Swirl 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil in a soup pot then add the finely diced garlic, ginger, and carrots. Sauté for a few minutes, until vegetables have softened slightly.
- Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook until slightly softened.
- Add 8 cups of quality chicken stock (or 6 cups stock plus 2 cups water), then add the chopped dried mushrooms.
- Bring soup to a boil then turn heat to low and cover. Simmer soup for 20 minutes. Add enoki mushrooms.
- In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons with 5 tablespoons of cold water. Pour a constant thin stream of cornstarch slurry into the soup, while stirring continuously.
- Allow soup to thicken, then add more slurry as needed (use 1 tablespoon cornstarch to 1 1/2 tablespoons water increments). The soup should have a nice sheen and slight body but not be thick and gloppy.
- In a large measuring cup (or small bowl with a spout) whisk 4 eggs with 1 teaspoon of water until they are completely mixed. There should be no visible yolks or whites.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the soup in a circular motion and drizzle the beaten eggs in a thin stream into the moving soup. If you want smaller, finer egg ribbons stir quick, going slower for larger egg ribbons.
- Remove soup from heat and stir in sesame oil*. Season with soy sauce and white pepper, if using.
- Divide soup into 8 small bowls as a starter or 4 larger bowls for a main dish. Garnish each bowl with sliced or shredded green onions.
Notes
*To turn egg drop soup into hot and sour soup, simply combine 2-4 tablespoons sweet black vinegar (or rice wine vinegar) with 1-2 teaspoons white pepper and add to the soup a little at a time, tasting and adjusting according to taste. Feel free to add other ingredients like tofu cubes or skins, day lily buds, wood ear fungus, and bamboo shoots.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 193Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 493mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 10g
Nutritional calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator.
This looks really good – might even drop a few frozen dumplings in for good luck!
Great idea Jim!!