An Inexpensive Crowd Pleaser
As I started to make it more and more I began to notice that friends started to drop by for dinner with increasing frequency. This was fine as all I had to do was add a bit more chicken stock and soy sauce and toss in another beaten egg. I could feed my guests cheaply and enjoy their company.
Just Like Restaurant Egg Drop Soup!
For years I ate what I thought had been faux egg drop soup cobbled together by a hungry student, however, it was only recently I discovered that my recipe was actually quite accurate. With the addition of some cornstarch and the use of white pepper, this homemade soup is dead ringer for the soup at your favorite Chinese-American restaurant.
How to Make Egg Drop Soup
As mentioned above, making a quick batch of this soup couldn’t be easier.
First, make a quick slurry of cornstarch and a little stock—this helps dissolve the cornstarch so that it doesn’t clump up when you add it to the soup. Set this aside so that it’s ready when you need it.Second, combine the bring the broth to a boil with all the flavoring ingredients: ginger, soy sauce, green onions, white pepper, and mushrooms.Third, whisk that cornstarch slurry into the broth.Last but not least, add the beaten eggs while gently stirring the soup so they fan out in ribbons.
Tips for Making Egg Drop Soup
The cornstarch is key to this endeavor. It not only thickens up the soup just enough to give it body, but it also helps keep the eggs silky and tender. Don’t skip it! (FYI, you can add a little extra cornstarch if you’d like a thicker soup.) Also important is to stir the pot slowly—not rapidly—as you add the eggs. You want enough movement to make ribbons, but not so much that the egg just dissolves into barely-there wisps.
Eat Right Away!
Egg drop soup is a meal that is best served as soon as it’s ready, so tell your guests to be at the table with spoons in their hands! This is also not a soup that keeps or reheats very well, so make only what you will eat right away.
Looking for More Chinese Recipes?
Hot and Sour Soup Sweet and Sour Chicken Ginger Beef Stir Fry Chicken Soup with Ginger and Shiitake Mushrooms Kung Pao Chicken
Ginger is what makes the soup hot and spicy. Dial it down to 1/4 teaspoon if you want a more mild soup. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and reduce the heat to a simmer.
