Egg Drop Soup (aka Egg Flower Soup) used to be my favourite things to order at the start of a meal whenever I went out for Chinese food. It’s light yet so comforting and flavourful. This is my healthy spin on homemade Egg Drop Soup, that might not be authentic, but it takes just 20 minutes to make and is really tasty. This has become my go to soup to make for dinner on cold nights because it’s so comforting and requires just a few ingredients I usually have on hand. Traditional egg drop soup doesn’t contain mushrooms, but I love the meatiness that sautéed shiitakes add to the soup.
Just made this soup, Super easy and so yummy!
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Egg Drop Soup
- The majority of the ingredients you likely already have in your fridge or pantry so it’s a great soup to make when you don’t have time to run out to the store.
- Start to finish it takes less than 20 minutes to make, it truly couldn’t be any quicker or easier to make which makes it the perfect soup for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking.
- It’s Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Grain Free, Gluten Free and Dairy Free but you would never know, it tastes just like the Egg Drop Soup you can get at your favourite Chinese restaurant
- Shiitake mushrooms add a really nice meatiness to the dish and make it slightly more substantial.
- It’s affordable! Absolutely no expensive ingredients here.
Ingredients You Need For Egg Drop Soup
- Shiitake Mushrooms: Although not traditional, I like adding shiitake mushrooms to give the soup more texture and substance.
- Chicken broth: good quality chicken stock or vegetable stock both work for this soup.
- Eggs: the key ingredient.
- Green Onions: thinly sliced and stirred into the soup and also used for garnish. It adds nice freshness and color to the soup.
- Fish Sauce: Adds saltiness to the soup
- Arrowroot Powder: feel free to use corn starch or arrowroot powder, both will thicken the stock.
- Soy Sauce: Coconut Aminos or Tamari also work.
How To Make Egg Drop Soup
- Saute the shiitake mushroom and garlic.
- Add in the fish sauce, white pepper, ginger, soy sauce and chicken stock.
- Whisk arrowroot powder into chicken stock and then pour it into the pot with the soup.
- Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and then whisk in the egg in a very slow stream. If you accidentally stir the egg in too quickly, stir through it with the spoon to prevent any thick clumps of egg.
- Stir in the chopped green onions and serve.
Thicken first, egg second
Stir the arrowroot powder into the soup to thicken it before adding in the egg, this will prevent the ribbons of egg from sinking to the bottom.
Egg Whisps
Adding in the egg is a two hand job. Start by stirring the soup with a spoon in a circular “whirlpool” motion and then slowly drizzle the egg in a very very slow stream with the other hand. The thickness of the egg wisps is dependent on how quickly or slowly you stir as the egg is drizzled into the soup. Stirring very quickly will result in thin little bits whereas stirring slower will create larger sized pieces.
How To Modify:
- Add more protein: You could add in cooked shredded chicken, ground pork and sauteed shrimp with the mushrooms. For a vegetarian option you could also add in cubes of tofu.
- White Pepper: I love using white pepper in Asian dishes. I find that it has an earthy flavor that really works well in stir frys and other Asian inspired recipes. You can find white pepper at most grocery stores, or on Amazon. If you don’t have white pepper, feel free to substitute it for black pepper which has a spicier taste.
- Mushrooms: the shiitake mushrooms add a nice meatiness to the soup. Feel free to swap them for button mushrooms or alternatively you could add in another vegetable such as sliced bok choy, broccolini or cabbage.
Dietary Customizations:
- Vegetarian: Simply use vegetable stock in place of vegetable stock and omit the dish sauce. You may need to add approximately 1/4 teapsoon more salt to make up for the saltiness of the fish sauce.
- Paleo: Use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce and arrowroot powder.
Common Questions
I highly recommend eating this paleo egg drop soup immediately after making it for the best flavour and consistency, but you can save any leftovers for another time. Store any leftover egg drop soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The key to reheating any leftover soup is not to make it too hot otherwise the eggs will become rubery. They can be heated in a pot on medium low heat, or in the microwave until warmed through but not piping hot.
Egg drop soup has its origins in China, where it is known as “egg flower soup” or “dàn huā tāng” in Mandarin. The soup is believed to have been created during the Han Dynasty over 2000 years ago, and has since become a popular dish throughout China and in Chinese cuisine around the world. In China, the soup is traditionally served as a starter or as a light meal, and is often consumed during the cold winter months. The main ingredients in this soup are chicken broth, eggs, and cornstarch and the broth is typically seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, and white pepper.
Arrowroot powder is a starchy powder made from a ground up tuber plant. It is often used in Paleo, Whole30 and other grain free diets in place of cornstarch. Arrowroot powder can be used in soups and sauces as a thickener, or as a coating when frying things like chicken, fish or shrimp because it forms a crispy crust.
Cornstarch can be used in place of arrowroot powder 1 for 1 in this egg drop soup recipe. Cornstarch is gluten free but unfortunately not Paleo or Whole30.
Arrowroot powder is unfortunately not allowed for anyone following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet because it is a starch. For this Paleo Egg Drop Soup recipe skip adding it in, the soup will still be delicious but slightly thinner in consistency (which isn’t a bad thing!).
Here are a few more delicious soups that you might enjoy…
- Thai Curry Noodle Soup
- Tantanmen Ramen
- Whole30 Chicken Ramen
- Tom Kha Gai
- Spicy Chicken & Veggie Noodle Soup
- Thai Butternut Squash Soup
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (5oz shiitake mushrooms)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add in the garlic and sliced shiitake mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes until the mushroom slices begin to soften.
- Next add in the fish sauce, coconut aminos, ground ginger and white pepper and give everything a stir before adding in 3 1/2 cups of the chicken stock (set aside 1/2 cup)
- Add the arrowroot powder to the reserved 1/2 cup of chicken stock and whisk until the arrowroot has completely dissolved and there are no small clumps. Pour the arrowroot/broth mixture back into the soup and stir until it's well mixed in.
- In a large measuring cup with a spout (this makes it easier to pour) whisk together the 3 eggs until they are really broken up.
- Be sure that the soup is gently simmering before very very slowly pouring the egg in a thin stream into the soup. While you are pouring the egg into the pot, with your other hand, very gently stir the soup with a wooden spoon in a circular motion so that the egg breaks up into wispy pieces.
- Add in the chopped scallions and leave the soup to gently simmer for another 2 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Iโve made this couple times before only kind of sort of following the recipe. This time I mostly followed the recipe using what I had on hand.
A Portabella mushroom. Homemade beef bone broth.
Tapioca flour.
But using the ingredients, especially the flavoring ones, and the proportions that you list, this was an incredible soup. Thank you for your recipe.
Just made this soup, Super easy and so yummy!
I am curious ย of how this is dairy free when there is an egg in it?
Egg is not dairy ๐ Dairy is anything that comes from the milk of an animal, ie butter, milk, yogurt, cream, cheese etc. If you are looking for a recipe that is both dairy and egg free, try searching for vegan recipes which will include both of those.