15 Minutes And 5 Ingredients Is All You Need For Egg Drop Soup

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Soup is good food for just about any season. Whether the weather is warm or cold, there's surely a soup to satisfy. If you're a fan of classic Chinese restaurant egg drop soup, you might be surprised to find out that you can make your own at home in record time and using minimal ingredients. Thanks to the ingenuity of Tasting Table recipe developer, Kristen Carli, you too can prepare a 15-minute homemade egg drop soup recipe to rival your favorite restaurant-made version.

The only five ingredients required to make this delicious soup are eggs, green onions, chicken broth, crushed ginger, and either soy sauce or tamari. The process for simmering the broth, adding the drops of egg, and garnishing with a generous helping of sliced green onions takes no more than 15 minutes to yield a warm and fulfilling bowl. This can be served alongside rice, noodles, or any of your favorite Chinese dishes.

When it comes to making this soup, the most effort required is for the addition of the eggs. Start by mixing chicken broth, crushed ginger, and soy sauce in a pot and letting it simmer. While it's simmering, whisk together the egg components. Then, slowly drop them into your soup and let the wisps cook. You can adjust this recipe by using a homemade chicken broth or choosing your preferred store-bought version. There are also plenty of other variations you can try to dress up this classic.

If you want to amp up a basic egg drop soup, there are several clever additions that will upgrade the taste and texture. For those willing to try a little culinary experimentation, add tomato to your egg drop soup. Similarly, you can include more vegetable ingredients — such as seaweed, mushrooms, cabbage, and carrots — for added nutrients. Use shredded duck, minced ground pork, pieces of chicken, or your favorite seafood for more hearty proteins.

If consistency and clarity are a concern, potato starch is the ingredient for a thicker and clearer egg drop soup. For a fully vegetarian version, swap out the chicken broth for a vegetable broth. You can also use Just Egg or a similar substitute for an entirely plant-based eggless egg drop soup. Whatever variation you decide to make will allow you to pair the soup with a number of complementary dishes.

Consider the basic ingredients you've included in your soup, as well as any other additions, to determine how to best serve the dish. In the setting of a Chinese restaurant, the soup typically makes an appearance ahead of your entrees, but you don't have to limit it to being just an appetizer. This simple soup can go alongside a dish of chicken and vegetable stir-fry, a batch of garlic string beans, or a portion of your favorite fried rice. The possibilities are limitless with a soup that's as easy to make as it is to enjoy.