Egg drop soup

Hot ginger broth with ribbons of egg, mushrooms and spinach. Makes 4.

  • Have some energy
  • Vegetarian option
  • Gluten-free
  • Chinese
  • Lunch
  • Side
  • Eggs
  • Keto
  • Low carb
Hands-on
14 min
Total time
27 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 8 min
  • Cook 15 min
  • Clean up 4 min
Pans
1
Ingredients
9
Cost/serving
$1.47

Per serving

Calories
104
Protein
8.6 g
Fiber
0.8 g
Net carbs
2.4 g
Fat
6.4 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin K 74%, Selenium 31%, Riboflavin (B2) 28%, Vitamin B12 26%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.

Ingredients for 4

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 4 large eggs (200 g)

    Same amount as: about 5 medium, about 3 jumbo.

  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (720 g)

    Same amount as: 720 mL.

  • 1 cup water (240 g)

    Same amount as: 240 mL.

  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (2 g), grated

    Same amount as: 5 mL, ⅛ tsp ground ginger.

  • 1 clove garlic, smashed (3 g)

    Same amount as: 1 tsp fresh minced garlic, ½ tsp jarred minced garlic, ⅛ tsp garlic powder.

  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (70 g), sliced

    Same amount as: 240 mL.

  • 2 cups baby spinach (60 g)

    Same amount as: 480 mL.

  • 2 medium green onions (30 g)
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (4.5 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Find alternative ingredients

Quantities are for 4 servings. Best eaten fresh. It reheats, but the egg ribbons turn rubbery if it boils again.

Nutrition Facts

4 servings per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (333 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories104
Total fat6.4 g8%
Saturated fat1.8 g9%
Cholesterol188 mg63%
Sodium306 mg13%
Total carbohydrate3.1 g1%
Dietary fiber0.8 g3%
Total sugars1.3 g
Net carbs†2.4 g
Protein8.6 g17%
Vitamin D1 mcg5%
Calcium60 mg5%
Iron1.9 mg10%
Potassium379 mg8%
Vitamin A154 mcg17%
Vitamin C6.3 mg7%
Vitamin E0.89 mg6%
Vitamin K88 mcg74%
Thiamin (B1)0.06 mg5%
Riboflavin (B2)0.37 mg28%
Niacin (B3)1.7 mg11%
Vitamin B60.17 mg10%
Folate64 mcg16%
Vitamin B120.63 mcg26%
Magnesium26 mg6%
Zinc1 mg9%
Selenium17 mcg31%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Slice the mushrooms and green onions. Mince the garlic. Crack the eggs into a jug or bowl and beat with a fork until no streaks of white are left.

  2. Put the broth, water, ginger, garlic and mushrooms in the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down so it bubbles gently. Simmer 5 minutes.

    Done looks like: Mushrooms soft and the broth smells of ginger.
  3. Stir in the spinach for 1 minute until it wilts.

  4. Stir the soup in a slow circle so it swirls. While it swirls, pour in the egg in a thin stream.

  5. Leave it 1 minute without stirring, then stir gently once.

    Done looks like: Thin yellow ribbons, firm and opaque all the way through. No runny egg left.
  6. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sesame oil and most of the green onion. Taste, then add salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the green onion.

Equipment

Large pot or Dutch oven, 5 L (5 qt) $30–80

What to look for

  • Heavy base so soups and chili do not scorch
  • Lid that fits

Skip: Enameled cast iron is lovely but not needed. A heavy stainless pot works.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Cloudy soup with tiny bits of egg instead of ribbonsEgg poured too fast, or stirred hard right away.Pour in a thin stream, and wait a full minute before stirring.
Rubbery, tight eggSoup boiled hard after the egg went in.Keep it at a gentle simmer, and turn off the heat once the egg is set.
Too saltyBroth is already salty.Taste before adding any salt. Use low-sodium broth if you can.

Versions

VersionChangesPer serving
OriginalAs written. Hands-on 14 min, total 27 min.104 kcal
8.6 g protein
0.8 g fiber
2.4 g net carbs
6.4 g fat
VegetarianBroth instead of broth. Hands-on 14 min, total 27 min.104 kcal
7.8 g protein
0.8 g fiber
3.5 g net carbs
6.2 g fat

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.

Pregnancy: Cook the egg until the ribbons are firm, with no runny parts.