Make beginner-friendly egg drop soup with stock, eggs, cornstarch, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, and clear egg-ribbon instructions.
soup, beginner, quick, vegetarian-adaptable
white pepper: Pinch, optional (optional).
Slice the green onions, beat the eggs in a small bowl, and stir the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water in another bowl. Keep both bowls beside the stove. This setup matters because the egg and slurry need to go in slowly once the broth is hot.
Pour the stock into a medium saucepan and heat it over medium-high heat until small bubbles rise around the edges. Lower the heat if the liquid boils hard. A gentle simmer gives you soft egg ribbons; a rolling boil can break them into rough bits.
Stir in soy sauce, a pinch of white pepper if using, and a small pinch of salt. Taste with a clean spoon. The broth should taste savory but not salty yet, because the soup reduces slightly and sesame oil will add more aroma at the end.
Stir the cornstarch mixture again because it settles quickly. Slowly drizzle it into the simmering soup while stirring the broth in circles. Wait about 30 seconds. The soup should look lightly glossy, not thick like gravy.
Hold the bowl of beaten egg a few inches above the pot and pour slowly while stirring the soup gently in one direction. For larger ribbons, stir more slowly. For smaller ribbons, stir a little faster. Stop stirring once all the egg is in.
Let the soup sit over low heat for 30 seconds so the egg fully sets, then turn off the heat. Stir in sesame oil if using and add green onion. Taste again and adjust with a tiny pinch of salt or a few drops of soy sauce before serving hot.
Carton chicken stock or vegetable stock works well; choose low-sodium if you want more control over seasoning.
Large eggs make visible ribbons, but medium eggs also work if that is what you have.
Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock for a meat-free soup.
Use black pepper if white pepper is unavailable, but start with less because the flavor is sharper.
Stock: Low-sodium chicken stock, Vegetable stock, Homemade broth. Low-sodium stock is easier for beginners because soy sauce and salt can be adjusted at the end.
Eggs: Large eggs, Medium eggs, Egg plus extra white. Beat the eggs until evenly yellow so the ribbons cook smoothly instead of streaking white and yellow.
Cornstarch slurry: Potato starch slurry, Arrowroot slurry, Skip for a thinner broth. Always mix starch with cold water first; dry starch clumps when it touches hot soup.
The soup was likely boiling too hard or the egg was poured too quickly. Use a gentle simmer and a thin stream.
Yes. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and season lightly with soy sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil.
No. Cornstarch gives the familiar glossy texture, but you can skip it for a thinner home-style broth.