Egg drop soup
A Chinese soup of wispy beaten eggs in chicken broth.
Egg drop soup, also known as egg flower soup (Chinese: 蛋花湯; pinyin: dànhuātāng), is a Chinese soup made by drizzling beaten eggs into boiling chicken broth to form thin, silken strands or flakes. It is a staple in Chinese cuisine and a common offering in American Chinese restaurants, often thickened with cornstarch and garnished with ingredients such as tofu, scallions, or bean sprouts.
- origin
- Chinese cuisine
- also known as
- Egg flower soup
- key ingredient
- Beaten eggs in chicken broth
- common garnishes
- Tofu, scallion, bean sprouts, black or white pepper
- regional variants
- American Chinese, Laotian, Italian, French, Spanish, Austrian, Polish, Russian, Cypriot, Greek
Quick Facts
- Country
- China
- Main Ingredient
- Eggs, chicken broth, condiments (black pepper or white pepper), scallions, tofu
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In Chinese cuisine, egg drop soup has a thinner consistency than most Western variants. Depending on the region, it may be garnished with tofu, scallion, bean sprouts, or corn. The soup is made by adding a thin stream of beaten eggs to boiling broth in the final moments of cooking, creating delicate strands or flakes that float in the soup.
Reader's Guide
Egg drop soup is significant as a foundational dish in Chinese cuisine and a widely recognized item in American Chinese restaurants, where it is often one of the main soups offered. Its simplicity and adaptability have led to numerous regional variations worldwide. In Italy, stracciatella uses egg and parmesan cheese; in France, tourin drizzles egg whites into garlic soup; in Spain, sopa de ajo thickens broth with egg whites. Austrian and Polish versions mix scrambled eggs with flour to form small dumplings, while Russian variants add semolina to the stock. In Cyprus and Greece, avgolemono combines egg, lemon, and rice with chicken stock. These adaptations demonstrate the soup's global influence and versatility.
Did You Know?
- Egg drop soup is also called egg flower soup, a literal translation of its Chinese name.
- In the United States, cornstarch may be used to thicken egg drop soup.
- In Austria, egg drop soup (Eierflockensuppe) is traditionally made for young children or sick people.
- In Poland, a similar recipe called kluski lane uses an egg-flour mixture poured directly into soup or boiling water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is egg drop soup in the context of Austrian cuisine?
It is the Austrian regional adaptation of the classic Chinese dànhuātāng, in which beaten eggs are swirled into hot chicken broth to form thin, silky strands. Like the Polish, Russian, and Italian takes on the same base recipe, it represents one of many cross-cultural interpretations of the original Cantonese dish.
What are the essential ingredients and garnishes?
The core is simply beaten eggs poured into simmering chicken stock, usually thickened with a cornstarch slurry. Toppers most often seen include cubes of tofu, sliced scallions, a handful of bean sprouts, and a grind of black or white pepper.
How exactly are the eggs cooked into the broth?
Instead of scrambling or boiling, the cook drizzles a slow, thin stream of beaten egg into the rolling liquid while stirring gently so the proteins set into delicate ribbons and small flakes. The goal is a velvety, translucent texture rather than firm curds.
What sets the Austrian version apart from the original Chinese recipe?
The Austrian rendition is one of numerous regional variants (alongside Laotian, French, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Cypriot, and Greek versions) that reshape the basic egg-and-broth concept to suit local seasoning and garnish preferences. It retains the drizzle-into-broth technique but may swap or adjust toppings compared to the Cantonese standard.
Where would an Austrian cook most likely serve this soup?
It shows up in home kitchens and casual eateries as a light, quick comfort broth or a simple starter course. Its minimal ingredient list—essentially eggs, stock, and a few fresh garnishes—makes it a practical weeknight dish across the region.
More in Austrian cuisine 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record