There are few things more classic than getting a bowl of egg drop soup at a Chinese restaurant. But what if you want it at home? Well, you’ll be happy to know that it is one of the easiest soups to make – even if you don’t have cornstarch in your kitchen cabinet!
My version fortifies store-bought chicken stock to make a flavourful, umami-rich broth that is perfect for starting a meal. And, the whole thing is done in about 45 minutes, most of that time being completely hands-off.
How to Make Egg Drop Soup Without Using Cornstarch
To get the right texture/mouthfeel for the soup without adding something like cornstarch, I’ve opted for increasing the gelatin content of the broth itself.
This is done through two means – one, simmering collagen-rich chicken wings with store-bought stock and two, fortifying some of that stock with a bit of powdered gelatin. Both of these steps make it unnecessary to add cornstarch.
Now, if you already have a really collagen-rich homemade chicken stock, you don’t need to do either of these steps. However, I still recommend simmering it with the aromatics anyhow.
So, to start, add a bit of cool, store-bought chicken stock to a small dish. At a height to ensure even distribution, sprinkle over a bit of powdered gelatin. Then, set that aside until needed.
Now, add a bit of neutral oil to a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Once shimmering, add some chicken wings and sear until golden on one side, about 3 minutes. Then, flip and sear on the other side.
Pour over a bit more chicken stock and add in some scallions and dried shiitake mushrooms. Bring everything up to a simmer and allow to bubble away, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes.
Once you’ve passed this stage, go ahead and strain the solids from the broth and return it to the stovetop.
At this point, stir in some soy sauce and a bit of rice wine vinegar along with the gelatin-fortified stock. Bring the broth up to just below simmering, then remove from the heat.
Now it’s time for the eponymous egg drop!
For this, all you need to do is beat an egg thoroughly and slowly drizzle it into the soup through the tines of a fork (this is much easier than the way egg is incorporated in something like my avgolemono soup).
Then, go ahead and serve the soup, topping with some sliced scallions.
Egg Drop Soup Without Cornstarch
Ingredients
- 1 l (4 cups) chicken stock divided (see note 1)
- 10 g (1 tbsp) powdered gelatin
- 4 chicken wings
- 1-2 scallions greens thinly sliced, white part roughly chopped
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Add 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock to a large dish or measuring jug. At a height, sprinkle the gelatin over the stock, ensuring it's evenly distributed. Set aside until needed.
- Add 1 tbsp of neutral oil to a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the chicken wings and cook on one side until golden, about 3 minutes, before flipping and searing on the other side, a further 2-3 minutes. Pour over the remaining 750ml (3 cups) of chicken stock and add the scallion whites and shiitake mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Strain the solids from the broth and return to the pot. Add the gelatin-fortified stock along with the soy sauce and vinegar. Return to the stovetop and heat to just below a simmer.
- Turn off the heat and slowly stream in the beaten egg through the tines of a fork. Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding salt if needed. Serve, topping with scallion greens.
Notes
- For best results, use unsalted stock so you can control the seasoning of the final dish.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Making egg drop soup without using cornstarch is super simple and straightforward. This recipe is robustly flavoured and leaves absolutely nothing to be desired!
Are you after a great recipe for egg drop soup? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
