Among my favourite ways to serve an egg is in an egg soup. It’s quick and easy, tasty and warming and above all nutritious. And being light, it’s an ideal meal for someone with limited stomach capacity. It’s also a style of soup that crosses international borders.
For an Italian, Stracciatella Soup is the ultimate, quickest and lightest comfort food, perfect for when you’re feeling unwell, are recovering from illness or surgery, or (heaven forbid!) have lost your appetite.
I’ve adapted Egg and Lemon Soup from the classic, and much more substantial, Greek soup, Avgolemono. You’ll find that beating lemon juice into an egg has a surprising effect that results in a rich, velvety broth. It’s a little tricky to make, as you’re trying to achieve a delicate chemical reaction, but well worth the effort.
My version of Chinese Egg Drop Soup is based on the well-known Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup but adapted to get a lighter result. It’s based on the same principal as Stracciatella, but in this case you flavour the broth instead of the egg.
Tomato Egg Drop Soup is also a favourite Chinese style soup, which can be made with either canned or fresh tomatoes.
There are many different versions of Spicy Egg Drop Soup, and this simple version is mine. If you prefer, you can make it a Hot and Sour Soup by adding lemon or lime juice to the broth.
Instant Noodles with Poached Egg is a little different from the above, as it is made with noodles and a whole egg. You’ll find many variations on noodles with a poached egg online with a lot more ingredients and a richer result, but in our situation, I thought it best to keep it simple.
While all these recipes stipulate chicken stock powder with water for convenience, you can use liquid stock instead if you have it on hand.
Vegans need not feel entirely excluded. You can adapt Stracciatella Soup and the Chinese style egg drop soups by using vegetable stock and a vegan egg substitute.
For more quick and easy egg recipes see the Fast Eggs collection.
Recipes:
Instant Noodles with Poached Egg
Stracciatella Soup
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
- Pepper and parsley
- 1½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Beat egg with Parmesan cheese, pepper and parsley
- In a small saucepan bring 1½ cups water to the boil and add chicken stock powder
- Set to simmer
- Stirring the stock constantly, drizzle the egg mixture into the stock
- Remove from heat
Variations:
- substitute 1½ cups chicken or vegetable liquid stock for the stock powder and water
- add ½ cup chopped spinach leaves or a thawed portion of frozen spinach to the stock at Step 3
Egg and Lemon Soup
- 1 egg (at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice (at room temperature)
- Pepper and dried onion
- 1½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- 2 tsp. cornflour
- 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
- In a small saucepan, bring 1½ cups water to the boil with chicken stock powder, pepper and dried onion
- Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat and allow to cool a little
- Beat egg thoroughly
- Whisk in ½ tsp. corn flour and lemon juice
- Beat 4 tsp. stock into egg mixture one at a time (in order to prevent curdling)
- Dissolve 1½ tsp. cornflour in 1 tbsp. cold water
- Bring stock back to the boil and stir in cornflour slurry
- Lower heat under broth and bring to a low simmer
- Stirring the stock constantly, drizzle the beaten egg into the stock
- Remove from heat immediately
- Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt (optional)
Variation: substitute 1½ cups chicken or vegetable liquid stock for the stock powder and water
Chinese Egg Drop Soup
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Dried onion, ginger, pepper and mild curry powder (or turmeric)
- 1 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
- 1½ tsp. cornflour
- Lightly beat an egg
- In a small saucepan bring 1½ cups water to the boil and add chicken stock powder with dried onion, ginger, pepper and a little mild curry powder
- Add diced bacon (optional)
- Dissolve cornflour in 1 tbsp. cold water and stir into stock
- Stirring the stock constantly, drizzle the beaten egg into the stock
- Remove from heat
Variation: substitute 1½ cups chicken or vegetable liquid stock for the stock powder and water
Tomato Egg Drop Soup
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup diced tomatoes, drained
- 1½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Garlic, pepper and chilli (optional)
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1½ tsp. cornflour
- Canola oil
- Lightly beat an egg
- In a small saucepan, sauté tomatoes in canola oil with garlic, pepper and chilli (optional)
- Add 1½ cups water with chicken stock powder and soy sauce and bring to the boil
- Dissolve cornflour in 1 tbsp. cold water and stir into stock
- Stirring the stock constantly, drizzle the beaten egg into the stock
- Remove from heat
Variations:
- substitute 1½ cups chicken or vegetable liquid stock for the stock powder and water
- substitute a tomato cut into slim wedges or 3–4 cherry tomatoes, halved for the diced tomatoes
Spicy Egg Drop Soup
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- 1½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Mild curry powder, chilli, ginger and coriander
- 1½ tsp. cornflour
- Canola oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onions in canola oil with spices
- Add tomato paste and sauté
- Add 1½ cups water with chicken stock powder and soy sauce, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes
- Lightly beat an egg
- Dissolve cornflour in 1 tbsp. cold water and stir into stock
- Stirring the stock constantly, drizzle the beaten egg into the stock
- Remove from heat
Variations:
- substitute 1½ cups chicken or vegetable liquid stock for the stock powder and water
- for a Hot and Sour Soup, add 1 tbsp. lemon juice or ½ tbsp. lime juice at Step 3
Instant Noodles with Poached Egg
- 1 portion instant noodles
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Dried onion, ginger (or pepper) and chives
- In a small saucepan bring 1½ cups water to the boil and add chicken stock powder with dried onion and ginger
- Add noddles, simmer for 1–2 minutes until the noodles begin to soften
- Break egg into a cup or small bowl
- Carefully slide egg onto the noodles
- Cover immediately, and simmer for a further 1–2 minutes
- Remove from heat and let stand covered for 2–4 minutes
- Sprinkle with chives
Variations:
- substitute 1½ cups chicken or vegetable liquid stock for the stock powder and water
- use a single serve packet of instant noodles and use the flavour sachet provided instead of the stock powder, dried onion, ginger and chives
Tip: make sure to keep the cake of noodles intact during Step 2 to provide a bed for the egg to poach in