If you made the chicken stock I posted earlier this week, I have an excellent use for it. This Egg Drop Wonton Soup combines two Chinese takeout favorites in one easy and delicious meal. Frozen dumplings ramp up the convenience factor, and help turn this soup into a filling meal. Using my homemade chicken stock, which is infused with ginger and scallions, gives this simple soup savory depth. You could also make this vegetarian by using a vegetarian stock and meat free dumplings.
Cook the Dumplings First
I usually have some kind of dumplings in the freezer. Either these Pork Gyoza or Kimchi Shrimp Dumplings, would be amazing in this Egg Drop Wonton Soup. Of course there are endless varieties of frozen dumplings you can buy as well. Frozen dumplings are a freezer staple for us and should be for you too. They are economical, simple to prepare straight from the freezer, make a great last minute appetizer, and can be added to other dishes to make them more interesting: hot pots, instant ramen, and of course this soup!
When the dumplings are cooked through, they will float to the top. You can lower the heat so the bubbling subsides to check.
Now for the Egg Drop!
If you were mesmerized by egg drop soup as a child, you might be surprised by how easy it is to make those fabulous ribbons of egg. I tend to like my egg in bigger sheets so I get a good mouthful. If you prefer wispy streaks, pour the egg in very slowly in a thin stream.
At this point, take a taste of the broth. If it needs more salt, give it a splash of soy sauce. I use light soy sauce if I have it on hand; as the name implies it has a lighter color so it’s frequently used for clear liquids, but regular soy sauce will work too. Just add it sparingly, you can always add more. I also add the toasted sesame oil.
When the broth is to your liking, it’s time to garnish with the scallions and serve!
A little dollop of my chili crisp would be nice here, if you like things hot. Let me know what you think of this lightning quick Egg Drop Wonton Soup by rating and commenting on the recipe below, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!
Egg Drop Wonton Soup
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 2-4 1x
- Category: soup
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- 4 cups Asian chicken broth (you can also use vegetable broth or anchovy broth)
- 8 frozen dumplings either homemade or store bought
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 large handful baby spinach
- 1 Tablespoon light colored soy sauce (regular is fine too but add after tasting your broth)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- 2 scallions sliced
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat in a medium pot.
- Add the dumplings, stir, and let the soup return to a boil. Lower the heat to medium high and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring a couple of times so the dumplings do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the dumplings are cooked, they should be floating at the top of the soup (turn the heat off and let the liquid stop bubbling to check).
- Lower heat to medium and slowly pour the eggs in a thin stream into the pot.
- Once the egg floats to the surface, add the spinach and stir it into the broth.
- Taste the broth and add the soy sauce if you think the broth needs a little saltiness.
- Add the toasted sesame oil.
- Divide the soup into bowls, sprinkle with scallions, and serve the egg drop wonton soup immediately.
Notes
*If you are using dumplings that are already cooked, you only need to cook them for a couple of minutes in the soup so they are heated through.
*If you only have store bought chicken broth and you have a little bit of time, simmer the broth with half of a roughly chopped onion, 3 scallions also roughly chopped, and 6 garlic cloves. Simmer the broth covered for 20-25 minutes before continuing with the recipe. The soup will be a lot more flavorful.
Keywords: soup, wonton, chicken stock, egg drop, dumplings
