An easy recipe for a keto egg drop soup made without cornstarch. Don’t worry about getting the eggs just right – it’s delicious even when imperfect!
There’s something so comforting about this delicious soup. I find the combination of a rich broth and delicate egg ribbons, all flavored with soy sauce and green onions, irresistible. 🍲
Egg drop soup is my favorite soup to eat when I have a cold. Classic chicken soup is great too, but the addition of eggs makes this one so nourishing. And the Asian flavors are just wonderful and can penetrate through the stuffiest of noses.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few ingredients to make this tasty egg drop soup (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
Egg: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper tastes best.
Chicken broth: Store-bought or homemade – both work. See the detailed discussion below on what broth to use.
Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. I find that traditional soy sauce is too salty. Obviously, you can also use a gluten-free alternative.
Green onion: I use only the green parts. I find that the white parts are too sharp.
What broth to use?
If you don’t have homemade chicken broth on hand, it’s fine to use store-bought. My favorite store-bought chicken broth is Pacific Organic Chicken Broth. It’s very tasty, and the list of ingredients is fairly clean.
Whatever chicken broth you choose, it’s best not to use low-sodium broth in this recipe. While great as a base in many recipes, it lacks flavor, and in this recipe, it’s going to be noticeable.
How to make keto egg drop soup
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. You start by whisking the egg with some black pepper.
2. Next, heat the broth and soy sauce in a small saucepan. When the broth starts to boil, slowly drip the egg into the hot broth.
3. Let the egg set for just a few seconds, then gently whisk it with a fork to create feathery ribbons.
4. Remove the soup from the heat, pour it into a bowl, garnish with chopped scallions and serve.
Is it difficult to make egg drop soup?
Before I made this recipe for the first time, I did some online research, and boy, you would think that dropping a raw egg into hot broth was rocket science! They really scared me into thinking it would be impossible.
But I found it quite easy actually. I did allow the egg to set a little in the hot broth before I started whisking it. And you should definitely expect to have to practice the technique a couple of times until you get it just right.
But hey — relax! Even when the consistency of the eggs is not perfect, this soup is still delicious! I should know. 😉
Can I keep the leftovers?
I think you can, but I never tried it since I always make one serving and polish it off right away. But I think you can probably keep this tasty soup in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days and reheat it covered in the microwave.
Leftover egg drop soup should be thoroughly reheated to 165° F before serving. And you should be aware that the eggs might end up rubbery after reheating. So while keeping the leftovers is possible, it’s probably best to only make as much as you can finish right away.
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Keto Egg Drop Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large egg
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup clear chicken broth, not low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative)
- 1 large green onion, chopped (green parts only)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with black pepper.
- Heat the broth and soy sauce in a small pot over medium-high heat. When broth starts to boil, slowly drip the egg into the broth. Allow to set for a few seconds, then gently whisk with a fork.
- Remove from heat, pour into a soup bowl, garnish with the chopped green onions and serve.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.