Easy and ready in 15 minutes -- this comforting and flavorful tomato egg drop soup can even become a super quick meal when you add some noodles to the mix!
Tomato egg drop soup is a classic Chinese family dish that's loved by many people. Whenever I'm craving for a bowl of hot soup and don't have patience to spend hours to develop a broth for a soup, I will make myself a bowl of tomato egg drop soup.
I like my tomato egg drop soup to be flavorful and aromatic, so I incorporate shallot as well as my secret ingredient, ketchup, to elevate the flavor. If you haven't tried adding these two ingredients in your tomato egg drop soup, make sure you give it a try!
Why You Should Make This Recipe?
- It's a classic and popular Chinese dish that loved by many people!
- It's very quick and easy to make.
- My version of tomato egg drop soup is more flavorful and aromatic.
- Add noodles to make this a super quick meal!
Main Ingredients for Making this Recipe
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 - Sauté shallots with sesame oil over medium low heat until it starts to turn brown.
Step 2 - Add tomato wedges. Cook until the edges are softened before adding cooking wine, soy sauce and ketchup. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
Step 3 - Add water or broth, turn the heat up to medium and bring it to a boil.
Step 4 - Once the soup is boiling, slowly add in the egg mixture in a swirling motion, gently move the egg around, turn off the heat, and season with salt to taste.
I like to serve the soup with a small hand full of chopped scallions and cilantro, as well as a bit of white pepper powder. I also like to add some wheat noodles to make it into a satisfying meal.
Tips and Tricks
- Tomato is the key ingredient in this dish, so use a fresh and ripe one for the best flavor.
- If you have crispy fried shallots on hand, you can skip the first step and just add a hand full (around 2 tablespoon or to taste) of crispy fried shallot at the end.
- You can add some noodles to make it into a complete meal.
- Replace water with chicken stock or vegetable stock to deepen the flavor of the soup. I usually like to add a teaspoon of chicken base.
- I personally like my egg a bit chunkier in the soup, but if you like it thinner and more scattered, stir the soup to make a swirl before slowly pouring in the egg, and then use your chopstick to move the egg around a little before turning off the heat.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use whole peeled tomatoes from a can.
Yes, I've tried adding fish balls, mushrooms, tofu, chopped bok choy, and they all work very well in the soup.
Don't Forget to Try
Tomato Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sesame oil , or other kinds of oil of your choice.
- ½ fresh shallot , thinly sliced, see note if you have crispy fried shallots.
- 1 large ripe tomato , cut into 8 wedges
- 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine, optional
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 3 cup water or chicken/vegetable broth
- 2 egg
- 1 scallion, chopped
- cilantro , chopped
Instructions
- In a small soup pot, add sesame oil, sliced shallot and sauté over medium low heat until the shallot starts to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Skip this step if you are using crispy fried shallot.
- Add in tomato wedges, cook until the edges are softened, about 1 minute each side.
- Add rice cooking wine, soy sauce and ketchup. Stir and cook for 30 seconds or until it's aromatic.
- Add water or chicken/vegetable broth, turn the heat up to medium and bring it to a boil.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs and set it aside.
- Once the soup is boiling, slowly add in the egg mixture in a swirling motion, gently move the egg around, turn off the heat, and season with salt to taste.
- Top with chopped scallion and cilantro and serve warm.
Notes
- Tomato is the key ingredient in this dish, so use a fresh and ripe one for the best flavor.
- If you have crispy fried shallots on hand, you can skip the first step and just add a hand full (around 2 tablespoon or to taste) of crispy fried shallots at the end.
- You can add some noodles to make it into a complete meal.
- Replace water with chicken stock or vegetable stock to deepen the flavor of the soup. I usually like to add a teaspoon of chicken base.
- I personally like my egg a bit chunkier in the soup, but if you like it thinner and more scattered, stir the soup to make a swirl before slowly pouring in the egg, and then use your chopstick to move the egg around a little before turning off the heat.
How many eggs do I need for this recipe? I didn’t see it in your ingredient list. Thanks.
I use two eggs, I just edited the recipe box. Thank you so much for pointing that out! 🙂