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Tomato Egg Drop Soup is pure comfort in a bowl. Silky egg ribbons float in a light, tangy tomato broth that’s ready in minutes but tastes like home.
This version is the way I grew up in Taiwan—simple, nourishing, and mom-style cooking at its best. The eggs are soft and fluffy, the broth smooth, and the tomato flavor shines through with just a handful of ingredients. For a heartier option, try my Tomato Ramen next.
Key ingredients
- Tomatoes: Ripe vine tomatoes are my go-to because they’re easy to find and reliably juicy. You can also use heirloom tomatoes when they’re in season. The key is ripeness: if they’re too hard, the soup will taste tart and sour with little juice. You want tomatoes that are juicy when cut, with a balance of sweetness and acidity that gives the broth depth.
- Chicken bone broth: Choose a broth you’d happily sip on its own. Store-bought works fine, but homemade is even better. Since saltiness varies a lot, taste as you go.
- Starch (optional): A little starch gives the broth a glossy, velvety texture. Tapioca, potato, or sweet potato starch all work here. Arrowroot is another option.
How to make tomato egg drop soup
- Prep the veggies for the best flavor base
Cut the tomatoes into small bite-sized pieces so they release more juice into the broth. Slice the scallions thin and keep the white and green parts separate—using the whites first builds flavor, while the greens are saved for garnish. - Sauté scallions without burning
A quick 8–10 second sauté of the scallion whites with a pinch of salt gives the soup a fragrant base. Keep the heat at medium and don’t walk away—burned scallions will make the broth taste bitter. - Cook down the tomatoes until juicy
Adding salt here helps draw out the tomato juices faster. You’ll know they’re ready when they look soft and saucy. This step is what gives the broth that signature tangy-sweet tomato flavor.
- Simmer with broth to deepen flavor
After adding the broth, cover and let it gently simmer for 8–10 minutes. This gives the tomatoes time to infuse into the broth and creates a richer, more layered taste instead of a thin, watery soup. - Prep eggs and slurry at the same time
Whisking the eggs until you see bubbles gives them a lighter texture in the soup. Mix your starch with water until smooth—if it’s lumpy, it won’t thicken evenly later. Having both ready makes the final steps quick and stress-free. - Taste and adjust the seasoning
Taste it now and don’t go too heavy on the salt. The flavor always tastes saltier once the soup cools down. - Thicken the broth for a silky texture
The soup should be at a hot simmer—not a rolling boil, which can break up the eggs later. Slowly drizzle in the starch slurry while stirring for about 30 seconds. This gives the broth a light, velvety finish without turning it gloopy.
- Stream the eggs for perfect ribbons
Hold chopsticks (or a fork) against the spout of your measuring cup to guide the flow. Slowly stream the eggs in from the center outward in circles, pouring from higher up. Let them sit for a few seconds before gently stirring in circles—this is the secret to egg ribbons that don’t disappear, clump, or turn into wisps. - Finish with sesame oil and garnish
Turn off the heat, then drizzle sesame oil so it stays nutty and fragrant. Top with scallions or cilantro, and serve warm or at room temp.
What to serve with Chinese tomato egg soup
This light and cozy egg flower soup makes a great starter for any weeknight dinner. You can enjoy it on its own or pair it with a few easy dishes for a more satisfying meal.
- Protein dishes: Try it with Three Cup Chicken, Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork with Rice, or a quick Mongolian Shrimp for a balanced and flavorful spread.
- To make it more hearty: Add some boiled noodles right into the soup, serve with crispy rice paper dumplings on the side, or pair it with chicken wontons for a comforting bowl.
Good to know
What’s the best broth for tomato egg soup?
In my experience, a simpler, lighter clear broth works best because it lets the tomato flavor shine without overpowering it. If you want a homemade option, check out my hot pot broth recipes — the simple chicken broth version in there is perfect for this soup.
Common question!
Why are my egg ribbons so small, cloudy, or breaking into wisps?
This usually comes down to technique. A few key things to watch for:
- Broth temperature: Keep it at a hot simmer, not a rolling boil. If it’s too hot, the eggs scramble. Too cool, and the ribbons won’t form.
- Pour speed: Slowly stream in the beaten eggs from higher up — don’t dump them in all at once.
- Setting time: After streaming the eggs, let them sit for about 3 seconds before gently stirring. This gives them a chance to set into ribbons. Stir more if you like finer wisps, stir less for chunkier ribbons.
Try these Chinese tomato dishes next!
If you love the bright, savory flavor of tomatoes in soup, here are more dishes you’ll enjoy. Each one brings a slightly different take on tomato-based comfort food.
- Tomato egg stir fry with shrimp, a Taiwanese-style classic with soft, fluffy egg scramble bites.
- Vietnamese tomato beef soup, rich and deeply savory with a homestyle touch.
- Quick chicken pho tomato soup, a fast and cozy option when you’re craving noodles.
Tomato Egg Drop Soup Reicpe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. ripe vine tomatoes finely chopped (about 2 medium)
- 3 scallion
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- to taste Coarse sea salt
- 2 to 2 ¼ cups chicken bone broth
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 tsp tapioca starch
- Drizzle Toasted sesame oil
- Small handful chopped cilantro optional
Instructions
- Prep the veggies: Finely dice the tomatoes to small bite sizes and set them aside. Slice the scallions into small rounds and separate the white and green parts.
- Start the base: Preheat a medium-sized soup pot over medium heat. Add oil and sauté the white scallion parts with 2 pinches of salt until fragrant, about 8–10 seconds. Don’t let them burn.
- Cook the tomatoes: Add the tomatoes with 2 more pinches of salt. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, until very soft and juicy. This will make the soup extra tasty.
- Simmer with broth: Pour in the broth, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Prepare eggs and slurry: Whisk the eggs in a measuring cup with spout until small bubbles form. In a separate small bowl, mix the starch with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry.
- Check seasoning: Uncover and taste the soup, keeping it on the less salty side since it tastes saltier once cooled.
- Thicken the broth: Raise the heat until the soup is at a hot simmer (not a rolling boil). Stir the slurry, then slowly drizzle it in while stirring for about 30 seconds.
- Add the eggs: Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Hold chopsticks (or a fork) against the spout of your measuring cup to guide the flow, then slowly stream the eggs from the center outward in circles from higher up. Let them set for a few seconds before gently stirring in a circular motion to form ribbons.
- Finish and serve: Remove from heat. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and garnish with cilantro and scallion greens. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
-
- Flavor boosters: Add 1 to 1.5 tsp mushroom bouillon, chicken bouillon, or dashi powder for more depth. They can also replace salt.
- Starch or no starch: Many Asian soups skip the thickener—leave it out for a lighter, low-carb version.
- Egg ribbon sizes: Personally, I like bigger egg flower ribbons (chunkier and fluffier bites). After drizzling the eggs into the hot broth, the more you stir, the finer the ribbons will be. Adjust how much you stir depending on whether you prefer bigger or smaller ribbons.
- Add-ins: Try shiitake mushrooms (sauté with the tomato), silken tofu (simmer with the broth), or serve with noodles, wontons, or dumplings.
- Vegetarian swap: Use vegetable broth with 1 to 1.5 tsp mushroom seasoning for extra flavor.
- Storage: Keeps up to 5 days in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
You mention adding noodles for a heartier soup but I’m not sure which variety to add. Can you give some suggestions please?
Hi Cathy, thanks for the great question. Happy to clarify. You can use any noodles you like but I recommend boiling them separately (in a separate pot) then combine them together so this way the noodle starchy water won’t interfere with the broth flavor. I like rice noodles, wheat noodles, or even ramen noodles work great, too! Hope this helps.
This recipe is easy and very tasty. The instructions help to make a restaurant style delicious egg drop soup. My family loves it.
I’m so happy to hear!
Such an easy, quick, delicious meal! I didn’t have bone broth so I used chicken broth and added beef gelatin powder, and I used drained canned tomatoes and it still came out amazing! I also garnished with white pepper alongside the green onion and cilantro.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us. Super helpful. Appreciate it! 🙂
Delicious! Very simple and light. I skipped the slurry and still found the soup to be plenty thick. I like to drizzle a bit of chili oil on top of mine. Great recipe!
I love that idea – adding a touch of chili oil! YUM! I have a fantastic homemade garlic chili sauce if you like please give it a try! https://iheartumami.com/garlic-chili-sauce/
This was super fast to make and really delicious. .I skipped the slurry, but added mushrooms during the simmering phase. It’s a keeper!
That sounds fantastic!
This was so easy and so warming. Loved it!! I added tofu after I added the arrowroot & eggs and it was perfection. Gonna make this again and again.
Really easy to make – tastes just like how my Dad used to make it. I also sauteed ginger with the scallions, and also added soy sauce instead of salt. Tasted delicious! Oh and I doubled the recipe. Thank you!
From your pic, there is some red oil drizzled over the soup, please share what oil would that be?
Sure. It’s toasted sesame oil!