Add Tomato To Egg Drop Soup For A Variation Of The Classic Chinese Dish

Whether you're feeling under the weather, are craving a bit of coziness during the cold weather, or simply need the perfect appetizer to go with your meal, a warm and comforting bowl of egg drop soup never disappoints. Perhaps you order yours from your favorite Chinese restaurant alongside must-haves like chow mein and moo shu pork, or maybe you prefer whipping up your own homemade batch of egg drop soup in the comfort of your kitchen.

Either way, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise if you try this fresh variation of the dish: tomato egg drop soup. A staple in Chinese households during the summer (i.e., peak tomato season), this version of the meal incorporates ripe, tart tomatoes into the savory chicken and egg broth, providing a burst of juicy flavor and rich texture alongside the silken strands of egg. In addition to adding a bit of bulk to the typically light soup, the tomatoes give the dish a dash of brightness that tastes as refreshing as it is delicious.

If your go-to takeout spot doesn't have this version of the soup on its menu, that's all the more reason to give our 15-minute egg drop soup recipe, developed by chef and registered dietician Kristen Carli, a try; all you need to do is add some tomatoes. The quick and easy inclusion of the extra ingredient should only add a few extra minutes to your preparation time, but trust us, it's worth it.

To seriously upgrade the simple soup, all you need is one large or two small tomatoes. Gather them alongside the other core ingredients, including chicken broth or stock, seasonings like soy sauce, crushed ginger, green onions, and, of course, your all-important eggs (you can use about four for a batch of soup that serves four people).

While our classic recipe starts with mixing the broth, soy sauce, and ginger in a pot and bringing it to a simmer, the tomato version should have you begin by preparing the tomatoes first. After chopping them up into bite-sized chunks, you'll want to add them to your pot with some oil to give them a nice stir fry first. This will soften the tomatoes and allow them to release their juices, all while giving them a bit of a smoky flavor.

After they've cooked for about five minutes, you can pick things back up from the beginning of our recipe. Once the liquid components, along with the tomatoes, start to simmer, add the whisked eggs to your pot while creating a whirlpool by stirring. This, indeed, is the most important step to create those light, silky ribbons out of your egg mix. After the egg has sufficiently cooked into strands, you can enjoy your juicy tomato egg drop soup hot out of the pot, or, for a more refreshing bite, allow it to cool and serve it at room temperature.