Eggs as protein
Back to the budget recipes! Since a dozen locally produced, cage free eggs only costs $2.19 in our area, it makes sense to try to fill out of meals with protein from eggs as often as possible. I am not the hugest fan of quiche or frittatas so when I need to make a meal out of eggs I fall back on a family favorite: fried rice. Rounded out with bowls of egg drop soup and steamed edamame or sugar snap peas, it is a fun, cheap meal. I have covered fried rice before in budget-minded posts back before most of you were reading so I direct you there for some great fried rice tips. Here, I will guide you through a little restaurant style egg drop soup.
If you have ever tried to make egg drop soup at home and have been disappointed because the egg seems to “blow up” in the boiling chicken broth and not make the pretty ribbons you get at restaurants, then you are in good hands. I have been disappointed many a time by homemade egg drop soup-one of my favorites during cold and flu season. The soup is too thin, not yellow enough, not eggy enough or the egg is flaky rather than in billowy ribbons. We finally figured out the secret and I will share it with you!
Egg Drop Soup
serves 4-6, prep 10 min, cook 10 min- 4-5 cups good chicken broth
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp ground ginger (or about 2 inches of fresh ginger root)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 4 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup corn kernels (optional)
- Combine about 1/4 cup chicken broth with cornstarch.
- Bring remaining chicken broth, ginger and garlic (whole) to a boil. Stir in cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer.
- Beat together eggs and egg yolk, remove ginger piece and garlic clove with a slotted spoon.
- With the soup at a boil, turn off the heat.
- Stir the soup in a single direction while pouring the egg mixture into the hot soup in a thin stream.
- Once eggs have cooked into thin ribbons, add green onions and corn if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
- You can keep the soup warm over low while preparing the rest of the meal.
Cost Analysis:
- chicken broth: $2.49 (mine was free, but this is the cost of 4 cups of Kitchen Basics
my favorite brand)
- 5 cage free local eggs: $0.91
- 1/4 cup frozen organic corn kernels: $0.25
- 2 green onions: $0.17
- 2 inch fresh ginger root: $0.22
- Total cost for 4 servings: $4.04 or $1.01 per serving
Posted in Budget, Easy, Fast, Main Dish, Sides, Snacks/Appetizers
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:59 am
This is wonderful. I have had exploding eggs too and it makes me crazy. Thanks for the help!
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 am
I’m going to try this. The absolute best egg drop soup I’ve ever had has been at PF Chang’s.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Wow, my husband will be so happy about this…I’d given up. Thanks for sharing!
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Great recipe! Don’t you just love fresh eggs? I am so lucky to work with a man who has chickens and gives me a constant supply of eggs for….$1 a dozen. Can’t get much better than that for a dozen. I have 3 dozen in the fridge right now!
April 3rd, 2009 at 9:07 am
I can’t wait to make this for the kiddos for lunch next week!! All of the ingredients are in my fridge or cupboard- a no shop meal. YAY!!
April 4th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Awesome instruction there. Thanks Katie!
April 9th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I was actually thinking about egg drop soup last weekend and meant to look for a recipe and never got around to it. This sounds exactly like what I craved. Must make it this weekend.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Yum! I have low protein and albumin levels and am under doctor’s orders to eat five eggs a day. This will help towards the requirement quite nicely!
December 6th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Their are PLENTY of other products that contain incredible amounts of protein without being drowned in cholesterol like eggs. They’re literally balls of cholesterol.
Even the egg industry is dirty and corrupt. America’s largest hatchery grinds up 150,000 male chicks alive every HOUR.
The females are raised in consistent abuse and phases of torture & are beaten, or strangled if they cannot produce enough eggs.
Ditch eggs for your health and because you know animal abuse is wrong.
The alternatives are extensive and diverse.
July 4th, 2010 at 6:56 am
Very simple and sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it out (eggs are pretty much the main thing I eat because I love them, plus I focus on protein in my diet alot)
And OMG I love how you analyzed the cost, I do that all the time because I’m a student away from home and really have to keep costs as low as possible
September 20th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
We made this tonight and my husband loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
August 20th, 2014 at 4:49 pm
Regarding Dave’s concern on cholesterol on the eggs, I often make this myself when I’m in a rush for a quick protein meal but I only use the egg white which is the protein. Only the yolk is the cholesterol and no strong nutritional value. It will however be more bland in taste as it is the yolk and not the egg white that has flavor. In that case (for instance with this recipe) I would recommend 2 eggs (whole w/ yolk) and 4 egg whites only (total 6 eggs). A little taste with far more protein and less cholesterol.