Egg Roll Soup

Egg roll soup is a modern culinary creation that reimagines the flavors of a traditional Chinese American egg roll in a deconstructed, liquid form, aiming to capture the flavor profile of the fried appetizer (typically cabbage, carrots, and pork or sausage) without the labor-intensive wrapping and deep-frying process.

The North American egg roll itself was invented in New York City in the early 1930s as a variation of traditional Chinese spring rolls. While some traditional, Chinese-influenced soups use similar ingredients (like egg drop soup), egg roll soup specifically mimics the savory, cabbage-heavy filling of the North American-born fried egg roll. 

The soup gained popularity in the 2010s as part of the ‘deconstructed’ food movement and the rise of specialty diets like Paleo, Keto, and Whole30. Just as modern egg rolls often contain no egg in the filling, egg roll soup rarely includes eggs, instead focusing on the savory-umami profile created by sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. To mimic the crunch of the missing wrapper, many versions are topped with fried wonton strips or crispy noodles.

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Egg Roll Soup

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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Chinese

Keyword

egg roll soup

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 250 gm ground pork or chicken
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 Green onions, sliced for garnish

Course Main Dish Cuisine Chinese Keyword egg roll soup Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 250 gm ground pork or chicken 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated 2 cups cabbage, shredded 1/2 cup carrots, shredded 3 cups chicken broth 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp sesame oil 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional 2 Green onions, sliced for garnish

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ground pork (or chicken) & cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon.
2. Add the onion, garlic & grated ginger to the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant & the onion is softened.
3. Stir in the shredded cabbage & carrots, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
4. Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil & black pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat.
5. If desired, add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick. Simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender & flavors are well combined.
6. Serve hot, garnished with sliced green onions.