Name: Japanese Egg Drop Soup (Kakitamajiru)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 cups dashi; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sake; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch mixed with ½ tablespoon cold water; 1 large egg, whisked; ¼ cup baby spinach

Egg drop soup is one of those dishes that’s so cheap and easy to make that I never order it at a restaurant. I love its simplicity and how it pairs well with just about anything – and is ready to serve in just 10 minutes!

Simple soups are quintessential to Asian dinners and my two favorites are miso soup and egg drop soup. I like that they are light so they don’t fill me up too much, while still bringing plenty of flavor and character to the table.

They are also a life saver when I feel lazy in the kitchen but still want to whip up a meal consisting of more than one dish.

The recipe I have for you today is a Japanese egg drop soup, called kakitmajiru. You will need seven ingredients and 10 minutes to make it.

Soups on!

What is Egg Drop Soup?

Egg drop soup is a Chinese soup made with chicken broth and whisked eggs that are slowly stirred into the soup to create thin threads. The traditional Chinese egg drop soup can sometimes include tofu, corn, chopped scallions, or bean sprouts.

While the Chinese version is the most famous type of egg drop soup, many countries have their own version:

America’s version of egg drop soup is thicker in consistency and is usually only served with chopped scallions.
Italy’s version is called stracciatella, and is made with a meat broth, olive oil, flour, egg, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese.
Eierflockensuppe is Austria’s version of egg drop soup. It’s made with a simple broth and dumplings made from scrambled eggs and flour.
Polish egg drop soup is made with chicken broth, some vegetables, and chicken breast. It’s very similar to chicken noodle soup, except that the noodles are replaced by cooked eggs that mimic the shape of noodles.
And there is of course, kakitamajiru, which is Japan’s version of Chinese egg drop soup. It’s very similar to the Chinese version except that dashi is used instead of chicken broth. The texture may also be thinner (more watery).

Ingredients for Japanese Egg Drop Soup

Scroll all the way down for the full recipe.

Dashi: You can make the dashi from scratch by using my recipe here, or use dashi powder. My favorite brand is Shimaya.
Soy sauce: The soy sauce enhances the broth with some savory and umami notes.
Sake: Sake is great for adding a little sweetness – on an aromatic level – without actually tasting sweet. It also helps to mellow flavors that tend to be aggressive.
Salt: Just a little salt to bring all the flavors together and to season the soup.
Potato starch: Potato starch thickens the broth and gives the soup its slightly gooey texture. Cornstarch can also be used and the result is pretty much the same.
Egg: Since the egg is the star of the dish, I recommend buying high grade, pasture raised eggs, such as Vital Farms. They taste so much better! I get mine at Whole Foods.
Baby spinach: You will need about a hand full of baby spinach, or just enough to color the soup with pretty green leaves.

How to Make Japanese Egg Drop Soup

Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
Start by putting the dashi stock in a small pot along with the soy sauce, sake, and salt. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.
Whisk the egg and hold a pair of chopsticks in the center of the pot. Slowly pour the egg on the chopsticks so it drizzles into the soup. Keep going, in a swirling motion, moving away from the center, like you are drawing a spiral.
Let the egg simmer for 20 seconds and add the spinach.
Turn the heat off and serve.

This is a very versatile soup so feel free to add more vegetables, dumplings, or noodles, if you would like to make it more filling.

Some of my favorite additions and toppings

Chopped shiitake mushrooms
Thinly sliced carrots (julienned)
Chopped scallions
Silken tofu
Wakame (seaweed)
Harusame (glass noodles, cellophane noodles)

What to serve with Kakitamajiru

The delicate flavor of kakitamajiru makes it an excellent side or appetizer to serve with dishes that are bold and assertive. I like to stick to Japanese, Korean, or Chinese dishes, whenever I make this soup, so the flavor profile stays in the same category.

Here are some of my favorites:

Other Easy Homemade Asian Soups

If you like this recipe and are a soup lover like I am, here are other easy and delicious Asian soups you can make at home in just a few minutes.

Did you like this Japanese Egg Drop Soup Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!