Try this classic Chinese-American dish if you love simple quick meals. This fluffy omelette is paired with savory tender shrimp and crunchy bean sprouts then drizzled with an umami brown sauce. Shrimp egg foo young is so easy to make at home, you don’t need to wait on a takeout order.
I’ve gotten plenty of Chinese takeout in my life, but egg foo young was never something I ordered. The thought of getting an egg dish just didn’t appeal when there were things like boneless spare ribs, General Tso’s and lo mein on the menu.
So admittedly, this is a dish I’ve only made at home because now, I live in the middle of nowhere and there’s no Chinese takeout within a reasonable distance. Thankfully, stumbled upon a video of this recipe a couple of years back. It was one of those days where I had nothing planned for dinner and this looked simple and quick. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Why You’ll Love Shrimp Egg Foo Young
- It’s a texture lover’s dream thanks to soft and fluffy eggs combined with crunchy bean sprouts and bell peppers.
- Protein packed. Usually, egg dishes aren’t so high on the protein scale, but with the addition of shrimp, this recipe remedies that.
- Accessible ingredients. Chinese inspired recipes can be daunting if you don’t normally stock the necessary ingredients. I’m pretty confident the average American household doesn’t have shaoxing wine, for example, but egg foo young is reasonable in what you need. Plus, I offer some suggestions for substitutions which won’t take away from the authenticity of the dish.
- Great clean out the fridge meal! If you’ve got random vegetables to use up, this is the perfect recipe for that.
Main Ingredients You’ll Need
Egg foo young (which is also sometimes written as egg foo yung and egg fu yung) is an egg based dish that at its core uses eggs, bean sprouts, onions and a rich brown gravy to top it all off.
This variation includes shrimp and some additional vegetables.
The brown sauce that’s drizzled over the fried omelette includes:
- Chicken broth
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
How to Make Egg Foo Young at Home
Traditionally, this dish is deep fried. Just like I’m not deep frying bang bang shrimp, I’m not creating that mess (and stench) in my kitchen for this recipe either. Pan-frying works just as well and makes this version a bit healthier.
- Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl then add the bean sprouts, chopped bell pepper, green onions, soy sauce and sesame oil.
- Heat some avocado oil (my preference over traditional vegetable oil) in a skillet over medium heat and add about 1/2 cup of the egg mixture. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
- Prepare the brown gravy by combining all the sauce ingredients in a sauce pot until simmering. Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken and remove from the heat.
- Plate the omelette patties and drizzle with the sauce. I like to garnish with sesame seeds and additional green onions.
My Pro Tips
Make The Best Tasting Egg Foo Young
- Transfer each patty to a paper towel lined plate after pan-frying. This helps absorb any excess oil and prevent them from getting too soggy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying these. I prefer to do one at a time. You can keep them warm in the oven if needed before serving.
- Thicken the gravy just before serving for the best consistency.
Substitutions
With a recipe like this, you can take it in a variety of ways depending on what you have on hand.
- In place of the shrimp, try firm tofu, chicken or crab meat.
- Bean sprouts can be replaced with shredded cabbage for a similar crunch.
- The oyster sauce used in the gravy is probably the most wild card ingredient in the recipe. It can be swapped out with hoisin sauce or extra soy sauce.
Serving Ideas
Typically, you’ll see this dish served with steamed white rice. I often do that too, but if I’m feeling up for it, I love shrimp egg foo young with fried rice as well. Basil fried rice and pineapple fried rice are great for vegetarian options.
If you want some added protein, tofu fried rice is great too. Sometimes I’ll make it without the tofu for a basic fried rice recipe.
Storage & Reheating
These will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I prefer to reheat in a skillet on the stove. Keep the sauce separate from the egg foo young patties and reheat that on the stove top as well. You can add some additional broth to loosen it up if needed.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe, eggs don’t thaw well.
The difference between an omelette and egg foo young comes down to two things:
- Egg foo young is typically fried
- The ingredients are fresh instead of previously cooked (like ham would be in an omelette)
This Chinese dish is also more commonly thought of as lunch or dinner here in the states where omelettes land pretty steadily in the breakfast world.
Other than that though, these dishes are incredibly similar. If you love a hearty omelette, give this shrimp egg foo young a try in its place next time and enjoy your own takeout at home!
More Chinese-American Inspired Dishes to Try
This egg drop soup has a surprise ingredient that’s a fun variation on the traditional Chinese takeout soup.
Love some spice? Try this Kung Pao chickpea dish. It can be made with any protein but the chickpea variation is a fun break from tofu for a vegetarian version.
If you love sweet and sour dishes, try this sweet and sour tofu recipe. The sauce is spot on and totally addictive!
Shrimp Egg Foo Young
Ingredients
For the Egg Foo Young Patties
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- ½ cup bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, or tamari
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, for frying
For the Gravy
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or tamari
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry, or arrowroot/tapioca starch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the shrimp, bean sprouts, green onions, red bell pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix well until combined.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour about ½ cup of the mixture per patty.
- Pan fry for 3 – 4 minutes per side until golden brown and shrimp is cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
- In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar to a simmer.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Place the patties on a serving plate and spoon the hot gravy over the top. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
