This easy and classic recipe for egg foo young, aka “Chinese omelet”, is an easy dinner to lift your family out of the egg doldrums. Fast to make too. Ten minutes prep, ten minutes cook time.
On occasion, I must admit that my family gets bored with eggs despite how yummy they taste and the seemingly unlimited ways to prepare them.
When the egg doldrums strike at my house, whipping up egg foo yung for dinner is the answer.
Also called a Chinese omelet, egg foo yung is easy to make and mouth-wateringly delicious when prepared with quality ingredients.
It is an authentic Chinese dish originating in Shanghai.
American Chinese cuisine has modified it somewhat so that it is now basically known as an omelet with stir fry ingredients and meat served with a (usually fake) brown sauce or gravy.
The good news is that egg foo yung doesn’t really taste like an omelet when served with a quality brown sauce.
Thus, it is a great way to mix things up when egg boredom sets in.
While eggs cooked every which way are typical breakfast fare, egg foo yung is best served as the main course for dinner.
The key is to make sure the brown sauce is the highest quality possible.
I make the effort to source traditionally brewed soy sauce which adds enzymes and life to the rest of the meal which is entirely cooked.
If you are allergic to soy, you can use coconut aminos or this homemade soy sauce substitute instead.
I hope you enjoy this delicious yet simple Chinese-inspired meal!
Love Asian fare? Here are other dinner ideas to consider made with healthy, traditional ingredients.
- Shrimp fried rice with green beans. This video how-to shows you how to make it.
- Panang beef
- Indian chicken curry
- Teriyaki chicken
- Healthy ramen soup recipe
Egg Foo Yung
This easy and classic recipe for egg foo yung is sure to get your family out of the egg doldrums. Fast to make too. Ten minutes prep, ten minutes cook time.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs beaten, preferably pastured
- 2 Tbsp expeller pressed coconut oil or ghee
- 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts preferably organic
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup green peppers chopped, preferably organic
- 1/4 cup mushrooms chopped
- 1/4 cup shrimp or pastured chicken cooked and chopped
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce use tamari if avoiding grains
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot flour optional
Instructions
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Chop the vegetables except for the bean sprouts.
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Stir fry all the veggies together for a few minutes in ghee or coconut oil to coax out the flavor.
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Beat eggs in a large bowl and then mix in your choice of chopped meat, stir fried veggies, and optional arrowroot powder (leave out if avoiding starch or on the GAPS diet).
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Fry the mixture as small pancakes in a hot pan coated with coconut oil.
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Serve with additional soy sauce if desired.
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Cool and refrigerate leftovers in a glass container with tight-fitting lid for up to 4 days.
Hi Kim, just use traditionally brewed tamari soy sauce. You don’t have to make it. I get a good brand that is unpasteurized even at the healthfood store.
You write “serve with additional tamari, etc.” but I don’t see where there is any added to the dish itself while cooking. At what point do you add it?
I am looking forward to cooking up some of these for lunch one day when my kids are getting bored with our usual choices. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Lindsay, I just meant use more that the 2 TBL served on the side. Tamari soy sauce is not used in the cooking of the egg foo yung.
Thanks! Sounds easy & delicious!
In Brasil, it’s common to always have rice & beans ready to eat in the fridge; one of our favorite quick meals is to heat them up with some scrambled eggs and add a little olive oil. Love eggs!
Thanks for the recipe. Really like your blog!!
Sounds delicious, but I don’t know how to make the sauce!
Hi Sarah,
Arrowroot is not GAPS legal. Do you think a TBS of coconut or almond flour would work?
Thanks!
Hi Victoria, when I was on GAPS I never did find a legal thickener that worked except for powdered gelatin. I would probably use that.
Egg Foo Yung: Solution to the Egg Doldrums – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/34n1kL2
I was thinking that I should track down a recipe for egg foo young. Thanks!
When I eat egg foo yung, I don’t feel like I’m eating eggs. The brown sauce makes a huge difference to the experience I think.
I’ll have to try that sometime! Thanks for the recipe 🙂 I LOVE eggs too, probably eat on average 3 per day. But, I have to say, from time to time I get sick of them too, but still want to eat them because they’re so healthy, so this sounds great!