Egg Foo Young is a Chinese-style omelet dish made with carrots, peas, bean sprouts, onion and bell peppers. Additional gravy recipe included.
Easy Chinese recipes like Classic Chinese Chow Mein, Easy Mongolian Beef, and Egg Foo Young are the perfect way to recreate your favorite takeout Asian cuisine at home.
Egg Foo Young is a classic recipe and one of the most popular dishes in both traditional Chinese cuisine and Chinese American restaurants. This Chinese-style omelet is filled with fresh mixed vegetables for a deliciously easy vegetarian dinner but it’s also the perfect leftover stir-fry to make at the end of the week. It’s adaptable, hearty yet healthy, and ready in about 10 minutes.
You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make this amazing yet simple home-cooked dish. This is the perfect recipe to use up vegetables and meat left over from other recipes. What really makes this Chinese omelet dish stand out is how just a couple ingredients can bring so much flavor to this delicious recipe. Soy sauce is the only seasoning you add to the vegetable and egg mixture. Everything is quickly cooked in fragrant sesame oil for an egg dish filled with rich, umami flavors and crunchy veggies.
One of the best things about Egg Foo Young is that you don’t have to skip the recipe if you don’t have all the vegetables on hand, you can simply just swap them out. This is sure to be a new favorite family recipe if you have picky eaters because you can easily separate the omelet batter into individual portions before adding the veggies so everyone gets a Chinese omelet they will love! Serve Egg Foo Young with other favorite Chinese food recipes like Hot and Sour Soup, Orange Chicken, and Chinese Steamed Rice.
What is Egg Foo Young?
Egg Foo Young is a Chinese-style dish consisting of a fluffy omelet made primarily with beaten eggs and various ingredients such as vegetables, meats, and sometimes seafood. The ingredients are typically mixed together and cooked in a frying pan or skillet to form a thick pancake-like omelet. It is often served with a savory gravy or sauce and white rice.
What’s the difference between Egg Foo Young and an Egg Omelet?
Egg Foo Young and an Egg Omelet have some similarities but also notable differences. While both dishes start with beaten eggs, Egg Foo Young is a Chinese-style dish typically made with a variety of chopped vegetables and sometimes meat, mixed into the beaten eggs and cooked as a pancake-like omelet. It is often served with a savory sauce or gravy. On the other hand, an Egg Omelet is a more general term referring to a dish made with beaten eggs cooked in a frying pan, usually folded over a filling such as cheese, vegetables, or meats. Overall, Egg Foo Young is a Chinese American classic that combines the flavors of Asian cuisine with the simplicity of an American-style Omelet.
How to Make Egg Foo Young
- Batter: In a large bowl, add the eggs, onion, carrots, peas, bell pepper, bean sprouts and soy sauce. Whisk to combine until the eggs are fully beaten.
- Heat: In a large skillet, add 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil. Heat over medium heat until hot and fragrant.
- Cook: Scoop ⅓ cup of batter into the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until eggs are set and the crust is golden. Serve hot with white rice and gravy.
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FAQs for Egg Foo Young
Traditionally Egg Foo Young is made with a mixture of vegetables including mushrooms, green onion, peas, carrots, bell pepper, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, or bean sprouts. Use finely chopped raw vegetables to give your egg patties some crunchy texture throughout.
On top of the wide options of vegetable mix-ins, you can mix in any leftover meats you have as well. Just made sure the meat is cooked ahead of time. This dish cooks so quickly raw meat would stay raw by the time the eggs were cooked. You can make Egg Foo Young with chicken, Chinese sausage, roast pork, shrimp, beef, ham, or lobster.
While eggs themselves are a good source of protein and essential nutrients, the overall healthiness of Egg Foo Young can vary based on how much oil is used, the types of vegetables, and if it’s topped with additional gravy or sauces. Opting for lean protein sources, using minimal oil, and choosing fresh, nutrient-rich vegetables can help make your Egg Foo Young healthier.
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Key Ingredients
- Eggs: Eggs are the main ingredient in these Chinese-style omelets. Use whole eggs for rich flavor and creamy texture, or lighten them up by replacing half the eggs with egg whites.
- Onion: Chopped yellow onion isn’t just one of the mixed vegetables in this dish, it’s also adding a lot of aromatic, slightly sweet, sharp flavor. If you aren’t a raw onion fan, you can saute them first to take the sharp bite off.
- Vegetables: Carrots add a crisp texture and a touch of natural, earthy sweetness. Green peas bring a burst of garden freshness and a pop of vibrant green color to your egg patties. Chopped green bell pepper adds a mild and slightly tangy flavor and a pleasant crunch.
- Bean Sprouts: It’s best to use fresh bean sprouts because they will have the most satisfying crunch and are more flavorful than canned sprouts.
- Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce is the only seasoning you need besides the onions. It adds a savory umami flavor with just a touch of saltiness without overpowering the delicious egg and veggie flavors.
- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil has a strong nutty aroma and you just need a little bit to add a ton of flavor. This is why you want to only add a teaspoon at a time while you cook the individual egg patties. It gives the outside of the patties a mouthwatering, flavorful crispy crust.
Can Egg Foo Young be made ahead of time?
Yes, Egg Foo Young can be made ahead of time. While it is best enjoyed fresh and hot, you can prepare the omelet mixture in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. When ready to serve, simply heat a skillet, add the mixture, and cook as directed.
Variations
- St. Paul Sandwich: For a well-loved Midwestern Chinese-American dish, serve the Egg Foo Young patty on slices of White Bread with mayonnaise, dill pickle, lettuce and tomato. This would make a great vegetarian lunch!
- Korean Style: You can recreate a Korean-Chinese Dish called jjajang bokkeumbap by adding a black bean sauce mixed with ground pork. Look for Jajangmyeon Sauce or Korean black bean paste, and cook the raw pork then toss in the savory sauce. Top some Fried Rice with the egg patty then ladle the pork black bean sauce over patties and serve.
- Indonesian: In Chinese-Indonesian cuisine, you’ll find Egg Foo Young made with cabbage instead of bell pepper and with crab meat, shrimp, or chicken added. The dish is served with Sweet and Sour Sauce instead of the gravy.
- Veggies: Switch up the mixture of vegetables with other veggies like shredded cabbage, slices of mushrooms, spring onions, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, or corn. You can also add raw vegetables like zucchini or summer squash but soak them in salt water and pat them dry so they don’t make the omelet batter runny.
Egg Foo Young Gravy
Here’s a classic and incredibly easy gravy to add to the top of your dish.
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Add everything to a small sauce pan and whisk well before the liquid heats up.
Cook and whisk until thickened.
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How to Store
- Store: Don’t leave Egg Foo Young at room temperature longer than 2 hours before refrigerating. Sealed in an airtight container, Egg Foo Young will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: You can reheat your egg patties in a skillet over medium-high heat so that it warms up quickly without cooking the eggs too much.
- Freeze: Freeze Egg Foo Young in a freezer safe plastic bag for up to 4 months, with individual pieces separated by parchment. Let thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on a skillet.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 yellow onion , chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots , chopped into chunks and steamed
- 1/4 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper , chopped
- 1/4 cup bean sprouts , cut in half
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil , divided
Instructions
- Add the eggs, onion, carrots, peas, bell pepper, bean sprouts and soy sauce together in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a large skillet heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil at a time for each pancake you cook on medium heat.
- Add about ⅓ cup of mixture per pancake and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second side.
Video
Notes
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch Add everything to a small sauce pan and whisk well before the liquid heats up.
Cook and whisk until thickened.
Nutrition
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Photos used in a previous version of this post.
What is the white sauce in the photos? White gravy? Sour cream? I have to know!
Hi Ann,
Here ya go and thank you for asking! Let us know if you try it on your Egg Foo Young!
Egg Foo Young Gravy
Here’s a classic and incredibly easy gravy to add to the top of your dish.
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Add everything to a small sauce pan and whisk well before the liquid heats up.
Cook and whisk until thickened.
Tried this and Basically it’s an omelette with soya sauce in it.
This is excellent. I didn’t mKe the gravy, just added a bit more tamari sauce to serve. Now I have to make a whole Chinese (keto) dinner to go with it. Thank you Sabrina and I look fwd to more recipes.
This is a great recipe. Simple and easy to change things in and out and still have a great meal. Only problem is how do you get a white gravy? Once you add the soy sauce it’s brown. Did I miss something ?
Looks super yum!
Sabrina. Thank you for another great recipe. Will make it again and again. The only changes I made was added minced garlic and 6 eggs. It made 9 small pancakes. How do I make them thicker?
Smaller pan
My husband loves egg foo young…made this recipe this week for his birthday…he LOVED them! So did I…thank you for this recipe!
This looks so yummy but what can I substitute for the dry sherry in the gravy, since I never have that or use?
Thank u, I love any recipe of yours I have made so far!!
Sabrina,
Can you please send me a link to your Chinese Veg fried rice. There is some ingredient(s) in this that has a distinct flavor and I don’t know for the life of me what it is. And the restaurant Ling Garden here in NW Portland (OR) used to make it…the father retired and it’s not same??
This Veg egg fu yung recipe with the gravy was exactly what I have been looking for. Thanks to Sabrina Snyder.
I’ll look up her website for Chinese Veg fried rice.
Wow, this recipe is super easy and my husband LOVED it!!! 5 stars!!! Unfortunately I used regular soy sauce and was looking for tamari but Walmart didn’t have it. Yes, regular Soy sauce is too salty; but light soy sauce would be best (as listed on the recipe). Thank you for sharing it. Oh, seems that with 8 eggs I need to add more vegetables because the egg was runny in the pan. The gravy is delicious and perfect recipe. This one is a keeper!!
I was wondering if I could use leftover chicken chow mein? It has a protein and veggies, I was just thinking of draining off excess liquid before adding it to the eggs. Do you think this would work? I’m not planning on making the gravy just using some soy sauce after it’s all cooked if I need more seasoning.
Hello Tracy, I’m sure the chicken chow mein will work. I don’t see it making a difference 🙂
Out of curiosity I wanted to know what goes into egg foo young. I’d never thought it was authentically Chinese, because of the gravy; which is a north American or European item. The recipe at this web-site confirms my suspicions. While I don’t myself like gravy, I don’t object if others do. Although I’m not a vegetarian, I’ve cut back on meat. For my part, it’s easy to overdo on. It is a flavor food: not the main course. I eat meat a couple times a week, because of its high B12 and complete protein. Contrary to the idea that Mexican cuisine with its rice and beans provide complete protein, historically its been those two plus corn and squash. (I most times use frozen.) I am not only happy, but also pleased to have found this recipe and to learn about its history too.
I love that you are not only cooking non-traditional foods but you are also learning about where they come from as well! This is awesome, Thank you Roger!
I think your recipe is an excellent one. To me it’s very clear that there are many mix and match (or not) options as to ingredients – you shouldn’t have to apologize to those who don’t realize this. I put a little toasted sesame oil in the egg mixture and in the gravy mixture then fry in a neutral oil (avocado). Yum!
Does this recipe serve 4?
And when do the carrots and the sprouts go in – the carrots surely with the other veg in the main mix, and the sprouts towards the end.
Unless I’m missing something they were left out?
The recipe looks great otherwise, but it would be much easier to follow if all the ingredients were listed right at the top of the page – so many descriptions and so much discussion before you actually find the ingredients list!
This recipe yields 6 servings. Enjoy!
Mushrooms? Not in ingredients list yet step one said to mix in mushrooms?
Thanks for catching that. I’ve edited it to read correctly. I didn’t end up using mushrooms in this recipe.
Hi! I am just starting a low carb diet. Are you certain about the carb count? Is it with the sauce?
If you are on a strict diet, I would suggest using your own calculator for nutritional information. The one in the recipe card is a plug in that calculates based on the ingredient list.
How many does this recipe cook for
This yields 6 servings. Enjoy!
Can I make the gravy without the dry sherry?
Yes, you can substitute with white wine, brandy or dry vermouth. Even vinegars would work although any substitute might adjust the original flavor a bit. Good luck!
I’ll usually mix in a large can of drained albacore tuna to the egg mixture, so easy, super fast and delicious!
Wow I just made Egg Drop Soup in less than 10 minutes! Amazing taste!!!All your recipies are spot on in directions and your comments! Winner!
Thanks, Eileen.
Just proves there is no magic in cooking only magic people who show you how easy it is
Thank you
If you really want to up your gravy game, try 1-2 tbsp of oyster sauce.
Thanks
Can the patties be frozen?
Certainly. You can freeze them after they are cooked for up to a month. Reheat in the oven. Hope this helps!
Great it’s in my grocery shopping list budget
Yay! Love to hear that!
I have always made my egg foo yung with mushrooms. I always precook them so they do not liquify the eggs by going watery. As noted by another comment made this recipe needs seasoning.. 1 grated garlic clove and 1/4-1/2 tsp grated ginger along with black pepper to your taste.
Thanks for the feedback.
Do I have to use sesame oil?
It will greatly change the flavor if you leave it out.
You can always add oyster sauce to the eggs.
I’m trying this recipe for dinner tonight. Just one question, what measurement amount is it for the mushrooms?
I’m so sorry, my final testing of the recipe didn’t include mushrooms and it looks like I forgot to take it out in the instructions portion. Feel free to leave them out too or if you want to use them, inlcude 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms. I just found that they released too much water in the 2nd to last testing that’s why I decided not to use them. Hope this helps!
I am going to try this recipe it looks great. I have been so disappointed with the egg foo young in the south west it is so different than what I grew up with on the north east. The egg foo young in the south west is awfully it has a bread/muffin like consistency without any indication of eggs at all. My husband and I are longing for some good Chinese food.
I hope you enjoy it!
Sabrina,
I tried making your gravy from this recipe. I whisked and cooked this for at least 20min, and it would never thicken. It only turned brown, the color of tea. You instructions kept me wondering! Should it come to a boil, first? How high should the heat be? How long should it take?
Can you give further instructions, on how to cook this gravy?
It sounds like your heat might have been too low. You’ll want to have it over medium heat and it should take about 10 minutes to make. Hope this helps!
If it doesn’t thicken, you can add 1 tsp. of cornstarch and 1 tsp. of water mixed into slurry, then added to the sauce.
This recipe was not too badd in my opinion you need an extra half a cup of bean sprouts, some seasoning added to to egg mixture 1/2t garlic powder and 1/4t ground black pepper. All in all this was a great recipe, tysm for sharing it here.
Egg Foo Young is our FAVORITE! I am definitely going to try this!
I hope you enjoy it Cathy!
Looks like something my kids will love! I can’t wait to give this a try!
Enjoy!
Sabrina, you are my hero(ine)!!! I cannot tell you how long I have been looking for an Egg Foo Young recipe-especially without napa cabbage or bok choy-as it is served in Central GA at EVERY restaurant, as they claim that it “Can’t be made without it” although I grew up without ever having it served with cabbage in the Midwest!!! Anyhoo, I am beyond thrilled to try this recipe “House style”!!!! Thanks SO MUCH for this and all of your fabu recipes!! Will let you know how this turns out!
You just made my day! I hope you enjoy it!
This looks so good! I have to give it a try!
I hope you enjoy it Krista!
Never had this before – will need to try!
It’s fun trying new things! Enjoy!!
This is seriously making me hungry!
I’ve never had egg foo young. I need to make your recipe soon! Love this idea for leftovers!
Amazing job with this recipe, so easy to follow and delicious!
Thanks Amanda!