Recipe: Gingery Poached Egg Soup
Serves4
Poached eggs show up on eggs benedict, frisée salads, and noodle bowls, but one of my favorite ways to eat them are in a bowl of steaming hot broth. There’s something soothing and comforting about breaking open a yolk and watching it meld into the savory soup underneath, and I love how the whites soak in some of the soup too.
When I need a super-quick lunch that has some protein and a good dose of greens, this is my go-to. In under 15 minutes, you can make this ginger- and garlic-infused soup that’s full of greens and eggs that are poached right into the soup. It’s warming and satisfying yet won’t weigh you down. Plus, most of the ingredients are pantry or refrigerator staples.
Soup on the Quick
The name of the game with the soup is speed. Ginger and garlic are just sliced to minimize chopping time, and I grab store-bought broth and tamari or soy sauce for quick flavor boosts. I also like using a large, wide pot like a Dutch oven. You need the surface area both for a quick cook time for the soup and also so that the four eggs have plenty of space to poach without ending up on top of each other.
Besides being quick, this soup is versatile — pretty much any type of green or broth will work here. Hearty greens like kale or chard will cook in about the same amount of time, but throw in delicate greens like arugula or baby spinach during the last minute so that they have time to wilt but don’t overcook.
For an extra kick of spice or fresh flavor, I’ll top the soup with some sliced scallions or a sprinkling of Japanese togarashi or furikake — whatever’s kicking around in the pantry or refrigerator. A swirl of Asian chile-garlic paste would also be mighty delicious.
The Egg-cellent Egg
Tired of cooking eggs the same way over and over again? This protein-packed and economical staple can be cooked in countless ways with delicious results. This week we’re sharing fun, new ways to serve eggs for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even at snack time. Stash an extra carton of eggs in your basket the next time you’re at the store and give these recipes a whirl.
Gingery Poached Egg Soup
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon
toasted Asian sesame oil or vegetable oil
- 5
(1/4-inch) thick slices fresh ginger
- 2 cloves
garlic, very thinly sliced
- 6 cups
low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons
tamari or soy sauce
- 12 ounces
regular bok choy, Shanghai bok choy, or Napa cabbage
- 4
large eggs
Thinly sliced scallions, shichimi togarashi, or furikake, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or wide pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is just golden-brown around the edges, about 1 minute.
Carefully add the broth and tamari or soy sauce (it may sputter) and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, trim the stem ends from the bok choy or cabbage. If using Napa cabbage or large bok choy, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Add the bok choy or cabbage to the boiling soup, stir to combine, and bring back to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and crack the eggs into the soup, keeping the eggs as far apart from each other as possible. Simmer undisturbed until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately, topped with scallions, shichimi togarashi, or furikake if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.