Egg Foo Young
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Egg foo young (芙蓉蛋, fúróng dàn) is a Chinese-American dish of fluffy egg patties — like an open Chinese omelette — packed with bean sprouts, scallions, and a protein such as shrimp, pork, or chicken, then pan-fried and smothered in a savory brown gravy. The name refers to the hibiscus flower (芙蓉), evoking the light, blossoming egg. The patties are made by mixing beaten eggs with the fillings and frying spoonfuls until golden and puffy, while the gravy is a simple soy-and-stock sauce thickened with cornstarch. It's a brilliant way to use up small amounts of leftover meat and vegetables. The keys are not overfilling the patties so they hold together, frying them in enough oil to puff and crisp the edges, and making the gravy glossy but pourable. It comes together in about 25 minutes and is served over rice.
Why you'll love this egg foo young
- Fluffy, savory egg patties under a glossy brown gravy — pure takeout comfort.
- A genius way to use up leftover meat and odds-and-ends vegetables.
- Cheap, fast, and ready in 25 minutes.
- Naturally flexible — make it with shrimp, pork, chicken, or all-vegetable.
Ingredients
Patties
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 1.5 cups bean sprouts
- 1 cup cooked shrimp, pork or chicken, chopped (or a mix)
- 3 scallions, sliced
- ½ small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
- ¼ tsp white peppersubstitutes →
- 4 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
Brown gravy
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
- 1 tsp oyster saucesubstitutes →
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce, for colorsubstitutes →
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1.5 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water
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Equipment
- Nonstick skillet — Makes flipping the egg patties easy.(shop →)
Instructions
Make the gravy
Make the gravy first: simmer the stock, soy sauces, oyster sauce, and sugar in a small pot. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until glossy and lightly thickened. Keep warm.
Mix the patty batter
Mix the beaten eggs with the bean sprouts, cooked protein, scallions, onion, soy sauce, and white pepper.
💡 Use cooked or quick-cooking fillings — the patties fry fast and won't cook raw meat through.
Fry the patties
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Ladle in about ⅓-cup portions of the egg mixture to form patties; fry until golden and set on the bottom, 2 minutes.
Flip & finish
Flip carefully and cook the other side until golden and just set, 1–2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter, keeping cooked patties warm.
💡 Don't overfill or overflip — gentle handling keeps the patties intact and fluffy.
Sauce & serve
Plate the patties over rice and ladle the warm brown gravy over the top. Garnish with extra scallion and serve.
Tips & notes
- Cooked or fast-cooking fillings only — leftover roast pork, char siu, cooked shrimp, or rotisserie chicken are perfect here.
- Bean sprouts are classic for crunch and bulk; you can add mushrooms, cabbage, or peas too.
- Fry in enough oil so the edges puff and crisp — that's what makes egg foo young more than a plain omelette.
- Make the gravy first and keep it warm, so you can serve the patties hot and crisp straight from the pan.
- Gluten-free: use tamari for the soy sauces and a GF oyster sauce.
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Egg Foo Young
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Beginner
Ingredients
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 1.5 cups bean sprouts
- 1 cup cooked shrimp, pork or chicken, chopped (or a mix)
- 3 scallions, sliced
- ½ small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 4 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce, for color
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1.5 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Make the gravy first: simmer the stock, soy sauces, oyster sauce, and sugar in a small pot. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until glossy and lightly thickened. Keep warm.
- Mix the beaten eggs with the bean sprouts, cooked protein, scallions, onion, soy sauce, and white pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Ladle in about ⅓-cup portions of the egg mixture to form patties; fry until golden and set on the bottom, 2 minutes.
- Flip carefully and cook the other side until golden and just set, 1–2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter, keeping cooked patties warm.
- Plate the patties over rice and ladle the warm brown gravy over the top. Garnish with extra scallion and serve.
Nutrition (est., per serving): 330 cal · 22 g protein · 12 g carbs · 22 g fat
Egg Foo Young FAQ
What is egg foo young?
Egg foo young is a Chinese-American dish of fluffy egg patties — like a filled open omelette — made with bean sprouts, scallions, onion, and a protein such as shrimp, pork, or chicken, pan-fried until golden and served under a savory brown gravy. The name evokes the hibiscus flower (芙蓉). It's a comforting, economical dish often used to stretch leftovers.
What is egg foo young gravy made of?
A simple brown gravy of chicken stock, soy sauce, a little oyster sauce and dark soy for color, and sugar, thickened with a cornstarch slurry until glossy and pourable. It's poured generously over the egg patties just before serving. The gravy is what distinguishes egg foo young from a plain omelette.
Is egg foo young the same as an omelette?
It's related but different. Egg foo young patties are loaded with bean sprouts, vegetables, and meat, fried until the edges crisp and puff, and crucially served smothered in brown gravy. A Western omelette is usually folded around a filling and served without gravy. Egg foo young is closer to a savory egg fritter or pancake in a sauce.
What meat goes in egg foo young?
Shrimp, roast pork (char siu), chicken, ham, or a mix — usually already cooked, which makes it a great way to use leftovers. You can also make it all-vegetable with extra mushrooms and bean sprouts. The protein is chopped small and folded into the egg before frying.
Why does my egg foo young fall apart?
Usually too much filling relative to egg, flipping too soon, or not enough oil. Keep the ratio egg-heavy so it binds, let each patty set fully before flipping, and fry in a generous amount of oil over medium-high heat. A nonstick pan and a wide spatula make flipping much easier.
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